Best Charles County Grants for Nonprofits in Maryland

The BJA FY 2026 Second Chance Act Family-Based Substance Use Disorder Treatment Program aims to provide essential treatment and recovery support services for parents with substance use disorders (SUD) who have minor children or are pregnant. Eligible applicants include state, local, tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations, which can apply for funding to implement family-based programs in various settings. This initiative seeks to reduce recidivism and enhance reentry outcomes for both parents and their children.

The ONR FY27 Young Investigator Program invites cutting-edge research proposals in priority areas that align with the interests of ONR Program Officers. This federal funding opportunity aims to support innovative projects led by early-career researchers, fostering advancements in science and technology relevant to the Navy. Interested applicants can find detailed eligibility criteria and contact information on the ONR website, encouraging collaboration and engagement in impactful research.

The BJA FY 2026 Local Law Enforcement Crime Gun Intelligence Center Integration Initiative aims to support law enforcement agencies in establishing and expanding Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGICs). This initiative encourages interagency collaboration for the effective management and analysis of crime gun evidence, enhancing the ability to swiftly identify crime guns and their sources. In partnership with the ATF, this program seeks to reduce firearm-related crime and improve prosecution outcomes.

The Surveillance and Case Control Study of Stillbirth and Birth Defects (SUCCSSBD) aims to enhance the quality of birth defects and stillbirth surveillance in the U.S. By modernizing data collection through electronic case reporting, the initiative seeks to improve data quality and timeliness. The study will focus on identifying risk factors for birth defects and stillbirths, addressing a significant public health issue that affects thousands of pregnancies annually. CDC funding will support three key components in this effort.

The Preventing Violence Affecting Young Lives (PREVAYL 2.0) initiative aims to provide multiyear funding for state and local health departments to implement violence prevention strategies for adolescents and young adults. Key focuses include enhancing data-driven decision-making, building capacity for evidence-based strategies, integrating youth mental health support, fostering multisector collaborations, and prioritizing the prevention of various forms of violence, ensuring comprehensive support for youth development.

PetSmart Charities

We’re proud to celebrate over 30 years of being the leading funder of animal welfare in communities across North America. Since 1994, we’ve granted over $600 million to change-making organizations that help transform the lives of pets and those who love them.

Our Mission: We make the world a better place for pets by investing in community partners that advocate and care for the well-being of pets and all who love them.

Adoption Growth Grants 

Purpose

Adoption Growth grants drive lifesaving outcomes by supporting successful, sustainable in-store adoption programs, events, and results in partnership with PetSmart stores.

Funding Support

Funding may be used for costs associated with building or enhancing your organization’s adoption program in partnership with PetSmart stores, including:

• Staff positions supporting in-store adoption programs and events.
• Marketing and advertising for in-store adoption programs.
• Volunteer or foster support, incentives, and recruitment related to in-store adoption events.
• Event supplies, including containment and enrichment materials.
• Shelter software and technology needs.
• Vehicle repairs or transportation to adoption events.
• Innovative in-store adoption ideas and pilot programs.
• Other costs directly associated with facilitating PetSmart adoptions and in-store events.

There are two Cohorts under this funding: Cohort 1-  Accelerating in-store adoptions; and Cohort 2: Capacity Building.

Cohort 1- Accelerating in-store Adoptions

Applicants must have completed 500 or more adoptions in a PetSmart store in the U.S. within the last 12 months.

Preference will be given to organizations that demonstrate a clear plan to expand an existing in-store adoption program or introduce new in-store adoption models that will increase adoptions.

Four Required Steps

Applicants must complete all four required steps below before submitting a grant application:

• Step 1 - Watch the kick-off video and complete the Adoption Accessibility Questionnaire
• Step 2 - Confirm eligibility and connect with your Adoptions Grant Manager: After completing the questionnaire, you will receive an email confirming your eligibility. Eligible partners will be invited to a call with their Adoptions Grant Manager to discuss the grant opportunity, expectations, and potential fit.
• Step 3 - Engage your PetSmart store partners: Discuss your intent to apply, align on goals, and gain their commitment to support the success of your in-store adoption program.
• Step 4-  Submit your application.

Friends of NRA

Friends of NRA is the National Rifle Association’s premier fundraising program, supporting the future of shooting sports. Since day one, Friends of NRA has been a 100% grassroots effort fueled by a united front to secure the Second Amendment and raise money for the shooting sports.

Committee volunteers are appointed to State Fund Committees to make recommendations for local grant funding in areas such as youth education, women-focused clinics, law enforcement training, hunter safety, range improvement, firearms and marksmanship training and safety. Recognizing the impact American youth has on the future of the shooting sports, State Fund Committees frequently recommend grants for youth programs, allocating the most significant portion of monies to this vital area.

Grant awards fund activities and support programs in the United States to promote firearms and hunting safety, to enhance marksmanship skills of those in the shooting sports, and to educate the public about firearms in their historic, technological and artistic context.

Friends of NRA: Capital Improvement Grants

Any request to support a project that seeks to improve a facility is considered a capital improvement. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Range improvements
• Berm improvements
• Clubhouse/Classroom facility improvements
• Shelter structures/covered firing lines/pavilions
• Road improvements
• Commercial-grade trap machines (see section regarding trap machines, below)
• Any other permanent improvement to an organization’s property or facility

The Grant Program considers requests for certain trap machines to be a capital improvement to the facility. Specifically, requests for commercial grade trap machines that have a capacity of 300 clays and up.

PetSmart Charities

We’re proud to celebrate over 30 years of being the leading funder of animal welfare in communities across North America. Since 1994, we’ve granted over $600 million to change-making organizations that help transform the lives of pets and those who love them.

Our Mission: We make the world a better place for pets by investing in community partners that advocate and care for the well-being of pets and all who love them.

Adoption Growth Grants 

Purpose

Adoption Growth grants drive lifesaving outcomes by supporting successful, sustainable in-store adoption programs, events, and results in partnership with PetSmart stores.

Funding Support

Funding may be used for costs associated with building or enhancing your organization’s adoption program in partnership with PetSmart stores, including:

• Staff positions supporting in-store adoption programs and events.
• Marketing and advertising for in-store adoption programs.
• Volunteer or foster support, incentives, and recruitment related to in-store adoption events.
• Event supplies, including containment and enrichment materials.
• Shelter software and technology needs.
• Vehicle repairs or transportation to adoption events.
• Innovative in-store adoption ideas and pilot programs.
• Other costs directly associated with facilitating PetSmart adoptions and in-store events.

There are two Cohorts under this funding: Cohort 1-  Accelerating in-store adoptions; and Cohort 2: Capacity Building.

Cohort 2: Capacity Building

Applicants must have completed at least one adoption in a PetSmart store within the last 12 months.

Preference will be given to organizations seeking to build a consistent, sustainable in-store adoption program. Applications should include a clear plan, with examples, for sustaining the program over time.

Four Required Steps

Applicants must complete all four required steps below before submitting a grant application:

• Step 1 - Watch the kick-off video and complete the Adoption Accessibility Questionnaire
• Step 2 - Confirm eligibility and connect with your Adoptions Grant Manager: After completing the questionnaire, you will receive an email confirming your eligibility. Eligible partners will be invited to a call with their Adoptions Grant Manager to discuss the grant opportunity, expectations, and potential fit.
• Step 3 - Engage your PetSmart store partners: Discuss your intent to apply, align on goals, and gain their commitment to support the success of your in-store adoption program.
• Step 4-  Submit your application.

Maryland Center for School Safety

An independent unit of state government established to promote, support, and enhance school communities that are safe for learning and teaching. 

FY2027 Safe Schools Fund Grant (SSFG)​

About the SSFG Grant

The Safe Schools Fund grant (SSFG) is a non-competitive, State-funded grant program designed for local school systems in Maryland. The primary purpose of the Safe Schools Fund grant is to provide funding for school safety and security-related matters as described under Md. Code Ann., Educ. Art. §7-1512. The grant funds will be applied toward the cost of school safety-related projects and services.

About the IAC

The IAC Mission

The mission of the Interagency Commission on School Construction is to achieve a safe, healthy, and educationally sufficient learning environment for every child attending a public school in Maryland. Our vision is a fiscally sustainable statewide portfolio of Pre-K-12 school facilities that will remain educationally sufficient for current and future generations of students and teachers.

Capital Improvement Program

The CIP is the State’s largest school construction program, averaging at least $280 million per year in recent years. CIP funding can be used for major new, renewal, or replacement projects as well as for addition projects or capital maintenance projects (systemic renovations). 

The CIP includes supplemental funding from the Significant Enrollment Growth and Relocatable Classroom (EGRC) Capital Grant Program.

The program is governed by Title 5, Subtitle 3 of the Education Article, Annotated Code of Maryland and regulations promulgated by the IAC in the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR).

About Us

For over three decades, the Hamilton Education Foundation (HEF) has been sparking innovation and expanding horizons within our classrooms. Since 1991, this community-powered non-profit has channeled more than $2.5 million from passionate individuals, local businesses, and forward-thinking organizations directly into the hands of Hamilton’s students and teachers. 

By funding transformative workshops, creative projects, and classroom grants, HEF doesn't just support education—it inspires students to dream bigger, rewards academic excellence, and builds a stronger, more vibrant community.

Our Vision

The vision of the Hamilton Education Foundation is to assist in achieving creative and academic excellence for the 21st Century through funding activities and projects for students and educators in the Hamilton School District.

Our Mission

Our mission, in partnership with the community, is to fund, Enhanced, Extended, and Enriched learning opportunities for students and educators in the Hamilton School District.

Teacher Grants

Educator Enrichment Grant

The Educator Enrichment Grant funds teacher participation in off-campus professional development, including seminars, workshops, conferences, and externships. 

About Us

For over three decades, the Hamilton Education Foundation (HEF) has been sparking innovation and expanding horizons within our classrooms. Since 1991, this community-powered non-profit has channeled more than $2.5 million from passionate individuals, local businesses, and forward-thinking organizations directly into the hands of Hamilton’s students and teachers. 

By funding transformative workshops, creative projects, and classroom grants, HEF doesn't just support education—it inspires students to dream bigger, rewards academic excellence, and builds a stronger, more vibrant community.

Our Vision

The vision of the Hamilton Education Foundation is to assist in achieving creative and academic excellence for the 21st Century through funding activities and projects for students and educators in the Hamilton School District.

Our Mission

Our mission, in partnership with the community, is to fund, Enhanced, Extended, and Enriched learning opportunities for students and educators in the Hamilton School District.

Student Grants

Evaluation Factors

Applications are reviewed based on:

The AACR June L. Biedler Prize for Cancer Journalism

Prize Summary

The AACR June L. Biedler Prize for Cancer Journalism was established by the AACR in 2015 to raise awareness of the critical role that the media play in educating the public about cancer and cancer research.

Funded by a major bequest to the AACR from cancer research pioneer Dr. June L. Biedler, a scientist, mentor, and former member of the AACR Board of Directors, this prize showcases outstanding examples of cancer journalism and recognizes individual professional journalists who have produced accurate, informative, and compelling stories that enhance the public’s understanding of cancer, cancer research, cancer advocacy, or cancer policy.

The prize provides an unrestricted cash award of $5,000 and a commemorative award.

Categories

Each submission may be considered for only one category, as selected by the candidate on the application form.

Applicants may submit in any of the following categories:

Prize Acceptance

Awardees will be able to accept the prize during the AACR Annual Meeting 2027 in Orlando, April 2-7, 2027.

The OVC FY 2026 grant aims to improve outcomes for child and youth victims of human trafficking by integrating policies at state and Tribal levels. This funding opportunity focuses on developing strategic plans to address the challenges faced by minor victims, enhance coordination among systems like child welfare and juvenile justice, and ensure effective identification and prosecution of traffickers. By fostering multidisciplinary approaches, the program seeks to provide comprehensive support and services to these vulnerable populations.

The Agriculture Risk Management Education Partnerships Competitive Grants Program (ARME) aims to educate agricultural producers on various risk management activities, including crop insurance, debt reduction, and market assessment. Emphasizing farm viability, the program seeks to provide technical assistance and outreach to farmers and ranchers to improve their risk management strategies, as outlined in the Agriculture Risk Protection Act of 2000. This initiative is funded by the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

The FY26 Breast Cancer Research Program's Clinical Research Extension Award aims to enhance breast cancer clinical studies by extending data collection and follow-up. This funding mechanism emphasizes the importance of patient participation and addresses challenges from early trial terminations. Notably, applications must include two breast cancer consumer advocates and can feature either a single Principal Investigator or a duo. This initiative seeks to improve outcomes through comprehensive data analysis and patient engagement.

The FY26 Breast Cancer Research Program's Breakthrough Award supports transformative research aimed at significant advancements in breast cancer treatment. This award offers various funding levels, including Population Science Studies, allowing for innovative approaches that can lead to clinical applications. Each application must align with overarching BCRP challenges, ensuring a focus on impactful research. The program acknowledges both individual and collaborative Principal Investigators, emphasizing the importance of timely submissions to avoid administrative issues.

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) is set to renew a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) focused on advancing translational research in maternal and pediatric pharmacology. This initiative aims to enhance precision medicine by developing innovative tools and therapeutics for pregnant and lactating women, infants, and children. The goal is to improve the safety and efficacy of medications while ensuring effective patient-provider communications. Applications are not currently being solicited.

The Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Centers (MDSRC) program is designed to enhance research on muscular dystrophy through a collaborative, center-based approach. By fostering interdisciplinary projects and providing essential training for emerging scientists, the MDSRCs aim to drive innovation in both basic and clinical research. Engaging patient and advocacy communities is a key component, ensuring research is patient-centered and informed by real-world needs. This initiative is supported by various legislative authorities.

The National Institutes of Health is funding a groundbreaking project to enhance our understanding of Type 1 diabetes (T1D) through multimodal AI. This initiative aims to integrate diverse datasets to explore the interactions of biological processes in T1D development. By leveraging advanced AI models, the research will uncover critical insights, identify biomarkers, and pave the way for personalized medicine approaches, ultimately improving prevention and treatment strategies for this complex disease.

The SCORCH Program: Phase 2 aims to enhance the understanding of single cell biology in the context of HIV and Substance Use Disorder (SUD). Building on previous research, this initiative will explore new single cell approaches to investigate the interactions between SUD and HIV progression at various biological levels. By leveraging advanced techniques, the program seeks to identify candidate mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets, ultimately contributing to innovative solutions for SUDs and HIV-related challenges.

The National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) is a crucial surveillance initiative by the CDC aimed at understanding violent deaths and suicides. This funding opportunity supports state and local entities in modernizing NVDRS, enhancing data collection and reporting processes. Key activities include timely data updates, modernization assessments, and pilot projects for improved data systems. The goal is to create a sustainable national surveillance system that provides reliable data to inform public health actions and enhance violence and suicide prevention efforts.

About USA Track & Field Foundation Inc

The USA Track & Field Foundation was established in 2002. Our Foundation provides a means to attract and guide funds to new and innovative track & field programs, with an emphasis on providing opportunities for youth and elite athletes.

Mission: 

To support the development of emerging elite athletes, while fostering integration within the broader track & field community. To facilitate the physical, educational, social and character development of youth track & field athletes and to help prepare them to mature and succeed in adult life.Team and Club SupportThe USA Track & Field Foundation may be able to provide support to certain Elite Track & Field / Running clubs in the US.

About She+ Foundation The SHE+ Foundation, formerly known as The Patty Brisben Foundation for Women’s Sexual Health, was founded by Patty Brisben in 2005 after she recognized the profound need for a movement to address the too often ignored aspects of women’s sexual health. The SHE+ Foundation is committed to changing the narrative. We are here to advocate, educate, and fund research that advances the understanding and treatment for women’s sexual health, and improves quality of life for all women.Mission: Our mission is to advance women's sexual health and well-being through groundbreaking research, comprehensive education, and unwavering support. We strive to eradicate stigma, empower women with knowledge, and ensure equitable access to quality healthcare for all, regardless of socioeconomic status, race, or geography.About She+ Foundation GrantWe fund a wide range of projects that align with our mission to advance women's sexual health. This includes:

• Research Studies: Clinical and academic research aimed at understanding and improving women's sexual health.
• Educational Programs: Initiatives that provide education and awareness on topics related to women's sexual health.
• Community Outreach: Programs that engage and support local communities, offering resources and support for women's sexual health.
• Innovative Treatments: Development and implementation of new treatments and therapies for women's sexual health issues.

The NSF Geosciences Core Research program funds innovative projects across atmospheric, geospace, earth, and ocean sciences. It encourages proposals that push the boundaries of knowledge in fundamental research, promoting interdisciplinary approaches. This initiative seeks transformative ideas that may not have immediate commercial applications but are crucial for advancing scientific understanding and addressing complex environmental challenges. Researchers are invited to explore various domains or integrate multiple disciplines to enhance our comprehension of the Earth and its systems.

The Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Overdose Response aims to enhance healthcare access in rural areas by addressing urgent needs related to substance use disorder services. This initiative focuses on reducing overdose risks through targeted interventions and support, ensuring that rural communities receive necessary assistance. Funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration, this program is crucial for mitigating the opioid crisis in underserved regions, improving health outcomes, and promoting overall community well-being.

The Rural Communities Opioid Response Program focuses on enhancing behavioral health care services for children and adolescents in rural areas. By providing essential funding, this initiative aims to tackle mental health and substance use disorders, ensuring that young individuals receive the support they need. The program, administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration, is crucial in addressing the unique challenges faced by rural communities, promoting healthier outcomes for future generations.