Best Civil Rights Grants in Delaware

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations using community organizing to advance civil and human rights can seek approximately US $12,000 in general support from Abelard Foundation, primarily for local, grassroots efforts east of the Mississippi River. Delaware groups working on progressive social change and leadership development for marginalized communities may be competitive applicants.

About NIF

Advancing Equality for All Israelis

The New Israel Fund (NIF) helps Israel live up to its founders’ vision of a society that ensures complete equality to all its inhabitants. Our aim is to advance liberal democracy, including freedom of speech and minority rights, and to fight the inequality, injustice and extremism that diminish Israel.

From Israel’s first rape crisis centers, to fighting discrimination, NIF-funded organizations have driven positive social change and furthered justice and equality. NIF has provided over $350 million to more than 950 organizations since our inception in 1979.

Naomi Chazan Global Activism Fellowship

Want to travel to Israel/Palestine while advancing equality, democracy, and peace for all?

The New Israel Fund’s Naomi Chazan Global Activism Fellowship offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to visit Israel/Palestine, meet frontline Israeli and Palestinian activists, and learn about issues of war, peace, and inequality by seeing the reality on the ground. 

Fellows will visit Israel/Palestine on November 3-10, 2026.

This trip is a great opportunity to learn alongside peers and friends (ages 21 – 35). NIF is based on the simple idea that those of us who share a commitment to Israel/Palestine and to progressive values can join together to work for equality, freedom, and human rights. You will join a cohort of participants from the U.S. and Canada building relationships across borders to be sustained for years to come.

Following the trip, participants are expected to organize at least two NIF events in their home communities, with support from NIF staff. These events could look like a report-back highlighting the participants’ learnings from the trip, educational programs featuring NIF grantees/partners, or something else entirely that is tailored to the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual needs of the fellow’s communities.

The program is subsidized by generous donors in the NIF community. All “on-the-ground” costs—your hotel accommodation and almost all meals—will be covered by NIF. Participants are responsible for purchasing their own airfare and travel/health insurance. If the cost of airfare is a barrier for you, please apply anyway. Limited airfare subsidies may be available.

The Amy Adina Schulman Memorial Fund

The Amy Adina Schulman Memorial Fund is a Princeton, New Jersey-based endowment fund providing grants to individuals, young adults who volunteer or intern for progressive social action projects or programs in an area of their interest and commitment. The Amy Adina Fund also sponsors a lecture each year on a relevant and timely topic related to its educational mission.

The Amy Adina Schulman Memorial Fund was started in 1987 one year after Amy Adina, 20, died suddenly while a student and activist at Rutgers University. It is a realization of her family and her communities’ desire to celebrate her life, to fulfill her dreams and her potential. Since its inception, almost 1,500 grants have been awarded for work in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and the United States—nearly $1,000,000 in total. The Amy Adina Schulman Memorial Fund is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

About Our Grants

Small grants (depending on length of service), are awarded to as many applicants as possible rather than giving larger amounts to fewer individuals. The number of awards has grown each year thanks to annual contributions as well as to gifts sent to the Fund to honor special occasions and life cycle events.

Nonprofit fair housing enforcement organizations in Delaware can access funding through the US HUD Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity to investigate and enforce fair housing rights. Grants from this nationwide Private Enforcement Initiative provide US $250,000 - US $500,000 to support testing, investigations, and enforcement under the Fair Housing Act and equivalent state or local laws.

With a mission to advance justice, U.S. 501(c)(3) public charities and fiscally sponsored projects supporting BAMEMSA communities can receive up to US $25,000 in general operating support. Organizations in Delaware working on civil rights, immigration and refugee rights, civic engagement, and related movement-building may be eligible for the RISE Together Fund Small Grants.

Law students committed to civil rights and civil liberties work in the U.S., including those connected to Delaware, may be eligible for scholarships supporting their legal education. The William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law awards the Judge William Wayne Justice Endowed Presidential Scholarship in Law, providing up to US $3,000 based on scholastic merit and leadership.

Nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations working on civil rights and related community services in Delaware may be eligible for multi-year support, as part of a broader U.S. program. Adient Foundation supports civil rights, diversity, and inclusion initiatives by funding soundly managed organizations with strong community relationships and capacity to operate programs that advance equal opportunity objectives.

Adient Foundation provides Delaware civil rights and social equity nonprofits with one-time grants supporting a wide range of charitable programs. U.S.-based, tax-exempt organizations may be eligible for funding that complements public resources and advances equal opportunity objectives, including work in civil rights, diversity, equity, inclusion, and related community services.

Researchers studying civil rights and community-led development affecting Delaware or related populations can receive US $20,000 fellowships to conduct rigorous, field-based research in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Social Science Research Council and Inter-American Foundation support projects on social inclusion, violence prevention, migration, and other civil rights-related community development issues, including collaboration with grassroots organizations.

501(c)(3) public charities in Delaware working on civil rights, LGBTQIA2S+ support, disadvantaged youth, public health, women, the arts, food insecurity, or homelessness can apply for the Looking Out Foundation’s grants, awarding US $5,000 - US $25,000 for program support. Organizations serving displaced people, immigrant communities, trans and gender expansive people, or mental health needs may be especially competitive.

Grassroots 501(c)(3) organizations or fiscally sponsored groups in Delaware led by formerly incarcerated or directly impacted people can seek rapid-response funding for civil rights and criminal justice work. Focused on urgent, movement-building efforts, Circle For Justice Innovations invites applications for up to US $7,500 to oppose criminalization, protect protest and mutual aid, and advance restorative and transformative justice.

Individuals and organizations in Delaware exploring civility, civil discourse, and related civil rights or social justice issues can apply for GriffinHarte Foundation grants, with awards up to US $1,000. Funding supports conversations, research, scholarship, and educational practices focused on identity, feminism, equity, and civic engagement in the U.S.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations working on civil rights and government accountability, including those serving Delaware, can seek one-year funding for programs defending basic freedoms and combating discrimination. With a mission to defend basic freedoms and support the underprivileged, Herb Block Foundation provides US $5,000 - US $25,000 for charitable and educational initiatives nationwide.

U.S. 501(c)(3) public charities working on civil rights, civic engagement, education policy, or related civil society issues, including those serving Delaware, can seek program support that advances constitutional principles and ordered liberty. The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation funds work strengthening free markets, informed citizenship, strong families, and vibrant communities; it does not support individuals or indirect costs.

Nonprofit schools, parks departments, amateur leagues, and community organizations in Delaware can seek funding to run structured sports programs for girls ages 11–18, especially Black, African-American, Hispanic, and Native American participants. Women’s Sports Foundation provides support for coaching, equipment, transportation, and related costs that advance girls’ health, leadership, and civil rights through equitable sports access.

Nonprofit or aspiring 501(c)(3) local news organizations in Delaware and across the U.S. can receive funding to build sustainable business and revenue capacity for digital newsrooms. American Journalism Project provides tailored venture-style support for public-service journalism outlets, especially those led by and serving underrepresented communities, which may include civil rights and human and civil rights coverage.

Education-focused organizations advancing racial justice in schools, including those in Delaware, can apply for National Education Association Staff Organization’s CRSJ Racial Justice in Education Grants, awarding US $5,000 - US $75,000. Grants support awareness, capacity-building, and action projects that address racial inequities, develop leaders of color, and promote multiracial solidarity and equitable policies.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations working on intellectual freedom and civil discourse projects in Delaware and across the U.S. may be eligible for support, as long as they align with the Mike & Sofia Segal Foundation’s priorities. The foundation also considers programs in rare disease research, Jewish heritage, elder care, and climate change.

Organizations and individuals improving civil or criminal justice systems in Delaware can receive national recognition and funding for proven, innovative programs. Foundation for Improvement of Justice provides Delaware civil rights advocates and justice reform efforts with US $15,000 awards, a medal, certificate, and trip to an Atlanta awards banquet for impactful work in areas like legal reform, crime prevention, and victims’ rights.

Delaware schools, local governments, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits hosting Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day events can apply for US $500 - US $1,000 to support youth-focused civil rights and anti-racism activities. Community partners and Safe Routes to School programs may use funds for educational events, materials, speakers, and activities that inspire student activism and inclusion.

Nonprofit public charities working on democracy, civil liberties, or gun violence prevention across multiple U.S. states can apply for invitation-only support from the Lisa & Douglas Goldman Fund. Programs protecting voting rights, reducing money in politics, or strengthening gun violence policy and education that include Delaware among several states may be eligible.

The Puffin Foundation's Environmental Artistic Activism Grant Program supports artists addressing environmental issues through diverse artistic genres such as film, music, and theater. Grants, typically around $1,750, fund projects that prioritize sustainability and innovative solutions to the climate crisis. Eligible applicants include U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and current DACA recipients. The foundation emphasizes projects that avoid contributing to environmental harm while fostering artistic expression and community engagement.

The Impact Fund provides recoverable grants to legal services nonprofits and small law firms working on social, environmental, and economic justice issues. With over $10 million awarded since 1992, the fund supports impactful litigation addressing systemic injustices. Grants range from $10,000 to $50,000 and prioritize cases directly involving affected communities. Recipients must repay the grant amount with interest if they recover fees or costs, ensuring sustainability for future funding.

The Grassroots Organizing National Grant Program, funded by the Ben & Jerry's Foundation, supports small, community-led organizations in the U.S. working to confront social and environmental injustices. Grants of up to $30,000 per year are available for two years, prioritizing organizations with budgets under $350,000. The program emphasizes grassroots organizing and community empowerment, inspired by the legacy of John Lewis. Eligible applicants must focus on collective action and local leadership to drive social change.