Racing is my profession but I'm also driven to help others through the work of my foundation. There are so many organizations providing outstanding service and programs and my impulse is to help them all. However, it has been necessary to focus our funding to those programs that most closely match my passions - children, animals and fellow drivers in need of assistance.

I've been fortunate enough to accomplish my dream of driving race cars for a living. The Tony Stewart Foundation will continue to provide the vehicle for me to give back to others needing a helping hand - a child enduring a serious or life-threatening illness, an abused or homeless animal, an injured race driver and his family.

Let's work together to ensure that the Foundation's goals and mission to help others are accomplished!

Yours truly,

Tony Stewart's Grant Acceleratorwas created to invite fans and people from throughout the United States to help the foundation identify top-notch charities serving children, animals or injured motorsports drivers. Since 2004, the Tony Stewart Foundation has awarded almost $4.5 in grants to qualified charities throughout the country. Now, the foundation has reserved $300,000 to award grants to forty (40) of the best charities in the U.S.

Tony's Grant Accelerator was also created to provide a unique fundraising platform for charities. Additional grant funds will be awarded based on each charity's fundraising success. Over the years, the foundation has repeatedly seen that charities receiving TSF grants experience increased involvement from donors, volunteers, board members and others. The foundation helps to "accelerate change" and, through Tony's Grant Accelerator, a national platform will be provided for charities to renew current supporters and capture the hearts of new ones.

Now it's your turn to help TSF identify the best charities "out there" to become 1 of 40 Finalist Charities for Grant Accelerator.

PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS FOR THE SAME ORGANIZATION

Nominated organizations must: (a) be a non-profit charity operating within the United States and classified as 501(c)(3); (b) provide a copy of its IRS Letter of Determination with EIN number; (c) have been fully operational for a minimum of two (2) years; (d) demonstrate at least 70% of total annual revenue is used for programs & services (non-administrative costs); and (e) fully meet the guidelines & mission statement of The Tony Stewart Foundation.

Nominate your favorite charity! Use the Grant Accelerator Nomination Form and share with us why your charity should be invited as 1 of 40 Finalist Charities. Also, a qualified charity may self-nominate.

Nominations are open starting May 1 through June 14. Absolutely no nominations will be accepted after June 30, 2011.

The forty (40) Finalist Charities will be publicly announced on Tuesday, September 6, 2011.

Just as in each NASCAR Sprint Cup or World of Outlaws race, there is a racing finish order. This racing field of 40 charities will compete in one category -- producing the largest number of supporters – The Charity Pit Crew.

Also, the 40 charities will respond to the Tony Stewart Foundation Fundraising Challenge to use this unique platform to renew and expand their donor base -- (2) The Fuel Reserve.

These charities will be provided a national platform to create a robust fundraising campaign that goes well beyond the potential (and logistics) of an event. In addition, TSF will provide each charity with a "Grant Accelerator Media Kit" to enable them to maximize this marketing opportunity. Finally, TSF will use all of its media resources to profile each charity, their programs & mission and position them to be discovered by a national audience.

The Pit Crew Competition & TSF Grant Prize of $300,000…

The Tony Stewart Foundation has set aside $300,000 in grant funds to reward each of the 40 Finalist Charities for building and expanding their Charity Pit Crew. Funds will be distributed through a TSF Grant based on how each individual charity finishes – 1st place through 40th place. See the FAQ & Rules document on this page for complete details.

Where a charity finishes depends on the NUMBER of Charity Pit Crew members who have joined. Each member may join for as little as a $1.00 donation or may chose to join by donating more. Each donation goes into a designated Fuel Reserve fund for the charity (see next section).

The Pit Crew Membership Competition begins September 6 and ends November 10.

The Fuel Reserve Challenge is what each charity makes it…

Imagine having a fundraising platform that is national in scope. Imagine not having to organize an event, print invitations and decorate a ballroom. The Tony Stewart Foundation is providing a unique fundraising platform for these finalist charities to renew current supporters & secure new supporters. Each of the 40 Finalist Charities is being issued a "challenge" from TSF to maximize this opportunity to raise significant funds for their programs & services.

How do the donations create the Fuel Reserve…

When your charity adds a Pit Crew Member, he or she will donate at least $1.00. A Pit Crew Member can actually make any level of monetary donation but $1.00 is the minimum. The donation made goes into a designated fund for each of the 40 Finalist Charities. See the FAQ & Rules document on this page for complete details.

When the Fuel Reserve Challenge closes on November 10, the Tony Stewart Foundation will tally donations made to each of the 40 Charities. From each amount of funds, eighty percent (80%) will be issued back to each designated charity through a TSF Grant.

The Fuel Reserve Challenge begins September 6 and ends on November 10.

The Tony Stewart Foundation web site will post its "Scoreboard" every Monday to disclose the weekly tally with resulting numbers for the (a) Pit Crew Competition, and (b) Fuel Reserve Drive.