Best Grants for Small Nonprofits in District of Columbia

Mission and Vision

The Mission of the Foundation is to improve the quality of life in the Coastal Bend by building community endowment and addressing social, educational, environmental, and cultural needs through the awarding of grants and scholarships.

The Foundation’s Vision is to provide the Coastal Bend with:

• Efficient gift options to meet donors’ charitable wishes
• Effective grants to charitable organizations and scholarships to students
• Ethical leadership to promote and enhance area philanthropy

Scholarships

The CBCF scholarship is open each year. Scholarships awarded will be for the following academic year. Scholarships are available only to students who graduated from a high school in one of the counties in the CBCF Service Area: Aransas, Bee, Jim Wells, Kleberg, Nueces, Refugio and San Patricio. Thanks to our generous donors, the Coastal Bend Community Foundation (CBCF) offers scholarships to students from over 100 funds.

Downes - Jay and Rheba Downes Memorial Scholarship

Purpose

In memory of James Ed (Jay) Downes, an Alice businessman and civic leader, and his wife, Rheba. Mr. Downes founded and served as chief executive of Energy Dynamics, an oilfield equipment and service provider in the domestic and international markets. He was named 1995 Citizen of the Year by the Alice Chamber of Commerce and is a member of its Hall of Honor. He served on the Alice Industrial Foundation Board, the Alice/Jim Wells County Transportation Committee and served as president of the Jim Wells County Master Planners Association in 1993-1994. Jay was an avid golfer and understood the value of a university education. He died unexpectedly in 2000. His wife, Rheba, passed away in 2013.

Every Battle Creek area resident shall have the resources to access post-secondary education and training.

Your dreams matter — and we want to help you achieve them. Whether you’re a graduating high school senior, an adult returning to school, or a graduate student pursuing advanced education, we’re here to support you by opening doors to opportunity.

Beyond tuition, many funds support total cost of attendance — books, fees, equipment, and in some cases childcare or transportation.

Checks are made payable to the educational institution indicated on the follow-up and mailed directly to the educational institution. Checks are typically mailed in early August.

J. K. Stanford Memorial Award Fund

Rose "Rossie" Miller, a passionate advocate for the community, and her family established this scholarship in memory of their loved one, J. K. Stanford, who was a talented auto mechanic. According to Rose, "my brother J.K. was so good of a mechanic, it seemed like he could simply listen to a car run and tell you what was wrong. He was a compassionate, kind-hearted person, who had a love of cars from an early age." Rose stated, "having received scholarship funds myself, I feel blessed to finally be able to give back to the community." The Stanford family witnessed the realities of not having certification and made a commitment to removing that barrier for others. This scholarship will benefit individuals obtaining certification as an auto or heavy equipment mechanic, an opportunity J.K. never had due to lack of funds. Recipients shall prove to be passionate about and persevere towards their educational goals while maintaining high academic standards.

The Alpha Delta Pi Foundation, a private funder, established the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Endowment to support local RMHC Chapters in the U.S. and Canada that lack adequate backing from Alpha Delta Pi collegiate or alumnae associations. Since 1979, over $22 million has been contributed to RMHC, with grants ranging from $2,000 to $10,000 available for houses, renovations, and family room expansions, fostering a strong philanthropic partnership.

Community Foundation for Muskegon County

At the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, we work with donors, grantees, and advisors to address key community issues.

The mission of the Community Foundation is to engage donors and connect them with opportunities to make a lasting impact, build community endowment, provide leadership on key issues, and make grants that reflect the communities we serve.

Scholarships

Our scholarship funds seek to empower and encourage Muskegon County residents to pursue their dreams, hone in their gifts, and give back to our community.

If you’re a high school or homeschooled senior, current college student, early college senior, or adult learner, the Community Foundation for Muskegon County may have a scholarship for you. We manage one of the largest scholarship programs in our area, with over $1 million committed to students in over 500 new and renewed scholarships awarded each year.

Eleanor Polley Women's Golf Scholarship

This scholarship has been made possible by the generosity of Dennis Sruba and Joanne Polley, who established the Eleanor Polley Women's Golf Scholarship of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County in memory of Eleanor Polley. Eleanor Polley was Executive Director of the White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce when she died suddenly in 1995 at the age of 49. She was an untiring booster of the White Lake area and Muskegon County as a whole. She was also an avid promoter of women's golf. The Eleanor Polley Women's Golf Scholarship Fund was established in Eleanor's memory as part of the White Lake Community Fund by her family, her many friends, and the White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. It will provide scholarships to women college students who are also avid golfers.

About Us

Who We Are

The Wayne County Community Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) community organization that works to strengthen the community we all share by helping donors make a lasting difference with their philanthropic endeavors – connecting their dreams and passions with causes that matter.

Established in 1978 with a single gift of $1,000, WCCF has become the steward of over 620 separate funds created from bequests and gifts, each with their own philanthropic purpose to support the future of our community now – and for many years to come.

The mission of Wayne County Community Foundation is to provide philanthropic leadership to our community.

Wayne County 4-H General Scholarship

Term: One Year

Amount: Varies

Number Awards: Varies

Community Foundation for Muskegon County

At the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, we work with donors, grantees, and advisors to address key community issues.

The mission of the Community Foundation is to engage donors and connect them with opportunities to make a lasting impact, build community endowment, provide leadership on key issues, and make grants that reflect the communities we serve.

Scholarships

Our scholarship funds seek to empower and encourage Muskegon County residents to pursue their dreams, hone in their gifts, and give back to our community.

If you’re a high school or homeschooled senior, current college student, early college senior, or adult learner, the Community Foundation for Muskegon County may have a scholarship for you. We manage one of the largest scholarship programs in our area, with over $1 million committed to students in over 500 new and renewed scholarships awarded each year.

Foundation for MCC - Edward H. & Wilma Kyvig Scholarship

This scholarship has been made possible by the generosity of the Kyvig family, who established the Edward H. & Wilma Kyvig Scholarship of the Foundation for Muskegon Community College. The Kyvig family established this scholarship to honor their parents, Edward and Wilma who both were instructors at Muskegon Community College. Edward and Wilma were very passionate about education and the importance of students obtaining a college degree. This scholarship was established to assist a student of good academic standing who shows potential and who is deserving of financial assistance.

Every Battle Creek area resident shall have the resources to access post-secondary education and training.

Your dreams matter — and we want to help you achieve them. Whether you’re a graduating high school senior, an adult returning to school, or a graduate student pursuing advanced education, we’re here to support you by opening doors to opportunity.

Beyond tuition, many funds support total cost of attendance — books, fees, equipment, and in some cases childcare or transportation.

Checks are made payable to the educational institution indicated on the follow-up and mailed directly to the educational institution. Checks are typically mailed in early August.

Harry & Helen Davidson Family Scholarship Fund

The Davidson Family Scholarship was established to honor the commitment to education and service to the Battle Creek community of Harry and Helen Davidson. Harry, who served as superintendent of the Battle Creek Public Schools for a number of years, who upon his retirement from the education field, became the first executive director of the Battle Creek Community Foundation. Much of Harry and Helen's work in this community can be exemplified today through development of our fine educational system, the growth of our Community Foundation, and a strong community value for the education of our young people.

Central Kentucky Community Foundation

Established in 1960 as North Central Education Foundation, Central Kentucky Community Foundation is one of more than 780 community foundations in the United States today. We serve the Lincoln Trail Region, offering our donors and partners a variety of ways to touch our community through philanthropic giving.

Hardin County Bar Association Scholarship

The applicant must be a resident of Hardin County.

Additional documentation requirements

• An essay expressing how you are an example of a good citizen, how you exhibit a keen sense of justice and fair play in your attitude towards others, why the financial assistance is important to you and any interest you have in a legal career
• Letter of recommendation from guidance counselor or principal

The Doyle O. and Lelia Jane Bateman Scholarship

The Doyle O. and Lelia Jane Bateman Scholarship, established at the Community Foundation in 2018, honors the memory of husband and wife of 46 years, Doyle and Jane Bateman. Jane worked as a successful realtor in Waynesboro for over 25 years and enjoyed giving back to her community.

The Doyle O. and Lelia Jane Bateman Scholarship will provide college scholarships to deserving students of any age, to include high school seniors (public, private, and homeschool) as well as adult students residing in Staunton, Waynesboro and Augusta County. Selection considerations for the scholarship include, but are not limited to, financial need, involvement in school and community activities, and a strong desire to succeed in school and life.

The Security and Preparedness (SAP) Program, supported by the National Science Foundation, promotes fundamental research addressing global and national security issues. It emphasizes intellectual merit and broader impacts, encouraging projects that are methodologically sound and empirically driven. Research areas include international relations, political violence, and peace science, among others. The program also fosters undergraduate research experiences and methodological innovations, while strictly avoiding applied research.

Excellence in Welding Awards

The Excellence in Welding Awards recognize outstanding individuals whose contributions have advanced the welding industry. Nominees are put forward by their peers, and winners are selected by the Excellence in Welding Committee based on their impact, leadership, and dedication to the profession.

Award recipients are celebrated during the Excellence in Welding Awards Ceremony at FABTECH, an event open to all FABTECH attendees.

The ICRG Seed Grant supports innovative research aimed at understanding and treating gambling disorders. With a focus on pilot studies, secondary data analysis, and developing new methodologies, it encourages both established and early-career researchers to apply for funding up to $40,000. The grant emphasizes the importance of addressing critical issues in gambling research while ensuring the inclusion of diverse participant groups. This initiative aims to enhance public education and promote responsible gaming practices.

The Rachael Ray No-Kill Excellence Grants, funded by the Rachael Ray Foundation, support Best Friends Network partners in maintaining a 90% Save Rate for animals. These grants encourage innovative projects that enhance community partnerships and mentorships, helping organizations achieve sustainable lifesaving outcomes. Eligible organizations can apply for grants up to $60,000, with a focus on scalable programs that benefit animals and promote no-kill initiatives across the United States.

The AWS Outstanding Achievement Awards honor exceptional contributions in welding, spanning historical structures, innovative fabrication, safety, and technical advancements across various categories.

Kenneth L. Brown Memorial Safety and Health Award

This award, sponsored by AWS and selected by the Safety and Health Committee, is presented annually to an individual who best encourages the advancement of welding safety and health through conducting research, education activities, development of safe practices, or the dissemination of knowledge through publications or other means; thereby, fostering public awareness, welfare and education.

The nominee is selected at least 10 months in advance of FABTECH.

The ACLS Leading Edge Fellowships provide recent humanities PhDs with the opportunity to work with nonprofit organizations focused on social justice. Over 24 months, fellows receive a stipend of $70,000 in the first year and $72,000 in the second, along with relocation funds and health insurance. The program emphasizes diversity and inclusion, encouraging applications from all eligible scholars to enhance their professional skills in meaningful roles.

Nikon USA is dedicated to supporting innovative initiatives that align with its marketing strategies and community impact. They seek sponsorship proposals that demonstrate unique ideas, enhancing brand engagement and consumer reach. However, applicants must be over 18 and submit requests at least six months prior to their program. Nikon prioritizes USA-based entities and cannot support individual projects or certain causes. For more details, please submit your request through their designated online form.

Digital Promise

Digital Promise is a global nonprofit working to expand opportunity for every learner. Working with a wide range of partners and practitioners in the U.S. and around the world, our initiatives have impacted over 4.4 million students and 180,000 teachers across 173 districts and in 27 countries to date.

Digital Promise was authorized by Congress in 2008, signed into law by President George W. Bush, and formally launched by President Barack Obama in September 2011. Startup support came from the U.S. Department of Education, Carnegie Corporation of New York, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Since then, Digital Promise has grown rapidly with support from both original and new funders.

AIMS EduData Initiative

The Advancing Innovative Math Solutions (AIMS) EduData Initiative, funded by the Gates Foundation, seeks to build sustainable and scalable research infrastructure to advance math learning. AIMS EduData especially encourages applications from graduate students and early career professionals, educators with research roles, such as those working in district research offices, and researchers located at minority serving institutions or Title I school districts. Successful applicants will conduct original research using datasets provided by leading digital learning platforms (DLPs) and participate in a growing community.

RightOn Education and Teachley Math RFP

For education researchers and practitioners

Benefits for successful applicants:

• Opportunity to investigate associations between features of a Digital Learning Platform and mechanisms supporting student learning, engagement, motivation, and instructional practice.
• Opportunity to contribute to the education R&D movement by expanding its capacity and skills, providing feedback to DLPs about the utility of their datasets and insights about their features, and demonstrating the affordances and value of conducting research through DLPs.
• Involvement in a dynamic, supportive community of digital learning providers and researchers
• Two proposals will be funded

This solicitation offers opportunities to run experiments in two DLPs. One enables research with Teachley Math, an intervention that includes interactive digital games and problem-solving modeling tools, lessons and formative assessment data for students in grades K-5. The second enables research with RightOn Education, an online digital learning platform for grades 7-10 that allows teachers to create or select math games, engage students in feedback and reflection on their thinking, and access real-time information about student misconceptions. 

Teachley Math

Teachley Math is particularly interested in research investigating:

• Through what mechanisms does feedback shape outcomes?
• What sequences of tool actions best predict eventual correctness?
• What are common error patterns and do they vary by grade level?
• Do process measures add predictive validity beyond final-answer accuracy?

The Mockingbird Nonprofit Incubator Grant Program supports emerging nonprofit founders in creating sustainable growth and impact. The program includes eight live workshops on nonprofit management, fundraising, and access to resources from Givebutter. Selected organizations receive scholarships and the chance to apply for $4,000 in grant funds. Eligibility is limited to 501c3 nonprofits or those under fiscal sponsorship with budgets under $500,000, fostering a community of committed leaders ready to make a difference.

The Honoring the Best in the Construction Community initiative celebrates outstanding individuals in the construction field, such as Craft Instructor of the Year, who exemplify creativity and dedication to education. Award recipients gain national recognition and a $10,000 cash prize, promoting construction as a rewarding career while emphasizing safety and lifelong learning. This prestigious award is part of the ABC Construction Workforce Awards, which highlights the importance of quality instruction in the industry.

The Just Tech Fellowship, supported by the Social Science Research Council, aims to empower diverse researchers and practitioners to address injustices arising from new technologies. With a two-year award of $100,000 annually, this fellowship fosters collaboration and community engagement, promoting equitable tech futures. It focuses on the intersection of technology and social justice, encouraging insights from historically marginalized groups to inform structural change and create a more just society.

Digital Promise

Digital Promise is a global nonprofit working to expand opportunity for every learner. Working with a wide range of partners and practitioners in the U.S. and around the world, our initiatives have impacted over 4.4 million students and 180,000 teachers across 173 districts and in 27 countries to date.

Digital Promise was authorized by Congress in 2008, signed into law by President George W. Bush, and formally launched by President Barack Obama in September 2011. Startup support came from the U.S. Department of Education, Carnegie Corporation of New York, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Since then, Digital Promise has grown rapidly with support from both original and new funders.

AIMS EduData Initiative

The Advancing Innovative Math Solutions (AIMS) EduData Initiative, funded by the Gates Foundation, seeks to build sustainable and scalable research infrastructure to advance math learning. AIMS EduData especially encourages applications from graduate students and early career professionals, educators with research roles, such as those working in district research offices, and researchers located at minority serving institutions or Title I school districts. Successful applicants will conduct original research using datasets provided by leading digital learning platforms (DLPs) and participate in a growing community.

RightOn Education and Teachley Math RFP

For education researchers and practitioners

Benefits for successful applicants:

• Opportunity to investigate associations between features of a Digital Learning Platform and mechanisms supporting student learning, engagement, motivation, and instructional practice.
• Opportunity to contribute to the education R&D movement by expanding its capacity and skills, providing feedback to DLPs about the utility of their datasets and insights about their features, and demonstrating the affordances and value of conducting research through DLPs.
• Involvement in a dynamic, supportive community of digital learning providers and researchers
• Two proposals will be funded

This solicitation offers opportunities to run experiments in two DLPs. One enables research with Teachley Math, an intervention that includes interactive digital games and problem-solving modeling tools, lessons and formative assessment data for students in grades K-5. The second enables research with RightOn Education, an online digital learning platform for grades 7-10 that allows teachers to create or select math games, engage students in feedback and reflection on their thinking, and access real-time information about student misconceptions. 

RightOn Education

RightOn Education is particularly interested in research investigating questions related to the following areas (illustrative research questions are provided below):

• Student confidence and math self-efficacy: How do patterns of student confidence differ across correct and incorrect responses, and how do they vary by question or Common Core standard?
• Productive struggle, metacognition, and learning from misconceptions: How do different types of reflection prompts (e.g., self-directed vs. peer-directed explanations) affect the likelihood of optional hint submission and the length of student-generated hints?
• Student motivation and engagement: How do different incentive conditions influence student participation in optional activities, and how are they associated with student correctness and confidence?

The Basil L. King Scholarship Foundation offers two-year scholarships to St. Lucie County residents pursuing careers in health sciences. Established in 1978, the Foundation supports students with financial needs and encourages local talent to return to the Treasure Coast after graduation. To qualify, applicants must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher and be accepted into a Health Science program. Awards are determined annually, ensuring support for future healthcare professionals.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is set to announce a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for multi-site investigator-initiated clinical trials. This initiative aims to support a range of clinical trials addressing efficacy and implementation research. The funding mechanism includes a two-phase approach (UG3/UH3), with a total award duration of up to seven years. Investigators are encouraged to prepare proposals that demonstrate scientific rationale and operational plans for these important studies.

The Willson Center Research Seminar Program at the University of Georgia provides $2,000 for faculty-led interdisciplinary discussion groups on specific research topics. This grant is aimed at tenured or tenure-track faculty and is intended to facilitate the visit of external scholars to the campus. Applications are open for the upcoming academic year, focusing on fostering collaborative research initiatives among faculty.

The Next Generation of the Clinical and Translational Science Awards Program Trial Innovation Network aims to tackle significant challenges in multi-center clinical trials. By enhancing trial efficiency and safety through innovative solutions, the initiative seeks to improve the design and execution of these studies. Key areas of focus include safety monitoring tools, trial leader mentorship, and advancements in digital health technologies. This program invites eligible organizations to apply for funding to promote groundbreaking clinical research.

Unlikely Collaborators Inc

We exist to help people RESOLVE CONFLICT. What kind of conflict are we talking about? The inside kind.

It's our perspective that most of the EXTERNAL conflict in the world is the result of unconscious, unresolved INTERNAL conflict in each and every one of us.

Unlikely Collaborators is an organization that exists to help people resolve conflict by making them aware of and helping them work with their Perception Box.

RFP To Fund Transformative Projects Rooted in the Perception Box™ Framework

This RFP is designed for organizations creating meaningful shifts in how people interpret their experiences, beliefs, and perspectives.

All requests must be project-specific and aligned with the Perception Box framework.

At Unlikely Collaborators, we support people and organizations who are helping others see something about themselves they couldn’t see before. Our work is grounded in the Perception Box, a framework developed by our founder, Elizabeth R. Koch.

The Perception Box is the internal lens through which each of us experiences the world. It is shaped by our beliefs, our past experiences, our identity, and the stories we carry, often without realizing it.

Most of the time, we don’t see this lens. We experience our perspective as reality. But when people begin to notice it, something shifts. There is often more curiosity, less certainty, and more openness to others and new possibilities.

We are not a fit for projects focused primarily on advocacy, external blame, or telling people what to think. We support work that helps people examine how they think.

What this looks like in practice

We are most interested in projects where participants are actively engaged in noticing and questioning their own assumptions. This might include:

• Structured experiences where people reflect on their beliefs and how those beliefs were formed
• Encounters with perspectives that challenge their existing worldview
• Moments of realization where someone recognizes their interpretation may not be the only one
• Practices that build curiosity, self-awareness, and the ability to stay open in the face of difference

Before you get started on your RFP grant application, here’s what to expect:

• At Unlikely Collaborators, we support people and organizations that create meaningful shifts in how individuals see themselves.
• We are not looking for surface-level awareness. We are looking for work that leads to a real moment of recognition, when someone begins to question their own assumptions, reconsider their perspective, or see others differently.
• We prioritize leaders working from lived experience, not distance—people who understand the challenge from the inside and are translating that insight into something others can directly experience.
• The strongest projects are designed to create these moments of reflection in a tangible way. They bring people together in environments that are thoughtful, human, and often unexpected, where insight is felt, not just discussed.

The DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (CSGF) supports U.S. citizens and permanent residents pursuing Ph.D. degrees in high-performance computing fields. Established in 1991, this fellowship offers financial aid, professional development, and practical research experiences. It aims to cultivate a diverse community of scientists who contribute to national workforce needs and encourages students to engage in impactful research at DOE laboratories and institutions. Eligible candidates can focus on computational sciences, applied mathematics, and related disciplines.