Best Operating Grants for Nonprofits in Arkansas

The Bernau Family Foundation Grant aims to enhance individual lives and foster positive leadership through funding initiatives that provide long-term solutions. Grants are awarded to IRS-designated public charities or nonprofits, emphasizing projects that promote civic responsibility, education, and mentor programs. The foundation prioritizes smaller organizations that encourage meaningful community engagement and constructive change, ensuring a lasting impact on society.

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.

Easterby Family Scholarship ($7,000)

This renewable scholarship is for students from Laurens County, South Carolina who are pursuing graduate or post-graduate education in the fields of theology or medicine. 

The Latham Foundation for the Promotion of Humane Education, established in 1918, emphasizes humane education to foster kindness and respect for all living beings. With a focus on innovative programs for teenagers and animal-assisted activities, the foundation invites U.S. organizations, particularly nonprofits, to apply for grants. However, funding does not extend to capital projects, salaries, or conference travel. Latham aims to instill core values that promote compassion within communities and across nations.

The NACBS Undergraduate Essay Prize, awarded by The North American Conference on British Studies, recognizes outstanding essays on British topics from undergraduates at U.S. and Canadian universities. Each year, up to eight prizes of $100 are given, encouraging submissions from diverse fields including History, English, and Cultural Studies. This initiative aims to promote scholarly engagement with British Studies, fostering a deeper understanding of its historical and cultural contexts during the 2023-24 academic year.

About NABT

Since its establishment in 1938, the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) has been the recognized "leader in life science education." Thousands of educators have joined NABT to share experiences and expertise with colleagues from around the globe; keep up with trends and developments in the field; and grow professionally.

NABT Mission

The National Association of Biology Teachers empowers educators to provide the best possible biology and life science education for all students.

Lindsey Fields Allied Health Education Award

Established to honor Lindsey Fields, this award recognizes innovative, student-centered classroom instruction that supports an understanding in the diverse fields that comprise allied health sciences (Ex. Human A&P, Pre-Nursing/Med, Pathology, etc.). This award is sponsored by NABT, and includes a $500 honorarium. The recipient also receives a recognition plaque to be presented at the NABT Professional Development Conference and one year of complimentary membership to NABT. 

Beekhuis Scholarship

Award:

• One time award of $4,000.

The Kors, Lois E., Educational Scholarship, established by the Beatrice Educational Foundation, aims to support Beatrice High School graduates in pursuing higher education. With a strong commitment to academic achievement and civic involvement, the Foundation awards over $55,000 annually in scholarships. Applicants must demonstrate financial need, citizenship, and academic merit. This scholarship encourages students to enter the teaching profession, providing essential funds to help them achieve their educational goals.

Timothy B. Snyder Memorial Scholarship Fund

Fund provides financial scholarships to deserving young men and women from high schools in the counties of Botetourt, Halifax and Shenandoah.

Amount

• $1,000+

The Roger Arliner Young (RAY) Fellowship Program, managed by the Environmental Leadership Program, aims to foster conservation and clean energy careers for emerging leaders of color. This two-year paid fellowship provides recent graduates with professional development, mentorship, and networking opportunities. Ideal candidates are those with a passion for social and environmental justice, who identify as part of historically marginalized groups, and are committed to community engagement. The program emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion in the environmental sector.

The Norman Foundation Grants aim to empower communities in the U.S. to enhance their economic, environmental, and social well-being. By supporting projects that promote economic justice, prevent toxic waste disposal, and link grassroots efforts to broader reform, the foundation seeks to foster systemic change. It prioritizes organizations with annual budgets under $1 million, ensuring funds are directed to initiatives that resonate with the aspirations of those most affected by social issues.

The OJJDP FY 2026 Internet Crimes Against Children On-Line Child Protection System (ICACCOPS) funding opportunity aims to enhance and maintain critical investigative tools for child exploitation cases. ICACCOPS provides a robust IT infrastructure to support data services, network security, and management tools for law enforcement. This initiative strengthens the efforts of the national network of ICAC Task Forces, which are dedicated to combating technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation across the United States.

The M.A. Essay Prize, awarded by the North American Conference on British Studies (NACBS), recognizes exceptional original research by students in stand-alone M.A. programs in the U.S. and Canada. With a prize of $500, it encourages scholarly excellence and invites winners to submit their work for publication. Faculty nominations are required, ensuring deserving candidates receive recognition for their academic contributions, thereby fostering a vibrant academic community within British studies.

The John Ben Snow Prize, awarded by the North American Conference on British Studies, recognizes the best book by a North American scholar focusing on British Studies from the Middle Ages to the eighteenth century. This prestigious annual award includes a $500 prize and encourages authors who are U.S. or Canadian citizens or permanent residents to submit their works. Nominations can be made by authors or publishers, with discretion advised for multiple entries.

The Judith R. Walkowitz Article Prize, awarded annually by the North American Conference on British Studies, recognizes the best published article addressing gender and sexuality in British culture. This prize honors Professor Walkowitz’s significant contributions to the fields of gender and cultural studies. Open to scholars in North America, it encourages diverse perspectives across disciplines and time periods, with a cash award of $250 to support ongoing research and scholarship in British Studies.

The Oak Advisors Scholarship of Excellence, offered by the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, supports southern Beaufort County high school seniors pursuing a major in business, economics, or finance. Established by philanthropic leaders, the scholarship recognizes students for their academic achievements, talents, and community involvement. With a minimum GPA of 3.2 required, this scholarship aims to empower students to make a positive impact in their communities.

The Donaghue Foundation's Greater Value Portfolio Grant Program aims to enhance healthcare value by funding innovative research projects for two years, with awards up to $400,000. It encourages proposals that address issues such as high costs, disparities, and inefficiencies in care. Eligible applicants include Ph.D. researchers at nonprofit institutions partnered with healthcare organizations. The program seeks actionable solutions to improve patient care and reduce the burden of low-value healthcare on communities.

The Indigo Oak Fund, based in Colorado, is dedicated to enhancing education, the arts, and social justice, particularly through its Equal Justice Under the Law Grant Program. This initiative supports organizations that promote fairness in the justice system, rehabilitation, and civic engagement. By funding programs focused on personal empowerment and equal opportunities, the fund aims to foster lifelong learning and improve lives, particularly for women and children in need.

The Gryphon Scholarship Program, administered by Scholarship America Inc., aims to support high school seniors and recent graduates from select metropolitan areas pursuing full-time undergraduate studies. With a focus on students demonstrating financial need, this initiative aligns with Scholarship America's mission to eliminate financial barriers to education. By fostering access and affordability for underserved communities, the program empowers students to achieve their academic goals while also promoting responsible debt management in their educational journey.

The Health Workforce Research Center (HWRC) aims to enhance understanding of health workforce needs across various levels of governance. Funded by the US HHS: Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), this initiative supports vital research that informs decision-makers, ensuring effective resource allocation and workforce planning to meet healthcare demands.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) offers Partnership Agreement Grants for FY 2027 to support state and regional arts agencies. These grants enhance community access to the arts and leverage federal funding to attract additional state resources. By enabling agencies to create state arts plans, the NEA fosters a collaborative approach that strengthens the arts landscape across the nation, ensuring that local needs and priorities are addressed effectively.

About Us

The Wenner-Gren Foundation is a private operating foundation dedicated to providing leadership in support of anthropology and anthropologists worldwide.

Our Mission

The Wenner-Gren Foundation is committed to playing a leadership role in anthropology. We help anthropologists advance anthropological knowledge, build sustainable careers, and amplify the impact of anthropology within the wider world. We dedicate ourselves to broadening the conversation in anthropology to reflect the full diversity of the field.

Fellowship in Anthropology and Black Experiences

General

This writing fellowship expands anthropological conversations and builds capacity in anthropology, both as a career and a field of study, by amplifying perspectives previously underrepresented in the discipline. The Fellowship in Anthropology and Black Experiences supports individuals whose research draws on Black studies, critical race studies, diasporic Africana studies, the vernacular insights of communities of color, and other sources of inspiration growing out of global Black experiences, to advance new lines of scholarship in any of anthropology’s subfields. We hope to attract applicants working in diverse areas, including but not limited to Black communities.

Applicants should show how the Fellowship would enable them to succeed at a critical juncture in their career, alter their trajectory in the field, and enable them to reach new networks and audiences within and beyond anthropology. 

As part of the 9-month fellowship, the Fellow will join a cohort of awardees and benefit from workshops and mentoring events designed to help them amplify their writing project’s impact within the public sphere.

Award Money

Fellows receive a stipend of $80,000 over 9 months. You are welcome to request the funds be paid directly to you or through an affiliated institution. 

The Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants for FY 2025 aim to revitalize severely distressed public housing and surrounding neighborhoods. This initiative, supported by the US HUD, encourages local partnerships to develop comprehensive plans for improvement, focusing on housing quality, resident self-sufficiency, and neighborhood reinvestment. The program not only enhances living conditions but also fosters economic growth and community services, ensuring better quality of life outcomes for residents.

The Paul Calabresi Career Development Award for Clinical Oncology aims to enhance the training of clinician-scientists in clinical and translational cancer research. This funding opportunity encourages the career growth of researchers but does not permit Scholars to lead independent clinical trials. Instead, it allows participation in clinical trials under the mentorship of an experienced researcher, fostering a collaborative approach to cancer research.

The Transformative Organizing Grants, funded by the Arch Community Fund, aim to bolster grassroots movements advocating for systemic change. These grants, ranging from $15,000 to $25,000, prioritize organizations with 501(c)(3) status and an annual budget under $1 million. The focus is on empowering community leadership through anti-capitalist solutions, promoting intersectionality, and addressing immediate needs while fostering long-term structural change. Eligible groups are encouraged to apply for support in their transformative organizing efforts.

The East Texas Estate Planning Council Scholarship, administered by the East Texas Communities Foundation, supports graduating seniors pursuing careers in accounting, law, finance, banking, investments, insurance financial planning, or philanthropic planning. This scholarship reflects a commitment to education and aims to alleviate financial barriers for students in East Texas. Applicants must demonstrate financial need, with FAFSA required, and can attend any college in the United States for one year.

The Climate Program Office (CPO) FY2026 Earth System Science and Services Partnership (ESSSP) aims to enhance NOAA's mission through collaborative research and activities. It focuses on understanding changes in Earth's systems and their impacts on ecosystems and communities. Eligible applicants include academic institutions offering doctoral degrees in NOAA-related sciences. The total funding available is approximately $10 million, supporting initiatives that encompass research, data evaluations, and stakeholder engagement.

Community Foundation of Noble County

At the Community Foundation of Noble County we are passionate about making Noble County an even better place to call home. Since 1991, area residents have been turning to the Community Foundation of Noble County to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible, as we see it as our mission to serve as a catalyst for positive change. The Community Foundation of Noble County is a public charity 501 (c) 3 entity.

Scholarships

The Community Foundation of Noble County offers a wide range of scholarships to support local students in achieving their academic and career aspirations. 

Kichler, Tony and Gertrude Scholarship Fund

For high school seniors or college students who reside in Green or Noble TOWNSHIPS (not county) in Noble County who are pursuing a college education in music, medicine or religion. One-time payment of $3,500. May reapply.