Best Cook County Grants for Nonprofits in Minnesota

The NCCIH Natural Product Mid Phase Clinical Trial (R01 Clinical Trial Required) grant invites applications for mid-phase clinical trials focusing on natural products such as botanicals and dietary supplements. It aims to advance scientific knowledge by determining optimal dosing and patient responses. Applicants must provide preliminary data demonstrating bioavailability and measurable impacts on target engagement. This initiative will not support efficacy trials for cancer treatments and encourages early contact with NCCIH scientific contacts.

The NCCIH Natural Product Early Phase Clinical Trial Award supports innovative clinical trials of natural products, such as botanicals and dietary supplements, with a strong scientific basis. Applications are encouraged to explore optimal delivery methods and combinations with other treatments. Funding is available for up to three years to assess the impact on target engagement and clinical outcomes, aiming to translate basic science findings into practical clinical applications.

The NCCIH Natural Product Early Phase Clinical Trial Phased Innovation Award (R61/R33) invites research proposals for early phase clinical trials of natural products, including botanicals and dietary supplements, emphasizing scientific validity for further testing. Applicants may receive up to three years of funding for pharmacokinetics and bioavailability studies, with potential for an additional three years to evaluate clinical outcomes. This initiative aims to optimize natural product delivery through innovative study designs.

The Emerging Artist Grant, offered by the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America, supports the next generation of carillonneurs by providing financial assistance for education and professional development. Eligible applicants can receive up to $750 or $2,000 depending on their qualifications, which may be used for tuition, travel, and equipment. This initiative aims to foster talent in the carillon community, ensuring a vibrant future for this unique musical art form.

The Katie Cannon Scholarship honors Rev. Dr. Katie Geneva Cannon, a pioneering figure in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This scholarship aims to empower Presbyterian women of color, clergywomen, and college women by providing financial assistance for leadership development events and educational opportunities. It promotes spiritual growth and mission involvement within the church, ensuring that women are equipped for greater service and leadership roles. This fund is part of the Women's Ministry Fund at the Presbyterian Mission Agency.

The Samuel Robinson Award is a scholarship for college juniors and seniors attending Presbyterian-related institutions. To qualify, students must memorize the Westminster Shorter Catechism's 107 questions and answers within 18 months. Eligible applicants for 2024 are those graduating in 2024 or 2025. This award encourages academic achievement and religious education among students committed to their faith and educational pursuits.

The Leadership Development Grants empower women in the PC(USA) to enhance their leadership skills through educational opportunities. This initiative fosters personal growth and active participation within the Presbyterian Women community, ultimately strengthening the church's mission. Eligible women can apply for grants to attend various leadership events, ensuring that they can contribute effectively to the church's goals while developing their unique gifts and talents.

The Social Impact Fund - Nationwide Grant supports innovative solutions addressing health care access, food security, and economic empowerment. Funded by the American Heart Association, this grant prioritizes community-led projects from organizations with under $10M in revenue. Eligible entities include both for-profit and nonprofit organizations based in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Grants can provide up to $250,000 to initiatives that demonstrate measurable impact, fostering sustainable change in health and wellness.

The Pew Biomedical Scholars Program offers significant funding of $300,000 over four years to support early-career researchers in biomedical sciences. The program encourages innovative and impactful research that contributes to human health, requiring nomination from one of the 212 participating institutions. Candidates must hold a doctorate, run an independent lab as an assistant professor, and demonstrate exceptional promise. This program fosters collaboration and annual meetings for scholars to present their findings.

The Frank Chapman Sharp Memorial Prize, established in 1990 by the Sharp family, honors the legacy of Frank Chapman Sharp, an influential philosopher. This prize, awarded for the best unpublished essay or monograph on the philosophy of war and peace, aims to encourage scholarly contributions in this field. Eligible submissions are restricted to APA members, with a funding amount of $1,500. This award highlights the importance of philosophical discourse on critical societal issues.

The Creative Capital Award, established in 1999, provides unrestricted project grants ranging from $15,000 to $50,000 for innovative artistic works in various disciplines. It supports artists in visual arts, performing arts, film, and literature through a democratic, open-call process. Awardees receive professional development resources and mentorship over a five-year relationship. Additionally, recipients are automatically considered for the State of the Art Prize, which offers a $10,000 grant to one artist from each U.S. state.

The MRC/SOT Early Career Toxicologist Award, presented by the Society of Toxicology, recognizes an outstanding Midwest toxicologist with up to 10 years of experience. This prestigious award honors candidates actively contributing to the field or recently retired, showcasing their unique research achievements and teaching proficiency. Winners receive an engraved plaque and an honorarium, celebrating their commitment to advancing toxicology and enhancing human, animal, and environmental health.

The Leadership Development Grants for Young Women, offered by Presbyterian Women, empower women aged 18-30 to enhance their leadership skills through participation in educational events. With grants of up to $2,000 for the Commission on the Status of Women and $1,000 for the Ecumenical Advocacy Days, this program fosters personal and community growth within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Eligible applicants must be active in PC(USA) and meet specific grant requirements.

The Robert B. Kyts & Jadwiga Roguska Kyts, M.D Scholarship, offered by the Kosciuszko Foundation, supports graduate students majoring in arts studies for two years, with a total funding of $60,000. Eligible applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of Polish descent, enrolled full-time, and maintain a GPA of 3.7 or higher. The award is disbursed in four installments, contingent on meeting scholarship conditions. Deadline for recommendation letters is March 3, 2026.

The Grain Storage Facility Safety Grant, offered by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, provides financial assistance to farmers for purchasing and installing safety equipment for grain bins and silos. Eligible applicants can receive up to 75% of costs, with a maximum of $400 per bin or silo, and an annual cap of $2,400 per farm. This grant aims to enhance safety measures in agricultural practices across Minnesota.

The Hershey Heartwarming Young Heroes GYSD Grant supports youth-led projects for Youth Service Month and Global Youth Service Day. Open to U.S. and Canadian youth aged 5-25, grants of $250 or $500 are available, depending on volunteer engagement. Projects should address community needs and foster inclusivity among diverse youth volunteers. Successful applications will partner with local organizations and focus on relationship-building. A total of $50,000 in grants will be awarded, encouraging meaningful community service.

The Greater Cincinnati African American Scholarship Fund, administered by the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, offers scholarships for high school seniors in the Greater Cincinnati area. With awards ranging from $2,000 to $10,000, the program aims to support students pursuing higher education. Since its inception in 2002, it has awarded over $170,000 in scholarships, empowering local youth to achieve their academic goals and contribute positively to their communities.

The Justice and Liberation Fund Grant, administered by the Headwaters Foundation for Justice, provides $50,000 in unrestricted operating support to Black-led organizations in Minnesota that address systemic injustices. This funding aims to strengthen the Black movement ecosystem by empowering community-led initiatives that advance equity and justice. The grant prioritizes organizations that are rooted in the experiences of those directly affected by social issues, fostering transformative change through collective power and accountability.

The Russell Sage Foundation is launching the Causal Research on the Criminal Justice System Grant to support early-career scholars in conducting causal research related to the criminal justice system, including police, courts, and probation. This initiative aims to build a pipeline of researchers and enhance collaboration through a capstone conference. Eligible applicants must be tenure-track assistant professors in the U.S. The next deadline is expected in April 2026, with a budget limit of $100,000 for one-year projects.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) offers the Cooperative Development Grant Program (CDG), a competitive funding opportunity aimed at assisting farmers in establishing new cooperatives. These cooperatives focus on operating agricultural product processing facilities or marketing agricultural products and services. With over 125 years of service, MDA is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for all Minnesotans by ensuring a safe food supply and a robust agricultural economy.

The RFP for the Rural Rental Housing Preservation Academy offers no-cost training sessions aimed at empowering rural housing providers to acquire and preserve affordable housing financed by USDA, HUD, and LIHTC. Participants will engage in peer learning, receive targeted technical assistance, and access expert guidance tailored to their needs. This initiative seeks to enhance the preservation of affordable housing opportunities, particularly those with rental assistance, in rural communities across the region.

The Carnegie Young Leaders for Civic Preparedness Fellowship Program invites young individuals aged 14-24 to engage in community projects, bridging divides and tackling pressing issues nationwide. In 2025, 500 changemakers will form 100 teams, enhancing their civic skills through collaboration and discussions. Participants will receive stipends and reimbursement funding, while committing to regular meetings and project work. This initiative aims to empower diverse youth populations, providing equitable access to civic education and leadership opportunities as America approaches its 250th anniversary.

The Arthur F. Burns Fellowship offers journalists from the U.S., Canada, and Germany a unique opportunity to enhance their skills through a two-month exchange program. Participants engage in a structured orientation in Washington, D.C., followed by hands-on training at German media outlets. This fellowship not only enriches careers but also fosters international understanding, with many alumni advancing in prominent media roles globally. With financial support for living and travel expenses, this program significantly enhances the quality of transatlantic news coverage.

The Mobile Learning Fund provides grants to adult literacy programs in the U.S. and Canada, enabling access to digital learning solutions. These grants support various online learning tools, such as New Readers Press, Learning Upgrade, and EnGen, aimed at enhancing literacy, math, and digital skills. Eligible programs must implement the solutions within 30 days and ensure active learner engagement. This initiative empowers educators to expand their reach and improve student outcomes through innovative digital resources.

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 Walking College Fellowship, offered by America Walks, is an innovative online program aimed at empowering community champions to enhance walkability. Participants engage in six modules, committing 5-10 hours weekly, to develop actionable plans addressing local challenges. Over 200 alumni have successfully implemented initiatives such as sidewalk installations and complete streets policies. The program encourages diverse candidates, fostering collaboration and effective advocacy for safer, more accessible communities.

The Wyeth Foundation for American Art aims to promote the study and appreciation of historic American art through financial support for research, conservation, and innovative exhibitions. Grants typically range from $5,000 to $25,000 and are awarded to non-profit organizations. The foundation emphasizes the importance of scholarship and excellence in American art, while not funding projects focusing solely on art from the last three decades.