Best Barnes County Grants for Nonprofits in North Dakota

Great Plains Grassland Fund

The Great Plains Grassland Fund is a public-private grant fund that helps protect and sustainably manage the native grasslands of the Great Plains by pairing land protection strategies with technical and financial assistance for ranchers. The program aims to permanently conserve high-value grasslands at risk of conversion through easements and other durable land protection tools; support ranchers and communities with resources to improve grazing management, maintain working lands, and keep grasslands intact; and build a durable funding mechanism that leverages public and private capital, supports qualified implementation partners, and advances community-led conservation projects across the region.

Summary

The Fund will operate as a funding mechanism to facilitate capital aggregation and disbursement to strategically protect grasslands across the Great Plains. The primary objectives for this Fund include:

• Permanently protect land using conservation easements in areas with high conservation value, high conversion risk, and strong community buy-in
• Leverage technical and financial resources to improve grazing land management in and around the areas under protection status
• Engage local communities in identifying sites for protection and planning conservation and grazing land management
• Measure and report key progress indicators for conversion, biodiversity, water and rancher livelihoods

Aberdeen Area Medical Foundation

Since our inception in 1988, the Aberdeen Area Medical Foundation (AAMF) organization has expended over 2.5 million in the NE South Dakota and SE North Dakota area for medical equipment, medical scholarships, and healthcare delivery.

The general objectives of the corporation shall be to ensure the maintenance and the highest standards of healthcare in the Aberdeen area; to aid, assist, and promote healthcare facilities in the Aberdeen area; to promote research and provide facilities and equipment to that end; to assist in medical and healthcare education, both publicly and privately, and to promote legitimate healthcare objectives; to provide healthcare for those unable to provide for themselves; and generally do all things necessary to carry out the corporation’s objectives.

Aberdeen Area Medical Foundation Funding Requests

AAMF works to provide funding and benefits to healthcare, healthcare delivery, medical scholarships, and funding of medical equipment for charitable hospitals and ambulance services. They have furnished ambulance equipment for all of the small community and rural ambulance volunteers in Northeast South Dakota and Southeast North Dakota. AAMF serves an area bounded by Hwy 14 to the south, I-94 to the north, the Missouri River to the west, and the SD border to the east.

Funding requests can be made for medical equipment or health-related projects. The AAMF board meets twice per year in the spring and fall to review requests.

FIRST LEGO League Discover teams connected to schools, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, or registered charities can apply for John Deere Foundation support to expand STEM education, especially for underserved and underrepresented youth. Eligible teams in Barnes County, North Dakota must be within 40 miles of a John Deere Inspire community or have an actively committed John Deere employee mentor.

With a mission to help the Sheyenne River Valley thrive, Sheyenne Valley Community Foundation provides Barnes County nonprofits with community grants for basic human needs, education, arts, community building, first responders, and behavioral health. 501(c)(3) organizations in Barnes, Griggs, or Ransom Counties that benefit local residents and promote collaboration may be eligible.

501(c)(3) organizations in Barnes County, North Dakota can receive funding for education, health and human services, community development, arts and culture, and environmental programs, including capital projects and operating support. Otter Tail Corporation Foundation favors innovative, collaborative efforts that create measurable impact in communities where the company and its subsidiaries have a business presence.

Nonprofit- or school-based FIRST robotics teams serving youth in Barnes County, North Dakota can seek funding to support participation in the FIRST Robotics Competition, with priority for underserved, underrepresented, or rural students. John Deere Foundation focuses on teams near its Inspire communities and encourages mentorship and equity, diversity, and inclusion training for coaches and students.

FIRST LEGO League Explore teams connected to schools, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, or registered charities can seek STEM education funding to support participation costs, with a focus on underserved and underrepresented youth. With a mission to expand STEM access, John Deere Foundation provides support for teams in Barnes County, North Dakota that meet its distance, mentor, and diversity criteria.

Youth robotics teams in Barnes County, North Dakota working through schools, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, or registered charities can receive support for FIRST LEGO League Challenge participation and related STEM activities. With a mission to expand STEM access, John Deere Foundation provides grants to teams near John Deere Inspire communities that primarily serve underserved, underrepresented, or rural students.

Grants from John Deere Foundation help Barnes County, North Dakota robotics and STEM education programs cover FIRST Tech Challenge registration, robot kits, parts, and field setup kits. School-based teams or 501(c)(3) nonprofits, especially those serving underserved students and supported by John Deere employee mentors, may be prioritized for this youth robotics opportunity.

Barnes County, North Dakota nonprofits focused on education, health, human services, arts, and community betterment can access funding through Basin Electric Power Cooperative’s Charitable Giving Program. Organizations within the cooperative’s nine-state service territory may receive charitable donations, member-matching support, or surplus office equipment to strengthen community growth and sustainability.

Nonprofits, schools, local governments, and tribal entities in Barnes County, North Dakota can seek funding for community-focused projects, including civic services, arts and culture, education, health and human services, and youth programs. Focused on improving quality of life near its rail lines, BNSF Foundation offers US $1,000 - US $10,000 grants to eligible organizations.

Public, private, and charter middle schools in Barnes County, North Dakota offering PLTW Gateway STEM education can apply for Project Lead The Way’s John Deere–supported grants, with awards of US $20,000 for new programs. Funding covers PLTW participation fees, required technology, equipment and supplies, and PLTW Core Training with related travel costs.

Public, private, and charter middle schools in Barnes County, North Dakota that already run a PLTW Gateway program can apply for Project Lead The Way’s John Deere-funded expansion grants, with awards of US $10,000 for program growth. Funds may cover PLTW fees, required technology, equipment, supplies, and teacher core training costs.

Public, private, and charter schools starting new PLTW Launch STEM programs in Barnes County, North Dakota can apply for Project Lead The Way’s John Deere-supported grants, with awards of US $10,000 for program costs. Funding covers PLTW participation fees, required devices, equipment and supplies, and PLTW Core Training with related travel, room, and board for high-need schools.

Public, private, and charter schools in Barnes County, North Dakota can apply for Project Lead The Way’s US $10,000 grants to expand existing PLTW Computer Science programs, including new courses, sections, or teacher training. Funding may cover PLTW participation fees, required technology, equipment, supplies, and PLTW Core Training costs for the 2027–2028 academic year.

Public, private, and charter schools expanding PLTW Launch STEM programs in Barnes County, North Dakota can access funding via Project Lead The Way, supported by the John Deere Foundation. Grants provide US $5,000 for PLTW participation fees, required devices, program equipment and supplies, and PLTW Core Training costs for the 2027–2028 academic year.

Public, private, and charter schools in Barnes County, North Dakota can apply for Project Lead The Way’s PLTW Computer Science – New Program grant to launch or expand PLTW computer science pathways. Grants from the John Deere Foundation, administered by Project Lead The Way, provide US $20,000 for fees, required technology, equipment, supplies, and teacher training.

Barnes County schools serving high percentages of students on free and reduced lunch can access funding to launch new PLTW Engineering programs, covering fees, required technology, equipment, and teacher core training. Project Lead The Way and the John Deere Foundation offer up to US $35,000 for schools near John Deere facilities to add one new engineering course each year.

Public, private, and charter schools expanding existing PLTW Engineering programs in Barnes County, North Dakota can apply for US $10,000 to add courses, sections, or teacher training. Project Lead The Way and the John Deere Foundation fund PLTW fees, required equipment, devices, and core training costs for schools serving mostly free and reduced lunch students near John Deere facilities.

Young Health Programme

The Young Health Programme (YHP) is a global disease prevention initiative, aiming to provide education for young people to feel empowered to make informed choices about their health and catalyse a global, youth-led advocacy movement.

The programme operates in over 40 countries and partners with more than 60 non-profit organisations, including UNICEF and Plan International. The YHP combines community programmes, research, advocacy, and the development of young leaders, with a focus on underserved communities.

Since its launch in 2010, the YHP has directly reached over 23 million young people, trained over 1 million, and engaged more than 23,000 AstraZeneca employees, who have volunteered their time with more than 140,000 hours.

The YHP aims to prevent the most common non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer, diabetes, heart disease and respiratory disease, by addressing five main risk factors: tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol, and air pollution. Additionally, the programme tackles climate-health impacts to build healthier communities, recognising, as projected in the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, that children born after 2010 will be the first generation to enter adulthood in a world where the average temperature will reach 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, and are expected to experience a +2°C rise within their lifetime.1

AstraZeneca Young Health Programme Impact Fellowship 2026

AstraZeneca is looking for passionate, driven young leaders to join their 2026 Young Health Programme (YHP) Impact Fellowship. The Fellowship supports young advocates to create actionable change to: 

• Advance health equity – with a focus on acting early to prevent non-communicable diseases among young people, or supporting young people living with rare diseases.
• Take action on climate and nature – advocating for the mitigation of the harmful effects of climate change on the health and well-being of young people.
• Build health systems resilience – contributing to stronger health systems that prioritise earlier intervention to meet today’s needs and mitigate tomorrow’s disease burden.

Benefits

The selected Fellows will gain access to networks, funding and development opportunities, enabling them to drive a global health movement led by and for young people:

A fully-funded scholarship to attend the 2026 One Young World Summit in Cape Town, South Africa (3–6 November 2026) as well as access to the One Young World Ambassador Network and the Young Health Programme (YHP) Alumni group of other young changemakers working to improve youth health.

Structured learning and development offerings to enable them to scale their impact, including both self-directed and live learning. This includes access to the One Young World Academy, an award-winning mini-MBA programme, mentorship from AstraZeneca colleagues and professional training.

Each selected Fellow will receive a grant of either USD $10,000 or USD $50,000 (if selected as the Lead2030 winner** for Sustainable Development Goal 3, for which applicants will be automatically considered) from AstraZeneca, through their non-profit organisation. Fellows are expected to use the grant to implement a project focused on either (1) advancing health equity (2) taking action on climate and nature (3) building health systems resilience.

Beyond the Net Grant Program

The Internet Society Foundation’s Beyond the Net Grant Program offers funding to support Internet Society Chapters to implement innovative projects that make a local impact by providing meaningful access to an open, trusted, and globally-connected Internet, as well as strengthening the Chapters’ presence in the surrounding community. 

Program Objectives

• Strengthen the impact of the Internet Society and the Internet Society Foundation’s mission and global initiatives with complementary local activities. 
• Develop new and strengthen existing relationships and partnerships at the local level.

Focus Areas

The Foundation will support Internet Society Chapters to implement initiatives within one or more of the following thematic areas:

Projects that support community-centered connectivity for unconnected and under-connected populations by providing easy, sustainable solutions, and training on productive use of the Internet.

Projects that make access affordable and resilient for unconnected and under-connected populations by improving, supporting, or advocating for the development of local Internet interconnection infrastructure (e.g., IXPs).

Projects that equip recently connected people with knowledge and skills to protect themselves and their communities online.

Projects that advocate for and educate policy makers, courts, decision makers, and commercial entities about threats to the Internet as an open and accessible platform for free expression and the exchange of ideas, safeguarding fundamental rights, ensuring the well-being of users, and fostering trust in digital technologies.

 About NPCF

The Northern Piedmont Community Foundation (NPCF) began in December 2000 when nine concerned citizens from Virginia’s Piedmont region were searching for solutions to the charitable needs in Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, and Rappahannock counties. With modest beginnings, our funds have grown to over $39 million in support of local charities, scholarships and community need in our northern Piedmont region.

NPCF manages a wide variety of funds established by local individuals, families, businesses, or charitable institutions. Through our investment strategies, the returns from these funds are put back into the community through grant cycles, and scholarships, along with the personal causes the fund holder holds dear. 

On the nonprofit side, the staff at NPCF is committed to building deep bonds with our region’s nonprofits, educating and supporting them in their health as businesses and their resilience in their missions of supporting our most vulnerable. 

We believe that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. By working on both sides of the equation — growing our citizens’ resources while maximizing local nonprofits’ use of those resources — NPCF is ensuring that each link in the chain is healthy, strong, and contributing to the wellness of the Northern Piedmont community. 

Scholarships

Northern Piedmont Community Foundation manages the scholarship application process for dozens of scholarships for students in Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, and Rappahannock counties (as well as a handful serving students from surrounding counties too). 

St. Luke’s Foundation Scholarship Fund (Universal Application)

The St. Luke’s Foundation Scholarship is open to seniors who are residents of Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, or Rappahannock counties, and are alumni of any private school in Culpeper County, although priority is given to St. Luke’s alumni. The qualifying candidate should possess a minimum GPA of 3.0, demonstrate good academic standing, have community service experience and possess an academic record that displays leadership and initiative. Up to three scholarships are available for $1,000 – $2,000 depending on GPA. This award is renewable for all four years provided the student maintains a GPA of 3.0 and submits transcripts annually to NPCF

The Sallie Morgan Behavioral Health Scholarship, managed by the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation, supports students pursuing careers in behavioral health. Open to high school graduates or current students in accredited mental health programs from Fauquier and Rappahannock Counties, the scholarship awards $1,000 to candidates demonstrating academic excellence, community service, leadership, and financial need. This initiative aims to foster future professionals in the vital field of mental health.

Hemophilia Alliance Foundation

Our Mission

The Hemophilia Alliance Foundation is dedicated to receiving and administering funds to enable eligible organizations in the inherited bleeding and thrombotic disorders community to build capacity in order to achieve their mission and to support direct consumer financial assistance programs.

Project Grant Guidance and Application

The goal of this grant is to enable eligible organizations to build capacity in order to achieve their mission, and to support direct consumer financial assistance programs in eligible organizations. The ceiling for local patient organizations and hemophilia treatment and sickle cell centers is $8,000; the ceiling for national organizations and the eight HHS-designated federally designated and funded regional core coordinating centers is $10,000.

Examples include:

1) projects that strengthen the organization’s ability to better serve its constituents;

2) patient/consumer financial assistance grants; and

3) regional hemophilia treatment centers’ annual meetings.

The Rodgers Family Civil Engineering Scholarship, managed by the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation, supports graduating seniors from Fauquier County pursuing civil engineering degrees. Candidates must demonstrate financial need, initiative, motivation, and leadership qualities. With a history of over $39 million in community support since 2000, this scholarship exemplifies the Foundation's commitment to fostering educational opportunities. Award amounts may vary and are renewable, making it a valuable resource for aspiring engineers in the region.

The Martha Mae Giles Scholarship, managed by the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation, supports graduating high school students from Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, and Rappahannock counties who plan to attend college. This renewable scholarship honors Martha Mae Giles and prioritizes applicants who are members of Our Saviour Lutheran Church, although it is open to all students. The foundation has grown substantially since 2000, emphasizing community support and educational opportunities.

The Rodgers Family Agricultural Scholarship, managed by the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation, supports graduating seniors from Fauquier County pursuing degrees in agricultural fields at accredited institutions. Candidates must demonstrate financial need, initiative, motivation, and leadership. This scholarship not only offers financial assistance but also presents opportunities for renewal, fostering academic growth and community involvement among students dedicated to agriculture in the region.