Best Grants for Immigration Nonprofits in New York

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in New York can seek funding for direct health and related services benefiting poor or underserved residents, including immigrants and other vulnerable groups. Mother Cabrini Health Foundation provides New York health-focused nonprofits with grants of more than US $75,000 for programs aligned with Catholic ethical principles and serving its eight priority populations.

New York 501(c)(3) nonprofits and fiscally sponsored groups advancing immigrant, housing, and workers’ rights can seek support for grassroots organizing and advocacy that build BIPOC community power. Scherman Foundation provides funding for movement-building, policy reform, and narrative or culture shift work across New York City, Long Island, and selected statewide coalitions focused on racial and economic justice.

Immigrant visual and multidisciplinary artists in New York seeking free professional development and mentoring can apply for New York Foundation for the Arts’ Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program. Grants from New York Foundation for the Arts help New York immigrant communities by offering 1-on-1 mentorship, networking, exhibition opportunities, and arts-in-education training to support emerging artistic careers.

Nonprofit and community-based providers in New York developing ESOL mobile learning platforms for immigrants and other new Americans can apply for funding from the New York State Department of State’s Office for New Americans. Focus includes mobile ESOL lessons, on-demand coaching, outreach materials, and staff training to better serve limited English proficient residents.

State agencies, local governments, and tribal governments in New York can access funding through the Bureau of Justice Assistance to support immigration-related law enforcement and justice activities. Grants may cover locating and detaining criminal illegal aliens, prosecuting related crimes, supporting court operations, and enhancing participation in Homeland Security Task Force efforts and other DOJ violent crime initiatives.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations working on immigrant and refugee rights in New York can seek funding for immigrant-led organizing, advocacy, legal services, impact litigation, and holistic support networks. The Morton K. and Jane Blaustein Foundation primarily supports immigration, racial, and climate justice efforts, with a geographic focus that includes New York City boroughs.

Doctoral-level researchers studying race, ethnicity, and immigration in the U.S. can receive up to US $200,000 to support rigorous social science research, including data collection and analysis. Russell Sage Foundation provides New York immigration and immigrant-services scholars with funding for projects on immigrant integration, legal status, policy impacts, social movements, and related racial and ethnic justice issues.

Researchers with doctorates studying immigration, immigrant integration, or related race and citizenship issues can apply for Russell Sage Foundation grants supporting social science research in the U.S., including New York, with awards up to US $200,000. Grants from Russell Sage Foundation help immigration-focused scholars generate rigorous evidence that can inform policy and outcomes for immigrants and native-born communities.

BIPOC-owned, BIPOC-led, or BIPOC-centering nonprofits and fiscally sponsored community groups in the Berkshire Taconic region, including Columbia and Northeast Dutchess Counties in New York, can apply for approximately US $10,000 to advance racial justice, immigrant services, and related equity work. Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation also offers micro grants to individual cultural workers, leaders, artists, and entrepreneurs.

Non-religious, inclusive charitable organizations sponsored by a church in the Episcopal Diocese of New York can receive funding for shelter, housing insecurity, and immigration services. Focused on immigrant and refugee support, Episcopal Charities invites programs in Manhattan, Staten Island, the Bronx, Westchester, and the Hudson Valley that serve asylum seekers, migrants, and refugees with shelter and language skills.

Individuals born in North Korea, their immediate family members, and certain North Korean–born refugees or citizens pursuing education in the U.S. can receive up to US $10,000 for accredited college or university programs. With a mission to support immigrant and refugee communities, Communities Foundation of Texas offers the Lindsay Lloyd North Korea Freedom Scholarship, which may be renewed annually.

Researchers with doctorates studying behavioral science and decision-making processes can apply for Russell Sage Foundation core research grants of up to US $200,000. With a mission to advance rigorous social science, the foundation supports U.S.-based work on immigration, racial and ethnic relations, criminal justice, housing, employment, and related policy contexts, which may include New York immigration-focused projects.

Researchers with doctorates studying race, ethnicity, and immigration in the U.S. can apply for Russell Sage Foundation core research grants, with awards up to US $200,000. New York-based scholars or those examining immigration and immigrant rights issues relevant to New York communities may be especially interested in this social science research opportunity.

With a mission to recognize immigrant contributions, Vilcek Foundation provides New York immigration and immigrant-service nonprofits with US $5,000 - US $20,000 for innovative programs in the arts, sciences, culture, and society. U.S.-based 501(c)(3) organizations, including those in New York, can apply year-round if their work centers immigrants’ impact and creativity.

Doctoral students at U.S. institutions conducting dissertation research on immigration, immigrant integration, race and ethnicity, or related social inequalities in the U.S. can access funding through the Russell Sage Foundation’s Dissertation Research Grants, with awards up to US $15,000. New York immigration-focused scholars may be especially interested in this support for data collection, analysis, and writing.

Early-career social science faculty researching immigration, immigrant integration, or related inequalities in the U.S., including those based in New York, can seek US $35,000 - US $50,000 in research funding from the Russell Sage Foundation. Focused on economic mobility and systemic barriers, this one-year support prioritizes underrepresented scholars and projects using strong theory, data, and methods.

BIPOC- and LGBTQ+-affirming 501(c)(3) nonprofits in New York and across the U.S. can receive US $100 - US $15,000 for general operating support, projects, advocacy, and capacity building that advance social justice and human rights. The B.W. Bastian Foundation particularly supports work in areas like immigration and refugee rights within its broader equality mission.

The IAF Research Fellowship Program, administered by the Social Science Research Council, aims to support rigorous research on community-led development in Latin America and the Caribbean. The fellowship provides a $20,000 stipend for twelve months, fostering innovative solutions to pressing issues such as economic opportunity, migration, and social inclusion. Researchers are encouraged to explore how community-led models can create lasting impacts and respond to global trends, enhancing local resilience and development.

New York 501(c)(3) nonprofits, religious organizations, and public schools providing food or services to immigrants, refugees, and other people in need can receive donated bread and baked goods through the Day-End Dough-Nation program. Panera Bread Foundation partners with agencies that commit to weekly pickups to support food pantries, shelters, youth programs, and similar services.

The New World Fund Scholarship, established by the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, provides financial support to new immigrants pursuing degrees at Berkshire Community College. This scholarship honors Gerald Dickler, who overcame adversity to succeed as a New York City attorney. Eligible students must have been in the U.S. for five years or less, demonstrate leadership potential, and exhibit financial need. By fostering academic success and community involvement, this initiative aims to empower the next generation of leaders.

The Amalia Scholarship Fund for Higher Education, managed by The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region, supports current or former clients of the US Committee on Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) Albany. This scholarship enables students residing in the Greater Capital Region to pursue higher education, whether through a 2- or 4-year college, university, or a technical/trade school professional certificate program. Empowering individuals since 1968, the foundation promotes educational opportunities for deserving candidates.

DREAMing Out Loud is a tuition-free creative writing workshop series by PEN America for immigrant writers. It offers vital community support, empowering participants to craft original works while amplifying marginalized voices. With workshops led by established writers, participants receive stipends, access to publishing resources, and opportunities to perform their work. This initiative aims to counter anti-immigrant sentiment and ensure that diverse stories are included in the literary canon, fostering an inclusive artistic community.

The Community Foundation of the Rappahannock River Region

The Community Foundation is a devoted advocate for the vitality and well-being of the Rappahannock River Region. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that manages and distributes charitable giving in the counties of Stafford, Spotsylvania, King George, and Caroline, and the City of Fredericksburg.

Scholarships

One of The Community Foundation’s strategies for preserving and growing the quality of life in our region is supporting higher education for area students. Generous individuals and families, companies and organizations establish endowed scholarship funds and the proceeds from these funds benefit deserving students. Donors work with foundation staff to determine appropriate criteria for each fund. The Community Foundation currently administers more than fifty scholarship funds.

The William and Susanna Botts Scholarship for Immigrants

The Botts family has been supportive of and advocates for the immigrant community for many years. Susanna taught English as a Second Language in Stafford County schools for eleven years until her retirement in 2010. Since that time, she has continued to work part-time with county ESL students; in addition, she has worked with immigrant families in their homes. Bill provided legal assistance to lawfully represent immigrants in civil matters for many of his 40 years as a legal aid attorney. In 2002, while Executive Director of Rappahannock Legal Services (now Legal Aid Works), he encouraged the Board of Directors to give up all federal funding for the legal aid program so that the organization could represent undocumented immigrants as well. Since 2016, he has served as a volunteer attorney for Baptist-based LUCHA Ministries Immigration Legal Services.

Bill and Susanna have also worked together through Catholic Charities to assist endangered children to come to the United States as refugees from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. They have worked through their church, Fredericksburg United Methodist, tutoring ESL students at Hugh Mercer Elementary School. All of their efforts have been informed and inspired by their experiences on over a dozen church mission trips to Central America and Mexico.

The Botts believe supporting the educational dreams of immigrant youth will serve not only the immigrant community, but also the community at large. The William and Susanna Botts Scholarship for Immigrants will award at least two annual scholarships of $1,000 to support high achieving and or/highly motivated immigrants or refugees in our community. 

Through the generosity of fundholders and donors, NCCF has awarded more than half a million dollars in scholarships to assist students in Northwest Connecticut with the cost of higher education.

NCCF awards more than $530,000 in scholarships a year. 

Patrick Dillon Scholarship

Academic Focus:

• Unspecified 

Award:

• $750

Established by the Dillon Family, this scholarship is awarded to a student whose primary residence is in Torrington, is either a first-generation immigrant to the United States or is the child of a first-generation immigrant, and who attends, or will attend, an accredited university or college. This scholarship is not financially need-based. (No FAFSA required)

The Home Study and Post-Release Services program, led by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, provides critical support for unaccompanied alien children in the U.S. It ensures safe placements with sponsors by conducting thorough home checks and offers ongoing assistance to help children adjust and thrive. This program is vital for the well-being of vulnerable youth navigating complex immigration processes, fostering healthy connections within the community and ensuring their safety during this transitional period.

Proteus Fund

Proteus Fund partners with foundations, individual donors, activists, and other allies to work strategically towards racial, gender, queer, and disability justice and an inclusive, fully-representative democracy. We curate an ecosystem of mutually reinforcing, aligned donor collaboratives and fiscally sponsored projects that deploy a creative array of strategies and tactics to further this vision.

RISE Together Fund: Small Grants

Call For Application

RISE Together Fund (RTF), an initiative of Proteus Fund, is announcing an open call for inquiries for our 2026 Small Grants Fund for U.S. public charity organizations or fiscally sponsored projects of such organizations, that support Black, African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim and South Asian (BAMEMSA) communities.

As part of RTF’s commitment to prioritizing the needs and sustainability of the fields we collectively support, RTF will provide organizations with general operating grants to allow for organizational flexibility when possible. 

About RTF's Small Grants Fund

BAMEMSA movements have a strong history of organizing and collaboration, and are well poised with the knowledge, learning and experience to build an inclusive, multiracial democratic future and respond to the current unconstitutional threats facing the country. Through this fund, RTF aims to resource community power building organizations that use a multiplicity of approaches to create change rooted in the strength and leadership of BAMEMSA movements.

RTF supports groups that build community power, strengthen movement bases, defend civil and human rights including freedom of protest, speech, religion, and association, end the criminalization and surveillance of our communities, and respond to the rise in xenophobia, Islamophobia, and hate. RTF values groups that are intersectional in their approach and have or are developing sustainable long-term strategies to support BAMEMSA communities and movements.

Priority Issue Areas

• Protecting and advancing the rights of immigrant and refugee BAMEMSA communities by responding to harmful policies and practices, and strengthening community-led advocacy at the local, state, or federal level.

• Mobilizing BAMEMSA communities for nonpartisan civic engagement and election protection by increasing nonpartisan voter participation, combating voter suppression, and building sustained civic infrastructure ahead of, during, and between elections.

• Advocating for U.S. policy changes that end violence in Gaza and the West Bank by elevating Palestinian voices, influencing public discourse, and engaging in advocacy that shifts U.S. political, diplomatic, or funding decisions.

• Challenging harmful national security frameworks and their impacts on BAMEMSA communities by documenting, exposing, and organizing against surveillance, Islamophobia, and policies rooted in the War on Terror, particularly in the context of 9/11’s 25-year legacy.

• Responding to emerging opportunities and threats affecting BAMESMA communities such as influencing policy developments, addressing civic issues in the U.S., or developing narratives to change public discourse. This includes work addressing weaponizing issues around bodily autonomy and LGBTQ+ identity to fracture movements and communities.

Priority Strategies

RTF values organizations that take an intersectional approach and are intentionally building long-term community power. We prioritize support for groups that strengthen movement ecosystems, deepen their base, and defend the rights of BAMEMSA communities through the following strategies:

• Convening, Collaboration, and Movement Coordination: Bringing together organizations, leaders, and coalitions to align shared goals, coordinate strategies to advance shared visions, and reduce fragmentation across the field. This includes facilitating strategic convenings, developing platforms for collaboration, building cross-issue or cross-regional partnerships, developing shared agendas or issue campaigns, and strengthening trust and alignment among movement actors.
• Community Power-Building, Base Building, Civic Engagement, and Organizing: Expanding and activating a grassroots base within BAMEMSA communities to drive collective action and policy change. This includes community leadership development, public education campaigns, community organizing, nonpartisan voter engagement and election protection, and ongoing nonpartisan civic participation efforts that build sustained community power.
• Legal and Policy Advocacy Infrastructure: Advancing legal strategies and policy advocacy that expand and protect the rights of BAMEMSA communities. This includes impact litigation, legal advocacy, know-your-rights efforts, policy development, and advocacy at a local, state, or federal level.
• Communications and Narrative Strategy: Shaping public discourse and advancing narratives that reflect the experiences, dignity, and demands of BAMEMSA communities. This includes developing messaging strategies, producing and amplifying media, countering harmful or divisive narratives (including those targeting immigrants, religious minorities, LGBTQ+ communities, and reproductive rights), and increasing the voice share of BAMEMSA community members.
• Bolstering Movement Infrastructure: Strengthening the internal capacity and long-term sustainability of organizations and the broader movement ecosystem. This includes organizations supporting leadership development and pipelines, data and technology infrastructure, security and safety, and other core functions that enable groups to operate effectively and respond to evolving challenges.

Limited funding may be available for requests above $25,000.

Mission & Vision

Rochester Area Community Foundation, in partnership with generous philanthropists and community partners, works to improve the quality of life for people who live and work in the eight-county region through its leadership and strategic grantmaking.

Our Mission:

We are cultivating a thriving Greater Rochester region — powered by philanthropy, grounded in community, and sustained across generations.

Our Vision:

We envision a Greater Rochester region transformed by enduring philanthropy, where every person, neighborhood, and future generation can thrive.

Sidney and Carol Aroesty Family Scholarship

Purpose of Scholarship

To provide financial assistance to East High School graduating seniors planning to pursue a degree in any science discipline at a two- or four-year college, university, or technical school.

Number and Size of Awards

One award of $12,000; divided into equal annual installments paid over four consecutive years of undergraduate study. Award is paid in the Fall and divided equally between the Fall and Spring semesters.