Best Diversity Grants for Nonprofits in American Samoa

The Level 1 Fair Housing Grant, offered by the National Association of REALTORS®, supports initiatives aimed at educating REALTORS® on fair housing issues. Grants can fund classes, forums, or workshops, with a maximum award of $3,000. Starting in 2025, the grant will also support expenses related to the At Home With Diversity class to align with new training requirements. This initiative ensures REALTORS® have the resources to promote diversity and inclusion in their communities.

With a mission to advance clinical and translational science, the National Institutes of Health provides American Samoa researchers and academic institutions with up to US $100,000 for small R03 projects. Eligible NCATS CTSA Program KL2 scholars and diversity or re-entry supplement recipients may fund pilot studies, secondary data analysis, or new research methods and technologies that support future R01 applications and diversity-focused work.

Early-stage and new health researchers in American Samoa and other eligible U.S. territories can apply for NIH’s NIDCD R01 awards, offering up to US $2,500,000 for independent projects on deafness and other communication disorders. Investigators from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds may be especially well positioned for this diversity-focused workforce development opportunity.

The Disability Inclusion Fund Grant, managed by Borealis Philanthropy, aims to support organizations advocating for disability inclusion, rights, and justice. As a partner in philanthropy, Borealis facilitates donor collaboratives to maximize impact across various communities and movements. Organizations interested in applying for this grant are encouraged to review the detailed FAQ for further information. This initiative is a vital step towards fostering inclusivity and promoting the rights of individuals with disabilities.

Postdoctoral research scientists from underrepresented backgrounds conducting cancer-related clinical research can apply for this NIH career development award, including those based in American Samoa. Focused on biomedical, behavioral, clinical, or social sciences, it supports the transition to tenure-track roles and may benefit organizations advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in research settings.

Postdoctoral neuroscience researchers from diverse backgrounds in American Samoa can access career transition funding through the National Institutes of Health to move from mentored positions to independent faculty roles. This BRAIN Initiative K99/R00 award supports diversity, equity, and inclusion in neuroscience research with up to US $4,000,000 in total funding.

Eligible incorporated entities, tribal organizations, governments, cooperatives, and other legal entities in American Samoa can seek Community Connect Grants to build broadband infrastructure that supports economic growth, education, healthcare, and public safety. Grants from USDA: Rural Development (RD) range from US $100,000 - US $5,000,000 and may benefit diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts through improved digital access.

Early-career investigators conducting translational research on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias can access funding through the National Institutes of Health to build independent research careers. Focused on dementia and diversity in the research workforce, this pathway to independence award supports advanced postdoctoral researchers in American Samoa and other eligible U.S. locations with approximately US $100,000.

American Samoa diversity, equity, and inclusion researchers can access funding via the National Institutes of Health to support health-related research and DEIA activities. Eligible investigators must be conducting work within NIH institutes’ programmatic interests, contributing significantly to DEIA, and have no current NIH research project grant funding in the U.S. or territories.

Late-stage biomedical PhD students from diverse backgrounds conducting NIH-mission research in American Samoa can apply for this two-phase training award supporting transition from dissertation to mentored postdoctoral positions. Grants from the National Institutes of Health help advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the biomedical research workforce through research support, mentoring, networking, and professional development.

Doctoral students conducting aging and aging-related health research can apply for U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services National Institutes of Health dissertation funding, including applicants in American Samoa. With a mission to strengthen diversity in the scientific workforce, NIH provides support for projects within the National Institute on Aging’s strategic priorities; awards up to US $142,312.

Nonprofit organizations using local data to address inequities in physical, economic, or social conditions can apply for up to US $50,000 to advance health equity. With a mission to improve community conditions, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation provides U.S. nonprofits, including those in American Samoa, with support to build data capacity and strengthen equitable data practices.

Junior and early-stage cancer researchers from underrepresented groups in American Samoa can apply for NIH exploratory grants, with awards up to US $275,000, to advance basic cancer research careers. This U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services program supports workforce diversity and may benefit nonprofits or institutions focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion in biomedical fields.

The Limited Competition Small Grant Program for the NCATS CTSA Program aims to empower KL2 scholars by funding diverse clinical and translational research projects. These grants support short-term studies, methodology development, and preliminary data collection, facilitating the transition to independent research careers. Applications will undergo NIH peer review, ensuring only high-quality proposals receive funding. This initiative fosters innovation in research methodologies and technology, ultimately enhancing the capabilities of emerging translational scientists.

American Samoa Indigenous students pursuing full-time STEM degrees can access scholarship funding through the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, with awards of US $5,000. This Indigenous Peoples Education Fund scholarship supports rising college freshmen who are AISES members and meet GPA and tribal, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, or Indigenous Canadian eligibility requirements.

Rooted + Relational Community Micro-Grant Program

The Center for Puerto Rican Studies (CENTRO) at Hunter College has announced that it is now accepting applications for the 2026-2027 Rooted + Relational Community Micro-Grant program. CENTRO will award up to 12 grants, each up to $5,000, to non-institutionally affiliated and non-academic community organizations, individuals, or projects for community-based programs. 

The 2026-2027 the Rooted + Relational theme is Black Cuerpas: Race, Body Politics & Culture. CENTRO seeks to fund projects that examine

• How do race, gender, sexuality, and body politics shape the everyday lives and histories of Boricuas across the archipelago and diaspora? 
• What happens when we center race and Blackness in a field of study that has too often championed color-blindness and the myth of racial democracy to avoid the hard questions about racism, anti-Blackness, complicity, and erasure?

During the 2026-2027 academic year, grantees will implement their funded projects within their chosen communities. They will also present their work at a CENTRO event, attend three virtual meetings, and have their work highlighted through CENTRO’s communications and media channels. We invite community organizers, artists, creatives, writers, agricultural workers, activists, and cultural workers who reside in Puerto Rico and/or the United States and its territories to apply. 

American Samoa diversity, equity, and inclusion organizations working with Indigenous STEM students can access funding through the American Indian Science and Engineering Society to support academic scholarships. Eligible applicants are Indigenous full-time students in STEM fields pursuing casino gaming–related careers. Awards of US $2,000 per academic year promote educational access and equity.

Nonprofit and not-for-profit organizations working on oral health equity, policy, and community-led systems change in American Samoa and other U.S. locations can apply for CareQuest Institute’s Advancing Equity Through Oral Health Funds. Grants support advocacy, community capacity building, innovative care models, and community-based research that address disparities for historically marginalized populations and expand access to dental coverage and care.

With a mission to expand diversity in biomedical research careers, NIH provides American Samoa researchers and institutions with support for MOSAIC K99/R00 postdoctoral career transition awards. Early-career scientists from diverse backgrounds conducting NIH-mission biomedical, health, or medical education research may secure mentored postdoctoral and independent faculty-phase funding, plus cohort-based mentoring and professional development.

The Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) program aims to enhance diversity in research by supporting early career investigators from underrepresented backgrounds. This initiative offers a K99/R00 career transition award for postdoctoral scholars and a UE5 cooperative agreement that provides mentorship and professional development. The program's goal is to ensure successful transitions into independent, tenure-track faculty roles in NIH mission areas, ultimately fostering a more inclusive scientific community.

The Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) program aims to enhance diversity in the research workforce by supporting early career investigators from underrepresented backgrounds. This initiative includes a K99/R00 career transition award for postdoctoral scholars and a UE5 cooperative agreement to foster mentoring, networking, and professional development. With multiple application deadlines from 2024 to 2027, MOSAIC is dedicated to facilitating successful transitions into tenure-track or equivalent research-intensive faculty roles.

The NINDS Faculty Development Award aims to enhance diversity in neuroscience research by supporting junior faculty from underrepresented backgrounds. This award provides essential research cost support, protected research time, and mentorship for individuals holding doctoral degrees within their first three years on a faculty tenure track. It specifically encourages research proposals that do not involve independent clinical trials, while allowing participation in trials led by mentors. Key application deadlines span from October 2024 to June 2027.

The NINDS Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Dementias (ADRD) K99/R00 program promotes diversity by supporting new independent investigators from underrepresented backgrounds in AD/ADRD research. This award facilitates a transition from mentored postdoctoral positions to independent faculty roles, providing essential NIH research support. Applicants must propose research that does not involve leading a clinical trial but may include participation in trials led by mentors. Key deadlines for applications span from October 2024 to June 2027.

Academic and research institutions conducting health-related workforce diversity research in American Samoa and other eligible U.S. locations can apply for R01 project support. US Dept. of Health & Human Services: National Institutes of Health offers this opportunity for New and At-Risk Investigators from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds to pursue independent studies in science, health, and medical training.

The VIA Art Fund provides Artistic Production Grants to support innovative artistic commissions for public spaces. These grants, ranging from $25,000 to $100,000, are awarded twice a year to artists and organizations that exemplify artistic excellence and public engagement. Projects must have a confirmed exhibition venue, ensuring artworks reach diverse audiences and foster meaningful community experiences beyond traditional gallery settings.

The NLN-Health Carousel Foundation Nurse Educator Scholarship Award provides a $8,000 scholarship to nurses who earned their initial nursing degree outside the U.S. and are now licensed in the U.S. This award supports those pursuing advanced degrees to enhance their careers as nurse educators. Eligible applicants must be enrolled in an accredited nursing program and have completed at least one academic year by the application deadline, with funds applicable for tuition, books, and research-related expenses.

The NLN Cecelia Lou Vriheas Scholarship Award offers an $8,000 scholarship to first-generation nursing students from historically marginalized groups pursuing advanced degrees. This award aims to support those committed to becoming full-time nurse educators. Eligible candidates must be enrolled in accredited nursing programs and demonstrate academic excellence. The scholarship can be used for tuition, books, and related expenses, fostering diversity in nursing education and leadership.