Best Large Grants for Nonprofit Organizations in California

The Agnes E. Vaghi Scholarship, offered by the National Italian American Foundation, supports outstanding female Italian American undergraduates majoring in Italian, English, literature, or journalism. Applicants must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher and hold an active NIAF membership, which can be obtained through a parent or grandparent. This scholarship aims to promote the rich cultural heritage of Italian Americans while encouraging academic excellence.

The A. Lucchetti Martino Scholarship is awarded to outstanding Italian American undergraduate students majoring in International Relations, requiring a minimum GPA of 3.5. Applicants must hold an active NIAF Membership, which can be obtained through a parent or grandparent. This scholarship fosters commitment to Italian culture and heritage while supporting students enrolled full-time in U.S. accredited institutions. The National Italian American Foundation, a non-profit organization, promotes the rich traditions and contributions of Italian Americans.

The Caroline Guarini Memorial Scholarship, offered by the National Italian American Foundation, supports outstanding Italian American students majoring in music or related fields. Eligible applicants must be from New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut, maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher, and hold an active NIAF membership. This scholarship aims to foster musical talent while honoring Italian heritage and culture.

About Us

A Vibrant Region with Opportunity for All

Who We Are

The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties is a community-based social impact investor whose mission is to engage, invest, and lead—working toward a vision of community vibrancy with opportunity for all. Our team of experienced staff and dedicated trustees is committed to boldly leading and supporting transformational community investments. We channel charitable contributions from donors through nonprofit partners that are meeting current community needs and steward community resources responsibly to ensure greater capacity for the future.

No organization has all the answers, but together, with our partners and donors, we have the means and the will to chart a new course—one that will build upon generations of philanthropy and strengthen the fabric of Herkimer and Oneida counties.

Scholarship Opportunities

We help those seeking educational opportunities that will enrich their lives—and enhance our community.

Please note that scholarships administered by the Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties are awarded through a variety of different mechanisms, including by school district selection, public application, or through our community partners, such as Utica Dollars for Scholars.

Joey R. Ventura Tradesman Award

Awarded by Connor Arthur Lynskey Memorial Scholarship Fund

Established in memory of Connor Arthur Lynskey, a special young man who was active in his community, excelled academically, was sports-minded and had an extraordinary way about himself. Connor was a graduate of Holland Patent Central School District in 2017. He aspired to be a physician and was attending premedical school when a drunk driver took his life on August 11, 2018. This award is also given in loving memory of Joey R. Ventura (1992-2021), an accomplished welder and welding instructor who unexpectedly passed in July of 2021 at the age of 28 years old.

Candidates are identified through an open application process.

The NCUEA-NEA Urban Grants, funded by the National Education Association Staff Organization, aim to enhance membership growth through focused organizing proposals. These grants specifically support initiatives that promote density growth, bargaining readiness, and the development of new units. By prioritizing these areas, the program seeks to strengthen collective action and empower educators in their bargaining efforts.

The Donald Mazzoni Scholarship, offered by the National Italian American Foundation, is designed for two exemplary Italian American undergraduate students majoring in business. To qualify, applicants must demonstrate at least 50% Italian heritage, maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and possess an active NIAF membership. This scholarship aims to support students dedicated to preserving Italian culture and heritage while pursuing their academic goals in the United States.

The Emanuele Gianturco Memorial Scholarship, offered by the National Italian American Foundation, supports outstanding Italian American students who are first-generation college attendees, demonstrating financial need and maintaining a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Applicants must hold an active NIAF membership and be enrolled in a U.S. accredited institution. This scholarship aims to encourage the preservation of Italian heritage and culture among students while facilitating their academic pursuits.

The Water Buffalo Club: We Benefit Children Grant supports underserved and at-risk children in Los Angeles County. For over 35 years, the club has helped small charities grow by providing funding, resources, and active member participation. The grants focus on organizations with annual budgets of $500,000 or less and are aimed at capital projects, ensuring that 100% of donations directly benefit these charities. This unique approach combines funding with volunteer efforts to maximize community impact.

The Ernest L. Pellegri Scholarship, offered by the National Italian American Foundation, supports outstanding Italian American students pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees in Latin or related fields. Applicants must demonstrate financial need and maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher. This scholarship aims to encourage the preservation of Italian culture and heritage while promoting academic excellence within the community.

The Filomena C. Peloro Scholarship, offered by the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF), aims to support outstanding Italian American students pursuing undergraduate or graduate studies. Applicants must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher and demonstrate financial need, alongside an active NIAF membership. This scholarship emphasizes cultural heritage and the contributions of Italians to American society, fostering academic excellence and community engagement among students.

The Frank D. Stella Scholarship, offered by the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF), supports outstanding undergraduate students of Italian descent pursuing business-related fields. Applicants must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher and hold an active NIAF membership, which can also be from a parent or grandparent. This initiative encourages the preservation of Italian culture and heritage while fostering academic excellence among Italian American students.

The Furci Family Scholarship Fund, offered by the National Italian American Foundation, supports outstanding Italian American undergraduate students enrolled in at least 10 credits of Italian language or studies. Applicants must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher and hold an active NIAF membership, which can be through a parent or grandparent. This scholarship aims to promote the rich Italian heritage and culture among future generations.

The Joseph and Margaret Rhodes Scholarship, offered by the National Italian American Foundation, is aimed at outstanding Italian American undergraduate students. Eligible candidates must complete 6 or more credits in Italian studies, maintain a minimum GPA of 3.5, and demonstrate active community service. Applicants must also hold an active NIAF membership, which can include familial memberships. This scholarship supports the preservation of Italian heritage and culture through education.

About Association of Legal Writing Directors (ALWD) ALWD supports its members’ professional development as teachers, scholars, and leaders through both teaching and scholarship grants. These grants provide funding for legal writing professionals to pursue their scholarly interests and to develop innovative teaching materials. In funding grants, ALWD focuses on providing resources to those who do not have other sources of funding for these endeavors.

ALWD also supports projects that preserve the history of ALWD, honor community contributions, and make ALWD’s history accessible to scholars, teachers, and practitioners into the future.ALWD Teaching GrantsIn furtherance of ALWD’s commitment to the professional development of legal research and writing faculty, ALWD funds annual teaching grants that allow legal writing faculty to spend their summers exploring innovative teaching ideas and producing teaching tools, materials, and curriculum that will assist others in the field. 

The LaMantia Family Scholarship, offered by the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF), aims to support outstanding Italian American students pursuing studies in computer science or STEM fields. Applicants must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher and hold an active NIAF membership, which can be obtained through a parent or grandparent. This scholarship promotes the importance of Italian heritage while encouraging academic excellence in the next generation of leaders.

The Learning Tree Scholarship, established by The Learning Tree, Inc. through the Central Alabama Community Foundation, supports graduating high school seniors from select counties with a minimum ACT score of 20. This renewable scholarship offers up to $2,000 annually for students pursuing degrees in education, healthcare, and related fields. The foundation, active since 1987, aims to enhance local nonprofit initiatives and educational opportunities in the River Region, serving counties including Lowndes, Macon, and Montgomery.

Central Alabama Community Foundation

Established in 1987 by community leaders, the Central Alabama Community Foundation serves the River Region counties of Lowndes, Macon, and Montgomery. CACF was created to provide a permanent charitable resource dedicated to strengthening nonprofits and meeting local needs in the Montgomery area.

Through a variety of funds, CACF supports projects and programs in education, health, human services, cultural arts, recreation, historic preservation, and other civic concerns.

Every year, CACF awards grants to nonprofit projects and programs providing services in Lee, Macon, and Montgomery counties.

The Hawkins Educational Foundation Scholarship

The Hawkins Educational Foundation Scholarship assists students who plan to continue their education in college or vocational school programs. Applicants must be a high school senior residing in Baldwin County for at least one (1) year prior to the application deadline date. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 and plan to enroll in full-time study at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school for the entire upcoming academic year. Awards are renewable up to three years or until a bachelor’s degree is earned, whichever occurs first, and are based on satisfactory academic performance and fulltime enrollment. Awards are for undergraduate study only.

The College Life Protected: Professional Development Grant, established by GradGuard, supports professional development opportunities for individuals in higher education. Eligible applicants can seek funding for initiatives such as conference fees and training institutes that directly enhance student success and professional growth. The grant prioritizes projects that build skills and networks, ultimately improving the educational experience. This initiative emphasizes the importance of higher education as a public good and encourages ongoing professional development within the community.

The Family Medicine Cares USA Free Health Clinics Grants support new and existing clinics in the U.S. that provide care to the uninsured. With applications accepted annually from March 15 to July 15, these grants assist clinics in purchasing essential medical equipment. The initiative aims to address the needs of over 50 million uninsured individuals, ensuring access to primary care and promoting volunteerism among AAFP members and medical students. Grants of up to $10,000 are available to eligible clinics.

Lester Educational Fund

Fund provides scholarships to help students obtain an education in a profession or vocation.

Amount

$1,000+

Central Alabama Community Foundation

Established in 1987 by community leaders, the Central Alabama Community Foundation serves the River Region counties of Lowndes, Macon, and Montgomery. CACF was created to provide a permanent charitable resource dedicated to strengthening nonprofits and meeting local needs in the Montgomery area.

Through a variety of funds, CACF supports projects and programs in education, health, human services, cultural arts, recreation, historic preservation, and other civic concerns.

Every year, CACF awards grants to nonprofit projects and programs providing services in Lee, Macon, and Montgomery counties.

National Village Ladies Club Scholarship

The National Village Ladies Club Scholarship benefits female graduating high school seniors of Opelika high schools who have demonstrated leadership and community service. Eligible applicants must have a minimum 3.2 GPA and plan to attend two-year or four-year college, university, or trade school.

The Walter Dean Myers Grant Program, established by We Need Diverse Books, offers $2,000 grants to promising unpublished diverse writers and illustrators. Aimed at enhancing their craft and supporting traditional publication pursuits, this initiative has awarded over 70 grants since 2015, resulting in nearly 60 published books and numerous literary accolades. Applicants must identify as diverse and be U.S. residents, working towards a career in children's literature.

Edward E. Ford Foundation

The Edward E. Ford Foundation seeks to improve secondary education by supporting U.S. independent schools and encouraging promising practices. 

• We make Traditional Grants to eligible schools and Associations to help them grow and develop in pursuit of their own missions.
• We make Educational Leadership Grants to eligible schools or groups of schools that consist of larger dollar awards to fewer recipients.
• We encourage collaboration with others in both grant cycles.
• Occasionally, we may make larger, multi-­year Collaborative Innovation Grants in support of projects that have the potential to influence secondary education more broadly and positively affect our democratic society.
• Beyond grant-making, we share what we learn, sponsor strategic meetings, and work with others to identify and respond to the most pressing challenges facing the field of secondary education.

Traditional Grant for Associations

These grants are made in response to requests that can range from $25,000 to $100,000 and that must be matched by additional funds raised by the association at least 1:1.

Associations seeking placement on a Traditional Grant Agenda should be prepared to specify the anticipated dollar value of their proposal when they request placement. This can be months in advance of the date the final version of the proposal will be due, depending on the length of the queue. 

Traditional Grants are awarded based on the quality of the proposal and other considerations in terms of the association’s operation, but it does not identify certain areas of independent school work as favored. That is, you can seek guidance as to what sort of proposals have been funded in the past but association should identify their own greatest institutional need that they think the Foundation can help address.

Step-by-Step Process

• Request Agenda Placement — Please fill out the Agenda Placement form to tell the Foundation a bit more about your association and to help us determine if it is eligible for EE Ford funding.

• Agenda Placement Phone Call — If your association is eligible for Agenda Placement, we will schedule a phone call between your association’s Executive Director and the Executive Director of the EE Ford Foundation. This phone call will serve as an informal introduction and it will determine if Agenda placement is right for your association. No proposal can be considered from associations that have not reserved a place on an upcoming Agenda. If your association is placed on an Agenda, you will receive an Agenda Placement Confirmation email with further instruction.

• Executive Director Meeting — Schedule a 2-3 hour meeting between your association’s Executive Director and our foundation’s Executive Director to be held in our Brooklyn office. The Preliminary Materials will be due one week prior to this meeting (see “Preliminary Materials” under "Required Materials"). 

• Final Submission — Deadline for submission of final materials is January 30 for the April Agenda or April 1 for the June Agenda. When the Board makes its decision about a proposal, the Executive Director communicates this decision within days.

The Marin Cultural Association (MCA) Arts Grants program provides financial support to nonprofit arts organizations and artists in Marin County. Grants of up to $10,000 are available for operational and program support including arts programming, materials, and production expenses. MCA aims to sustain Marin's arts resources, promote equitable representation in the arts, and enhance collaboration within the community, making the arts accessible to all residents.

About MCA Arts Grants

The Marin Cultural Association (MCA) Arts Grants program is intended to provide valuable financial support for nonprofit arts organizations and emerging and established artists across Marin County.

Mission

​The Marin Cultural Association’s mission is to support art and culture in Marin County including enhancing the programs and facilities at the Marin Center and the Marin County Fair. A nonprofit in partnership with the Marin Department of Cultural Services, MCA advocates for and serves as a catalyst to increase participation, advance collaboration, and optimize resources for culture in Marin County for all residents.

Grant Program Goals​

The goals for MCA’s Arts Grants program align with the goals of MCA including:

• To sustain and grow Marin’s art resources for all
• To cultivate and advance Marin as an arts and cultural center
• To ensure Marin’s arts are by and for everyone while supporting equitable representation and participation across diverse groups, artforms, and cultural expression

Artist Grants​

Grants up to $5,000 are available for emerging and established artists over 18 years old who live or work in Marin County, as well as studio collectives in Marin County.

The Carrie Estelle Doheny Foundation offers the Campership Grant Program, providing scholarships for summer camps to organizations registered as 501(c)(3). With a focus on Los Angeles and its surroundings, the Foundation seeks to support established programs that nurture individual dignity and community leadership. Organizations can apply annually, with a holistic evaluation process that includes site visits to ensure alignment with the Foundation's mission of empowering vulnerable populations.

The Aurand Harris Grants & Fellowships support children’s theatre by funding projects that foster artistic growth and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. Eligible applicants include 501c3 nonprofit theatres and individual artists. The grants cover various expenses, such as fees for artists and equipment costs, while prioritizing projects that align with the values of the Children's Theatre Foundation of America. Notably, funding will not cover general operating support or projects already in progress.