Best Mental Health Grants in Arizona

The Gridiron Veterans Scholarship, provided by the Bob Woodruff Foundation, offers essential financial support for military veterans and first responders. This initiative focuses on wellness, rehabilitation, and recovery programs, ensuring participants can access mental health services, physical therapy, and holistic resources. The foundation prioritizes those facing emotional and physical challenges, empowering them to overcome barriers and improve their quality of life through customized, evidence-based support.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Foundation supports Arizona-based organizations through its Charitable Event Sponsorship Process. Grant opportunities are offered to programs addressing chronic conditions, mental health, health equity, and substance use disorders. Non-profit organizations and academic institutions are eligible for funding, while lobbying and capital expenditures are excluded. Applications are accepted starting in January, with reviews conducted on the 15th of each month, promoting impactful health initiatives across the state.

The BCBSAZ: Mental Health Matters Grant offers funding for Arizona-based organizations focused on improving mental health resources, reducing stigma, and promoting access to care. Eligible applicants include non-profits and academic institutions, with a priority on projects that demonstrate measurable impact and scalability. This invitation-only grant emphasizes the importance of addressing chronic health conditions and health equity, aiming to transform health outcomes in the community.

The BCBSAZ Foundation for Community and Health Advancement supports charitable events that align with health improvement initiatives in Arizona. Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations and academic institutions. The foundation focuses on critical health issues such as mental health, chronic conditions, and health equity. Sponsorship applications must be submitted 60 days prior to the event date, with reviews conducted monthly. The foundation aims to enhance community health through strategic partnerships and impactful funding.

RBC Foundation – USA aims to enhance community quality of life by supporting non-profit organizations that promote diversity and positive change. In 2023, it awarded over $2.8 million in grants, prioritizing youth programs for ages 15-29, arts access for diverse populations, and mental well-being initiatives. The foundation encourages sustainable projects that foster economic independence, providing critical support for education, mental health, and cultural enrichment, thereby making a significant impact across various communities.

The Veterans Donation Fund Large Grant A.R.S. 41-608 supports programs benefiting Arizona's veterans and their families. Established by the Arizona legislature in 1999, the fund is sustained by tax-deductible donations and aims to engage the community in informing veterans about their benefits. Eligible applicants include local governments, non-profits, and academic institutions, focusing on issues like employment, health, and homelessness. This initiative is crucial for enhancing support services for over 600,000 veterans in Arizona.

The Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation focuses on enhancing opportunities for Arizona communities by funding direct-service organizations that address chronic poverty. They prioritize programs that fulfill basic human needs such as food, shelter, and emotional support. Organizations are encouraged to demonstrate effective leadership and financial management, and must align with the Foundation's mission. Preference is given to those providing essential services like food banks and job training, ensuring impactful outcomes for vulnerable populations.

The L.B. Research and Education Foundation Grant Program supports U.S.-based nonprofits focusing on innovative education and health solutions for underserved populations. Eligible organizations can apply by submitting a 400-word concept paper, and selected applicants may receive funding ranging from $10,000 to $75,000. The Foundation prioritizes projects that foster critical thinking and creativity, address health disparities, and encourage collaboration. There are no application deadlines, promoting year-round engagement.

Each year, the Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith and Family (GOYFF) awards state and federal funding to public and private organizations that address its priority issues through a formal application process.

Partnerships for Success (PFS)

With the implementation of the five-step Strategic Prevention Framework from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the GOYFF has partnered with organizations across the state to provide trauma-informed and culturally competent substance abuse prevention programming that aims to decrease marijuana and underage drinking misuse and abuse by current or former foster youth ages 9-20 and their caregivers.

The Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) Partnerships for Success (PFS) grant is distributed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to the Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith and Family (GOYFF) in partnership with the Arizona State University College of Health Solutions. Using the Strategic Prevention Framework, approximately $1.2 million annually will work to enhance protective factors and reduce risk factors for substance misuse in youth and young adults by implementing the Arizona Prevention and Well-being Improvement Collaborative (PWIC). 

Based on the results of a community health assessment, the PWIC will bring together 27 organizations focused on preventing substance use and increasing mental well-being among youth and young adults from underserved minority groups to participate in a five-year collaborative. During this time, organizations will access expert education, tailored technical assistance, an online training certificate program, and quality improvement support through a peer-led model where organizations teach one another how they learned to adopt an evidence-based program or improve an existing one.

The PWIC will be the first collaborative in Arizona to promote evidence-based substance use prevention through peer learning and quality improvement support. Additionally, the PWIC will establish relationships between community organizations, promoting community cohesion and empowering participants to adopt evidence-based practice.

The specific goals of the Arizona Prevention and Well-being Improvement Collaborative:

• Determine prevention and well-being gaps between current conditions in Arizona and desired conditions.
• Recruit Arizona community organizations serving youth and young adults.
• Increase awareness of substance use prevention and mental well-being in Arizona communities.
• Provide training and technical assistance to community organizations on substance use prevention and mental well-being.
• Develop and implement evidence-based prevention and mental health promotion programs.

About Us

The Arizona Department of Health Services promotes and protects the health of Arizona’s children and adults. We strive to set the standard for personal and community health through direct care, science, public policy, and leadership. The department operates programs in the following areas:

• Disease prevention and control
• Health promotion
• Community public health
• Environmental health
• Maternal and child health
• Emergency preparedness
• Regulation of childcare centers, assisted living centers, nursing homes, hospitals, other health care providers, and emergency services.

ADHS Vision

Health and Wellness for all Arizonans.

ADHS Mission

To promote, protect, and improve the health and wellness of individuals and communities in Arizona.

ADHS Core Values

Every day we strive to embody our mission with the guidance of our core values: integrity, collaboration, accountability, equity focus, excellence, and dedication.

These core values not only lead our ADHS team, but represent us and our commitment to helping Arizonans live healthier lives.

Marijuana Research Studies and Clinical Trials Grant Program

The Marijuana Research Studies and Clinical Trials Grant Program provides funding to support research that aims to improve the health and well-being of Arizona residents. These grants are designed to encourage scientific exploration and clinical trials that can lead to new insights and therapeutic applications of medical marijuana.

Marijuana Research Grants - Clinical Trials

Pursuant to Laws 2021, Chap. 419, 55th Leg,, 1st Reg., HB-2298, Sec. 1, Arizona Revised Statute (A.R.S.), through the addition of Section §36-2812, the State Department of Health Services’ Arizona Biomedical Research Centre (ABRC) shall provide competitive grants from monies in the medical marijuana fund, established by A.R.S. Section §36-2817 for marijuana clinical trials that are approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for evaluating both the safety and efficacy of using marijuana in humans and researching the impacts of marijuana interactions with prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and illicit drugs.

The ABRC may provide up to $5,000,000 annually for five consecutive years from the medical marijuana fund established by A.R.S. Section §36-2817 to administer and award competitive grants pursuant to HB-2298.

Marijuana Grants - Research Studies

The Director of Health Services shall make a one-time transfer of $250,000 from the medical marijuana fund to provide grants for marijuana research studies pursuant to A.R.S. Section § 36-2812.

The Thriving Community Impact Fund offers grants up to $2,499 to support local programs that enhance community health and well-being. This initiative by Gundersen Health emphasizes collaboration, focusing on areas such as physical and mental health, poverty alleviation, and neighborhood improvements. Organizations like non-profits and government agencies can apply for funding during a rolling application period, with decisions made monthly. The fund aims to empower communities and address health inequities through impactful partnerships.

The Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Assistance Fund offers crucial financial support and counseling for individuals in the theatrical exhibition and distribution sectors facing health-related challenges. This fund assists with medical expenses, housing emergencies, and essential services like vocational rehabilitation and equipment aid. Eligible applicants must have a minimum of three years in exhibition or five years in distribution. The fund aims to provide a safety net for those impacted by illness, injury, or significant life changes.

The Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH) offers 24/7 crisis counseling to individuals in the U.S. and its territories facing emotional distress from disasters. Managed by SAMHSA, the helpline aims to enhance and strengthen access to crucial support services year-round, ensuring that those affected by natural or human-caused disasters receive the help they need to mitigate behavioral health impacts.

About

Central Carolina Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization that helps generous people give back to the Midlands of South Carolina in ways that matter. Since 1984, we’ve been a trusted partner, helping individuals, families, and businesses make smart, meaningful contributions that support local nonprofits, scholarships, and community projects.

Jeryl Salmond II Memorial Scholarship ($1,700)

This renewable scholarship is available to students who are pursuing a career in the Mental Health field. 

Patricia Schroder Memorial Scholarship

Pat had a big heart for helping others and devoted her life to assisting, teaching, and coaching students with disabilities. She worked as a special education teacher's assistant at various schools across the Evergreen School District after earning her Masters, she moved to White Salmon, Washington, where she taught at Columbia High School. In 1994, she moved back to Vancouver and accepted a teaching position at Camas High School where she taught social studies and special education. She retired in 2010 after more than 16 years with the Camas School District.

Pat had a big heart for helping others. She loved and took interest in many of her students throughout her teaching career. She was also actively involved in Special Olympics as a coach and volunteer in addition to providing temporary respite care relief for families of children with special needs.

Additionally, Pat developed a passion for politics at an early age when she first served as a government page at the Washington State Capitol during her senior year in high school. She became an active member in Washington State Democrats, where she attended state democratic caucuses and managed senatorial and legislative campaigns. She also successfully spearheaded the passage of levy and bond election campaigns to support educational programs in the Evergreen School District. Her love for politics later resulted in her running and being elected as Mayor of the city of White Salmon in 1992, where she held the post for two years. Pat enjoyed visiting Frisco, Texas to spend time with her family whenever she could.

Award Amount

2 scholarships are awarded each year. Awards will likely be between $1,000-$1,400.

The ALACRITY Research Centers, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, aim to enhance the effectiveness of mental health interventions for youth and adults. This initiative supports interdisciplinary research to develop innovative approaches for optimizing mental health care access and quality. By fostering collaborations across various fields such as behavioral science and health systems engineering, the program seeks to transform clinical practices and improve outcomes for individuals facing mental health challenges.

Cures Within Reach

Cures Within Reach is the philanthropic leader in drug, device and nutraceutical repurposing research, which has the potential to transform the lives of patients with unsolved diseases by delivering treatments that can be used in the near-term. Our focus: we find and fund proof-of-concept clinical trials that, once successful, de-risk and catalyze follow-on funding, building the clinical evidence required for regulatory approval or to support off-label use by patients everywhere.

Clinical Repurposing Research to Impact US Veterans/Military

This Request for Proposals (RFP) from Cures Within Reach (CWR) is seeking clinical repurposing trials from US-based research institutions using already approved treatments to address unmet and high-priority medical needs of US veterans and/or active US military, such as mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and brain injuries. Our strongest preference is for proof of concept, pivotal, Phase I or Phase IIA clinical repurposing trials. Eligible trials may be conducted at accredited US-based academic, nonprofit and governmental research institutions and/or health systems involved with medical research, including Veterans Administration (VA) health systems and hospitals. 

Repurposed therapies must be approved and/or generally recognized as safe for human use by some regulatory agency, such as the US Food and Drug Administration, European Medicines Agency, Health Canada or Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency, and may include drugs, devices, nutraceuticals or diagnostics, as well as combination therapies. These repurposed therapies must be tested in a new indication for which they are not already approved or used widely in clinical practice as standard of care. Repurposed therapies also may be added to current standard of care to improve patient outcomes and/or quality of life.

Nurses Educational Funds

Nurses Educational Funds, Inc. depends solely on donations to advance our only mission, to promote nursing leadership through annual scholarship support for professional nurses seeking masters and doctoral degrees in nursing education, practice, research, and administration.

NEF’s only purpose is to provide nursing scholarship assistance to make graduate level nursing education possible. NEF is one of the largest, national, private, professionally endorsed source of funds for advanced nursing study with over one hundred years of service to and for professional nursing. NEF is a non-profit organization with 501(c) status.

Madeline A. Naegle Scholarship for Mental Health Nursing

In 2018, Madeline A. Naegle, PhD, CNS-PMH, RN, BC, FAAN, a national and international nursing leader in mental health/substance abuse education, research, and practice together with NEF created this scholarship with a preference to graduate nurses specializing in mental health nursing.

The Judith G. Whitaker Scholarship, awarded by Nurses Educational Funds Inc., supports nurses pursuing master's and doctoral degrees in nursing. Applicants must have two semesters of study remaining and meet specific eligibility criteria, including a valid RN license and a minimum GPA of 3.6. Preference is given to doctoral students focusing on nursing research. This scholarship reflects over a century of commitment to advancing nursing education and leadership.

The Joanne V. Pontier Scholarship, established in 2022 by Mary V. Insall, honors her sister, a dedicated emergency nurse. With a generous $50,000 donation, this scholarship supports emergency nurses pursuing graduate studies. Applicants must be enrolled in accredited nursing programs and have a minimum GPA of 3.6. Preference is given to doctoral students in nursing research. This scholarship aims to foster leadership in nursing and improve emergency care, ultimately saving lives and supporting families.

The Joan L. Conroy Scholarship, established in 2024, supports Ph.D. nursing students dedicated to educating future nurses. It honors Joan L. Conroy's legacy, emphasizing her love for education and nursing. Applicants must have two semesters left in their program and demonstrate a commitment to geriatric nursing and home health care. This scholarship is funded by the Nurses Educational Funds Inc., a nonprofit organization that promotes nursing leadership through educational scholarships.

The Jane Eleanor Knox Scholarship, established by a $50,000 bequest from Dr. Knox, supports doctoral nursing students committed to leadership in the field. Applicants must possess a current RN license and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.6 while enrolled in accredited nursing programs. Preference is given to those focusing on nursing research or organizational studies. This scholarship fosters the advancement of nursing education and leadership through financial support from Nurses Educational Funds, Inc.

The Isabel McIsaac Scholarship, awarded by Nurses Educational Funds Inc., supports master's and doctoral nursing students with a minimum GPA of 3.6. Applicants must hold a current RN license and have completed a baccalaureate degree in nursing. Preference is given to candidates pursuing nursing research or organizational studies. This scholarship aims to promote nursing leadership and is funded solely through donations, reflecting over a century of commitment to advancing nursing education.

The Isabel Hampton Robb Scholarship, provided by Nurses Educational Funds Inc., supports doctoral candidates in nursing education, practice, research, and administration. Applicants must hold a current RN license and have two semesters of study remaining after the award notification. Preference is given to those majoring in nursing research or organizational study. With over a century of service, NEF is dedicated to advancing nursing leadership through scholarship assistance, fostering the next generation of nursing professionals.

The Henry B. Spencer Scholarship, awarded by Nurses Educational Funds Inc., supports RNs pursuing master's or doctoral degrees in nursing education, practice, research, and administration. Applicants must have at least two semesters remaining in their program and meet specific eligibility criteria, including current RN licensure and professional nursing association membership. This scholarship prioritizes doctoral students focusing on nursing research or organizational study, continuing a legacy of leadership in nursing established by Henry Spencer.

The Asian American Leaders in Mental Health Scholarship, offered by The Denver Foundation, supports Asian American and Pacific Islander students pursuing careers in clinical mental health. It emphasizes a commitment to social justice and community service, with scholarships awarded based on academic merit and passion for the field. One-time awards can be re-applied for in subsequent years, covering tuition, fees, and other educational expenses, ensuring support for students in their academic journey.

The Lundbeck US Charitable Fund focuses on enhancing brain health through impactful donations. Established to support organizations dedicated to brain health, it addresses pressing needs by funding innovative strategies and community collaborations, particularly for at-risk populations. The Fund aims to transform lives and improve mental health care, with a commitment to responsible giving. With over 20 organizations supported in 2023, it drives meaningful change in communities affected by brain disorders.