Best Grants for International Development

The CFGFW Engage Grants, offered by the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne, provide up to $3,000 to first-time applicants for operational support and specific programs. This initiative aims to enhance community well-being by funding new organizations and projects. Emphasizing diversity and inclusion, the grants are accessible to various backgrounds without the necessity of 501(c)(3) status. Applications are accepted from March to October, fostering community impact through equitable funding opportunities.

The Montrose Community Foundation Impact Grants aim to foster community-driven solutions that enhance giving, leadership, and service, ultimately improving the quality of life for all residents. These grants support organizations that demonstrate financial responsibility, encourage innovative approaches, and prioritize collaboration. With funding between $1,000 and $5,000, the grants are available for programs that address the needs of underserved populations in Montrose County, ensuring a vibrant and inclusive community.

The Lamar Gives 365 Grant Program, managed by the Barnesville-Lamar Community Foundation, unites community members to enhance local initiatives. Each participant contributes $365 annually, enabling a total grant pool of approximately $32,000. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, schools, and government entities focused on community projects in Barnesville-Lamar County. The program emphasizes community involvement, with members voting on grant recipients after reviewing presentations from finalists.

The Community Innovation Grants, funded by the Bush Foundation, aim to support transformative ideas that enhance the lives of people in Minnesota and surrounding areas. These grants foster collaboration among organizations and leaders to develop and spread effective solutions to community challenges. By removing funding caps and focusing on the needs of communities, the program empowers individuals and organizations to create lasting change, ensuring that innovative ideas reach their full potential.

The Community Foundation of Dickinson County has been supporting local nonprofits since 1999, granting over $7 million through its Spring and Fall cycles. If you are a nonprofit or have a fiscal agent in Dickinson County, we encourage you to apply for funding. Our goal is to assist community-focused projects that enhance the quality of life in our area.

The Schenectady Foundation's Emergent Needs & Open Grants program supports innovative projects aimed at enhancing community well-being in Schenectady County. With a focus on equitable access to healthy food, neighborhood revitalization, and emergent needs, the Foundation is investing $2 million in 2025 to catalyze transformative change. Grants are available to 501(c)(3) organizations that serve marginalized populations and demonstrate a commitment to community engagement and impact.

The Schenectady Foundation, founded in 1963, invests significantly in community development within Schenectady County, NY, with plans to allocate $2 million in grants in 2024. It supports transformative projects through its Micro Grant program, offering funds of up to $10,000 for innovative ideas that enhance local initiatives. The Foundation prioritizes projects that promote equitable access to healthy food and neighborhood revitalization, aiming to drive impactful changes in the community and improve residents' well-being.

The Judd S. Alexander Foundation, established in 1973, has distributed over $55 million in grants to enhance quality of life and economic growth in Wausau, Wisconsin. It supports diverse projects in economic development, arts, education, and community services, engaging local leaders and residents. The Foundation encourages non-profit applications that directly benefit Marathon County and is committed to championing significant development initiatives while promoting public-private partnerships for sustainable community improvement.

The Finnup Foundation Grant supports 501(c)(3) organizations that benefit southwest Kansas. With a legacy of over 45 years, the foundation prioritizes funding for causes in Finney County and surrounding areas. This grant aims to foster community growth and enhance the quality of life in the region, continuing the Finnup family's commitment to generosity and support for local initiatives.

The Society for the Humanities at Cornell University offers the Society Fellowships for 2026-27, inviting applications from scholars and artists focusing on the theme of Scale. This one-year residential fellowship provides selected fellows with $62,000 to support their research. Participants engage in a collaborative environment, teaching a seminar and attending weekly discussions. The program emphasizes a commitment to community and inclusivity, welcoming diverse perspectives in the humanities to enrich the academic experience.

The Daniel Foundation of Alabama offers Special Project Grants aimed at substantial capital projects, new programming, or strategic expansions that significantly enhance community life. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)3 public charities and can only apply again after a two-year hiatus. These grants are not intended for ongoing operational costs. The foundation's mission is to support initiatives that improve the quality of life for Alabama citizens through healthy and educational advancements.

The Do Something Great Awards celebrate individuals and organizations making a meaningful impact in Macon County. Sponsored by the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation for 22 years, the Award of Excellence in Inclusion honors those advancing diversity and inclusion. Nominations should showcase ongoing commitments to these values and advocate for underrepresented populations, highlighting specific contributions and community involvement. The 2026 honorees will be revealed in February.

Sherwood Trust offers Core Grants to enhance community well-being in the Walla Walla Valley. The Trust prioritizes funding for initiatives that strengthen organizations and support collaboration. Eligible applicants include tax-exempt organizations focused on local needs. With a commitment to equity and sustainability, Sherwood Trust seeks to empower communities through impactful investments, ensuring that all individuals feel a sense of belonging and can contribute to the region's vibrancy.

The Colcom Foundation Grant: National Giving (Carrying Capacity) aims to support projects that address the impacts of human population growth on the environment. The foundation prioritizes initiatives in family planning and sustainable immigration practices to stabilize and gradually decrease the US population by 2040. Non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for these funds, which seek to foster a sustainable environment and ensure a quality life for all Americans.

The Art and Mary Schmuckal Family Foundation, established in 1999, aims to support charitable organizations in the Grand Traverse region. It honors the philanthropic legacy of Art and Mary Schmuckal, who dedicated their lives to community service. The foundation is managed by a volunteer board consisting of family members and friends, ensuring a commitment to wise stewardship of its resources. It welcomes applications from 501(c)(3) organizations throughout the year, focusing on making a meaningful impact in the community.

Innovation Grants

Our Madison Rotary Foundation's Innovation Grants Program includes one-time grants of up to $5,000 intended to encourage not-for-profit organizations within the greater Madison area to try new things, inspire change and creativity, and foster new approaches to community challenges. We encourage you to innovate ways to enable your organization to better serve those in need.

Innovations might include exploring the validity of potential new services, programs, efficiencies, alliances, or service areas; reaching new demographics, or improving the delivery of existing services. Other innovation types will also be considered.

Mission

The Social Science Research Council (SSRC) is an independent, international, nonprofit organization founded in 1923. The Council fosters innovative research, nurtures new generations of social scientists, deepens how inquiry is practiced within and across disciplines, and mobilizes necessary knowledge on important public issues.

Driving University Impact: Expanding the Public Exchange Network

With generous support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Social Science Research Council is pleased to invite U.S. R1 research universities in SSRC’s College and University Fund for the Social Sciences to apply for funding to join the Public Exchange Network. Public Exchange is a new network that turns university research expertise into real-world action and impact. Foundedat the University of Southern California in 2020 and expanded to Washington University in St. Louis in 2025, Public Exchange connects researchers with government, nonprofit, and industry partners to tackle pressing challenges—from disaster recovery and climate solutions to food insecurity and homelessness prevention. Since its founding, Public Exchange has developed high-impact collaborations between 48 partners and 142 researchers including:

• CLEAN LA and CLEAN STL: One of the largest free soil testing programs for lead in Los Angeles County following the January 2025 wildfires, and a related program in St. Louis to test soil and air for contaminants following the May 2025 EF-3 tornado;
• The California Solar Canal Initiative: An ambitious public-private research collaboration to advance solar panel infrastructure along California’s 4,000 miles of open aqueduct, conserving water and generating renewable energy;
• Food Base LA: LA County’s first food systems data dashboard, helping LA County and non-profit partners target distribution of millions of pounds of food and related resources to families experiencing food insecurity;
• ShadeLA: A people-powered campaign to cool Los Angeles ahead of the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics by advancing natural and built shade cover in the region.

Partners have included the City and County of Los Angeles, the State of California, the City of St. Louis, Yelp, Solar AquaGrid, the United Nations Foundation, Keck Medicine of USC, the Southern California Association of Governments, Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency, the Sustainable Entertainment Alliance, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, Department of Angels and many more. In addition to real-world impact positively affecting millions of lives, Public Exchange collaborations have resulted in over $18m in research funding, some helping to incubate new centers or areas of research, more than 40 academic journal publications, hundreds of media hits, and dozens of student career opportunities. 

The Public Exchange Model

Public Exchange is a partner-driven program, working collaboratively with external partners to: (1) define a research scope, timeline, and deliverables; (2) identify the right team of multidisciplinary academic experts to analyze the problem; (3) provide project management from concept and strategy development to project outputs and tools delivery; and (4) manage the public and stakeholder engagement related to the project, as well as communications and design needs. Public Exchange staff are not researchers, but come from government, industry, and non-profit backgrounds, uniquely equipping project teams to understand partners’ needs and lead projects to action. Staff oversee activities including partnership and proposal development, funder cultivation, research translation, dissemination, and communications, impact and scaling strategy, administrative support, cross-sector convening, and more, to maximize the real-world impact of university expertise. Public Exchange builds results-driven teams that deliver measurable impact and lasting solutions for partners.

How the Public Exchange Network Works

No single university – even a large R1 – has enough faculty expertise available to meet the needs of every partner. The Public Exchange Network was designed to help universities work together seamlessly to build robust partnerships and generate more collective impact. Universities joining the network are independent but affiliated members, with full control over their own program and project portfolios. As a national network with local, on-the-ground capacity, Public Exchange Network members can also share approaches that work, scale solutions to common problems, and build cross-regional partnerships together. 

As an institutional partner in the Public Exchange Network, universities will build capacity to develop, test and implement solutions to the most urgent problems in their regions and beyond. Universities joining the Public Exchange Network get:

• The tools, templates and training they need to start right away;
• A shared brand they can plug into on day one;
• A network of faculty, past and potential partners and philanthropic relationships, benefitting everyone in the network. 

SSRC Public Exchange Network Expansion Grants

Public Exchange Network Expansion grants will cover 75-80% of the minimum estimated annual costs for two years to launch a new Public Exchange. To launch a Public Exchange, universities must have the following in place: (1) a staff executive director with experience launching and leading social impact partnerships, (2) a project seed fund, and (3) a modest operations budget. We also recommend some in-kind project management support from an existing university staff member. The grant includes a two-year Public Exchange Executive Director (ED) compensation subsidy of $300,000 to launch the Public Exchange on campus, and a 2-year license to use the Public Exchange brand. New Public Exchange Network members will also receive ongoing support and guidance from current Public Exchange leadership and staff at USC and WashU, including recruitment support and intensive training for hiring and onboarding an executive director, a sub-site on the Public Exchange website, incubation and project management support from current Public Exchange staff, and a suite of tools for developing and implementing Public Exchange projects.

In addition, every university in the Public Exchange Network benefits from central communications support (currently housed at USC), and access to a collaborative network of project partners, researchers, and funder relationships. Separately, SSRC will select a local research fellow to study and document how the Public Exchange model develops within and between host institutions during the grant term, and how the Public Exchange Network universities work together to effect larger-scale change. 

Expectations

Institutions selected to join the Public Exchange Network are expected to:

• Hire an Executive Director who can launch and lead efforts to incubate social impact projects with public and private sector partners;
• Have in place before public launch: (1) an executive director, (2) a seed fund, (3) a modest operations budget, and (4 – recommended) some in-kind project management support. 
• Develop and sustain at least three high-impact research partnerships during the two-year grant tenure;
• Invest modest resources during the grant term that demonstrate commitment to continuing the Public Exchange model after the end of philanthropic support. This is estimated at approximately $85-$90k annually (with some variation considering local labor markets) to support an operations and project seed fund and any additional capital needed for the Executive Director hire beyond the subsidy. 
• Coordinate with the SSRC research fellow who will examine the impact of Public Exchange at their university and across the network. 
• Work with faculty across their university. Public Exchange can live anywhere within a university at the school or central level. The majority of Public Exchange projects to date at USC and WashU have included researchers from two or more schools, and grantees must be able to work with faculty university-wide. 

The Ripley County Community Foundation Grantmaking Program aims to enhance the quality of life in Ripley County through strategic grantmaking. Governed by a knowledgeable Board of Directors, the program supports 501(c)(3) organizations, including government entities and schools, with funding up to $500. The Foundation emphasizes equitable access, ensuring that grant funds are distributed without discrimination based on race, gender, or other characteristics, thereby fostering community development and leadership.

The CFMC Save-the-Day Grant Program provides essential funding to nonprofits facing urgent needs that hinder their mission. Grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 assist organizations in overcoming unanticipated emergencies, such as equipment failures or staffing transitions. Priority is given to projects that demonstrate a clear plan for impactful use of the funds, ensuring that nonprofits can continue their vital services effectively. Applications are accepted annually starting in August until funds are exhausted.

The Jim Hess Community Forward Grant supports nonprofits in the Northern Hills of South Dakota, including Butte, Lawrence, and Meade Counties. Administered by the Black Hills Area Community Foundation, this grant offers two $15,000 awards to organizations that demonstrate creativity, foster community partnerships, and emphasize sustainable practices. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) public charities, schools, and government entities, while ineligible activities encompass religious or political endeavors and capital campaigns.

The GCCF Community Impact Grants - Innovation supports groundbreaking initiatives that drive significant change in Greenwood County. With funding of up to $50,000, this competitive grant encourages collaboration and creativity to tackle systemic challenges or enhance community well-being. Proposals should demonstrate a unique value and the potential for lasting impact, making this opportunity ideal for organizations that align with the foundation's mission to foster a thriving community.

Brandon Community Foundation Grant

The Brandon Community Foundation was created by and for local citizens to improve the quality of life right here in our community. Gifts to this endowment fund, an affiliate of the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation, grow over time thanks to the benefit of a pooled investment that generates long-term asset growth.

Through the power of endowment, each and every year we are able to award important grants to Brandon-area nonprofits. To date, more than $515,000 has been granted to nonprofits and causes throughout the Brandon area, touching the lives of people right here at home.

Typical grants range from $500 - $10,000.

F.Y. Eye's PSA Grant Program empowers nonprofits in NYC by providing free advertising space through its unique PSA Network. This initiative aims to amplify vital community messages and resources, ensuring underserved populations receive essential information. By collaborating with local artists and creators, the program fosters public awareness and engagement. Nonprofits can share their messages at no cost, leveraging a significant media value of approximately $150,000, to promote narrative change and essential services across the five boroughs.

The Pinnacle Community Benefit Fund Grant aims to support community-oriented projects around the Pinnacle Wind Farm in Mineral County, West Virginia. With a commitment of $50,000 upon commercial operation and ongoing funding, the grant empowers local citizens through a volunteer Allocation Committee. This approach ensures that funds are allocated effectively to enhance local initiatives, preserving the community's heritage and promoting sustainable development in Keyser, Elk Garden, and New Creek.

Office of Children and Family Services

OCFS is dedicated to improving the integration of services for New York’s children, youth, families and vulnerable populations; to promoting their development; and to protecting them from violence, neglect, abuse and abandonment. The agency provides a system of family support, juvenile justice, youth development, child care and child welfare services that promote the safety and well-being of children and adults. Among the operating principles across all program areas are that services should be developmentally appropriate, family-centered and family-driven, community-based, locally responsive, and evidence and outcome based.

AmeriCorps New York FY 2026 Competitive Funding

On behalf of the New York State Commission on National and Community Service (the Commission), the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) seeks applicants for AmeriCorps New York FY 2026 competitive grant funding.

Application Overview

AmeriCorps improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. AmeriCorps grants are awarded to eligible organizations that engage AmeriCorps members in evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions to tackle some of the country’s most pressing challenges.

AmeriCorps State and National funding is intended to support a wide range of community service initiatives that encourage individuals to engage with others, to address local challenges, and to improve the quality of life in our communities.

An awardee of AmeriCorps funding recruits and enrolls individuals as AmeriCorps members, who may receive a living allowance and other benefits while serving. After successful completion of their service terms, AmeriCorps members earn a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award that they can use to pay for higher education expenses or qualified student loans.

AmeriCorps State and National Funding Priorities

For this funding opportunity, AmeriCorps will prioritize consideration from organizations that: Are Faith-Based; Serve Communities; Benefit AmeriCorps Members; Use Evidence

Residential Fellowships

Fellowships offer scholars the time, space, and support they need to pursue their work and the opportunity to take part in the Center’s vibrant intellectual community.

The National Humanities Center’s Residential Fellowship is one of the most prestigious humanities fellowship programs in the world. Fellows enjoy a beautiful and serene space to write, unparalleled library and reference support, excellent dining services, and a stimulating and supportive intellectual community.

A key feature, meanwhile, that differentiates us from many other fellowships is our residential requirement. Researchers are especially encouraged to apply when they expect to benefit from, and actively contribute to, an in-person community of other humanities researchers. If you prefer a research fellowship that allows you to do field work or to work in your own local space, this may not be the fellowship for you.

To be considered for this program, applicants must select that their institution is an HBCU when prompted in the online application system to identify the type of institution with which they are affiliated. Applicants may apply for a residential fellowship for the fall semester (September through December), spring semester (January through May), or academic year (September through May).

The Carlsbad Charitable Foundation (CCF) Grant aims to enhance the quality of life in Carlsbad by fostering responsible philanthropy, building a community endowment, and providing funds for impactful projects. CCF seeks proposals that promote civility, unity, and community building, especially those that encourage collaboration across generations. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations, and projects must be achievable within a 12-month timeframe. Notably, CCF excludes funding for capital campaigns and projects promoting specific religious or political ideologies.