Best Grants for Minorities

Minority health and physical education professionals across the U.S. who are long-term SHAPE America members can be honored for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in their field. Grants from Society of Health and Physical Educators help recognize exemplary scholarship, mentorship, and service that increase minority and underserved involvement in education and community health. No more than two awards are given annually.

Women and students of color in New Jersey pursuing construction-related certificates or degrees can receive up to US $2,000 annually toward tuition through the Governor’s Industry Vocations Scholarship. With a mission to make education affordable, New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority helps minority students access community colleges, vocational/technical schools, and eligible trade programs.

Black and Latinx undergraduate students in Oregon pursuing four-year degrees in construction management, engineering, or architecture can apply for the Architecture Foundation of Oregon’s Hermann Colas, Jr. Legacy Scholarship, awarding US $5,000 for tuition support. Individuals aiming to impact minority communities through building and design may benefit from this opportunity to enter the local built environment professions.

Multicultural high school students in Rock County pursuing careers in education can receive scholarship support to attend college and become certified educators. The Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin provides this renewable scholarship for African American, Latino, Asian, and Native American students who agree to apply for employment with the School District of Janesville and maintain a 2.75 GPA.

New York City 501(c)(3) direct social service nonprofits led by and serving communities of color can apply for Communities of Color Nonprofit Stabilization Fund awards up to US $45,000 for capacity-building projects. Funding supports areas like financial management, leadership development, evaluation systems, and strategic planning to strengthen minority-serving organizations across the five boroughs.

Undergraduate students who are Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) members seeking their first associate or bachelor’s degree at an accredited U.S. college can receive up to US $6,000 in scholarship support. Focused on higher education, Presbyterian Mission Agency invites eligible students, including those from minority communities, to apply for its Financial Aid for Service undergraduate awards.

Brooklyn community-based 501(c)(3) organizations and fiscally sponsored groups with budgets under $100,000 can receive general operating support to advance racial and social justice for BIPOC and other historically disempowered communities. Brooklyn Org provides Brooklyn minority-serving nonprofits with flexible microgrants up to US $10,000 for one year, with applications accepted year-round.

King County minority-serving organizations focused on early childhood and family well-being can access funding through the King County Department of Community and Human Services to design and test innovative, anti-racist approaches for prenatal-to-five families. Projects centering Black, Indigenous, immigrant, refugee, LGBTQ+, low-income, and other marginalized families may receive up to US $85,000.

Nonprofit newsrooms and storytelling organizations serving Chicago communities can seek rolling support for fact-based journalism and media projects that reflect underrepresented residents. With a mission to strengthen local news ecosystems, Field Foundation provides Chicago-area 501(c)(3)s and fiscally sponsored projects US $15,000 - US $50,000 to uplift BIPOC communities and address systemic inequities through storytelling.

Nonprofits, municipalities, and religious organizations in Windsor Locks can seek project funding that advances racial equity and economic mobility for Black and Latino residents through the Windsor Locks Greater Together Community Fund from Greater Hartford Gives Foundation. Priority goes to single, deliverable projects in arts and culture, basic needs, civic engagement, employment, and thriving neighborhoods. Awards range from US $250 - US $5,000.

Focused on minority services and nonprofit development, this grant invites Greenville County, South Carolina 501(c)(3) organizations to seek operating or program support. Eligible nonprofits are minority-led and/or serve disadvantaged neighborhoods, have budgets of $250,000 or more, and can receive US $5,000 - US $12,500, with priority for work advancing equity for Black and Hispanic communities.

The 2026 Carceral Systems Organizing Grant seeks to support organizations working to eradicate carceral systems, create alternative justice solutions, or pursue system reform by addressing systemic criminalization that disproportionately targets Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) and low-income/poor communities across our five-state region.

We define carceral systems organizing broadly to include all systems that criminalize people’s lives based on race, poverty, gender, immigration status and/or disability. Examples include but are not limited to: 

• Abolition, transformative justice, and alternatives to incarceration
• Ending racial profiling and police brutality
• 'Addressing racial inequities in drug laws
• Child welfare, foster care, child protective services
• Youth incarceration and the school-to-prison pipeline
• Detention and deportation of immigrant communities
• Homeless encampment sweeps and criminalization of survival needs
• Re-entry organizing by and for folks who were recently incarcerated

The PAE Diversity in Engineering Scholarship offers a renewable $5,000 award for undergraduate students from marginalized ethnic backgrounds or genders pursuing engineering at a U.S. university. Established in 2024 in partnership with PAE, the scholarship aims to enhance diversity in engineering fields, focusing on candidates committed to climate justice. Awardees benefit from mentorship and networking opportunities with industry professionals, fostering both academic success and community impact.

Artists and culture bearers of color in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi can receive project funding for civic practice and social change work. Grants from National Performance Network help Southern minority artists collaborate with community partners on racial justice-focused projects; awards up to US $25,000 can support any project phase, including research, development, or production.

Nonprofits, fiscally sponsored groups, religious organizations, and Montgomery County government entities serving Montgomery County, Pennsylvania residents can apply for Healthspark Foundation’s rapid response grants, awarding US $500 - US $5,000 for urgent, community-led organizing and advocacy. Minority-serving groups advancing racial and social justice, civic engagement, and community power may benefit from this flexible, one-time funding.

The PHSKC Centering Diverse Healers in Youth Well-Being and Mental Health Grant Program aims to enhance youth mental health support by prioritizing BIPOC and LGBTQI+ organizations. This initiative seeks to increase access to resources, improve retention in youth-serving organizations, and support diverse mental health providers. Eligible applicants include nonprofits and community organizations focused on mental health and wellness in King County. The program encourages innovative proposals that address youth mental health needs and promote healing in the community.

The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts administers over 160 scholarships. Some of the funds help students from a particular school or area; others provide financial assistance to those pursuing a specific field of study; still others assist students that are most in need. Students who apply to the Scholarship program may be eligible for many of these funds. 

Scholarships are provided for one academic year and are not automatically renewed each year. You can reapply to our program every year you are going to attend college, and the application you submit that year will be considered for all scholarships for which you are eligible.

Loren and Norma Hill Scholarship Fund

To support students of color as defined by the Foundation, with a preference for residents of Hampden County.

Additional Guidelines

• Students can receive up to $3,000 in scholarships from the Community Foundation.
• Scholarship awards could impact the financial aid offered by a college, and students are advised to check with their college financial aid offices about this.
• Scholarships may be used to offset tuition, fees, room and board, and other items included as part of the cost for attending the institution. Some part and/or all the award could be considered taxable income. It is advisable students check with the college or tax accountant regarding this matter

The William Hart Scholarship offers a $5,000 award to Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color (BIPOC) undergraduate and graduate architecture students at the University of Oregon and Portland State University. Established in 2021 by Carleton Hart Architecture, this scholarship aims to support diversity in the architecture profession. Recipients can engage with CHA for mentorship and professional development, helping to remove barriers to entry and promote equity in the field.

Israel archaeology students and researchers, especially those from Black American and Indigenous communities, can access funding for fieldwork participation through scholarships from the American Society of Overseas Research. Awards of US $2,000 support allowable direct expenses for excavations at Hazor or other digs in Israel; applicants must also connect with an eligible project and ASOR membership.

About Us

Interact for Health works so that people in our region are healthy and thriving, regardless of who they are or where they live. We advance health justice by tackling the root causes of unfair systems, amplifying community power and partnering with trust.

Responsive Fund

The goal of the Responsive Fund RFP is to address immediate, emerging, or unanticipated needs within the community, recognizing that opportunities to build resilience require dedicated funding.

2) In-Kind Support for Sustainability Consultations and Capacity Building

Participants in this program will receive 1:1 consulting services tailored to an organization’s identified needs. Interact for Health will work with local consultants and community partners based on needs shared by grantee organizations.

Examples of needs include the following:

• Scenario planning  
• Legal support 
• Sustainability and development planning and implementation
• Diversified funding strategies and implementation
• Exploring collaboration, partnerships/alliances, shared services, and/or mergers
• Strategic planning and revisions 

Sustainability Consultations will include up to 30 hours of 1:1 support and will begin in late 2026. 

About Us

Interact for Health works so that people in our region are healthy and thriving, regardless of who they are or where they live. We advance health justice by tackling the root causes of unfair systems, amplifying community power and partnering with trust.

Responsive Fund

The goal of the Responsive Fund RFP is to address immediate, emerging, or unanticipated needs within the community, recognizing that opportunities to build resilience require dedicated funding.

Grant Funding for Critical Services – Sustaining Civic Infrastructure: Total investment up to $1.5 million  

This funding supports the continuity of critical community infrastructure and services by addressing the time-sensitive operational and programmatic needs. Proposals for funding should focus on critical gaps or unmet needs with deep ties to community relationships. Organizations should demonstrate readiness to deploy resources quickly if funding is provided. This RFP will prioritize funding organizations essential to advancing health justice and youth well-being among our priority populations. Grants are available at three levels: $50,000, $75,000, or $100,000 for general operating or programmatic support.

BIPOC community change leaders ages 18+ in Minnesota can apply for Nexus Community Partners’ Rhythmic Sabbatical Fellowship, which offers an 8‑month, rest-focused program with stipends, retreats, and healing support. This individual fellowship may benefit movement leaders serving minority communities who need structured time and resources to rest while continuing their community work.

BIPOC students interested in archaeology fieldwork can receive US $2,000 scholarships to join ASOR-affiliated excavation projects in Western Asia and the wider Mediterranean. Minority-serving nonprofits and academic programs may encourage African American and Indigenous students to apply for American Society of Overseas Research support covering fieldwork, travel, and ASOR student membership.

The Progress Alliance of Washington Grant focuses on empowering organizations that build political power, particularly for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities. Through strategic investments, the grant aims to strengthen a diverse and inclusive progressive movement in Washington. The funding prioritizes long-term relationships, impactful policy solutions, and tools that enhance movement capacity. Core Grants are awarded to partners committed to fostering civic engagement and ensuring democracy works for everyone.

Nonprofit organizations with a 5+ year track record serving Black, Latina, and Native American women and girls can seek funding to recruit and retain them in college-level computing programs in the U.S. Focused on computing education and equity, Reboot Representation Tech Coalition prioritizes multi-geo, research-backed programs leveraging existing infrastructure and funding.

Emerging Maine writers who are Black, people of color, and/or members of Wabanaki Nations or other Native peoples can receive fellowship support to develop their literary work and access professional spaces. Grants from Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance help these writers build community, gain membership and workshops, and strengthen their creative and professional goals in safe, inclusive environments.

Our Story

Established over 50 years ago, our founders redefined local philanthropy, fostering connections around a shared sense of place and purpose. As Virginia's largest community foundation, we bring people together to pool resources, co-create solutions and align actions for impactful change in the Richmond region.

Scholarships are offered to students living in the Richmond region and other Virginia locations. Each scholarship was established by a generous individual, family, or organization with a desire to assist high school students, recent high school graduates, and adult learners to continue their education. 

John E. Thomasson Scholarship

The John E. Thomasson Scholarship Fund was established in 2001 to support postsecondary educational opportunities for youth of African American or other minority heritage in the Louisa County (Virginia) Public Schools or Fluvanna County (Virginia) Public Schools. Scholarships will be awarded on a competitive basis to students who have been admitted to an accredited two-year technical school, four-year Historically Black College or University or the school of their choice. Preference will be given to applicants planning to attend Virginia State University, Hampton University, Virginia Union University, or Norfolk State University.

Estimated Award Amount

• (2) $1,000