Best Human Rights Grants in Alaska

The Alaska Community Foundation provides Alaska social justice and human rights organizations with up to US $15,000 in general operating or project support. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3)s, fiscally sponsored groups, Tribes, schools, local governments, and collaborations serving Alaska communities, with priority for small, developing organizations advancing systemic equity, especially outside the Anchorage bowl.

The AJ Muste Foundation's Rapid Response Grants support U.S.-based organizations engaged in grassroots activism for social justice. These grants, up to $5,000, are aimed at addressing immediate needs of groups fighting for equality and liberation. The funding is designed for unexpected opportunities and emergencies, promoting powerful organizing efforts. The foundation prioritizes groups lacking traditional funding sources and those focused on systemic change rather than individual support.

The HRE USA 2025 Edmonds Summer Fellowship honors the legacy of Kirby Edmonds by offering young leaders hands-on experience in human rights education. This fellowship provides mentorship and learning opportunities to engage youth in creating human rights-friendly schools and communities. Supported by the Dorothy Cotton Institute, it aims to nurture future leaders committed to human rights advocacy. Eligible candidates must be 18 or older, reside in the U.S., and commit to 100 hours of work between June and August 2025.

The Alexandra Hallock Capacity Building Grant for Small Nonprofits, established in 2024, honors the legacy of Alexandra Hallock by supporting small nonprofits focused on human rights, women's empowerment, and LGBTQ+ causes. This grant offers a one-time $20,000 unrestricted funding along with pro-bono capacity building support. It aims to strengthen organizational infrastructure and governance, ensuring impactful community engagement. Eligible organizations must be 501(c)3 nonprofits with revenue under $400,000, operating for at least one year, and based in the U.S.

Alaska 501(c)(3) organizations working on civic engagement and voting rights may be eligible for Park Foundation’s Civic Participation grants supporting voter education, mobilization, and election integrity. Focused on democracy and social justice, the foundation backs state and national groups that protect voters’ rights and combat suppression through year-round, on-the-ground organizing.

Youth leaders ages 13–23 in Alaska and across the U.S. can apply for Riley's Way Foundation’s Call for Kindness Fellowship, awarding up to US $5,000 for youth-led social impact projects. Funding supports initiatives inspired by kindness in areas like social justice, human rights, environmental justice, LGBTQIA+ rights, and community services, plus a 12‑month leadership program.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations or fiscally sponsored projects with national or broad reach working on empathy-building programs can access funding through Acton Family Giving in Alaska and across the U.S. This initiative supports work in social justice and human rights, storytelling, human-animal connection, and social-emotional development for organizations aligned with its Empathy Building priorities.

Alaska social justice and human rights doctoral researchers can access funding for U.S.-focused dissertation projects addressing inequality, work, race, immigration, or related social issues. Through the Russell Sage Foundation’s Dissertation Research Grants, enrolled U.S. doctoral students may receive up to US $15,000 for data collection, analysis, and writing, including projects on employment and BIPOC communities.

Early-career social science faculty researching economic mobility, inequality, and related human rights issues in the U.S. can apply for US $35,000 - US $50,000 in Pipeline Grants from the Russell Sage Foundation. Focused on strengthening social science methods and data, this program may benefit Alaska researchers examining social justice and structural barriers to opportunity.

Alaska schools, local governments, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits can receive US $500 - US $1,000 to host Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day events promoting activism, anti-racism, and anti-bullying. Community partners and Safe Routes to School programs may be eligible to fund student-centered activities, materials, and events that inspire youth leadership and human rights dialogue.

501(c)(3) organizations working on social justice and human rights in Alaska can seek funding to advance education and related initiatives. Baskin Family Foundation supports forward-thinking programs across the U.S., so Alaska-based human rights groups may be eligible if their work aligns with its education and social justice priorities.

Kauai residents pursuing full-time master’s or doctoral studies in social justice, public or human service, education, or health can apply for graduate scholarship support through the Inspired to Serve Scholarship Fund. Focused on these human rights–related fields, Hawai'i Community Foundation invites eligible students, including those who may later work in Alaska, to seek assistance with tuition costs.

Education unions and affiliates working on racial justice in Alaska can apply for the National Education Association Staff Organization’s CRSJ Racial Justice in Education Grant, awarding US $5,000 - US $75,000 for K–12 racial equity initiatives. Grants support awareness, capacity-building, leadership development for people of color, and organizational change to advance human rights and social justice in schools.

Education-focused unions and affiliates working to advance racial and social justice in Alaska schools can seek funding to build community partnerships and boost student achievement, especially for students of color. With a mission to strengthen advocacy, National Education Association provides support for initiatives, leadership-driven activism, and new union roles that deepen parent and community engagement around educational equity.

State Aspiring Educators organizations and campus chapters in Alaska can apply for National Education Association Staff Organization’s CREATE grants, offering up to US $2,000 for projects. Funding supports educator quality, community engagement, political action, and social justice initiatives that strengthen AE programs and partnerships, with submission deadlines three times per year.

Recent humanities or interpretive social science PhDs authorized to work in the U.S. can receive more than US $142,000 to work with social justice–focused nonprofits through the ACLS Leading Edge Fellowships. American Council of Learned Societies supports fellows in roles using advanced research, communication, and project management skills, which may benefit Alaska human rights organizations hosting placements.

Alaska 501(c)(3) public charities, government entities, and qualifying foundations working on social justice, human rights, or basic needs may be eligible for support to improve lives through education, housing, hunger relief, and equity-focused programs. Alaska human rights organizations within American Electric Power’s service territory or serving its customers can seek invitation-only funding from the American Electric Power Foundation.

Alaska human rights and legal advocacy nonprofits working on social justice, reentry, or juvenile justice can access funding through Indigo Oak Fund’s Equal Justice Under the Law program. This Colorado-based private foundation generally funds in Colorado and the Bay Area but occasionally considers nonprofits in other areas, supporting fairness in the justice system and related civic engagement and education efforts.

Emerging 501(c)(3) organizations and fiscally sponsored groups in Alaska focused on social justice or human rights can access capacity-building training and up to US $4,000 in funding. Mockingbird Incubator supports small U.S. nonprofits with budgets under $500,000 through an eight-week cohort program plus post-incubator grant and seed funding opportunities.

Bastian Foundation provides Alaska human rights and social justice nonprofits with grants of US $100 - US $15,000 for general operating support, projects, advocacy, and capacity building. 501(c)(3) organizations that explicitly affirm equality for all Americans, including the gay and lesbian community, may be eligible; funding also extends to broader U.S. initiatives.

Researchers studying community-led development and human rights–related issues in Latin America and the Caribbean can receive US $20,000 fellowships for rigorous, field-based research. Social Science Research Council and the Inter-American Foundation support projects on topics like social inclusion, violence prevention, migration, and sustainable livelihoods; Alaska-based scholars may be eligible if they meet citizenship and research-location requirements.

Barbara McDowell Social Justice Center Inc.

The Barbara McDowell Social Justice Center litigates, educates, advocates, and provides grants to nonprofits to eradicate social injustices. 

We pursue litigation through our own efforts as well as funding others in the following fifteen issue areas: Access to Benefits, Children’s Rights, Disability Rights, Discrimination, Domestic Violence, Due Process, Environmental Justice, Healthcare, Homelessness, Housing, Native American Rights, Prisoners’ Rights, Refugee and Immigration Rights, Voting Rights, and Veterans’ Rights.

Barbara McDowell Social Justice Center Grant

We make grants to organizations that undertake systemic social justice litigation across fifteen issue areas. The Center funds litigation matters that are consistent with our namesake Barbara McDowell’s past legal efforts and her beliefs regarding social justice.

Applications must be for a specific social justice legal case, including the filing of an appeal. Grant funds are to be used only for attorney time charges and litigation expenses related to the specific case for which an organization is applying to be funded. 

About NIF

Advancing Equality for All Israelis

The New Israel Fund (NIF) helps Israel live up to its founders’ vision of a society that ensures complete equality to all its inhabitants. Our aim is to advance liberal democracy, including freedom of speech and minority rights, and to fight the inequality, injustice and extremism that diminish Israel.

From Israel’s first rape crisis centers, to fighting discrimination, NIF-funded organizations have driven positive social change and furthered justice and equality. NIF has provided over $350 million to more than 950 organizations since our inception in 1979.

Naomi Chazan Global Activism Fellowship

Want to travel to Israel/Palestine while advancing equality, democracy, and peace for all?

The New Israel Fund’s Naomi Chazan Global Activism Fellowship offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to visit Israel/Palestine, meet frontline Israeli and Palestinian activists, and learn about issues of war, peace, and inequality by seeing the reality on the ground. 

Fellows will visit Israel/Palestine on November 3-10, 2026.

This trip is a great opportunity to learn alongside peers and friends (ages 21 – 35). NIF is based on the simple idea that those of us who share a commitment to Israel/Palestine and to progressive values can join together to work for equality, freedom, and human rights. You will join a cohort of participants from the U.S. and Canada building relationships across borders to be sustained for years to come.

Following the trip, participants are expected to organize at least two NIF events in their home communities, with support from NIF staff. These events could look like a report-back highlighting the participants’ learnings from the trip, educational programs featuring NIF grantees/partners, or something else entirely that is tailored to the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual needs of the fellow’s communities.

The program is subsidized by generous donors in the NIF community. All “on-the-ground” costs—your hotel accommodation and almost all meals—will be covered by NIF. Participants are responsible for purchasing their own airfare and travel/health insurance. If the cost of airfare is a barrier for you, please apply anyway. Limited airfare subsidies may be available.

The Baugh Foundation supports progressive, inclusive, nonprofit organizations that reflect the love of Christ by providing assistance to those in need, enriching the lives of children and youth, keeping faith communities informed and engaged, and guarding the wall of separation between church and state.We welcome applications from progressive, faith-based organizations. At this time, the vast majority of our funding goes to progressive Baptist organizations or initiatives, and organizations that work to guard the separation of church and state. We believe that a free church in a free state is dependent upon a functioning democracy.Funding Priorities: 

• Social justice and advocacy
• Progressive faith-based journalism
• Meeting basic human needs
• Progressive faith-based post-secondary education
• Inclusivity initiatives
• Arts and enrichment

The Amy Adina Schulman Memorial Fund

The Amy Adina Schulman Memorial Fund is a Princeton, New Jersey-based endowment fund providing grants to individuals, young adults who volunteer or intern for progressive social action projects or programs in an area of their interest and commitment. The Amy Adina Fund also sponsors a lecture each year on a relevant and timely topic related to its educational mission.

The Amy Adina Schulman Memorial Fund was started in 1987 one year after Amy Adina, 20, died suddenly while a student and activist at Rutgers University. It is a realization of her family and her communities’ desire to celebrate her life, to fulfill her dreams and her potential. Since its inception, almost 1,500 grants have been awarded for work in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and the United States—nearly $1,000,000 in total. The Amy Adina Schulman Memorial Fund is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

About Our Grants

Small grants (depending on length of service), are awarded to as many applicants as possible rather than giving larger amounts to fewer individuals. The number of awards has grown each year thanks to annual contributions as well as to gifts sent to the Fund to honor special occasions and life cycle events.

The Richard L and Freda K Flerlage Foundation

Our Mission

Working to empower underserved populations through small grants in support of literacy, healthcare, reduction of poverty, and the promotion of social and environmental justice.

We are a small family foundation, when possible we aim to support organizations with relatively small operating funds where our small grants will have their greatest possible impact.

Our average grant is $3,800.