Best Capacity Building Grants for Nonprofits

Illinois Department of Agriculture

Mission Statement: The Illinois Department of Agriculture will be an advocate for Illinois' agricultural industry and provide the necessary regulatory functions to benefit consumers, agricultural industry, and our natural resources. The agency will strive to promote agri-business in Illinois and throughout the world.​

Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Implementation Grant

Description 

The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) is implementing the agricultural portion of the inaugural Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) Program, known as Climate Smart Agriculture Program. The intent of the program is to promote the implementation of no-till and strip-till practices through the Partners for Conservation (PFC) Program and the State of Illinois Priority Climate Action Plan.

Subrecipient applications will be selected on a first come, first served basis, per county, such that the first application per county will be prioritized up to a 3,000-acre cap per application, pending qualification and verification. If there are remaining program funds after the first application per county is verified, the second application per county will be prioritized up to a 3,000-acre cap per application, and so on.

The First United Church of Christ Mission Fund provides vital support to various organizations and initiatives in Berks County, focusing on children's activities, senior citizen benefits, and hunger reduction. Grants totaling up to $65,000 will be awarded, with individual grants generally under $10,000. Preference is given to religious organizations within close proximity to the church, ensuring that the fund effectively supports community needs and outreach efforts.

Reiter Family Foundation Grant

The Reiter Family Foundation seeks to support organizations that are doing meaningful work to shape and sustain Colorado communities. Our areas of focus are housing and food security, education and youth programming, and environment and conservation, but we do welcome inquiries from non-profits who do not necessarily fit neatly into our focus areas. In terms of geographic location, we tend to focus our giving in the Denver Metro and Grand County areas of Colorado.

Environment and Conservation

Environment/Conservation: With our family roots in this beautiful state, we want to support the protection and conservation of our Colorado’s lands and waterways as well as help to cut down on the pollution that threatens the health and longevity of our planet as a whole. 

Grants typically range from $2,000 - $15,000, but additional funding may be available.

Applicants can only submit one grant proposal each calendar year (January - December), but may apply again the following year unless otherwise advised. 

About Us

Our Mission

We promote and inspire community generosity and giving by bringing together passionate people and resources in our collective efforts to make an enduring difference in the community we love.

Funding Opportunities

We fund projects benefiting Branch County or Colon, Michigan. In making grants, the Community Foundation attempts to understand the specific objectives of each grant request and the long-term benefits the community will receive from the initiative. 

Community Good Grants

These grants support projects and programs that benefit Branch County and Colon.

Currently, BCCF has the following priorities for funding identified:

• Enhancing Youth Mental Health Supports
• Accelerating Workforce Development
• Offering English Language Learning Supports
• Improving Childcare Access

One competitive grant cycle per year by application only.

The Desalination and Water Purification Research Program, led by the Bureau of Reclamation, aims to enhance water supply through innovative research in water treatment technologies. This initiative seeks proposals for laboratory and pilot-scale projects that demonstrate significant benefits and commercialization pathways. By addressing cost and energy barriers, the program aligns with federal priorities to improve resource management and support the development of sustainable water solutions for the American public.

The Healthy Harbors Fund, launched by Charleston Waterkeeper and the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League with support from Coastal Community Foundation, aims to enhance water quality in the Charleston Harbor area. The fund, bolstered by a $1 million settlement from a pollution lawsuit, will provide grants to local nonprofits focusing on critical issues such as plastics, bacteria, and climate resilience. This initiative encourages community engagement and aims to tackle pressing environmental challenges in the Lowcountry.

The Chain of Checks Grant, established in 1986 by Barry Lee, has raised nearly $2 million to support various nonprofits in the community. Administered by the Community Foundation of the Northern Shenandoah Valley, it primarily funds organizations with 501(c)(3) status serving Winchester and surrounding counties. Grants typically range from $3,000 to $5,000, focusing on projects addressing physical and mental health, as well as basic human needs like food and shelter, while ensuring no discrimination occurs.

NAFC Open Grant/Product Donation Applications

The National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) is the only nonprofit 501c(3) organization whose mission is solely focused on the issues and needs of the medically underserved throughout the nation and the more than 1,400 Free and Charitable Clinics that serve them. The NAFC has earned the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar and a 4-Star rating from Charity Navigator. Founded in 2001 and headquartered near Washington, D.C., the NAFC is working to ensure that the medically underserved have access to affordable quality healthcare and strives to be a national voice promoting quality healthcare for all. For more information about the NAFC, including how to become a member, please visit https://www.nafcclinics.org.

NAFC Capacity Fund

The NAFC Capacity Fund supports investments that strengthen clinic and pharmacy infrastructure and organizational effectiveness. This funding is designed to help NAFC members build the systems, tools, and capabilities needed to operate more efficiently, improve quality, and expand their ability to serve patients over time.

The Sea Turtle Grants Program, funded by Florida's Sea Turtle Specialty License Plate sales, supports vital research, conservation, and educational initiatives for Florida's marine turtles. The program allocates 30% of license plate revenue to grant applications, with a maximum of four submissions per organization. Priority is given to projects that enhance the preservation of marine turtles and align with recovery plans and the Marine Turtle Protection Program's goals.

The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Local Assistance and Federal Recreation Grants, managed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, aim to enhance outdoor recreation opportunities across the state. These grants support various programs, including local parks development, acquisition of development rights, and urban green spaces. They also encompass federal initiatives such as the Land and Water Conservation Fund and Recreational Trails Program. This funding fosters community engagement and promotes sustainable recreational access.

City of Newark - Office of Homeless Services

The City of Newark, Department of Health and Community Wellness, Office of Homeless Services (OHS) is now accepting proposals from Newark organizations for inclusion in the City’s 2026-2027 HUD Entitlement Programs. 

The Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2009 (HEARTH Act), signed into law on May 20, 2009, consolidates three of the separate homeless assistance programs administered by HUD under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act into a single grant program, and revises the Emergency Shelter Grants program and renames it as the Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) program. The HEARTH Act also codifies into law the Continuum of Care planning process, a longstanding part of HUD’s application process, to assist homeless people by providing greater coordination in responding to their needs.

Emergency Solutions Grant Program

The change in the program’s name, from Emergency Shelter Grants to Emergency Solutions Grants, reflects the change in the program’s focus from addressing the needs of homeless people in emergency or transitional shelters to assisting people to quickly regain stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis and/or homelessness.

The City of Newark has the responsibility of making use of ESG funds, as part of implementing a “Continuum of Care” to address the issue of homelessness and to coordinate activities with other non-profit service providers and organizations. This Request For Proposal (RFP) seeks to solicit proposals that will improve the quality of existing emergency shelters for the homeless and provide certain essential and preventative services to address homelessness.

The City of Newark’s ESG program provides resources for the following program components:

• Rapid Re-Housing;
• Homelessness Prevention; and
• Emergency Shelter.

The Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamp Program's Category #4 grants focus on supporting Murre conservation efforts in Newfoundland and Labrador. These grants fund projects that assess Murre populations, promote hunting stewardship, and engage in habitat conservation. By leveraging funds from stamp sales and additional non-federal support, the program aims to enhance local wildlife habitats and contribute significantly to conservation initiatives across Canada.

Bureau of Behavioral Health FY27 Notice of Funding Opportunities

The Mississippi Department of Mental Health is now accepting applications for a series of competitive grants made available through funding appropriated to the agency.

Consumer Education Program

This funding is to provide state-wide evidence-based support and educational programs free of charge to those living with mental illness, their caregivers, and their family members.

Educational programs are to include but are not limited to:

The Family-to-Family Education Program is a free, 12-class course for family caregivers of individuals with severe mental illnesses. The course is taught by trained family members and provides current information on major mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and others; information about medications; strategies for handling crises and relapse; and most of all, how to cope successfully with a major challenge in your life, which will in turn allow you to best support your mentally ill loved one to work toward recovery.

In Our Own Voice (IOOV) unmasks mental illness using speaker stories to illustrate the individual realities of living with mental illness. Participants gain a better understanding of what it is like to live with mental illness and stay in recovery. In Our Own Voice can change attitudes, preconceived notions and stereotypes regarding mental illness.

Peer-to-Peer is a recovery-focused educational program for adults who wish to establish and maintain wellness in response to mental health challenges. The course provides critical information and strategies related to living with mental illness.

The Provider Education program helps people who work with individuals living with mental illness understand the experience of mental illness from individual and family perspectives. Through exposure to personal stories, participants may gain tools that increase their empathy and professional skills thereby improving patient care.

Thriving Texas Families

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), the System Agency, is accepting Applications for Small Service Providers in the Thriving Texas Families (TTF) program.

The purpose of this program is to promote childbirth and pregnancy and support families by operating a statewide support network that provides community outreach, consultation, and care coordination for women with an unexpected pregnancy, in accordance with Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 54.

The total amount of state funding available for the Thriving Texas Families Small Service Providers grant program is $25,000,000 for the entire Project Period. It is the System Agency's intention to make multiple awards to Applicants that successfully demonstrate the ability to promote childbirth and pregnancy and support families by providing community outreach, consultation, and care coordination for women with an unexpected pregnancy.

Applicants are strongly cautioned to only apply for the amount of grant funding they can responsibly expend during the Project Period to avoid lapsed funding at the end of the grant term. Successful Applications may not be funded to the full extent of Applicant’s requested Budgets in order to ensure grant funds are available for the broadest possible array of communities and programs.

The Oak Foundation's Housing and Homelessness Grant Program aims to reduce homelessness and improve housing conditions by supporting organizations that empower renters and advocate for equitable housing. The program focuses on enhancing renter rights, increasing the availability of affordable homes, and preventing homelessness through community-driven strategies. By addressing structural issues such as poverty and discrimination, the foundation seeks to create lasting change in housing accessibility for marginalized populations in both the US and UK.

The Architecture + Design Independent Projects Grants program, a collaboration between the New York State Council on the Arts and The Architectural League of New York, offers 25 grants of $10,000 each for innovative design proposals. Open to individuals and teams in various design fields, including architecture and graphic design, this initiative encourages creative exploration and public engagement with design. Applications will be evaluated by a panel of design experts, ensuring support for impactful projects that advance the discipline.

South Carolina Arts Commission

The mission of the South Carolina Arts Commission is to expand access to the arts and foster creativity for all South Carolinians.

For more than 50 years, the agency has worked to build a thriving arts environment that benefits all South Carolinians, regardless of their circumstances or where they live.

We help artists and arts providers offer unique arts experiences to residents and visitors. From free poetry readings and gallery crawls to sweetgrass basketry workshops and ticketed dance, music, or theatre performances, they create an environment that contributes to quality of life from three “corner” counties of Oconee, Horry, and Beaufort to the 43 arranged inside.

Since 1967, the SCAC has awarded more than $132 million in grants to artists, arts organizations, school districts, schools, and teachers!

Cultural Districts Grants

Purpose

This grant supports a broad range of creative placemaking endeavors led by S.C. Cultural Districts, including—but not limited to—festivals, performances, workshops, and public art projects. All programming must be located within a Cultural District’s approved boundaries and align with its strategic plan.

Projects should:

• Integrate arts, culture, or design activities.
• Include non-arts partnership(s).
• Engage the public.
• Involve artists, designers, or culture bearers.

Each S.C. Cultural District may submit only one (1) application per cycle.

Grant funds must be used for actual project costs, defined as consumable and non-consumable items needed to complete the proposed project.

Funding type: Expense reimbursement.

Matching Requirements

1:2 (grantee:SCAC)

• A 1:2 match means that for each SCAC dollar granted, the grantee must match with $0.50 of their own funds. For example, if the total project cost is $15,000, the applicant may request $10,000 and must provide the remaining $5,000 from other sources.

• At least 50% of the applicant’s match must be cash.
• Funds may not be matched with another SCAC grant.

If you are hiring artists or teaching artists

For all grant-funded activities (including group lectures, demonstrations, performances, residencies, and short-term arts teaching experiences), the use of S.C. Arts Directory members is required for school and school district grantees and encouraged for grantees that are organizations.

Artists identified as Verified Teaching Artists on the S.C. Arts Directory have been additionally vetted by SCAC through the submission of sample lesson plans, recorded teaching samples, and letters of recommendation. For any grantee whose grant-funded activities are for K-12 student services, SCAC encourages the use of Verified Teaching Artists. Many school districts require the use of SCAC Verified Teaching Artists for classroom residencies. If working in a school environment, always check with both the individual school and the school district about policies related to hiring artists, arts organizations, and teaching artists. Learn more about the S.C. Arts Directory.

Indirect Cost Limitation

No more than 10% of the total grant funds may be used for indirect costs (general overhead expenses not directly tied to the project). The remaining 90% must go toward direct costs, which are necessary to carry out the funded project.

• Examples of direct costs: Artist fees, program supplies, travel for project activities, and venue rental.
• Examples of indirect costs: Administrative salaries not directly working on the project, office rent, utilities, and general office supplies.

This ensures that most of the funding directly benefits the project while allowing some flexibility for necessary overhead costs.

Compliance with State and Federal Laws

All grant applicants must ensure their applications, proposed projects, and any related materials comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws. This includes SC Code § 16-15-305 (2024), which prohibits the dissemination of obscene materials.

Obscene content is strictly prohibited in grant applications and any proposed project activities. Applications that include materials or activities determined to be obscene will not be reviewed or considered for funding.

No component of an SCAC-funded project, including those funded with SCAC funds and those funded with matching funds, can fall into this category. Failure to comply with these regulations may result in the termination of funding and other legal consequences.

We strongly encourage all applicants to carefully review the full legal text of SC Code § 16-15-305 (2024), to ensure their proposals are in full compliance.

The Memorial Bear Fund Grant honors the legacy of biologists and a pilot who lost their lives during wildlife research in Wyoming. Administered by the Wyoming Community Foundation, it supports bear research, habitat protection, and education for all bear species. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations serving Wyoming, while ineligible applications include those with outstanding reports or requests for lobbying. The grant prioritizes impactful, well-prepared projects that ensure lasting benefits.

The Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust oversees the HOME Program Emergency Solutions Grant to address homelessness through a comprehensive Continuum of Care system. This program focuses on developing housing solutions for various priority sub-populations, including chronic homeless individuals and families. By leveraging funding for rental housing development, the initiative aims to provide sustainable housing and support services to eligible participants, ensuring that homelessness is rare, brief, and one-time.

The Greater Lake Superior Foundation Grant Program provides $2000 grants annually to support graduate research on Coaster Brook Trout in Lake Superior and its tributaries. Eligible applicants must be graduate students from accredited universities in Michigan, Minnesota, Ontario, or Wisconsin, focusing on Fisheries Management, Limnology, Ecology, or Biology. Research topics include habitat requirements, migratory behavior, and management activities. Recipients must submit a project summary for publication on the GLSF website.

New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department

CYFD believes that young people and their families are not simply clients. They are powerful catalysts for change – in their own lives and as partners in changing the systems that impact their lives.

This belief is operationalized through our core values about the young people we serve. 

Our Mission

• Nurture the strength and resilience of families
• Partner with children, families and communities based in trust and transparency
• Serve by listening and learn from our diverse cultures to keep children, youth and families healthy, safe and thriving

Children’s Justice Act Grant

PURPOSE:

The New Mexico Children’s Justice Act Advisory Group (CJAAG) provides expert guidance and oversight for the distribution of federal Children’s Justice Act (CJA) funds managed by the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD). Comprised of multidisciplinary leaders, including representatives from the courts, law enforcement, child welfare, and medical fields. CJAAG directs these resources to improve the investigation, prosecution, and judicial handling of child abuse and neglect cases.

The primary mission of the CJAAG is to foster a system that minimizes additional trauma for child victims, particularly in cases of sexual abuse, exploitation, fatalities, and cases involving children with disabilities. By leveraging these funds, the CJAAG ensures that New Mexico’s response to child maltreatment is coordinated, effective, and centered on the protection of the state’s most vulnerable citizens.

The Harden Foundation Grant supports nonprofit organizations in Monterey County across seven focus areas, including youth, family welfare, health, and arts. The Foundation promotes self-reliance, quality of life improvements, and humane treatment of animals. Eligible applicants must have 501(C)3 status and can seek funding for general support, special projects, and one-time capital grants. However, the Foundation does not fund sectarian programs, endowments, or organizations outside its geographical focus.

The Pasadena Audubon Society offers research grants aimed at supporting students and community organizations engaged in bird-related research and conservation. This funding is focused on projects relevant to Southern California and the Pacific Flyway, encouraging scientific studies and community initiatives that enhance our understanding and protection of avian species.

The Hawk Watch Fund Grant, established by the Hawk Migration Association of North America (HMANA), supports hawk watch sites in North America facing funding challenges. Grants of up to $1000 are available for volunteer-based projects that align with HMANA's mission of promoting raptor conservation and migration study. Funding is sourced from HMANA's annual Raptorthon and donations. This initiative aims to enhance educational resources, equipment acquisition, and operational support for hawk watch groups.

Iowa Department of Health and Human Services

Iowa HHS provides high quality programs and services that protect and improve the health and resiliency of individuals, families, and communities.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

Purpose

The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to solicit applications that will enable the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (referred to as Agency) to select the most qualified applicants to provide state-wide and local programming that supports economic mobility for Iowa families. Funds are made available through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and must achieve one of the four purposes of TANF:

• Provide assistance to needy families
• End dependence on benefits
• Prevent and reduce out-of-wedlock pregnancies
• Encourage two-parent families

Priority Projects will demonstrate that they can make measurable progress in the following areas:

• Reducing barriers to consistent and stable employment for the TANF-eligible (≤ 200% FPL) population
• Enhancing opportunities for TANF-eligible Iowans who are employed to increase their income
• Reducing dependence on government-provided benefits or assistance
• Improving overall education and work-readiness gains for the TANF-eligible population
• Enhancing community-based and local programming focused on economic mobility for the TANF-eligible population

The Higher Education Challenge Grants Program, managed by the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, aims to enhance institutional capacities in food and agricultural sciences education. This initiative focuses on improving curriculum, faculty, and student recruitment for master's and doctoral programs, particularly in veterinary medicine. By strengthening these educational frameworks, the program seeks to ensure the availability of skilled professionals in critical agricultural sectors.