Best Grants for 501(c)(3)

The NIH Independent Scientist Award (K02) supports promising scientists in their research endeavors, providing salary and protected time for three to five years. This award is designed for newly independent scientists who can demonstrate the necessity for focused research to advance their careers. The program specifically targets basic experimental studies involving human participants, aligning with NIH's clinical trial definitions and aims to foster significant contributions to various scientific fields.

The PLTW Launch program, in partnership with Arrow Electronics, offers grants of up to $10,000 for schools to expand their STEM and CTE programs. Eligible schools within 25 miles of Alpharetta, GA can utilize funds for new modules, training teachers, and necessary equipment. The initiative supports public and charter schools, ensuring that students have access to quality STEM education. Interested applicants must meet specific requirements and can only submit one application per PLTW program.

About us

With roots in the Unitarian and Congregational traditions, the First Parish in Lincoln (FPL) celebrates many theologies and spiritual beliefs. We advocate inclusion and respect for all people. We gather each Sunday for worship at 10 a.m. During Sunday worship, we offer church school for school-aged children as well as nursery care for toddlers and preschoolers. Following worship, we come together at “coffee hour,” an ideal time to meet the minister and members of the congregation, as well as get information about the church.

Throughout the year, we rejoice in marking the changing seasons. Our celebrations range from a water communion welcoming all in September; winter concerts, solstice and Christmas Eve services, and children’s pageant in December; to the annual publication of a Lenten booklet filled with personal submissions from parishioners and the celebration of Easter in the spring.

The community of First Parish draws many members. Whether encountering friends and neighbors on Sunday, volunteering in the church school, or working on committees and service projects, our members and friends embrace the collective whole, recognizing that we are not alone, that we are part of a strong and supportive community.

Parishioners are instrumental in helping to run the church. While there is a core staff in place to provide the essentials, our members and friends come together to support the church in whatever way they are able. In addition to financial support, this can include arranging flowers for the pulpit, serving on a committee, teaching Sunday School, or helping with a special event.

Jean Wood Preston Grant

The First Parish in Lincoln has the honor of choosing the recipients of annual grants from this fund established by a longtime member of our community. In recent years the grants have been as much as $25,000, and may be used for one-time capital projects or Transformative Innovation initiatives.

The Selby Mission

By investing in people through academic scholarships and supporting capital projects of local organizations, we look beyond what is and enable change for what can be.

Traditional Grants

The William G. and Marie Selby Foundation awards “traditional grants” twice each year.

Organizations with budgets greater than $300,000 that primarily serve Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties have the opportunity to apply.

The Selby Foundation invests in capital support that will help nonprofits achieve more for those they serve.

The Crystelle Waggoner Charitable Trust supports charitable organizations in the arts and social services, with a focus on those operating in Tarrant County. Established by Crystelle Waggoner, the trust provides grants ranging from $15,000 to $40,000. Eligible organizations must have been in existence since before January 24, 1982, and must wait one grant cycle before reapplying for funding. The trust aims to continue Waggoner's legacy of supporting the community.

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education provides leadership, oversight, funding, support, and accountability for the Commonwealth's approximately 400 school districts that educate close to 1 million public school children each year. We also oversees programs that serve 20,000 adult learners each year.

Civics Teaching and Learning

The purpose of this competitive grant program is to support teaching and learning related to civics, as required by Chapter 296 of the Acts of 2018 and emphasized in the 2018 History and Social Science Framework.

This grant supports LEAs to develop and/or select curriculum materials, implement professional development, and design other enriching learning experiences intended to further students' civic knowledge, skills and dispositions. LEAs may propose to collaborate with vendors to support this work. Proposals may include interdisciplinary elements or other opportunities for civic learning beyond the history/social science classroom.

In addition, the grant supports implementation of grade 8 and high school civics projects, the hosting of local civics project showcases, participation in the Massachusetts Civics Project Showcases, and other enrichment activities focused on meaningful civic learning.

For details about the civics projects and other civics instructional information, please visit Civics.

This grant is structured as a two-year program. LEAs awarded funding in FY27 (Year 1) and contingent upon available funds and satisfactory progress awardees may apply only for continuation funding in FY28 (Year 2) to support the next phase of their projects. Continuation funding is not guaranteed. Contingent upon available funds, a new cohort of LEAs may be selected through the FY28 competitive RFP process. FY27 awardees will not be eligible to apply under the new FY28 competitive RFP.

Priorities

DESE seeks to fund civics teaching and learning initiatives that exemplify:

• Equity. Grant-funded projects should increase all students' access to high-quality civics education experiences and work to address historical inequities where they exist. In addition, projects should provide students with culturally and linguistically sustaining learning experiences that value and affirm their identities and linguistic resources, center student and community agency, and develop students' critical perspectives. Supports for multilingual learners should be developed in alignment with the 2020 WIDA English Language Development Framework.

• Sustainability. Grant-funded projects should take steps toward long-term enhancements to civics education, including, but not limited to, the development of supportive instructional leadership structures. Investments such as professional development for educators or acquisition of needed instructional materials can provide benefits long past the period of this grant, as opposed to "one-off" activities.

• Civic deeper learning. Grant-funded projects should help students master civic knowledge, skills and dispositions, appropriate to grade-level standards, through creative agency and opportunities to actively "do civics." Civic action should be student-led and meaningful to students as individuals, with relevance to their identities and lived experiences. Civic learning should be an integrated part of the larger curriculum, not isolated experiences, lessons, or units.

The PLTW Computer Science program, in partnership with Arrow Electronics, offers $20,000 in grants for schools to implement or expand their computer science curriculum. Targeting schools in the Atlanta area, it supports the introduction of new courses each academic year. Eligible institutions must be located within 25 miles of Alpharetta, GA, and must adhere to specific program requirements. The funding can be used for necessary equipment, training, and program-related expenses.

The DOE Quantum Genesis Q Competition aims to accelerate the development of fault-tolerant quantum computing capabilities essential for scientific research. This initiative invites proposals from domestic entities to create viable plans for the Quantum Genesis program, aligning with national scientific goals. The competition serves as a foundational effort to scale quantum technologies and enhance scientific workflows, fostering innovation and collaboration as the nation progresses into a new era of computational power.

Who We Are

Our mission is to enhance the quality of life in our region.

We pursue our mission through resource development, community grantmaking, collaboration and public leadership — connecting passion to purpose since 1973.

In the early 1970s, a group of estate-planning attorneys learned of a sizeable estate gift that left Springfield because there wasn’t a place here to accept a general gift for community betterment. Those 11 founders, supported by then-Springfield Mayor Jim Payne and businesswoman Anne Drummond, created the region’s first public charitable foundation in 1973.

Today, the CFO is governed by community volunteers and run by a professional staff that serves a network of donors, regional affiliate foundations, nonprofit partners and professional advisors through approximately 3,700 charitable funds.

Finley River Affiliate Grantmaking Program

The Finley River Community Foundation works to improve the quality of life for individuals in Finley River Community Foundation through thoughtful grantmaking and community leadership. The Finley River Community Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors, chosen for their knowledge of the area. Grant decisions are made by the grant committee. The unique role of a community foundation is to conduct a flexible community grantmaking program which addresses the most important needs of the community at any one time. The flexibility this requires is made possible by charitable donors who established unrestricted or field-of-interest funds and place the decision-making in the hands of the community leaders serving on our Board of Directors as well as dollars raised by the Finley River Community Foundation.

The Hahl Proctor Charitable Trust Grant provides financial assistance to charities focusing on children, families, arts, and education. Established by Hahl Proctor, a generous community member, the trust aims to support worthwhile causes with grants typically ranging from $2,000 to $20,000. This initiative reflects her commitment to enhancing community life through charitable endeavors.

The George J. & Effie L. Seay Foundation Grant supports nonprofit organizations in Virginia, focusing on arts, culture, education, and human services. Established in 1957, the foundation promotes various charitable programs and prefers funding specific projects over general operating grants. Grants are typically one year in duration, and organizations may not apply for another grant until three years after receiving funding. The foundation encourages collaboration with other funding sources to maximize support.

Marion Community Foundation

Since 1998, area residents have been turning to Marion Community Foundation to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. We are a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common concern … improving the quality of life in Marion County. We use distributions from the more than 500 charitable funds — created by generous, local donors — to award more than $2.5 million in grants and scholarships each year to many of the humanitarian, educational and cultural organizations in this remarkable community we call home.

Marion Community Foundation is the area’s leading philanthropic organization, providing charitable donors the opportunity to easily create endowment funds to benefit and support our community through grants and scholarships. We serve communities throughout Marion County through philanthropy, leadership, and civic engagement.

Calvin H. & Elizabeth L. Topliff Scholarship

Georgia Mathews, mother to Marion Community Foundation board member, Spencer Mathews, created this endowed scholarship in 2023 in honor of her parents. The scholarship will be awarded to Marion County students who are pursuing a career in either education or engineering, with special consideration for students who will be attending Ohio Northern University, which is where Georgia’s parents met.

Betty Beatty Topliff was born in Pittsburgh but ended up in Marion after meeting Calvin at Ohio Northern and moving to his hometown of Marion. Betty (1928-2022) was a dedicated teacher for 30 years, most recently at Ridgedale High School. Calvin (1924-2009) was an Army veteran who served in Europe during WWII and was awarded the Bronze Star. Calvin retired from the marketing department of Ohio Edison Marion Division after 36 years of service.

Following retirement, Calvin and Betty were Florida snowbirds, but Betty returned to Marion after Calvin’s death to be with her beloved children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Appleton Education Foundation

The Appleton Education Foundation, a supporting organization of the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, has been working since 1997 to develop a steady source of support for grants now, and for many future generations of Appleton children.

Mission: We raise and direct private funds to strengthen and enhance education in our community.

AEF Grants

AEF favors grant projects that:

• Demonstrate educational innovation
• Promote original, creative ideas
• Focus on content enrichment and skills development
• Are not supported through normal school budgets
• Have measurable indicators of success
• Address one or more academic standards set by AASD

General Guidelines & Restrictions

• AEF typically provides seed money for creative projects and should not be considered a resource for ongoing funding.
• Murals: AEF gives funding priority to Artists in Residence programs over standalone mural projects.
• AEF places low-priority on funding: computer software, classroom sets of books, furniture, and food.
• Any proposed software must go through AASD’s software approval process before the grant is submitted.
• Grantees should carefully track expenses and save receipts for use of grant funds. Any unused grant funding ($20 or more) should be returned to the AEF.
• Grant recipients will be required to submit a final report to help the AEF ensure effective grant making and data collection.
• Submitting a final report is necessary to remain eligible for future grants.

AEF – General Grant 

Description

• Proposals will be accepted for projects that creatively enhance the education and instruction of students in any academic discipline.
• Grant money may not be used for operating expenses, such as for payment of substitute teachers or travel.

The Stamford Arts & Culture (SAC) Grant provides vital funding for arts and cultural programming in Stamford. With a maximum award of $15,000, this grant supports diverse projects that enhance public engagement and access to the arts. Eligible applicants include local nonprofits and artists working within Stamford. The grant aims to foster community integration through art, ensuring projects are inclusive and accessible while promoting high-quality artistic endeavors.

John A. & Marion B. Smitheman Scholarship

Award:

4-year award of $7,500 per year. Recipients will be reviewed annually and must maintain a 2.8 cumulative GPA and remain in their major.

EDFA is providing professional development to help school districts implement a school model that redefines an instructional, talent, and comprehensive outstanding student experience across the district to support principals and other school leaders. Initially focusing on the campus leaders at campuses that need the most support in these areas and then ensuring that the district can effectively lead all campuses in these areas over the course of multiple years. These grant funds serve the purpose of supporting the district and particularly instructional leaders including principals and principal managers, as it relates to instruction, talent, and an outstanding and consistent student experience to prepare all students to meet the challenging State academic standards.

The Synod of the Mid-Atlantic offers the New and Small Church Grant Fund to support new and small churches in their mission projects. Funded through generous donations from Presbyterians, these grants help churches implement priorities in education, evangelism, and social justice. Eligible applicants include PCUSA churches within the Synod's bounds. Interested parties can find brochures and applications on the Synod's website or by contacting the Synod Office.

The Building Fund for the Arts (BFA), managed by the Mississippi Arts Commission, aims to enhance arts facilities across Mississippi through repair, renovation, and expansion projects. The initiative is designed to support organizations that provide year-round arts programming, ensuring these facilities can serve as vital community access points for the arts. Eligible applicants include Mississippi-based non-profits and local government units, promoting a vibrant arts culture and increasing public engagement in the arts.

The Susan Jones Fearless Leader Legacy Award, established by the Jones family in 2024, honors exceptional elementary educators in Hopewell City Public Schools. This award recognizes teachers who demonstrate outstanding leadership and inspire lifelong learning, preparing students for a complex future. Eligible applicants must hold a Virginia teaching license and showcase their commitment through professional development, community involvement, and innovative teaching practices. This initiative celebrates the impactful legacy of Sue Jones, a dedicated educator and community leader.

The THS Patricia Roppel Scholarship, established by The Alaska Community Foundation in 2015, honors Patricia "Pat" Roppel, an Alaskan author and historian. This annual scholarship of $5,000 supports undergraduate or graduate students majoring in Alaska history. Applicants must be enrolled or planning to enroll in an accredited college, with a GPA of 2.9 or higher. Preference is given to those specializing in Southeast Alaska history, mining, fisheries, or timber.

Life Enrichment Foundation provides direct funding assistance related to recreational activities for individuals and organizations with developmental and physical challenges in an effort to build self esteem and confidence and enable them to succeed in today’s modern world.

Commitment to Community

Life Enrichment Foundation is a local philanthropy that supports people with disabilities in King County. Through the Foundation, individuals of all ages with physical and mental disabilities receive grants and scholarships to participate in Community-Based Recreational Activities ranging from Plays and Dances to Special Olympics. These individuals then transfer the skills and benefits from these activities into their everyday lives, building character and focus to help them succeed in today's modern world.

Mission Statement

To provide funding and scholarships to groups and individuals in King County, WA to allow them to participate in community-based, recreational activities to build confidence and self-esteem allowing them to succeed in today's modern world.

Scholarships

LEF provides funding and scholarships to community programs and individuals that need our assistance the most. The funding is directed and prioritized for those individuals in our community that have or support physical and mental disabilities and face economic hardships. 

Scholarships are funded based on Income. The maximum scholarship amount allowed in one calendar year (Jan. to Jan.) is not to exceed $500.00 for the calendar year.

Arts and Creativity Program

The arts are essential for just, vibrant, and thriving communities. The power of creativity is a force for transformation, creating vitality and amplifying the voices of those who are often unheard.

Arts organizations, artists, creative workers, culture bearers (those who practice, share, and teach cultural traditions and art forms) help us envision and realize a shared future of equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Barr’s Arts + Creativity program seeks to invest in bold ideas and leaders, driving toward a future in which the arts are a living, breathing force, constantly evolving and igniting our collective imagination.

Arts & Creativity Strategies

To achieve our goal of elevating the arts and enabling creative expression to engage and inspire a dynamic, thriving Massachusetts, we pursue three strategies:

• Elevating Arts Leadership
• Cultivating Spaces of Belonging
• Advocating for the Arts

The Preston and Ann Leake Teacher Recognition Award, established in 2007, honors exceptional educators in Hopewell City Public Schools. This $1,000 award recognizes teachers for their dedication and impact on students. Nominations can be submitted by peers, students, and community members, highlighting the nominee's qualifications and contributions. The John Randolph Foundation administers the award, ensuring a transparent selection process. All nominations must adhere to specified guidelines to qualify for consideration.

The Chisholm Foundation offers grants to support arts, education, and religion projects across the United States. Applications for May and November grants should be submitted by March 1st and September 1st, respectively. The Foundation evaluates each application individually and encourages innovative projects that can attract additional funding. Grants may be awarded as lump sums or in installments, and applicants are advised to seek matching gifts to enhance their proposals.

The New Jersey Historical Commission offers Project Grants aimed at engaging diverse audiences in exploring and preserving New Jersey's rich history. These grants support high-quality projects that broaden access to historical resources and strengthen local history organizations. Eligible applicants include individuals and organizations committed to professional standards in their work. By focusing on underrepresented aspects of history, these grants ensure a more inclusive understanding of New Jersey's heritage.

The Dr. Ralph and Marian Falk Medical Research Trust – Falk Catalyst Awards support high-risk, high-reward biomedical research with up to $350,000 in funding over one to two years. These awards aim to address critical scientific challenges and enable the translation of innovative research into clinical practices. Projects focus on identifying biological markers, therapeutic targets, and developing interventions to disrupt disease processes, ultimately improving treatment outcomes for patients.

About the Foundation

Mission

The Hoover Presidential Foundation strengthens the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum and Herbert Hoover National Historic Site by inspiring leadership, service, and civic responsibility grounded in the Hoovers’ life and values.

Vision

A future where Herbert Hoover’s uncommon legacy inspires generations to live with purpose, serve with compassion, and create lasting civic impact.

Herbert Hoover Research Travel Grant Award

Get Your Travel and Research Funded

The Herbert Hoover Research Travel Grant Award provides funding for researchers traveling to the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library in West Branch, Iowa. Sponsored by the Hoover Presidential Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the Hoover Presidential Library-Museum and Hoover National Historic Site, this grant program has awarded over $744,000 in funding over the past 46 years.

Entirely supported by contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations, the program is designed to encourage the use of the Herbert Hoover Library’s collections.

Award Information

All funds awarded shall be expended for travel and research expenses related to the use of the holdings of the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library. In recent years, awards have ranged from $500 to $2,500 per applicant. The Foundation will consider requests for extended research at the library. An independent committee of distinguished scholars from Iowa colleges and universities evaluates the research proposals.