Best Large Grants for Nonprofit Organizations in California

The Palo Alto Community Fund Grant supports impactful organizations in Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, and Menlo Park. Established nearly 50 years ago, the fund prioritizes areas such as youth support, mental health, food security, and community strengthening. Grants typically range from $5,000 to $20,000 for one year, with potential multi-year funding. PACF operates under trust-based philanthropy principles, ensuring nonprofit leaders have autonomy in funding allocation.

The Asian Cultural Council (ACC) offers Organization Grants to arts and culture organizations in Asia and the U.S., promoting cultural exchange through travel and collaborative activities. These grants support immersive experiences, research, and access to artistic communities, fostering international dialogue and relationship-building. Organizations must be nonprofit or educational institutions, legally registered in eligible regions, and demonstrate a minimum of five years of relevant programming. ACC provides additional support to enhance project feasibility.

The Safety, Security, and Privacy for Open-Source Ecosystems (Safe-OSE) program, launched by the National Science Foundation (NSF), addresses vulnerabilities in open-source products and their development infrastructure. It invites proposals to enhance safety, security, and privacy across various types of open-source ecosystems. The program aims to support initiatives that improve resilience against risks, attacks, and breaches, ensuring that OSEs can effectively manage current and future challenges.

The AWWA Scholarship Program, specifically the Neptune Technology Group Scholarship, offers a $5,000 award to undergraduate students pursuing degrees in mechanical, electrical, computer, or software engineering. This initiative, supported by the American Water Works Association, highlights the importance of investing in the future workforce of the water industry, fostering education and innovation among aspiring professionals.

National Main Street Center Inc.

Main Street America (MSA) leads an inclusive, impact-driven movement dedicated to reenergizing and strengthening older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts through place-based economic development and community preservation. We work in collaboration with thousands of local partners and grassroots leaders across the nation who share our commitment to advancing shared prosperity, creating resilient economies, and improving quality of life.

Main Street America was founded in 1980 as the National Main Street Center®, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Over the past 40 years the MSA network has helped to generate over $115.27 billion in local reinvestment, rehab 345,801 buildings, create 815,894 new jobs, and start 181,647 new businesses in over 2,000 communities. 

Great American Main Street Awards

Main Street America celebrates communities whose successes serve as a model for comprehensive, preservation-based revitalization efforts in their historic downtowns and commercial corridor districts with the Great American Main Street Awards (GAMSA).

Winners represent the diversity of communities in the Main Street America network — small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts from every region in the country — and demonstrate the power of the Main Street Approach™. Since the inception of the Great American Main Street Awards in 1995, 118 Main Street programs have been honored.

Selection Criteria: Semifinalists and winners are selected from a nationwide pool of applicants by a jury of Main Street professionals and leaders in the fields of community and economic development and historic preservation. Criteria for winning GAMSA include: strength of the Main Street program in spurring community transformation, commitment to historic preservation, innovative programming, implementation of cross-sector partnerships, community outreach and stakeholder engagement, and ensuring their downtown districts are for everyone. 

Accolades & Ceremony: Semifinalists are promoted through Main Street America’s digital channels and receive media relations support. Winners also receive a short documentary film, a plaque, communications and media relations support, prominent placement on the Main Street America website for two years, and recognition at the 2027 Main Street Now Conference in Detroit, Michigan.

The AAAS Early Career Award for Public Engagement with Science recognizes outstanding early-career scientists and engineers for their significant contributions to public engagement in science. Established in 2010, the award includes a $5,000 prize, a plaque, and recognition at the AAAS Annual Meeting. Eligible nominees must be actively conducting research in STEM fields and demonstrate engagement beyond their job responsibilities, with one awardee chosen annually.

The Ray Y Gildea Jr Award, provided by the Royal Geographical Society, offers grants of up to £1,000 to support innovative teaching methods in higher and secondary education. This endowed award aims to enhance geography education by funding projects that develop, research, or pilot new approaches, ultimately benefiting students directly. Eligible applicants must be actively teaching in the higher education or secondary school sectors in the UK or USA.

The GHI Doctoral and Postdoctoral Research Fellowships offer support for European and North American scholars pursuing research in German and European history, German-American relations, and North American history. Awarded by the German Historical Institute, these fellowships prioritize projects requiring primary sources in North America and are available for one to four months. Monthly stipends are € 2,000 for doctoral students and € 3,400 for postdoctoral scholars, with additional airfare reimbursement for European recipients.

The Gene Haas Foundation offers Manufacturing Education Grants to empower students in technical career pathways through CNC education. These scholarships support public and private nonprofit schools, enhancing skills in CNC technology. Funds can be allocated for the Gene Haas CNC Scholarship and tooling awards for essential tools and safety gear. By fostering hands-on experience in real-world manufacturing, the foundation ensures the next generation of skilled professionals has the necessary resources to succeed.

The AOAP Swim Lesson Grant aims to enhance drowning prevention by providing financial support to aquatic facilities for swim lessons and life jackets. With a minimum allocation of $10,000 annually, the program seeks to offer at least 100 free lessons to low-income participants and distribute 500 life jackets each year. It encourages non-profit organizations to apply, ensuring a focus on education and safety in aquatic environments. This grant represents a significant step towards making swimming accessible and safe for all.

AmeriCorps Vista

AmeriCorps is the federal agency that improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. AmeriCorps brings people together to tackle the country’s most pressing challenges through national service and volunteerism. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities and those serving. AmeriCorps helps make service a cornerstone of our national culture.

Founded in 1965, AmeriCorps VISTA is a federal anti-poverty national service program designed to provide resources to nonprofit organizations and public agencies to strengthen efforts to address poverty and poverty-related problems in the United States. In 1993, VISTA was incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of national service programs administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, now known as AmeriCorps.

AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Paper

Projects must be developed in accordance with AmeriCorps VISTA core principles:

• an anti-poverty focus
• community empowerment
• sustainable solutions
• capacity building

Project applications must address one of the following areas:

• Economic Opportunity
• Healthy Futures
• Education
• Veteran and Military Families

Excellence in Medicine Awards

The AMA Foundation’s Excellence in Medicine Awards honor physicians and medical advocates who exemplify the highest values of the profession—volunteerism, community engagement, leadership, and service to underserved populations. Each recipient is recognized at a ceremony during the AMA Annual Meeting in Chicago and receives a $2,500 grant honorarium directed to a nonprofit health organization of their choice. Since 2005, more than 100 honorees have been celebrated through this program, with over $250,000 awarded to strengthen community health and advance equitable care nationwide. 

Excellence in Medicine Awards- Dr. Edmond and Rima Cabbabe Dedication to the Profession Award

Honors physicians who are committed to expanding knowledge through teaching, conducting research and publishing. Other qualifying virtues include leadership, volunteerism and philanthropic activities in medical and other civic organizations.

Made possible by Edmond Cabbabe, MD, and Rima Cabbabe

The Ken W. Davis Foundation Grant provides essential funding to nonprofit organizations in the U.S. that align with the Foundation's mission of promoting basic human needs and education in line with Constitutional freedoms. With a minimum grant size of $2,500, the Foundation focuses on supporting human service organizations in Tarrant County, Texas, and the Permian Basin of West Texas and Southeast New Mexico, while also offering national support for grants related to Constitutional freedoms.

The HFM Foodservice Scholarship Fund supports students in Hawaii pursuing education in Culinary Arts or Agriculture. Applicants must demonstrate financial need, maintain a minimum GPA of 2.7, and attend an accredited institution in the U.S. Preference is given to prior recipients in good academic standing. This scholarship aims to empower future leaders in the foodservice industry by providing financial assistance to deserving candidates.

Better World Scholarship Fund

The scholarship encourages women to acquire a degree in a science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) field. The donor’s bachelor’s degree is in mathematics, followed 15 years later with a master’s degree in business administration. Her degree in mathematics provided opportunities for jobs in software development and application, medical research, technical documentation, organizational education and training, scientific research, and business. Her career was challenging, dynamic, encouraged creativity, never boring, offered schedule flexibility that allowed her to parent her four children, provided career choice independence, and was lucrative. Go STEM Girls!

Award Amount:

• Minimum $1,000

The Florida Atlantic University-Huntington Fellowship offers advanced graduate students a unique opportunity to conduct research using the Weiner Spirit of America Collection and the Huntington Library's extensive resources. Each year, three fellows will receive $6,000 to cover travel expenses and spend two months in residence. This fellowship emphasizes interdisciplinary studies in political philosophy, history, and literature, fostering scholarly contributions through academic research and collaborative efforts between the two esteemed institutions.

The Warren Alpert Foundation aims to enhance public health by funding medical research, education, and basic human services. With grants under $25,000, it supports initiatives that advance medical treatments and health education. The foundation is committed to fostering innovative research and solutions in healthcare, making a significant impact on community health and well-being.

The Warren Alpert Foundation supports initiatives aimed at enhancing public health through grants exceeding $25,000 for medical research, education, and basic human services. Applications are reviewed quarterly, with deadlines preceding board meetings. The foundation's mission encompasses advancing medical treatments and cures through rigorous research and health education. This commitment empowers various projects that align with their vision of improving community health and fostering innovation in medical practices.

The AOAP Life Jacket Grant supports aquatic facilities in drowning prevention by offering funds for swim lessons and life jackets. Administered by the Association of Aquatic Professionals, the program aims to provide at least 100 free lessons and distribute 500 life jackets annually. This initiative promotes safety education and awareness of life jacket usage, ensuring that underserved communities have access to vital water safety resources. Applications are open to AOAP members meeting eligibility criteria.

Communities Foundation of Oklahoma

The Communities Foundation of Oklahoma stems from the vision of Tom McCasland Jr., and Gene Rainbolt. Two decades ago, these gentlemen formed a shared vision to create a single philanthropic organization to serve the charitable needs to rural communities across the great state of Oklahoma. Today, CFO has grown to assist hundreds of efforts in more than 45 counties.

Scholarship Opportunities

CFO offers over 100 diverse scholarship opportunities, empowering students across the state to pursue their educational goals. Each scholarship is tailored to meet unique needs, making higher education more accessible for all.

Ashley Parks Creative Scholarship

Supports continued education in the arts or creative fields for non-traditional students.

The George Family Foundation offers Spirituality & Inner Life Grants to empower organizations that foster mindfulness and personal healing. They seek to support programs that promote respect, empathy, and compassion, aiming to bridge divides and enhance individual well-being. The foundation prioritizes initiatives that align with their mission, particularly those addressing meaningful community needs. They focus on 501(c)(3) organizations primarily in Minnesota and select areas, emphasizing innovative spiritual and inner life endeavors.

Excellence in Medicine Awards

The AMA Foundation’s Excellence in Medicine Awards honor physicians and medical advocates who exemplify the highest values of the profession—volunteerism, community engagement, leadership, and service to underserved populations. Each recipient is recognized at a ceremony during the AMA Annual Meeting in Chicago and receives a $2,500 grant honorarium directed to a nonprofit health organization of their choice. Since 2005, more than 100 honorees have been celebrated through this program, with over $250,000 awarded to strengthen community health and advance equitable care nationwide. 

Excellence in Medicine Awards- Dr. Debasish Mridha Spirit of Medicine Award

Recognizes the work of U.S. physicians who demonstrate altruism, compassion, integrity, leadership and personal sacrifice while providing quality health care to destitute, distressed or marginalized populations in impoverished communities.

Made possible by Debasish Mridha, MD

Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society

Alpha Omega Alpha, founded in 1902, is the national medical honor society. Its mission is:

• Alpha Omega Alpha — dedicated to the belief that in the profession of medicine we will improve care for all by:
• recognizing high educational achievement;
• honoring gifted teaching;
• encouraging the development of leaders in academia and the community;
• supporting the ideals of humanism; and
• promoting service to others.

Helen H. Glaser Student Essay Award

To encourage medical students to write scholarly essays relevant to medicine. Winning essays will be published in an issue of The Pharos.

Only one entry may be submitted per student.

Requirements

• Essays must be written while the student is in medical school, must be the work of a single author, and must be an original work. The essay must not be offered to, or published by, any other journal or entered in any other contest prior to submission or during, the AΩA selection process.
• The essay must be related to medicine.
• Essays should not be fictional or written in first person, but academic/scientific in theme.
• The essay must not exceed 15 double-spaced pages of 12-point type with minimum 1-inch margins, exclusive of reference listing. The author’s name and essay title must be on each page, and all pages must be numbered.
• Unique references, numbered consecutively, should be limited to 20. (Reference citation of a website is not acceptable unless a site is the sole source of the information or has official academic credentials. Examples of acceptable sites are official government web pages such as that of the National Institutes of Health.)
• The Pharos Editorial Board suggests that authors review George Orwell’s “6 Rules for Writing”.
• Essays that are not selected as award recipients may be submitted to other contests/publications after the winners are announced.
• Essays not meeting all requirements will not be considered.

Native Forward awards are allocated based on the financial aid information provided by the institution’s Financial Aid Office. Awards can vary, ranging from $100 to $30,000 per academic year.

Native Forward Scholars Fund members of federally and state-recognized Tribes as well as first and second-generation descendants. However, Native Forward Scholars Fund scholarship opportunities have different Tribal eligibility requirements and can be determined by submitting a Tribal Eligibility Certificate.

Jeanette Elmer Scholarship

This opportunity is provided to honor the life and legacy of Jeanette Elmer.

The purpose of the Jeanette Elmer Scholarship program is to provide financial assistance to eligible American Indian and Alaska Native graduate students pursuing degrees full-time at an accredited institution in library science.

This opportunity is a need-based award.

The David Breaux Memorial Scholarship honors the legacy of a compassionate community member, David Breaux, who passed away on April 27, 2023. This scholarship aims to support high school seniors and first-year college students from Yolo County who demonstrate financial need and a commitment to social justice. The fund, established by retired professors, promotes educational equity and allows recipients to pursue their higher education goals, fostering a culture of kindness and empathy in their communities.