Best Grants for 501(c)(3) in North Dakota

North Dakota 501(c)(3) organizations and public entities working on traffic safety, driver education, or K–12 financial literacy can apply for Auto Club Group Foundation grants of US $5,000 - US $15,000. Focused on roadway safety and youth financial education, the foundation also considers passive speed enforcement equipment like speed display signs.

With a mission to improve health and well-being, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota Caring Foundation provides North Dakota 501(c)(3) nonprofits, municipal entities, and school systems with Impact Grants supporting whole-person health. Eligible projects include behavioral health, social determinants of health, and health promotion or disease prevention initiatives, with awards up to US $10,000.

Eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits, government entities, and coalitions in North Dakota can seek funding for community-driven ideas that solve problems and create new opportunities. Grants from Bush Foundation help organizations develop, test, and spread innovative approaches, with a focus on learning, leadership, and sharing successful models across communities in the broader region.

Established 501(c)(3) organizations with at least $2 million in annual expenses and five years of successful operations can receive Otto Bremer Trust strategic grants to advance economic services and community development benefiting North Dakota residents. The Trust proactively identifies candidates, then invites selected nonprofits in its four-state region to discuss potential sustained, high-impact investments.

FIRST robotics teams affiliated with schools, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, or registered charities and focused on underserved, underrepresented, or rural youth can apply for John Deere Foundation support for FIRST LEGO League Challenge participation. North Dakota teams near Fargo or Valley City, or any team in the U.S. or Canada with a committed John Deere mentor, may be eligible.

North Dakota 501(c)(3) organizations can seek funding for education, basic human needs, community development, arts access, and environmental stewardship projects, including operating and capital needs. With a mission to support young minds and vital communities, Otter Tail Corporation Foundation prioritizes innovative, collaborative efforts in the North Dakota counties where it has a business presence.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) and tribal organizations in North Dakota and other Midwest states can receive US $2,000 - US $15,000 to present professional artists and arts programming. With a mission to support arts and cultural projects, Arts Midwest provides flexible funding for touring or local artist fees, accessibility accommodations, marketing, and educational community events reaching underserved audiences.

IRS 501(c)(3) organizations, government agencies, and religious institutions in North Dakota can apply for Northwest North Dakota Community Foundation’s John & Elaine Andrist Charitable Trust grants, with awards of more than US $500 for arts, culture, community, economic development, and innovation projects. Priority goes to initiatives serving Crosby, Divide County, and western North Dakota communities.

501(c)(3) organizations located in Grand Forks County, North Dakota, can apply for Myra Foundation grants of US $1,000 - US $10,000 to support charitable, character-building, and educational purposes. Eligible nonprofits must not be private foundations and must primarily serve residents of Grand Forks County, including the City of Grand Forks.

North Dakota 501(c)(3) organizations and schools running FIRST Robotics Competition teams can access funding through John Deere Foundation to support robotics participation for underserved, underrepresented, or rural students. Eligible teams must be near designated John Deere communities or have an actively committed John Deere mentor and meet the program’s specific equity and location criteria.

The NRA Foundation offers grants in North Dakota aimed at promoting firearms safety, education, and the shooting sports. Eligible organizations must be recognized under IRS 501(c)(3) or be government entities. Grant requests should align with the Foundation's mission to educate individuals about firearms and support research for improved safety techniques. Ineligible applicants include labor groups, private businesses, and individuals. The initiative seeks to foster community engagement through charitable activities.

501(c)(3) nonprofits or fiscally sponsored groups in North Dakota advancing equity for bisexual+ and broader LGBTQ+ communities can receive US $1,500 - US $3,000 in general operating support. Philanthrofund Foundation’s Bi+ Fund backs organizations primarily serving bisexual+ people, including identities such as pansexual, omnisexual, polysexual, or sexually fluid, across the upper Midwest.

Nonprofits and local governmental entities in western North Dakota can seek funding for community infrastructure, housing, health, safety, environmental, medical facility, and educational projects. AgriBank supports community development in North Dakota by offering Rural Community Grant Fund awards up to Up to US $50,000 for eligible projects in designated western counties.

North Dakota 501(c)(3) organizations and schools running FIRST LEGO League Explore teams can seek support for STEM education programs serving underserved or underrepresented youth. Focused on STEM education, John Deere Foundation invites teams near Fargo or Valley City, or those with committed John Deere employee mentors, to apply under its FIRST LEGO League Explore Grant Program.

The John Deere FIRST LEGO League Discover program aims to support equity, diversity, and inclusion in STEM fields by providing grants to teams that meet specific eligibility criteria. Teams must be associated with an educational institution or nonprofit and demonstrate a commitment to recruiting underserved and underrepresented students. The initiative is part of John Deere’s goal to empower one million youth by 2030, fostering innovation and better decision-making in local communities.

501(c)(3) nonprofits serving LGBTQ+ communities in North Dakota can seek support for rural-focused programs and capacity-building efforts through the PRISM Fund. PFund Foundation supports sexuality and LGBTQIA+ rights and services across its five-state upper Midwest region, with priority for queer people of color, gender-expansive people, and queer people in the Dakotas.

North Dakota 501(c)(3) nonprofits, municipal entities, and school systems can seek funding for innovative, replicable health programs that improve access, prevention, and healthy lifestyles. With a mission to improve community health, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota Caring Foundation provides US $15,000 - US $50,000 for new or expanding initiatives serving North Dakotans.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, schools, districts, and public entities in North Dakota can apply for North Dakota Council on the Arts’ Arts in Education Collaboration Grant, offering up to US $6,000 to expand K–12 arts education. Funding supports teaching artists, coordinators, professional development, materials, and other project costs for in-school, after-school, or summer programs.

Native-led 501(c)(3) organizations in North Dakota with a strong record of community problem-solving can receive flexible operating support through the Bush Prize: Native Nations, administered by Good Relatives Collaborative. Grants up to Up to US $250,000 may be used for reserves, new ideas, or other needs benefiting Native communities.

North Dakota 501(c)(3) nonprofits, municipal entities, and school systems focused on maternal and perinatal health can apply for Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota Caring Foundation’s Maternal Health Grants, with awards of US $5,000. Funding supports programs that reduce maternal health disparities before, during, and after pregnancy for North Dakotans.

Nonprofits, mission-oriented for-profits, tribal housing entities, and eligible quasi-governmental agencies in North Dakota and nationwide can seek housing innovation funding from Enterprise Community Partners. The Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge awards US $2,000,000 grants for proven, ready-to-scale solutions in affordable housing design and construction, finance, or service delivery that expand housing choice and access.

Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation

The FM Area Foundation is a nonprofit community foundation created by and for the people of Cass County, North Dakota, and Clay County, Minnesota. The FM Area Foundation helps people give back to the causes they care about and ensures the community’s needs are addressed now and in the future. Working in partnership with individuals, families, businesses, and professional advisors, the FM Area Foundation manages more than 500 charitable funds and provides grants to qualified nonprofit organizations and causes.

Elmer & Kaya Berg Grant Round

The Elmer & Kaya Berg Grant Round honors a legacy of generosity rooted in supporting basic human needs, education, and health and wellness. Through the Elmer & Kaya Berg Giving Fund at the FM Area Foundation, this grant round continues their commitment by investing in organizations working in the areas they cared about most.

Guidelines

Nonprofit organizations are invited to apply for funding to support meaningful programs and projects in our community. Organizations may submit one application per calendar year and will be asked to choose a single focus area: Basic Human Needs, Education, Health & Wellness, or Suicide Education & Prevention. Funding is intended for specific, existing programs or projects rather than general operating support. If you’re unsure which focus area is the best fit, we encourage you to reach out before applying.

Native-led 501(c)(3) nonprofits, fiscally sponsored groups, and tribal programs in North Dakota can seek US $50,000 - US $100,000 in unrestricted support for community leadership, healing, cultural revitalization, and capacity building projects. The Good Relatives Collaborative prioritizes grassroots, Native-led organizations serving Native communities with operating budgets under $2.5 million.

North Dakota 501(c)(3) nonprofits seeking program, operating, capital, scholarship, or endowment support can apply for broad community-focused funding in education, health, human services, and arts. With a mission to sustain vibrant, healthy communities, Tom and Frances Leach Foundation prioritizes work in the Bismarck-Mandan area and Western North Dakota creating lasting, transformational change.

The Robert E. Herman Charitable Trust focuses on enhancing the lives of North Dakota residents, particularly children and students, while also improving end-of-life care. It supports organizations that qualify as 501(c)(3) nonprofits, with a strong emphasis on education, health, and human services. The trust has no specific program limitations but prioritizes initiatives that align with its mission to foster community well-being and opportunity.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) and government organizations in North Dakota counties including Bottineau, Burke, McHenry, McLean, Mountrail, Pierce, Renville, Rolette, Sheridan, Ward, and Wells can apply for St. Joseph's Community Health Foundation grants to support projects and services. Funding focuses on mental, physical, and spiritual well-being and broader community health and basic human needs.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) news media organizations serving North Dakota can receive up to US $150,000 in three-year flexible operating support to provide journalistic, informational, or educational content. Bush Foundation supports media and communications groups that reach diverse audiences, reflect their communities, and collaborate with others across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and nearby Native nations.