Best Capacity Building Grants for Nonprofits

The U.S.-Africa Strategic Investment Program aims to enhance America's national interests by fostering private sector-led growth in sub-Saharan Africa. Focusing on Critical Minerals Investment and Commercial Diplomacy Acceleration, this initiative encourages market-based solutions that attract foreign investment. Projects must provide measurable benefits to sub-Saharan countries, promoting sustainable economic growth and increasing investment from high-quality U.S. and U.S.-aligned companies, while creating favorable conditions for U.S. commercial participation.

The Douglas Foundation Grant aims to enhance equitable access to education, healthcare, and the arts, focusing on improving the lives of children and women in California. The Foundation accepts grant applications year-round from credible not-for-profit organizations, prioritizing those that effectively utilize at least 80% of their revenues for direct services. Preference is given to agencies serving disadvantaged communities, particularly in Los Angeles County, while ensuring that operational costs are minimized.

Fremont Area Community Foundation

The mission of the Fremont Area Community Foundation is to improve the quality of life in the Fremont area by connecting donor interests with community needs and serving as a leader and catalyst in the development of solutions. Since 1980, generous donors in the Fremont and surrounding areas have invested their charitable dollars to be transformed, through careful stewardship and deep community knowledge, into positive local impact. Over $20 million in grants has been given through the Foundation.

North Bend Area Community Foundation

Mission: The North Bend Area Community Foundation builds a stronger community by inspiring charitable giving and disbursing grants for community improvement. 

The North Bend Area Community Foundation (NBACF) was established in 2000 for the purpose of receiving, administering, and disbursing funds for community improvement and assistance in areas such as civic, cultural, educational, health and welfare needs. With the belief that a community is only as strong as the people who support it, gifts to NBACF will help provide numerous benefits to the North Bend area community.

North Bend Area Community Foundation Grant

The North Bend Area Community Foundation’s mission is to support activities, which provide civic, educational, health, welfare, or cultural benefits to North Bend, Nebraska, and its surrounding area. Requesting organizations must be tax-exempt; no grants are made to individuals, for ongoing operating expenses, or to religious organizations for religious purposes.

Behavioral Health Services

Strengthening and supporting children and adults with behavioral health needs. The goal of the continuum of behavioral health services is to foster independent and healthy individuals and families in South Dakota.

The Division of Behavioral Health provides oversight of the publicly funded behavioral health system and supports individuals of all ages with behavioral health needs. The mission of the Division of Behavioral Health is to support quality clinical treatment, recovery supports, prevention and crisis services with integrity to obtain positive outcomes for individuals with behavioral health needs.

Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs)

The Department of Social Services, Division of Behavioral Health, is requesting applications from eligible behavioral health organizations to provide Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) services for the State of South Dakota. The purpose of this application is to select a cohort of clinics intending to pursue provisional state-level CCBHC certification as soon as December 2027. Successful applicants will be required to meet CCBHC readiness criteria as defined by DBH and complete all required activities of the cohort beginning June 1, 2026. Organizations selected to participate in the 2026 CCBHC Provider Cohort will have access to funding opportunities to support the development, expansion, and sustainability planning of CCBHC-aligned service delivery in any of the nine core service delivery areas:

Crisis Behavioral Health Services

Screening, Assessment, and Diagnosis

Person- and Family-Centered Treatment Planning

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Use Services

Outpatient Clinic Primary Care Screening and Monitoring

Targeted Care Management Services

Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services

Peer Supports, Peer Counseling, and Family/Caregiver Supports

Community-Based Mental Health Care for Members of the Armed Forces and Veterans

In addition to service delivery expansion, funding is available for the selected cohort to support organizational readiness and capacity building across any of the following goal areas for CCBHC implementation.

Goals for the CCBHC implementation efforts in South Dakota include:

• Develop the capacity to ensure compliance with all aspects of CCBHC Certification Criteria to include service provision either directly or through a Designated Collaborating Organization (DCO).
• Develop data system capacity and Electronic Health Record (EHR) interoperability to meet the data collection and reporting requirements for the CCBHC program.
• Develop financial system capacity to produce necessary cost reports to establish CCBHC Prospective Payment System (PPS) rates, and meet billing, claims encounter data, and cost reporting requirements.
• Achieve provisional and subsequent full CCBHC Certification through the State of South Dakota of at least one CCBHC in each behavioral health region by December 2030.

Kids' Chance of Arizona is a nonprofit organization focused on providing scholarships to children of Arizona workers who have been seriously injured or killed in work-related incidents. Our mission prioritizes educational opportunities, allowing scholarships to cover tuition, fees, and other educational expenses. We strive to support children aged 16 to 25, ensuring they can pursue their educational goals despite financial hardships caused by their parent's injuries. Every contribution goes directly to helping these deserving students.

The WE Initiative Grant, part of the Walter and Elise Haas Fund's Social Well-being program, seeks nonprofit organizations dedicated to fostering belonging and community cohesion in the Bay Area. With a focus on cultural identity and collective action, grantees will receive $100,000 annually for five years to support collaborative projects aimed at uplifting diverse voices and driving community-led change. This initiative promotes connection, creativity, and healing to address social fragmentation and empower marginalized communities.

About Us

Our Vision

Healthy, thriving, and resilient communities for all

Our Mission

The mission of the Council is to coordinate and work collaboratively with public agencies, communities, and stakeholders to achieve sustainability, equity, economic prosperity, and quality of life for all Californians

Community Resilience Centers Round 2

From extreme heat to wildfires, recent climate events and public health emergencies impact every part of California. The best available projections anticipate that these climate impacts will intensify. In the face of these challenges, strengthening resilience requires investments in both physical and social infrastructure. In addition to climate resilience activities, community resilience builds ongoing social cohesion, trust, and networks.

The Community Resilience Centers (CRC) Program:

• Funds the planning, construction, and retrofit of community resilience centers across California’s diverse communities
• Advances communities’ capacity to plan for long-term resilience and acute emergencies
• Encourages meaningful engagement, cross-sectoral collaboration, community-based partnerships, and shared governance and decision-making models
• Mitigates the public health impacts of extreme heat and other emergency situations exacerbated by climate change
• Prioritizes projects located in and benefiting under-resourced, rural, unincorporated, and Tribal communities across geographically diverse regions in the state of California

The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship for Winter Sports awards up to 126 scholarships of $10,000 annually to outstanding student-athletes who excel both academically and athletically. Eligible candidates are in their final year of NCAA competition and must have a minimum GPA of 3.2. The scholarships are available for men and women in various winter sports and are intended for use in accredited graduate programs, emphasizing the importance of academic achievement and community involvement.

The Leonard Litz LGBTQ+ Foundation, via its TransPLUS Resource Center, supports transgender, gender-nonconforming, non-binary, and intersex individuals. By providing grants and resources, the Foundation aims to address urgent needs in healthcare, housing, and legal services while fostering community connections. They build peer-support networks, publish updates, and support initiatives to empower TGNCNBI individuals and their allies, ensuring that marginalized voices are heard and uplifted.

The Mead Montgomery Charity Care Grant, facilitated by the Elea Institute, aims to provide essential hospice and palliative care services to patients lacking insurance or financial means. With a focus on integrity, quality, and equitable access, this grant honors Mead Montgomery's legacy of compassion and leadership. The program offers funding for up to two years, supporting organizations that demonstrate financial responsibility and commitment to improving end-of-life care across designated counties in Illinois.

The James Ledwith Memorial Scholarship Fund, established in 2011 by the Albuquerque Community Foundation, supports high school graduates from the Albuquerque Metro Area who have faced extraordinary challenges. This scholarship awards up to $2,000 to those pursuing post-secondary education while demonstrating hope, faith, and courage. Applicants must submit letters of reference and a personal essay outlining their life dreams and challenges. One to two scholarships are awarded annually, promoting resilience and personal growth in the face of adversity.

The Jonathan Sherman Spradling Memorial Scholarship Fund, established in 2023, honors the legacy of Jonathan Sherman Spradling, a dedicated New Mexico resident committed to education and community service. This scholarship provides financial assistance to high school seniors who demonstrate a strong commitment to volunteerism. With a focus on applicants from Valencia County, NM, the fund aims to support students pursuing higher education at accredited institutions while encouraging continued involvement in community service.

St. Ignace Area Community Foundation: CTE Technical Scholarship

The St. Ignace Community Fund annually awards scholarships assisting students with higher education, technical training, vocational training or retraining based largely on acknowledgement of student responsibility, community service, and civic involvement. These Scholarships are made possible through the generosity of donors to the various accounts within the St. Ignace Area Community Fund. Some accounts specifically are awarded to recognize higher education in the areas of special education, vocational/technical careers, teaching, law enforcement, and health care.

The U.S. Hillman Prize for Broadcast Journalism, awarded by the Sidney Hillman Foundation, recognizes outstanding journalism that serves the common good. Open to global journalists, the contest honors work accessible to U.S. audiences, with no entry limits per outlet. Winners receive a $5,000 honorarium and a certificate at a ceremony in New York City. This prestigious award highlights impactful stories across various media platforms, emphasizing the importance of journalism in addressing social issues.

The Parkinson Family Foundation Grant supports organizations focusing on Food & Water, Faith & Evangelism, and Health & Humanitarian Efforts. Applications are open year-round, with grants ranging from $1,000 to $5,000; larger requests are typically declined. Eligible applicants include schools, state governments, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits. The Foundation emphasizes selectivity and prioritizes organizations with established relationships and those promoting American ideals like freedom and justice.

The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida offers Supporting Neighborhoods Grants to bolster local grassroots efforts. These grants, up to $25,000, target nonprofit organizations enhancing neighborhood leadership, affordable housing access, and economic opportunities for marginalized communities in Northeast Florida. Eligible organizations must have a 501(c)(3) status, a minimum two-year operational history, and an annual budget of $100,000, and they must serve specific counties in the region.

The Innovation Grant Program by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation aims to enhance the health and wellbeing of Louisianians through innovative projects. Grants, typically under $25,000, support new ideas and interventions that can potentially disrupt negative trends in health and education. This initiative promotes a research-based approach to philanthropy, encouraging applicants to challenge the status quo with fresh, impactful solutions. Projects are expected to be completed within a year.

Department of Economic and Community Development

At DECD, we are more than two dozen experts whose broad mission is to help communities and businesses prosper through a variety of programs providing everything from targeted tax relief to community block grants to tourism marketing. Whether your business wants to make a film here, bring a Maine-made product to market, expand an aquaculture project, or explore financing when moving a business to our state, our experienced staff can help.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program 

In 1982 the State of Maine began administering the CDBG Program to assist units of local government in various community projects in areas ranging from infrastructure, housing, downtown revitalization to public facilities and economic development.

CDBG Objectives

All CDBG funded activities must meet one of three National Objectives of the program. These objectives are:

• Benefit to low- and moderate-income persons.
• Prevention and/or elimination of slum and blight conditions; and
• Meeting community development needs having a particular urgency

The Maine CDBG Program serves as a catalyst for local governments to implement programs which meet one of the three National Objectives, and:

• Are part of a long-range community strategy, or State of Maine Strategic Economic Development Plan
• Improve deteriorated residential and business districts and local economic conditions
• Provide the conditions and incentives for further public and private investments
• Foster partnerships between groups of municipalities, state and federal entities, multi-jurisdictional organizations, and the private sector to address common community and economic development problems; and
• Minimize development sprawl consistent with the State of Maine Growth Management Act and support the revitalization of downtown areas.

CDBG Home Repair Network Program (HRN)

The Home Repair Network Program (HRN) provides funding statewide to address housing problems of low- and moderate-income persons. This program will provide housing rehabilitation services administered on a regional basis throughout Maine.

Eligible Activities

Eligible activities under the HRN Program are rehabilitation of occupied or vacant single-family or multi-family housing units, demolition, same site replacement housing, provision of potable water and sewer, energy conservation, removal/mitigation of lead-based paint, asbestos, radon, or other hazardous material, removal of architectural barriers and the Critical Access Ramp Program (via Alpha One).

The Cleveland Foundation's Equity in the Arts Fund supports organizations led by people of color in promoting diverse arts and cultures. Grants between $5,000 and $30,000 are available for non-profits and collectives with fiscal sponsors, focusing on enhancing organizational capacity and sustainability. The fund aims to uplift Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, fostering a vibrant and inclusive cultural landscape in Cuyahoga, Lake, and Geauga Counties.

The City of Water Day Grants support organizations across New York and New Jersey in hosting free community events focused on waterfront engagement and climate resilience. With funding ranging from $1,000 to $4,000, organizations can collaborate with local artists and schools to promote awareness of climate change through interactive activities. This year's theme emphasizes the interconnectedness of NY and NJ communities, aiming to foster a sustainable and vibrant waterfront experience for all.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota Caring Foundation's Building Healthier Rural Community (BUILD) Grants Program aims to enhance the health and well-being of rural communities in North Dakota. Focusing on economic stability, education access, healthcare quality, and community context, the program seeks to fund six to eight grants ranging from $5,000 to $7,500. Priority will be given to projects demonstrating strong community collaboration and sustainable impact.

Community Foundation of Henderson County

Individuals, families, organizations and businesses establish funds at the Foundation to carry out their charitable giving now and in the future.

Community Foundation of Henderson County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, public charity, governed by a volunteer board of directors, that has been assisting donors fulfill their philanthropic dreams since 1982.

Our Mission: Helping people who care make lasting contributions to causes that matter.

Scholarships

Community Foundation of Henderson County's Scholarship Program began in 1984. Thanks to the generosity of passionate donors, over 2,000 traditional and non-traditional students have been provided more than $10 million in scholarships to pursue higher education.

Pisgah Chapter of Trout Unlimited William L. Arbuckle Memorial Scholarship

Recipients of this award must be accepted to an accredited degree granting college or university within the Southern Appalachian Region. Recipients must be pursuing an undergraduate and/or graduate degree in the field of fisheries, aquaculture, freshwater biology, or other related fields. 

The Duke Endowment's Child and Family Well-Being Grant provides implementation support to public and private agencies in North and South Carolina. This funding aims to adopt and sustain evidence-based programs that prevent and treat child maltreatment. Eligible organizations must have two years of audited financial statements and work with accredited groups. The grant prioritizes innovative solutions and advocacy to improve child welfare systems, ensuring effective support for children and families at risk.

The Judy Moore Memorial Scholarship Endowment supports students in nursing programs in North Carolina, emphasizing Judy's commitment to education and community health. The scholarship prioritizes residents of Macon County and considers financial need. Applications open on December 16, 2025, and close on March 3, 2026. Eligible candidates include undergraduates, graduates, and adult re-entry students attending accredited institutions across the state. This scholarship honors Judy's legacy of compassion and dedication to nursing.

The Park & Trail Partnership Grants program provides up to $100,000 to enhance the preservation and promotion of New York State's parks and trails. This capacity-building initiative supports organizations in improving their effectiveness and sustainability while promoting outdoor recreation and tourism. Eligible projects include strategic planning, training, and membership expansion. A 10% match is required, fostering collaboration among non-profits, ensuring diverse support for public lands.

The NC Hunter and Jumper Association’s Norah Morris Memorial Scholarship Endowment supports individuals pursuing higher education who have engaged in equestrian activities. Open to undergraduates, graduates, and adult re-entry students, the scholarship aims to assist those attending various educational institutions in the United States. Applications for NCCF scholarships will be accepted from December 16, 2025, to March 3, 2026. Be sure to check specific eligibility requirements for each scholarship.

The Park & Trail Partnership Grants: Step Up Grants program provides up to $20,000 in matching funds to support organizations in securing 501(c)(3) status and enhancing their operational capacity. Funded by the NYS Environmental Protection Fund, this initiative aims to promote the stewardship and sustainability of New York's parks and trails, while also fostering volunteer and fundraising efforts. Eligible applicants must be registered charities and demonstrate commitment to supporting public lands.