Best Capacity Building Grants for Nonprofits

The SUNY Innovative Instruction Technology Grants (IITG) program, integrated with OER Impact Grants as of 2024, fosters innovation in teaching and learning within the State University of New York (SUNY) system. By funding projects that enhance the use of Open Educational Resources (OER) and explore AI applications in education, the initiative aims to improve accessibility, affordability, and student success. It promotes collaboration among faculty and institutions to build effective educational practices and sustainable partnerships.

The SOAR Running Club Scholarship, provided by the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes, supports high school seniors and adult learners in Upstate New York and Northern Pennsylvania. Eligible applicants must be members of a running club, preferably SOAR, and have a history of running during high school. Preference is given to students with volunteer hours benefiting the running community, ensuring that financial barriers do not hinder educational opportunities.

The Petrillose Family Scholarship, offered by the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes, Inc., provides financial support to high school seniors and adult learners from Upstate New York or Northern Pennsylvania. Eligible students must be accepted into Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. The foundation aims to eliminate financial barriers to education, ensuring that deserving individuals can pursue their academic and career goals.

The Patti Perone Volleyball Scholarship, honoring the Southern Tier Volleyball Club, is available to high school seniors and adult learners from Chemung County High School and Corning-Painted Post High School. Eligible applicants must have played varsity or Club USA Volleyball for at least two years, maintain a GPA of 85 or higher, and provide a recommendation from their volleyball coach. The scholarship aims to support students in pursuing higher education and job skills.

The Mikkelsen Memorial Scholarship, offered by the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes, supports high school seniors and adult learners residing in Upstate New York or Northern Pennsylvania. The scholarship prioritizes students from Chemung County High School, emphasizing good academic performance and a strong work ethic. Preference is given to children of employees or retirees of Zeiser Wilbert Vault, Inc., along with a consideration for financial need. This initiative aims to remove financial barriers to education.

The Michael James Reid Memorial Scholarship, offered by the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes, Inc., supports high school seniors and adult learners residing in Upstate New York or Northern Pennsylvania. Eligible candidates must have a GPA of 82 or higher and demonstrate involvement in extracurricular activities. This scholarship aims to ensure that financial barriers do not hinder access to higher education and skill development opportunities.

The McGuire Memorial Scholarship, offered by the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes, provides $1,000 to eligible high school seniors and adult learners in Upstate New York and Northern Pennsylvania. This scholarship emphasizes a strong work ethic and concern for others. Applicants must first complete the General Scholarship Application to be considered. It is aimed at reducing financial barriers to education, ensuring deserving individuals can pursue their academic and vocational goals.

The Marian B. Wood Scholarship, offered by the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes, Inc., supports high school seniors and adult learners in Upstate New York and Northern Pennsylvania. This scholarship aims to alleviate financial barriers to education, enabling deserving individuals to pursue college or job skills training. Eligible applicants must attend Chemung County High School and plan to enroll at SUNY Geneseo. This initiative reflects the foundation's commitment to broadening access to post-secondary education.

The Wally and Libby Walter Scholarship, managed by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, offers a $1,500 scholarship for graduating African American seniors from Springfield High School. This renewable scholarship is available for up to three years, contingent upon maintaining a 3.0 GPA and enrollment in at least 12 credit hours. Applicants must demonstrate financial need and engage in community service, alongside submitting an essay that outlines their activities.

The Thomas G. Tucker Scholarship, administered by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, awards a $450 scholarship to a graduating high school senior from the local area. Applicants must demonstrate community service involvement and participation in school activities, alongside submitting an essay. This scholarship aims to support students pursuing higher education at accredited institutions, reinforcing the Foundation's commitment to fostering educational opportunities in the community.

The Springfield Bar Past Presidents Scholarship in Honor of Crista Hogan, managed by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, offers a $500 scholarship to a postgraduate law student in Missouri. Applicants must demonstrate financial need by submitting the FAFSA-SAI form and provide a letter of good standing. This scholarship aims to support students in achieving their educational goals and fostering future legal professionals in the community.

The Springfield Area Retired Teachers Association Scholarship, managed by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, offers a $2,500 scholarship to undergraduate students entering their third or fourth year at Drury University, Evangel University, or Missouri State University. Applicants must demonstrate financial need through FAFSA-SAI, describe their community service involvement, and submit an essay. This scholarship aims to support future educators committed to making a positive impact in their communities.

The Ruth Olesen Kelley Scholarship, managed by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, awards a $2,000 scholarship to a graduating high school senior or undergraduate student from Springfield. Applicants must demonstrate financial need, submit a FAFSA-SAI, and write an essay. Eligible candidates are female students majoring in Women's History with a minimum GPA of 2.5. This scholarship aims to support educational aspirations and foster academic excellence in the community.

The Royce Fugate OMC Scholarship, managed by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, awards $1,200 to a deserving Certified Nursing Assistant employed at Ozarks Health Care in West Plains, MO. Applicants must demonstrate financial need and submit a FAFSA-SAI form. This scholarship supports individuals entering an LPN program at an accredited college or university, contributing to their educational goals and professional development in the healthcare field.

The Ronda Seaton, DVM Memorial Scholarship, offered by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, awards a $400 scholarship to a postgraduate student entering their second year at the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia. Applicants must demonstrate financial need by submitting a FAFSA-SAI and provide a letter of good standing. An essay is also required. This scholarship aims to support students pursuing veterinary education and enhance their academic journey.

The Romines Family Scholarship, managed by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, awards five $5,000 scholarships annually to graduating high school seniors from specific schools or homeschooled graduates. It emphasizes financial need and requires applicants to be enrolled in a two-year or vocational program. Preference is given to students from Mountain Grove, supporting local educational aspirations and fostering community growth.

The Robert C. Boehner Memorial Scholarship, offered by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, awards one $1,000 scholarship to undergraduate students entering their final year at accredited institutions. Eligible candidates must major in areas like Construction Architecture or Engineering, reside in specific counties within SWMO, and maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher. Applicants must submit an essay, transcripts, and two letters of recommendation to demonstrate their community service involvement.

The Richard E. Dorr Memorial Scholarship, managed by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, offers a $4,000 award to postgraduate law students who graduated from a Missouri High School. Eligible candidates must demonstrate financial need, submit a FAFSA-SAI, and provide a letter of good standing. Applicants are required to describe their community service involvement and work experience, along with submitting an essay and a letter of recommendation. This scholarship aims to support deserving students in their educational pursuits.

STEM BEST® Program

The STEM BEST® (Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers) Program focuses on teachers and industry professionals working side-by-side to craft curriculum and projects that prepare students for exciting STEM careers local to their community in manufacturing, information technology, bioscience (agriculture and medicine), finance and more. 

The goal of the STEM BEST® Program is to support the launch of new or expanded STEM BEST® K-12 Program models specifically focused on creating work-based and career connected learning opportunities that allow students to develop future-focused, high-demand skills through real-world experiences. These future-focused skills align with the Iowa Academic Standards and Universal Constructs and create opportunities for students to become leaders and innovators of a future-focused Iowa. 

The STEM BEST® funding opportunity offers:

• award amounts up to $50,000.
• a 16 to 17-month timeframe to spend funds.
• a cost-share match of 2:1 is required ($50,000 state funds to $25,000 awardee match).

Ellison Education Grants

The Ellison Education Grants were created to empower and support Washington State’s most effective, innovative and inspirational K- 12 public school teachers. This is done by providing support to educators who design academic enrichment curriculum for students and or professional learning experiences for their current practice. The Ellison Foundation acknowledges a classroom teacher's expertise in understanding their own professional learning needs and the needs of their students. Since 2017 the Ellison Foundation has awarded 163 grants and over $800,000 to public-school educators in Washington State.

The Ellison Foundation wishes to award multiple grants in the Spring of 2027 for the 2027 – 2028 school year. Grant amounts range between $1,000 and $10,000.

Language Access Small Grant

Term of Project:

If awarded, small grantees must spend the grant funds within one (1) calendar year of receipt.

Award Amount: 

Eligible organizations in New York State can apply for a minimum of $2,500 up to a maximum of $5,000

The New York State Council on Developmental Disabilities (CDD) is seeking grant applications that support the translation of existing documents or materials related to the CDD approved State Plan into other languages. The specific objective of the funding is solely to assist organizations with translating documents and materials intended to inform, benefit, or serve as resources to individuals with developmental disabilities (DD) their families and caregivers, thereby increasing their access to key information, resources, and materials which will increase their ability to affect public policy.

Funds can support the following activities:

• Language translation costs.
• Staff time used to make sure documents or materials are in plain language before sending for translation.
• Staff time used to coordinate translation services or disseminate translated materials.
• Printing or mailing costs associated with disseminating translated materials.
• Other activities associated with translation that will make the document or materials more accessible to people with DD and their families.

The Illinois Community College Board is launching the Advancing Developmental Education Reform Project, offering grants of up to $50,000 to support community colleges in enhancing faculty capacity and scaling evidence-based models. Eligible colleges are encouraged to focus on data capacity, faculty development, and scaling successful reforms to improve student outcomes in developmental education. This initiative aims to foster continuous improvement and innovative practices in educational settings across Illinois.

The Salute to Citizens Scholarship, offered by the Community Foundation of Abilene, honors individuals who enhance their communities through active citizenship. Open to Taylor County graduates pursuing higher education or trade certifications, applicants must demonstrate past contributions to society and outline their future commitment to community service. Established by Hannah Durbin, a dedicated Air Force veteran and educator, this scholarship aims to empower students with awards ranging from $500 to over $5,000.

The Lupa Animal Wellness Fund, managed by the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation, offers grants to support programs for dogs and cats, focusing on issues like cruelty, emergency care, and pet overpopulation. Grants are available to 501(c)(3) organizations, schools, and government entities providing services within the Boreal Waters Community Foundation area. Priority is given to organizations demonstrating financial need, contributing to animal welfare and care initiatives.

The Stone Owl Scholars Scholarships, offered by the Community Foundation of Abilene, provide a one-time award of $3,000 to 120 high school juniors and seniors who complete a 9-week program. This initiative aims to support students entering vocational schools or colleges, with additional matching scholarships available for those enrolling in specific institutions. The foundation manages over 150 scholarship funds, ensuring financial aid for a diverse group of students pursuing various educational paths.

The Free Tax Prep Coalition (FTPC), funded by United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, aims to provide high-quality tax preparation assistance to families and individuals through the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. This initiative supports income-eligible individuals, including those with disabilities, limited English proficiency, and military families. FTPC seeks partners to enhance its outreach and effectiveness in delivering these essential services within the community.

The Edward W. and Stella C. Van Houten Memorial Fund Grant, established in 1978 in New Jersey, supports health, education, and human services. Organizations must be 501(c)(3) exempt to apply, with a deadline of August 1 for September meetings. The foundation prioritizes agencies serving sick or disabled individuals, orphaned children, and those in the nursing profession. Scholarships and educational initiatives are also funded, benefiting Bergen and Passaic Counties.