Best Grants for New Nonprofits in Connecticut

The Barbara L. Tate Scholarship, offered by Nurses Educational Funds Inc., supports professional nurses pursuing advanced degrees in nursing. To be eligible, applicants must have a minimum of two semesters of study remaining, possess a valid RN license, and maintain a GPA of at least 3.6. This scholarship honors the legacy of Dr. Barbara Tate, a prominent figure in nursing education, and aims to promote leadership within the nursing profession.

The State Maternal Health Innovation Program (SMHI) aims to enhance maternal health across states by addressing critical gaps. It focuses on improving service quality, developing a skilled workforce, and utilizing enhanced data capabilities. Through innovative programming, the initiative strives to significantly reduce maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity, ensuring better health outcomes for mothers and their families.

The Bill Monroe Memorial Scholarship, managed by the Brown County Community Foundation, offers financial support to graduates of Brown County High School pursuing a full-time baccalaureate degree in music or a related field. This scholarship is open to current and previous graduates, including those participating in Bluegrass music mentoring programs. The foundation has a strong focus on education and has facilitated numerous scholarships, enhancing opportunities for local students since its establishment.

The Community Foundation of Shelby County

Our Mission

To inspire donor generosity and transform it into meaningful, lasting impact through charitable gifts.

Our Vision

To be the primary partner for donors who want to advance the community’s quality of life and capacity for excellence.

Emerson and Janet Koenig Family Scholarship

Selection based upon (in order of priority):

• Participation in extracurricular activities, volunteer participation in community or non-profit setting, and recommendations.

Awards

• One $2,000 renewable scholarship for up to 3 additional years at increasing amounts

The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Nutrition Training Program aims to enhance the nutrition and overall health of mothers and children. This initiative focuses on interdisciplinary graduate education, equipping a skilled workforce to support Title V and other MCH programs. It seeks to expand nutrition education and career pathways while improving access to quality nutrition services. Trainees will gain practical experience through placements at health centers, ultimately benefiting families and communities.

AMS Organology Study Group Travel Grants

The AMS Organology Study Group Travel Grants program provides travel grants to support AMS Annual Meeting attendance for students and recent graduates with research interests in organology and/or other intersections of music and material culture studies. In addition to supporting attendance at the annual meeting, this program also introduces recipients to a network of scholars working in the field of organology. In 2026, selected recipients will not receive travel grants because the 2026 AMS Annual Meeting is being held online, but will instead receive complimentary registration for the conference. The 2026 AMS Annual Meeting will be held 14–15 November and 19–20 November 2026.

The purpose of the program is to defray costs associated with attending the AMS Annual Meeting and participating in Organology Study Group (OSG) activities. Recipients will be required to attend the Organology Study Group's paper session at the 2026 AMS Annual Meeting.

The Organology Study Group Travel Grants program was established in 2024 with the generous support of the American Musical Instrument Society (AMIS). In addition to complimentary registration for the 2026 AMS Annual Meeting, recipients will receive one year of complimentary membership in the AMIS.

The California Specialty Crop Multi-State Program, established by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, aims to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through funding collaborative projects addressing key issues like food safety and marketing. Grants range from $250,000 to $1 million, supporting initiatives that span up to three years. This program emphasizes the importance of specialty crops, including fruits, vegetables, and horticulture, in California's agricultural landscape.

American Headache Society

The American Headache Society (AHS) is a professional society of healthcare providers dedicated to the study and treatment of headache and face pain. The Mission of the AHS is to improve the lives of people impacted by migraine and other headache disorders. AHS advocates for those impacted by headache and the headache field, to meet our core objectives. AHS provides educational courses, scientific meetings, a journal, research support, career development opportunities, Special Interest Groups, advocacy training, and a professional community. The AHS strives to meet its objectives while fostering an inclusive sense of belonging and community.

Headache & Migraine Competitive Grant Program

The Headache & Migraine Competitive Grant Program stands at the forefront of advancing headache medicine by funding groundbreaking quality improvement initiatives. This highly competitive grant program, offered through the collaboration between the American Headache Society and Pfizer, supports projects that have the potential to reshape the field by creating widely applicable tools and driving measurable improvements in patient care. 

Migraine & Women's Health

Migraine is a prevalent and debilitating neurological disease that disproportionately affects women, impacting quality of life, productivity, and overall health. Recognizing the need for innovative solutions and enhanced care, Pfizer and the American Headache Society (AHS) are collaborating to offer a new grant opportunity inviting proposals for collaborative quality improvement and research projects focused on migraine and women's health.

The J. Margaret Ada Mutch Scholarship, established by the Columbia University-Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Association, offers financial support for nursing students pursuing master's or doctoral degrees. Applicants must have at least two semesters of study remaining and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.6. Preference is given to Columbia University School of Nursing students and alumni. This scholarship honors the legacy of Ms. Mutch, a pioneering nurse who contributed significantly to nursing education and practice.

The Henry B. Spencer Scholarship, awarded by Nurses Educational Funds Inc., supports RNs pursuing master's or doctoral degrees in nursing education, practice, research, and administration. Applicants must have at least two semesters remaining in their program and meet specific eligibility criteria, including current RN licensure and professional nursing association membership. This scholarship prioritizes doctoral students focusing on nursing research or organizational study, continuing a legacy of leadership in nursing established by Henry Spencer.

The Blue Bird Auxiliary Scholarship Fund, established by the San Antonio Area Foundation, offers financial support for graduate and current college students pursuing degrees in healthcare-related fields. Eligible candidates must maintain a GPA of 3.1 and be active volunteers with the Blue J/Blue Bird organization. This scholarship, renewable for up to three years, covers tuition, fees, books, and living expenses, helping students achieve their educational goals while serving the community.

About Us

Mission Statement

The Westfield Center for Historical Keyboard Studies offers a unique environment for the study, appreciation, use, and promotion of a wide range of keyboard instruments. To serve an increasingly diverse audience, the Center presents keyboard-related conferences, workshops, concerts, masterclasses, educational programs, and publishes scholarly work at regular intervals; longstanding priorities have included the intersections of historical practices and technologies with larger social and artistic developments. In its activities and governance, the Center seeks to foster inclusion and equity among artists, builders, scholars, educators, students, enthusiasts, and partner organizations.

Since its founding in 1979, the Center has sponsored over one hundred events, including workshops, research conferences and symposia, tours to historic instruments, solo recitals and early music concerts, and educational programs designed to interest the general public in keyboard instruments and their repertoire.

Members include highly acclaimed artists, noted scholars, some of the world’s greatest instrument builders, and music lovers.

The Barbara Owen Research Grant

A lifelong member of the Westfield Center, Barbara Owen made immense contributions to our understanding of the organ and its music. She was especially known for her scholarship on the American organ and organists, and she co-wrote the Grove Dictionary article on the organ, a standard reference work. To honor her memory, the Westfield Center will award a $2000 grant for research into historical keyboard instruments (organ, harpsichord, clavichord, fortepiano). The research may culminate in a scholarly article or other format for presenting the information.

The When Georgia Smiled Grant, established by the Robin McGraw Revelation and Dr. Phil Foundation, focuses on aiding victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse. The foundation prioritizes programs that provide shelter, education, and mental health services to ensure safe and fulfilling lives for affected individuals. Additionally, it supports initiatives for children and disaster relief, fostering community resilience and family reunification efforts. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations operating in the U.S. with a commitment to inclusivity.

The Charlotte T. Reid Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund offers financial support to students pursuing music studies. Established in 2008 by Charlotte Reid's family, the fund honors her legacy as a notable musician and politician. The scholarship amount typically averages around $1,000 annually, assisting deserving candidates from the Fox River Valley area. Managed by the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley, this initiative promotes educational opportunities and community engagement in the arts.

Exelixis Grants & Giving focuses on impactful charitable contributions, supporting non-profit organizations in community support, healthcare-related initiatives, independent patient assistance, medical education, and sponsorships. Their aim is to enhance oncology care, particularly for renal cell carcinoma and other cancer types, while ensuring proposals are submitted within specified timelines. Exelixis partners with organizations dedicated to improving patient outcomes and community health, demonstrating their commitment to making a difference beyond medicine.

The JADE Learning Electrical Technologies Scholarship supports students enrolled in North Carolina technical or occupational schools focused on electrical systems technologies. Eligible candidates include undergraduates, graduates, and apprentices who demonstrate financial need and strong academic performance. The scholarship application requires careful attention to specific donor-defined eligibility criteria. Applications open on December 16, 2025, and close on March 3, 2026, with preference given to those pursuing a two-year associate’s degree.

The Cameron Pepera Memorial Scholarship Fund, established by the Pepera family in memory of their son, aims to support local high school seniors from St. Charles North and East High Schools. This scholarship, typically valued at $1,000, is designed for students demonstrating financial need and active participation in extracurricular activities. Funded by the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley, it reflects a commitment to enhancing the community's future by empowering its youth.

The David B. Perry Endowment Fund, established by the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley, honors a dedicated community member by providing scholarships to local students. With awards typically around $1,000, this fund supports educational aspirations for residents of Kaneville and surrounding areas. It reflects the legacy of David B. Perry, who was committed to preserving his community's heritage and fostering youth engagement in philanthropy.

The Daniel W. Schindlbeck Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund, established in 2004, provides scholarships for students pursuing careers in criminal justice or law enforcement. Funded by the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley, it honors Daniel Schindlbeck, a dedicated police officer in Aurora. The typical award is $1,000, supporting students from the foundation's service area, including Kane and Kendall counties. This initiative promotes education and community service, ensuring a lasting legacy of civic engagement.

Stark Community Foundation

Since 1963, Stark Community Foundation has been helping individuals, families, businesses and nonprofits like you support the causes you care about.

In addition to personalized donor services, we manage a competitive grantmaking program and award grants to address local needs. Today, the Foundation stewards over 1,000 charitable funds totaling $485 million in assets and has granted more than $300 million to nonprofits in our community and beyond.

Scholarships

Stark Community Foundation is one of the area’s major sources of college scholarship support— thanks to the generosity of caring individuals, families and businesses that have created scholarship funds.

The Foundation currently manages more than 100 scholarship funds that support hundreds of deserving students each year from Stark and Carroll counties.

The Manzer-Keener-Wefler Scholarship Fund

The Manzer-Keener-Wefler Scholarship Fund assists applicants with a field of study in or related to photography, visual arts (including graphic design). 

This scholarship is renewable.

The Aim High Grant Program, funded by the New York Life Foundation, offers 15 two-year grants of $100,000 each to support out-of-school time programs that assist middle school students in their transition to high school. This initiative addresses chronic absenteeism and promotes educational attainment in low-income communities, enhancing the cognitive, social, and emotional development of youth. By fostering skills necessary for academic success, the program aims to create brighter futures for participants.

The American Academy of Audiology offers the Investigator Research Grant to promote essential research in audiology and balance health care. With a funding limit of $20,000 for one-year projects, the grant aims to support innovative research that enhances the evaluation and management of hearing and balance disorders. Eligible applicants must hold a doctoral degree in audiology or hearing science and be affiliated with a non-profit institution in the U.S. or Canada, fostering collaboration between academia and clinical practice.

The Isabel Hampton Robb Scholarship, provided by Nurses Educational Funds Inc., supports doctoral candidates in nursing education, practice, research, and administration. Applicants must hold a current RN license and have two semesters of study remaining after the award notification. Preference is given to those majoring in nursing research or organizational study. With over a century of service, NEF is dedicated to advancing nursing leadership through scholarship assistance, fostering the next generation of nursing professionals.

About Us

Who We Are

The National Federation of the Blind is the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind Americans. Founded in 1940 and currently headquartered in Baltimore, the NFB consists of affiliates, chapters, and divisions in all fifty states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico.

What We Do

Through our network of blind members, we coordinate many programs, services, and resources to defend the rights of blind Americans, provide information and support to blind children and adults, and build a community that creates a future full of opportunities.

What We Believe

We are the only organization that believes in the full capacity of blind people and has the power to transform our dreams into reality. We believe in blind people because we are blind people—from our democratically elected leaders to our diverse nationwide membership.

Scholarship Program

Thanks to our generous partners, there are thirty $10,000 merit-based scholarships currently available. All scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic excellence, community service, and leadership. The finalists are announced every spring. They then attend our national convention in July when the winners of each individual scholarship are selected. 

NFB STEM Scholarship

The NFB STEM Scholarship is jointly supported by the Science and Engineering and Computer Science divisions, and it is awarded to a student studying in science, technology, engineering, mathematics or a related field. Members of these divisions wish to encourage the success of blind STEM students in their chosen field of study.

The Reel Change Film Fund is a five-year initiative aimed at supporting underrepresented film composers in the industry. It provides grants averaging $20,000 to assist US-based projects in production or post-production. Created by Christophe Beck and SESAC, this fund addresses the lack of diversity in film scoring, promoting inclusivity for diverse composers. Through mentorship and financial support, it seeks to elevate the careers of talented individuals from various backgrounds, enhancing the overall landscape of film music.

The AJN/Thelma Schorr Scholarship, offered by Nurses Educational Funds Inc., supports professional nurses pursuing master's or doctoral degrees. Applicants must have at least two semesters remaining after the award notification and hold a current RN license. The scholarship aims to foster nursing leadership, particularly for those advocating for the profession through various platforms. Established in memory of Thelma Schorr, it recognizes candidates demonstrating leadership qualities in nursing.

Conserving Black Modernism Grant Program

The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund (AACHAF), a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, has launched the Conserving Black Modernism grant program through funding from and a partnership with the Getty Foundation’s Keeping it Modern initiative. The Conserving Black Modernism grant program is designed to empower and equip preservationists and stewards with funding and technical support to preserve the material heritage, innovation, and legacy of modern architectural sites designed by Black architects.

Integrated into the Action Fund’s existing National Grant Program, the Conserving Black Modernism grant program will support non-profits and municipalities to steward 16 historic assets of modern architecture through funding, technical assistance, public awareness, and education. The program will support eligible project planning activities and seeks to develop future-looking plans that model and strengthen stewardship, interpretation, and asset management. This program aims to increase recognition of Black architects and their artistic expressions as well as diversify the meaning of American modern architecture and design. The Action Fund invites proposals from a broad pool of applicants who steward these places for public benefit and access.

Grants made from Conserving Black Modernism will total $150,000 each. Funding will be flexible and can support planning activities, limited capital improvements, and indirect costs. Funding ratios will be balanced to support and prioritize comprehensive project planning needs. For example, a $150,000 project planning grant with 10% indirect can be allocated to advance a full-scale building evaluation and preservation plan. The grant period for this type of project will be 12 months.

Conserving Black Modernism grants can also support projects consisting of a mix of project planning and limited capital improvements. Funding ratios will be balanced to prioritize project planning. For example, an applicant may propose a project which allocates $90,000 for planning activities, $45,000 for capital expenses, and $15,000 for indirect expenses. The grant period for this type of project will be 18 months.

Grantees can address the building’s priority needs and experience the full cycle of planning, design, and construction. Additional grantee support will include technical assistance, promotion, and conservation management training.

Historic Asset Example Archetypes

While this is not an exhaustive list, we are particularly interested in the following 20th-century property archetypes:

• Buildings Located on HBCU Campuses
• Community and Cultural Centers
• Schools
• Libraries
• Houses and Residences
• Spaces Associated with Sports & Recreation
• Green Book Sites
• Sites associated with Women’s History
• Sites associated with LGBTQ+ History