Best Grants for Immigration Nonprofits in Florida

Nonprofit organizations in Florida running AmeriCorps programs that address community needs such as education, disaster services, economic opportunity, environmental stewardship, or services for immigrants and refugees can apply for this competitive funding. With a mission to strengthen communities through national service, Volunteer Florida Foundation provides resources and member support for intensive, full-term AmeriCorps service projects.

Rural, community-based 501(c)(3) organizations focused on grassroots social, economic, or environmental justice in Florida and other Southeastern states can seek general or project support through the Hubert E. Sapp Regular Grant Cycle. Focused on strengthening rural grassroots organizing, Southern Partners Fund prioritizes groups led by community members and using organizing strategies to build local decision-making power; immigrant justice groups may be eligible.

Grassroots, rural community groups in Florida and the broader Southeast using grassroots organizing for social, economic, environmental, or immigration-related justice can receive up to US $3,500 for capacity building, organizing events, voter engagement, and travel. Southern Partners Fund’s Discretionary Fund supports work including education reform, immigration rights, and voter engagement in its 12-state Southern region.

State agencies, local governments, and tribal governments in Florida can seek funding to support immigration-related law enforcement activities, including investigations, prosecutions, detention, and transportation of criminal illegal aliens. Grants from Bureau of Justice Assistance help entities working on domestic security, policing, and immigration enforcement that align with the BIDEN Program’s seven statutory purposes.

Doctoral-level researchers studying immigration, immigrant integration, and related race and citizenship issues in the U.S., including Florida, can apply for Russell Sage Foundation support. Grants from Russell Sage Foundation help Florida immigrant services and immigration rights scholars pursue high-quality social science research, with awards up to US $200,000 for well-developed, peer-reviewed projects.

Doctoral-level researchers conducting U.S.-focused studies on race, ethnicity, and immigration can receive up to US $200,000 for data collection, analysis, and investigator time. Russell Sage Foundation provides Florida immigration and immigrant-rights scholars with support for rigorous, theory-driven projects that examine immigrant integration, legal status, policy impacts, intergroup relations, and related social, economic, or political outcomes.

The City of Orlando's Community Investment Program offers approximately $2.4 million in grants to support non-profit organizations providing essential services to residents within city limits. Eligible organizations must demonstrate effective service capabilities, fiscal strength, and a commitment to addressing community needs through various focus areas, including housing assistance, family sustainability, and domestic violence prevention. Special consideration is given to grassroots organizations that serve underrepresented communities, enhancing equity and access to vital resources.

Researchers studying community-led immigration and refugee issues in Florida and across Latin America and the Caribbean can receive US $20,000 fellowships for rigorous, field-based studies. The Social Science Research Council and Inter-American Foundation support work on migration drivers, integration, social inclusion, violence, and related development challenges in partnership with local community organizations.

Nonprofit organizations and 501(c)(3) entities in Florida can access funding for social justice and human rights work, including immigration and refugee rights, through the B.W. Bastian Foundation; awards range from US $100 - US $15,000. Applicants must demonstrate a clear commitment to equality for all Americans, including the gay and lesbian community, and should inquire by email or phone before submitting.

Early-career social science faculty researching U.S. economic mobility, inequality, or related social issues can apply for Russell Sage Foundation’s Sheldon Danziger Pipeline Grants, awarding US $35,000 - US $50,000 for one-year projects. Florida-based scholars studying immigration, immigrant integration, or immigrant rights within these themes may be especially competitive, with priority for underrepresented researchers at under-resourced institutions.

Florida doctoral students in U.S.-based PhD programs researching immigration, immigrant integration, race and ethnicity, or social and economic inequality can receive up to US $15,000 for dissertation data collection, analysis, and writing. Immigration-focused nonprofits may benefit when partnered students study issues affecting immigrant communities, through the Russell Sage Foundation’s Dissertation Research Grants program.

With a mission to recognize immigrant contributions, Vilcek Foundation provides Florida immigrant service and cultural nonprofits with US $5,000 - US $20,000 to support innovative arts, sciences, culture, and society programs. Eligible 501(c)(3) organizations based in the U.S. or territories, including Florida, may apply year-round, with priority for new partners and underfunded states.

Social science researchers with doctorates studying race, ethnicity, and immigration in the U.S. can apply for Russell Sage Foundation’s core research grants, with awards up to US $200,000. Projects based at institutions in Florida that examine immigrant experiences, legal status, or related social, economic, and political outcomes may be competitive.

With a mission to advance social science research, Russell Sage Foundation provides U.S.-based doctoral-level scholars with up to US $200,000 for behavioral science and decision-making projects. Researchers studying immigration, immigrant integration, or related housing, employment, criminal justice, or racial/ethnic dynamics in contexts like Florida immigration communities may be eligible.

Individuals born in North Korea, including refugees and lawful permanent residents in the U.S., can receive up to US $10,000 for accredited college or university study through the Lindsay Lloyd North Korea Freedom Scholarship. With a mission to support immigrant and refugee services, Communities Foundation of Texas assists eligible students nationwide, including those connected to Florida immigration communities.

Florida 501(c)(3) nonprofits, religious organizations, and public schools that distribute food to people in need can receive ongoing donations of unsold bread and baked goods through the Day-End Dough-Nation program. Panera Bread Foundation partners with organizations such as immigrant and refugee service providers, shelters, food pantries, and after-school programs that can commit to weekly pickups.

New immigrant students pursuing degrees at Berkshire Community College can receive tuition support through the New World Fund Scholarship, recognizing academic success, leadership, and concern for others. With a mission to strengthen communities, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation assists recent immigrants in the U.S., which may include Florida residents who relocate and enroll at BCC.

Current or former USCRI Albany clients pursuing higher education or technical/trade certificates can apply for the Amalia Scholarship Fund, supporting immigrant and refugee students. With a mission to empower generous people with meaningful giving opportunities, The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region offers this scholarship, which may benefit those connected to immigrant services and rights work.

Immigrant high school seniors in Palm Beach or Martin Counties pursuing an undergraduate degree can receive scholarship support for college costs. Focused on higher education access, the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties invites financially needy students with at least a C average to apply, which may benefit families served by immigration-focused nonprofits in Florida.

Florida immigrant and refugee-serving nonprofits will note this is a student scholarship, not an organizational grant. The William and Susanna Botts Scholarship for Immigrants from the Community Foundation of Rappahannock River Region awards about US $1,000 each to foreign-born, financially needy graduating seniors from local PD 16 high schools pursuing higher education.

BIPOC-led and BIPOC-allied community-based organizations and Tribal nations in Florida working on immigrant services and food security can seek Growing Justice Fund support for planning or implementation projects. Grants from Growing Justice Fund help Florida groups build equitable food purchasing infrastructure, advance policy and organizing, and strengthen traditional food pathways that benefit historically marginalized producers and communities, with awards ranging from US $10,000 - US $25,000.

Through the generosity of fundholders and donors, NCCF has awarded more than half a million dollars in scholarships to assist students in Northwest Connecticut with the cost of higher education.

NCCF awards more than $530,000 in scholarships a year. 

Patrick Dillon Scholarship

Academic Focus:

• Unspecified 

Award:

• $750

Established by the Dillon Family, this scholarship is awarded to a student whose primary residence is in Torrington, is either a first-generation immigrant to the United States or is the child of a first-generation immigrant, and who attends, or will attend, an accredited university or college. This scholarship is not financially need-based. (No FAFSA required)

The Home Study and Post-Release Services program, led by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, provides critical support for unaccompanied alien children in the U.S. It ensures safe placements with sponsors by conducting thorough home checks and offers ongoing assistance to help children adjust and thrive. This program is vital for the well-being of vulnerable youth navigating complex immigration processes, fostering healthy connections within the community and ensuring their safety during this transitional period.

The Wilson Fish Bridge to Employment Program (WF B2E) aims to provide essential employment services to Refugee Cash Assistance recipients. This initiative, starting in FY 2027, will offer training and placement services, alongside English language training, in states where the Refugee Support Services will be discontinued. It targets individuals within 36 months of their arrival in the U.S. or obtaining ORR-eligible status, ensuring they receive crucial support for successful integration into the workforce.

Proteus Fund

Proteus Fund partners with foundations, individual donors, activists, and other allies to work strategically towards racial, gender, queer, and disability justice and an inclusive, fully-representative democracy. We curate an ecosystem of mutually reinforcing, aligned donor collaboratives and fiscally sponsored projects that deploy a creative array of strategies and tactics to further this vision.

RISE Together Fund: Small Grants

Call For Application

RISE Together Fund (RTF), an initiative of Proteus Fund, is announcing an open call for inquiries for our 2026 Small Grants Fund for U.S. public charity organizations or fiscally sponsored projects of such organizations, that support Black, African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim and South Asian (BAMEMSA) communities.

As part of RTF’s commitment to prioritizing the needs and sustainability of the fields we collectively support, RTF will provide organizations with general operating grants to allow for organizational flexibility when possible. 

About RTF's Small Grants Fund

BAMEMSA movements have a strong history of organizing and collaboration, and are well poised with the knowledge, learning and experience to build an inclusive, multiracial democratic future and respond to the current unconstitutional threats facing the country. Through this fund, RTF aims to resource community power building organizations that use a multiplicity of approaches to create change rooted in the strength and leadership of BAMEMSA movements.

RTF supports groups that build community power, strengthen movement bases, defend civil and human rights including freedom of protest, speech, religion, and association, end the criminalization and surveillance of our communities, and respond to the rise in xenophobia, Islamophobia, and hate. RTF values groups that are intersectional in their approach and have or are developing sustainable long-term strategies to support BAMEMSA communities and movements.

Priority Issue Areas

• Protecting and advancing the rights of immigrant and refugee BAMEMSA communities by responding to harmful policies and practices, and strengthening community-led advocacy at the local, state, or federal level.

• Mobilizing BAMEMSA communities for nonpartisan civic engagement and election protection by increasing nonpartisan voter participation, combating voter suppression, and building sustained civic infrastructure ahead of, during, and between elections.

• Advocating for U.S. policy changes that end violence in Gaza and the West Bank by elevating Palestinian voices, influencing public discourse, and engaging in advocacy that shifts U.S. political, diplomatic, or funding decisions.

• Challenging harmful national security frameworks and their impacts on BAMEMSA communities by documenting, exposing, and organizing against surveillance, Islamophobia, and policies rooted in the War on Terror, particularly in the context of 9/11’s 25-year legacy.

• Responding to emerging opportunities and threats affecting BAMESMA communities such as influencing policy developments, addressing civic issues in the U.S., or developing narratives to change public discourse. This includes work addressing weaponizing issues around bodily autonomy and LGBTQ+ identity to fracture movements and communities.

Priority Strategies

RTF values organizations that take an intersectional approach and are intentionally building long-term community power. We prioritize support for groups that strengthen movement ecosystems, deepen their base, and defend the rights of BAMEMSA communities through the following strategies:

• Convening, Collaboration, and Movement Coordination: Bringing together organizations, leaders, and coalitions to align shared goals, coordinate strategies to advance shared visions, and reduce fragmentation across the field. This includes facilitating strategic convenings, developing platforms for collaboration, building cross-issue or cross-regional partnerships, developing shared agendas or issue campaigns, and strengthening trust and alignment among movement actors.
• Community Power-Building, Base Building, Civic Engagement, and Organizing: Expanding and activating a grassroots base within BAMEMSA communities to drive collective action and policy change. This includes community leadership development, public education campaigns, community organizing, nonpartisan voter engagement and election protection, and ongoing nonpartisan civic participation efforts that build sustained community power.
• Legal and Policy Advocacy Infrastructure: Advancing legal strategies and policy advocacy that expand and protect the rights of BAMEMSA communities. This includes impact litigation, legal advocacy, know-your-rights efforts, policy development, and advocacy at a local, state, or federal level.
• Communications and Narrative Strategy: Shaping public discourse and advancing narratives that reflect the experiences, dignity, and demands of BAMEMSA communities. This includes developing messaging strategies, producing and amplifying media, countering harmful or divisive narratives (including those targeting immigrants, religious minorities, LGBTQ+ communities, and reproductive rights), and increasing the voice share of BAMEMSA community members.
• Bolstering Movement Infrastructure: Strengthening the internal capacity and long-term sustainability of organizations and the broader movement ecosystem. This includes organizations supporting leadership development and pipelines, data and technology infrastructure, security and safety, and other core functions that enable groups to operate effectively and respond to evolving challenges.

Limited funding may be available for requests above $25,000.

Mission & Vision

Rochester Area Community Foundation, in partnership with generous philanthropists and community partners, works to improve the quality of life for people who live and work in the eight-county region through its leadership and strategic grantmaking.

Our Mission:

We are cultivating a thriving Greater Rochester region — powered by philanthropy, grounded in community, and sustained across generations.

Our Vision:

We envision a Greater Rochester region transformed by enduring philanthropy, where every person, neighborhood, and future generation can thrive.

Sidney and Carol Aroesty Family Scholarship

Purpose of Scholarship

To provide financial assistance to East High School graduating seniors planning to pursue a degree in any science discipline at a two- or four-year college, university, or technical school.

Number and Size of Awards

One award of $12,000; divided into equal annual installments paid over four consecutive years of undergraduate study. Award is paid in the Fall and divided equally between the Fall and Spring semesters.

Patrick Caroselli Scholarship

To provide financial assistance for college to high school seniors in Monroe County whose parents immigrated to the United States and attained citizenship.

Number and Size of Awards

Number of recipients and award amounts vary; award amount may be split between two or more recipients. Award paid in one lump sum in the Fall and divided equally between the Fall and Spring semesters. Average award $5,000; not to exceed the cost of tuition.

Allowed Use of Award

Awards must be used for costs related to enrollment in a higher education program, prioritizing tuition fees.