Best Children’s Mental Health Grants

The Owen & Jean Pritchard Foundation, based in Pittsburgh, awards approximately $82,000 in grants annually, with a median grant size of $5,000. Focused on the physical and emotional well-being of children in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the foundation prioritizes projects that demonstrate community need, measurable outcomes, and collaboration with other organizations, while avoiding funding for general operating costs and new programming.

The Kempner Fund's Navigation Fund provides essential support to nonprofit organizations focused on strategic growth in Galveston, Texas. Eligible applicants, which must be current partners of the Kempner Fund, can apply for up to $7,500 to enhance their organizational resilience, governance, equity, and data measurement capabilities. The fund prioritizes proposals that demonstrate clear alignment with the Kempner Fund's mission and values, ensuring long-term community impact.

The Kempner Fund's Micro-Grants Program aims to empower new and smaller non-profit organizations in Galveston by providing seed funding of up to $5,000. This program is designed for organizations that are five years old or younger or have annual budgets below $500,000. It focuses on community-based solutions and innovative ideas to create a meaningful impact in the local area, ensuring that funding primarily supports the Galveston community.

The Harris and Eliza Kempner Fund's Core Grants Program focuses on Empowered Youth, aiming to address significant challenges faced by Galveston's youth. With a commitment to enhancing mental health support, promoting civic engagement, and ensuring equitable access to resources, the fund seeks to empower young individuals, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds. Through targeted funding, the Kempner Fund strives to create a thriving community where every young person can reach their full potential.

The SCC Nashville Grant Program, managed by Speedway Children's Charities, supports nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving the lives of children in middle Tennessee. With over $80,000 distributed in 2024, the program prioritizes funding for organizations addressing homelessness, education, and critical health needs. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits focused on children's welfare. The grant process includes a pre-proposal and an invitation-only full proposal, culminating in a celebration at the Annual Night of Joy.

The Dr. John M. Anderson Excellence in Mental Health Award recognizes outstanding mental health professionals in the St. Louis area who significantly contribute to reducing stigma and promoting mental health in the African American community. This award, presented by the St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund, honors individuals who demonstrate a commitment to improving access to mental health services and advocate for the well-being of children and families. Nominations are evaluated through a rigorous scoring process.

The St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund provides core funding to local organizations delivering mental and behavioral health services to children and families. This initiative aims to enhance social and emotional capacities, family strengthening, youth empowerment, and health intervention programs. Eligible applicants include registered 501(c)(3) organizations and government agencies that can demonstrate effective outcomes and impact. The funding supports a range of services crucial for improving the well-being of the community.

The St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund offers a Grassroots Funding Opportunity aimed at empowering underserved communities. This initiative supports community-based organizations by providing funding for programs that enhance children's emotional and social capacities, strengthen families, and promote mental health. By focusing on local needs, the fund ensures that resources are effectively utilized to foster innovation and meaningful services that reflect community values and priorities.

The St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund provides special project funding to organizations addressing unmet community needs related to the mental and behavioral health of children and youth. Registered 501(c)(3) organizations or governmental entities can apply for funding that supports innovative solutions beyond existing programs. This initiative aims to enhance the well-being of families in St. Louis County by tackling systemic issues and offering direct services.

The Burke Youth Organized Philanthropists Grant, offered by the Community Foundation of Burke County, aims to empower youth by supporting programs that impact children aged 0-18 in Burke County. Grants typically range up to $1,000 and prioritize initiatives addressing mental health challenges. Eligible recipients include tax-exempt organizations dedicated to enhancing the lives of children and families. This grant encourages diverse and innovative projects that avoid duplicating existing services, fostering sustainable community development.

The Alston Beech Foundation Grant supports nonprofit organizations with clear, identifiable needs in the North Central Philadelphia area. Grants are available for strategic planning, program expansion, organizational capacity building, and initiatives focused on education, arts, and community safety. Eligible organizations must be 501(c)(3) certified, operational for at least two years, and comply with specific income and employment criteria. Applications are limited to one per organization annually, promoting sustainable community development.

The Columbia Basin Foundation Grants support charitable initiatives within Grant, Adams, and Lincoln Counties, offering up to $2,000 per application. The foundation aims to inspire charitable giving that enhances community life, focusing on areas such as youth programs, women and children in crisis, environmental projects, community projects, and animal shelters. To apply, organizations must provide relevant documentation, ensuring funds are directed towards meaningful local impacts.

The John T. & Lois "Sonny" Velkas Child Welfare Fund prioritizes initiatives that enhance the welfare of children in Hancock and Harrison counties. It supports community service, child welfare, education and youth programs, and health and wellness initiatives, aiming for impactful partnerships. Organizations are encouraged to align their proposals with the fund's goals, while noting that lobbying, fundraising events, and administrative costs are ineligible for funding. The fund seeks to foster meaningful community impacts.

The TX AmeriCorps Planning Grant, managed by OneStar, aims to address Texas's social challenges through national service. Engaging over 3,200 AmeriCorps members across 33 organizations, it focuses on disaster services, economic opportunity, education, environmental stewardship, healthy futures, and support for veterans. This initiative enhances community resilience, improves lives, and fosters civic engagement by directing resources effectively to those in need, contributing to a stronger, more interconnected Texas.

ServeNebraska 

ServeNebraska is the Nebraska Volunteer Service Commission. We coordinate community involvement by fellow Nebraskans to address the needs of our communities, and support community members in their volunteer efforts. ServeNebraska coordinates AmeriCorps programming, celebrates volunteer achievements through annual awards, and provides training and technical assistance for AmeriCorps programming.

Mission

Mobilizing Nebraskans to strengthen their communities through volunteering, collaboration, and national service programs.

Our Values

Underlying organizational values define the attitude of ServeNebraska in implementing its mission and serving our state.  Our core values in guiding us include:

• Communication - Build and maintain relationships.
• Integrity - Do the right thing, practice good stewardship and model and require compliance.
• Inclusion - Reach out, invite and collaborate across the state.
• Excellence - Embrace high standards, appropriate action and results.

AmeriCorps Competitive Grant

The AmeriCorps Notice of Funding seeks to award AmeriCorps grants to eligible community organizations that engage AmeriCorps members in evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions to strengthen communities (e.g., based on the proposed program’s performance and evaluation data or research demonstrating the effectiveness of similar intervention) to address state and local community problems.

The AmeriCorps State Competitive Program Grant in Wisconsin empowers organizations to engage AmeriCorps members in addressing critical community needs through service and volunteering. It focuses on enhancing community resilience by funding direct service and capacity-building activities. Priority is given to organizations serving marginalized populations and those focused on youth mental health, veterans' support, environmental stewardship, and reducing community polarization. This initiative fosters civic engagement and strengthens local communities across Wisconsin.

ServeMinnesota provides annual grants to support nonprofits, local governments, institutes of higher education, and Indian Tribes in hosting AmeriCorps programs. Grantees must use research-based measures of program outcomes to generate valid and reliable data that are available to ServeMinnesota for evaluation and public reporting purposes.

AmeriCorps improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. AmeriCorps brings people together to tackle some of the country’s most pressing challenges through national service and volunteerism. AmeriCorps members serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities and those serving.

AmeriCorps grants are awarded to eligible organizations that engage AmeriCorps members in evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions to strengthen communities. An AmeriCorps member is a person who does community service through AmeriCorps. Members may receive a living allowance and other benefits. After successful completion of their service, members earn a Segal AmeriCorps Education  Award they can use to pay for higher education expenses or apply to qualified student loans.

For this funding opportunity, AmeriCorps will prioritize consideration from organizations that:

Serve Communities:

•  Serve communities with concentrated poverty, rural communities, tribal communities, and historically underrepresented and underserved individuals. These may include people of color, immigrants, refugees, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with arrest or conviction records, religious minorities, etc.;
• Implement programs for or expand access to high-quality youth mental health and substance use recovery services and prepare AmeriCorps members to enter behavioral health careers. These may include individuals with lived experience with substance use and mental health challenges to support youth mental health efforts and continued AmeriCorps work on the opioid epidemic;
• Focus on improving the quality of life for veterans, active-duty members of the Armed Forces, and their families by recruiting veterans, military spouses, and their older children into national service;
• Promote environmental stewardship to help communities (especially underserved households and communities) to be more resilient by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, conserving land and water, increasing renewable energy use and improving at-risk ecosystems;
• Support civic bridgebuilding programs and projects to reduce polarization and community divisions; and providing training in civic bridgebuilding skills and techniques to AmeriCorps members;

The GLCF Century Fund offers $100,000 annually to tax-exempt charitable organizations in Lynchburg and surrounding counties. This grant supports transformational projects that significantly improve nonprofit operations and community services. Eligible applicants must have 501(c)(3) status and demonstrate a commitment to innovative change. The fund aims to enhance various project categories, including arts, education, and environmental initiatives. Organizations can apply every five years, ensuring a continuous opportunity for impactful funding.

The Youth Philanthropy Council Grant, funded by the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation, empowers high school students to engage in philanthropy by allocating $10,000 to local charitable organizations that support youth needs. This initiative encourages student involvement in community service, fostering a sense of responsibility and awareness of local issues. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations serving the Lynchburg area, promoting youth and children's welfare through impactful projects.

The GLCF: Youth Philanthropy Council Grant, offered by the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation, empowers high school seniors to engage in philanthropy by granting $10,000 to local organizations serving youth needs. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits within the Lynchburg area. This initiative fosters community awareness and involvement among youth, encouraging them to address local challenges through meaningful contributions. With a focus on volunteerism and charitable giving, the program aims to inspire the next generation of community leaders.

The IA AmeriCorps Formula Grant, offered by Volunteer Iowa, aims to enhance community service and volunteering in underserved areas. This grant prioritizes projects that serve communities facing poverty, improve youth mental health access, support veterans, and promote environmental stewardship. Organizations that engage AmeriCorps members in these critical areas can receive funding to foster civic engagement and build resilient communities, ultimately contributing to national service efforts across the state.

The Plymale Foundation Grant, established by Robert E. Plymale in 1963 and now part of the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation, supports 501(c)(3) organizations in Campbell County and surrounding areas. With approximately $40,000 available annually, grants typically range from $1,000 to $15,000, focusing on social welfare, healthcare, education, and children's needs. The foundation emphasizes funding special projects rather than operating expenses or capital projects.

The Yale Appliance Foundation Grant supports 501c3 nonprofits focused on aiding veterans, the elderly, minors, and the homeless in the Boston area. Grants of up to $10,000 are available for capital projects and program purchases that directly benefit these vulnerable groups. Organizations receiving $2,000 or more must submit a detailed report on fund usage. Applications are reviewed quarterly, emphasizing local charities making a significant impact.

The ID AmeriCorps Formula Grant, funded by Serve Idaho, aims to support organizations targeting communities facing concentrated poverty, rural and tribal areas, and historically underserved individuals. This grant prioritizes initiatives focused on youth mental health, veteran support, environmental stewardship, and civic engagement. It encourages programs that enhance the quality of life for veterans and military families, while promoting resilience in underserved communities through sustainable practices.

The HI AmeriCorps State and National Competitive Grants aim to enhance community service through AmeriCorps members by supporting organizations that address pressing social issues. Priorities include serving marginalized communities, improving youth mental health and substance use recovery services, enhancing veterans' quality of life, promoting environmental stewardship, and fostering civic engagement. By funding these initiatives, AmeriCorps seeks to strengthen communities and encourage active participation in national service.

The FL AmeriCorps Competitive Grant provides opportunities for approximately 200,000 Americans to engage in vital community service across Florida. Funded by AmeriCorps and administered by Volunteer Florida, this program focuses on addressing pressing community needs, including education, disaster response, and environmental conservation. Participants receive training, stipends, and professional development, contributing to the state's workforce and enhancing the quality of life within its communities.

The CT AmeriCorps Formula Funding Opportunity aims to enhance community engagement through service and volunteering, focusing on pressing challenges. This initiative prioritizes organizations addressing concentrated poverty, mental health, and substance use recovery, while promoting environmental stewardship and civic bridgebuilding. Eligible AmeriCorps members can earn education awards and receive benefits, enhancing their capacity to serve diverse and underserved communities effectively.