Best Grants for 501(c)(3) in Africa

The Big G Charitable Foundation, founded in 2009 by Mike Galesi, is dedicated to supporting environmental conservation and emergency relief efforts. Inspired by his father, John (Big G), Mike's commitment to helping others drives the foundation's mission to protect the defenseless and promote sustainability. Through grants, the foundation aids qualified non-profit organizations focused on these critical areas, ensuring that both our planet and those in crisis receive the support they need.

The Creag Foundation, established in 2009 in Woodinville, Washington, provides funding to innovative 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations addressing social issues. Focused on smaller organizations, the foundation seeks to support those with unique approaches to improve the human condition. Eligible applicants must have held 501(c)(3) status for at least one year and present a new or previously unaddressed solution to societal challenges. Applications are by invitation only, encouraging creativity and passion in charitable work.

The DanPaul Foundation aims to enhance early childhood development by training teachers and parents, protecting children from abuse, and promoting social responsibility. They provide grants to non-profits for programs that focus on education, health, and welfare of youth. Key initiatives include scholarships, environmental education, and support for underprivileged children. Grant amounts range from a few hundred dollars to $15,000 annually, with a focus on impactful, community-driven projects.

The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation provides grants to early-stage social entrepreneurs working on scalable solutions to pressing social and environmental issues. By supporting organizations with innovative approaches and proven impact, they aim to uplift underserved communities globally. The foundation offers operational support, funding of up to $300,000 over three years, and fosters a collaborative community among its portfolio organizations. They focus on candidates demonstrating measurable impact and sustainable growth potential.

The Global Impact Cash Grants by Cisco Systems Foundation support innovative early-stage solutions aimed at addressing significant social problems. Targeting nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations, these grants focus on four key sectors: crisis response, education, economic empowerment, and climate regeneration. Eligible organizations must demonstrate alignment with these areas, particularly serving underserved communities. The foundation seeks to leverage technology for impactful solutions, ensuring sustainability and community resilience through strategic investments.

Google Ad Grants empowers nonprofits by providing $10,000 monthly for in-kind advertising, enabling them to reach potential donors and volunteers through Google search ads. This program enhances visibility for organizations by showcasing their missions to those searching for nonprofits. By utilizing effective campaign tools, nonprofits can create impactful text-based ads, ensuring their messages resonate with a wider audience. This initiative not only raises awareness but also fosters community engagement and support for charitable causes.

The MacFarlane Foundation, established in 2009, is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for individuals and communities through strategic grantmaking. It supports U.S. public charities focused on education, economic empowerment, climate change, health, and women's well-being. Grants range from $10,000 to $250,000, with a commitment to fostering growth in organizations. The foundation invites proposals annually, ensuring impactful contributions to various causes both domestically and internationally.

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation provides grants to organizations focused on improving the lives of children in urban poverty in the U.S., India, and South Africa. They prioritize projects in education, health, and family economic stability. Grants typically do not exceed 25% of a project's budget or 10% of an organization's annual expenses. The foundation seeks to partner with organizations already making an impact, ensuring funding supports impactful social enterprises.

The One by One Program Grant, offered by 4Imprint, provides support to organizations making a difference in their communities. Each business day, three selected organizations receive $500 in promotional products to aid their efforts. Eligible applicants include 501(c)3 charities, religious organizations, and accredited schools. Applications must be submitted two months prior to the event, and organizations can apply only once every 12 months. This initiative embodies a commitment to small, impactful contributions.

Roche Corporate Donations and Philanthropy (CDP) focuses on impactful projects that foster sustainable development, engage employees, and leverage Roche's expertise. Their philanthropic efforts prioritize humanitarian, educational, environmental, and cultural initiatives, aiming to build stronger communities and support innovative projects. Eligibility is limited to local organizations, while ineligible projects include those with political or religious ties. The foundation strives to create a positive societal impact through collaboration and strategic partnerships.

The Skees Family Foundation offers mission-aligned Seed Grants to nonprofits focused on job creation and readiness, primarily outside the U.S. These grants, beginning at $2,500 and increasing over three years, aim to support organizations with annual budgets of $250,000 or less. By prioritizing international efforts, the foundation seeks to maximize the impact of its limited resources, fostering growth in community-based organizations dedicated to alleviating poverty and promoting economic development globally.

 

Skees Family Foundation

The Skees Family Foundation, a 501(c)3 private charitable foundation (EIN#83-0411607), works with nonprofits (NPOs) and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) serving families in need around the world.

The Skees Family Foundation — family helping families — extends self-help to youth and families to end poverty worldwide. We support organizations in the U.S., Africa, Asia, Central and South America, India, and the Pacific to promote job creation and economic development. We value love in action to create equal opportunity for all. And as a diverse multigenerational group with limited time and funds, we believe that we — and you — can change the world for good.

Mission: Skees Family Foundation works to end global poverty by partnering with community-based organizations to create fulfilling jobs and build job readiness through vocational or entrepreneurial training.

How We’re Different

We approach grantmaking in ways that differ from many funders, in ways intended to minimize the power imbalance between nonprofits and funders:

• No Restrictions: Unrestricted funding shows trust and respect for our partners. They know where the money is most needed, and we don’t have the burden of keeping track of specific projects.
• No Applications: All the information we need is found through our own research. This helps us keep our workload lighter by not having to go through hundreds of applications, and it provides our new partners a welcome surprise, with infinite return on investment. 
• Limited Reporting: We have calls once a year with our partners to discuss how they’re doing and their plans for the future. We don’t ask for written reports – we talk to our partners and create enduring relationships. 
• Multi-Year Grants: Two to six-year grants give us the opportunity to build relationships with our partners and for them to have the security of longer-term funding.
• Storytelling Assistance: Through our Seeds of Hope blog and the My Job social mission project, we tell the stories of our partners. We get to shine a light on their work, and they get a bit of free promotion!
• Funding Channels: Our partners are often challenged in finding their next level of funding. In response, we are creating a network of funders to help guide our partners toward their next grant. We can pass on our knowledge about individual organizations, as well as receive recommendations from other funders, saving everyone a lot of time.
• Direct Impact Investments: For many of our partners, the ability to scale rests on access to capital, and we often maintain relationships through direct impact investments. This allows us to stay in touch with our partners and invest in someone we trust, while giving them access to affordable debt and a reasonable return to the Skees corpus.
• 100% ESG Market Investments: Beyond impact investments, the remaining majority of the corpus is invested with an Environmental Social Governance screen, ensuring our corpus is working for good. This helps us increase our impact substantially while avoiding investments that are working in contradiction with our mission, all while maintaining strong returns to support our grantmaking.

Mission-Aligned Grantmaking

Our mission-aligned grants are focused on organizations whose primary work is outside of the United States. We do this for two reasons:

• Given our relatively small grantmaking budget, funding international programs allows each dollar to go further than it would in the U.S, enabling our foundation to have greater impact with our limited resources.
• We support organizations without geographic limitations through our discretionary board and family grants, both in the U.S. and abroad, that our family members are connected to and passionate about.

These grants are typically distributed every three years, and go out at the start of the new year.

Catalyst Grants

Catalyst Grants are three-year grants, distributing $25,000 in year one, $15,000 in year two and $10,000 in year three. These grants are for organizations that have demonstrated some success with their models and are ready to work at a broader level by scaling or deepening their programs. Catalyst Grants are focused on organizations with an annual budget of less than $500,000, but groups with budgets of up to $1 million are eligible.

It is our hope that Catalyst Grants truly serve as a catalyst for organizations ready to scale, which our foundation views as critical to long-term change. Although the funds are for general operating expenses, we encourage these organizations to invest in expanding and deepening their programs in a self-sustaining way.

By allocating a large proportion of our annual grantmaking budget to a few nonprofits through our Catalyst Grants, we aim to have a more meaningful impact on our Catalyst partner organizations and the issue areas in which they work. 

The Walmart Foundation invites 501(c)(3) organizations to submit program-related concept notes focused on the Healthier Food for All initiative. This ongoing program seeks to enhance access to nutritious food in underserved communities while linking nutrition to healthcare. With a commitment to combat chronic illnesses through better nutrition, Walmart aims to fill food access gaps and promote food as medicine programs, ultimately improving health outcomes for many Americans.

The Antioch Foundation Grant supports innovative projects that share the Gospel and serve communities in faith, education, medicine, and humanitarian needs. Established in 2000, it prioritizes pilot programs and start-up costs, with most awards not exceeding $40,000 for a one-year period. Grants are available to 501(c)(3) organizations, particularly those affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Evidence of support from other donors is encouraged to enhance funding opportunities.

The Cold Noses Foundation Grant aims to support organizations dedicated to the humane treatment of animals, including domestic pets, wildlife, and farm animals. Grants are available to U.S. non-profits and selected international equivalents with an annual income of $200,000 or less. The foundation emphasizes accountability, requiring detailed financial reporting and adherence to ethical standards. Deadlines for applications vary by region, ensuring timely funding for impactful animal welfare projects.

The Lawrence Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2000, dedicated to granting funds for environmental and human services causes. Eligible organizations include 501(c)(3) nonprofits and public schools, with grants typically ranging from $5,000 to $10,000. The foundation supports unrestricted grants for various projects, including disaster relief and environmental programs, but does not fund individuals or for-profit entities. Applications are evaluated based on alignment with the foundation's priorities.

The Cowles Charitable Trust Grant supports initiatives aligned with the philanthropic legacy of Gardner Cowles, Jr. Focused on education, social justice, health, and the arts, it favors organizations recognized as 501(c)(3) by the IRS. The Trust encourages applications for general operating support and seeks partnerships rather than being the sole funder. Notably, it considers applications from established partners and supports efforts in Downstate New York and South Florida, with a preference for diverse funding sources.

The Tomberg Family Philanthropies supports impactful programs in education, health, environment, and poverty alleviation, focusing on projects that empower communities for sustainable change. They exclusively fund 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in the U.S. and seek innovative initiatives that maximize limited resources. Note that grants typically do not cover ongoing operational costs or projects run by religious organizations. Applications for the current funding cycle are open until September 8, 2025.

The CPPS Heritage Mission Fund Grant supports initiatives aligned with Precious Blood Spirituality, focusing on dignity, healing, and community solidarity. Starting in 2026, applications will be accepted once a year, with a two-hour window for Letters of Inquiry. Grants range from $5,000 to $100,000, addressing unmet needs through various project types, including startup support and capital projects. This fund emphasizes the interconnectedness of all life and the importance of serving the common good.

The FAWCO Foundation Development Grant funds impactful projects that promote sustainability and immediate assistance to communities. With over 50 years of support, FAWCO clubs nominate grassroots organizations lacking sponsorship. Key focus areas include education, human rights, and global issues, aiming to empower disadvantaged women and children through initiatives like literacy programs, vocational training, and cultural understanding. This grant fosters collaboration and ensures that local charities receive much-needed recognition and support on a global scale.

The Dr. Scholl Foundation offers grants annually to IRS 501(c)(3) organizations, primarily focusing on U.S. applicants. The foundation supports projects in education, social services, healthcare, civic and cultural initiatives, and environmental efforts. While the grant cycle runs from October 1 to March 1, it encourages innovative solutions to global challenges. Only one application per organization is accepted each year, and funding is limited to one year. Unqualified organizations, including political entities, are ineligible.

The Hitchman Charitable Trust, established by Helen Hitchman's estate in 2014, aims to continue the philanthropic legacy of Robert and Helen Hitchman. It focuses on aiding children in need, cancer research, and supporting marginalized groups. While the Trust has a global reach, particular emphasis is placed on programs assisting children in Africa. Locally, it prioritizes grants for 501(c)(3) organizations in Washington state, especially in the greater Seattle area.

NextWorldNow Community Investments aims to enhance community well-being through targeted funding for development projects. By supporting local initiatives, they ensure measurable social impact while fostering sustainable solutions. Their approach prioritizes direct engagement with communities, minimizing overhead to maximize the flow of resources. With a commitment to accountability and innovation, NWN invites proposals from diverse geographies, focused on long-term benefits for the communities. They believe small changes can lead to significant transformations, addressing unmet global needs.

The International Foundation Grant is aimed at U.S.-based non-profit organizations working in developing countries to enhance health, education, and income levels for impoverished communities. While currently not accepting new applications, the foundation reviews proposals from previously invited organizations. The focus lies on holistic, community-driven projects in sectors such as agriculture, education, environment, and health. Partnerships with local entities are encouraged to ensure sustainable and impactful outcomes.

The .ORG Impact Awards, organized by the Public Interest Registry, honor individuals and organizations connected to .ORG domains for their impactful contributions in areas such as health, education, diversity, and environmental stewardship. Participants can receive up to $50,000 for their chosen non-profit and gain visibility through various promotional platforms. This initiative not only recognizes excellence but also fosters community support and encourages innovative solutions to pressing societal issues.

The Gupta Family Foundation Grant aims to empower disadvantaged individuals by providing financial support to organizations that foster self-reliance. Headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, the foundation offers grants ranging from $5,000 to over $250,000, prioritizing smaller organizations with a strong commitment to their missions. Eligibility typically includes US-based IRS 501(c)(3) entities, with operations extending to countries like India and Kenya. The foundation emphasizes mission alignment and effective resource allocation to ensure maximum impact.

The John and Maria Laffin Trust provides funding for education, animal welfare, medical research, and human services to 501(c)(3) organizations. It allocates 20% for education, 30% for animal welfare, 25% for medical research, and 25% for humanitarian efforts. There are no geographic restrictions for medical research and human services grants, and organizations must meet IRS requirements for tax-exempt status. This trust honors the legacy of Valentina Laffin, who was dedicated to community service.