Search Through Grants for Youth Programs in Missouri in the U.S.

Background

The Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation is focused on giving back to the people of greater Kansas City.

Through responsive and strategic philanthropy, the Foundation supports a variety of organizations working to improve the quality of life in local communities.

The Foundation is committed to assisting the city’s most vulnerable neighbors and striving to achieve lasting and meaningful change.

Learn more.

Grant Opportunities

The Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation’s grantmaking strategy emphasizes creating excellence and transformational change.

The Foundation’s unique approach combines proactive support that strengthens area nonprofits and responsive community assistance to achieve greater results, with a focus on underserved populations.

Community Impact

The Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation seeks to make strategic and responsive grants that help organizations achieve one or more of the following:

• Support nonprofit excellence and transformational change
• Meaningfully impact systemic issues
• Improve outcomes for low-income, underserved communities
• Expand organizational services

Since inception, the Foundation has invested over $175 million in greater Kansas City nonprofit organizations. Marion and Henry’s legacy of serving others continues to enhance our beloved city.What areas of focus (or cause areas) does the Foundation support? The Foundation’s areas of focus are:

• Education for Poor, Disadvantaged, and Underserved Youth
• Healthcare
• Jewish Community Organizations
• Post-Secondary Business and Entrepreneurship Education
• Social Services
• Visual and Performing Arts

What activities does the Foundation support?

The Foundation supports special programs, capacity building, and capital projects through strategic and responsive grants that help organizations achieve one or more of the following:

• support nonprofit excellence and transformational change;
• strengthen organizations;
• improve services for clients; and/or
• help underserved, low-income individuals.

What is the typical amount and duration of grant awards?

The Foundation does not have fixed minimum or maximum award limits, though grant awards typically fall in the range of $100,000 to $250,000. The Foundation makes both one-year and multi-year grant awards. 

Bring touring artists to your state

The Regional Touring Program (RTP) provides support for projects by organizations showcasing the work of artists from elsewhere in the M-AAA region.

• Organizations that book an artist listed on a state touring roster may be awarded up to 50 percent of the artist’s fee.
• Organizations that book an artist that lives in the region, but is not listed on a touring roster, may be awarded up to 25 percent of the artist’s fee.
• Organizations located in rural communities may receive an additional 10 percent of the artist’s fee.

Funding

• This grant will disburse matching funds of up to $5,000.
• Organizations may submit a maximum of three (3) applications and receive awards for up to three (3) different projects in a single fiscal year (July 1–June 30). Each applicant is eligible for an aggregate amount of $15,000 in a single fiscal year; and
• Similarly, an artist, ensemble, or scholar/educator can be the recipient of an aggregate of $15,000 through successful RTP grant applications submitted to M-AAA in a single fiscal year.

Pettus Foundation

The Pettus Foundation is the philanthropic legacy of Mr. James T. Pettus of International Shoe Company and his son, James T. Pettus, Jr. Core to the Pettus Foundation’s giving is Mr. Pettus’s desire “to enable people who might not have opportunities to have opportunities,” thus the Pettus Foundation prioritizes programs which create self-reliance, independence, and citizen productivity.

The St. Louis Community Foundation has the honor and privilege of working with the Trustees of the Pettus Foundation to continue to ensure that the philanthropic wishes of Mr. Pettus live on in the St. Louis Region.

The Foundation’s giving occurs in three ways:

• Through a competitive grant process in St. Louis, where Mr. Pettus, Jr. was born and went to school
• To pre-selected organizations in Hawaii, where Mr. Pettus Jr. lived in his later years
• Each of the seven children of James T. Pettus Jr. (family advisors) has an allocated amount to give to charities of their choice

Focus Areas

In St. Louis, the Pettus Foundation provides funding to nonprofit organizations working in the following areas:

• Workforce Development
• Direct job, technical, and career training
• Soft skills necessary for success
• Youth Development
• Preparation for the work force including soft skills
• Preparation for life after high school including higher education, technical school, military, or apprenticeship programs
• Education
• Early childhood education
• K – 12 public schools with a focus on the middle school years

Please note the following:

• Understanding how significant a robust early education platform is for putting children on an excellent educational and social trajectory, the Trustees are interested in programs that impact many preschools through teacher training and innovative curriculum design.
• The Trustees believe that there are many paths to job and career success. Funding interests include human services organizations and K-12 schools that are providing direct job training, STEM-related projects, technical training, or “soft skills” development needed to obtain and hold a job.
• The Trustees require evidence of stable, effective governance, solid financials, and multiple funders for programs and projects the Foundation supports.
• The Pettus Foundation typically funds direct services and small capital improvement. The Foundation does not fund advocacy, research programs, or systems-level initiatives.
• The Pettus Foundation does not consider grant applications requesting funds for computer technology.
• The Pettus Foundation’s typical grant range is from $5,000 to $25,000. The trustees particularly favor applications that demonstrate multiple funding partners and match or challenge grant opportunities. The trustees seek to leverage the Foundation’s assets to strengthen Saint Louis non-profits working toward the Foundation’s goals.

William S. Anheuser Charitable Fund

The William S. Anheuser Charitable Fund, a Donor-Advised Fund of YouthBridge Community Foundation, follows the guiding principle to Enrich, Enlighten, Encourage and Educate a few to Enable them to Pay It Forward.

Focus Areas

Upon recommendation of the Fund Advisors, YouthBridge provides grants in the following areas:

Children, Youth and Their Families; Women

In the United States we focus on organizations, projects, or programs that:

• Empower the working poor and single working mothers
• Ensure basic needs for the poor
• Support Native Americans
• Provide education or job training

Outside of the United States we focus on organizations, projects, or programs that:

• Empower the disadvantaged economically
• Ensure basic needs for those living in extreme poverty
• Fight human rights abuses

Animal Care

• We fund organizations, projects, or programs supporting animals that provide comfort to people.

Mission

Since 2001, we have been able to provide over $25 million to support organizations across the KC Metro, including more than $8 million since 2021. We prioritize organizations that align with our three pillars: Literacy and Education, Healthy and Active Communities, and Military and Veteran Support. 

Literacy and Education

• $1 Million given in scholarships to first generation and underrepresented students since 2012​
• 500+ students impacted through Royals Literacy League​ since 2023
• 9,000 students participated in Royals Scholastic Victory program in 2023
• Over 100 schools supported in 2023

Healthy and Active Communities

• The Kansas City Urban Youth Academy has welcomed over 60,000 youth and families since 2018
• Over 43,000 students participated in the Crown Schools Program since 2021​
• 1,000 youth participated in softball and baseball in 2023
• $176,000 provided in grants to improve baseball and softball fields throughout the Midwest in 2023 through Royalty Fields presented by Price Chopper

Military and Veterans

• Veteran and active-duty military members have been recognized at each home game with the Salute to Service seat presented by Miller Lite since 2017
• Completed military focused activations to support area veterans such as writing and delivering appreciation letters written by players, fans, alumni, and staff
• Provided support to organizations such as the KCVA, Veterans Community Project, American Patriot Foundation, Horses for Heroes, Wounded Warrior, and many more

John Deere FIRST

John Deere and FIRST are together committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion which encourages teams to be more innovation, creative, and make better decisions. We encourage your team to support and encourage diversity within your team.

John Deere grants are focused on increasing the participation and positive outcomes for students in John Deere home communities who historically have been underserved and underrepresented in STEM (Engineering, Computer Science/IT, and Manufacturing). This focus is supporting John Deere’s Bold Commitment of reaching at least one million underserved/underrepresented youth by 2030.

Current U.S. & Canada John Deere Inspire Home Communities

United States:

• California - Torrance
• Georgia - Augusta
• Illinois - Champaign & Quad Cities
• Iowa - Des Moines, Dubuque, Paton, Ottumwa, Quad Cities, & Waterloo
• Kansas - Coffeyville
• Louisiana - Thibodaux
• Missouri - Springfield
• North Carolina - Raleigh-Durham
• North Dakota - Fargo & Valley City
• Tennessee - Greeneville
• Wisconsin – Horicon

Canada:

• Alberta - Edmonton 
• Manitoba - Altona
• Ontario - Grimsby
• Ontario - Oakville
• Saskatchewan - Regina

Who We Are

Your Community Foundation is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization created by and for the people who live here. We build bridges between donors with a charitable vision and the nonprofits who make our region a great place to live, work, and play.

What We Do

The Community Foundation Serving West Central Illinois & Northeast Missouri connects people who care with causes that matter for here, for good, forever. 

We work with donors, nonprofits, and community leaders to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve. We accomplish this by building permanent charitable funds that benefit our communities today, tomorrow, and for years to come.

Samantha Otte Youth Opportunity Fund

Samantha Otte lived a short but significant life in 10 years.  Those who knew and loved her were touched by her spirit and spark. Those who did not have that privilege have witnessed how Samantha’s indelible imprint spurs family and friends to honor her life by helping others.  Advisors make grant recommendations with the fund’s primary purpose in mind which includes, but is not limited to, support for organizations which maintain and enhance community betterment and artistic, leadership, and humanitarian opportunities for youth. Grants awarded from the Samantha Otte Youth Opportunity Fund celebrate her life and touch hundreds of area children.

 Grants are generally awarded in January. While funding is not dependent upon submitting a request, the request form serves as a means to make the Community Foundation aware of organizations and programs.

ABOUT ROOTED IN JUSTICE

“Rooted in Justice” is a funding program designed to help amplify youth voices and actions in the environmental and food justice movements.  Rooted in Justice supports community-based organizations and groups that manage established, youth-led, urban greening programs within a justice framework as a core part of their work, with two-year grants of $25,000/year.  

Rooted in Justice recognizes the importance and undeniable right of every young person to have the ability to develop their own relationship with the environment, be it through growing food, spending time with nature, creating community green spaces, or becoming environmental stewards. Rooted in Justice also honors the power and possibilities that arise when young people collectively work to be change-makers in their communities.

Rooted in Justice supports organizations, groups, collectives, and programs that work with young people between the ages of 12 to 20 in youth-led programming for communities or cultures which have historically or currently experience:

• A lack of access to land or nature;
• Agricultural oppression and/or neglect;
• Food apartheid; and/or
• Other forms of injustice based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics and disability.

Rooted in Justice awards a small number of grants each year with applications due in the fall and decisions made the following spring. Final grant decisions are recommended to the Cedar Tree board via a participatory grantmaking process with outside reviewers who have experience in youth-led urban greening, as well as food or climate justice programming. So far the program has awarded multi-year grants to 21 organizations and one-time grants to 10 additional organizations since 2021. 

Definitions

Rooted in Justice grants support organizations or programs that include all four of the elements described below: social justice, youth-led, urban greening, and cohort-based youth work. We articulate our understanding of those terms below in an effort to provide a guide for prospective organizations to use in determining whether their program is a good fit. However as we continue our work towards questioning and dismantling some of our preconceived notions, we recognize that these are not finite definitions and encourage prospective applicants who still feel their work may be a good fit to describe in their proposals why this is the case.  

Social Justice-Based Programs

Programs dedicated to creating equitable outcomes for communities directly affected by different aspects of injustice by:

• Sharing and redistributing power and resources;
• Amplifying voices and leadership;
• Tackling root problems through ongoing engagement and collaboration to find solutions, organize against oppression of all kinds and create mechanisms for change; and
• Developing a critical analysis with youth and community members.

Youth-Led

The development of youth leadership skills is a core part of programs funded by Rooted in Justice. Young people have the opportunity to play a role in the planning and decision-making for their program and may help shape the internal workings of the organization. Examples of youth-led programs include programs where participants: 

• Managing a portion of their programming budget;
• Co-facilitating program activities, meetings and gatherings;
• Shape their own programming and/or organizational strategic planning;
• Have regular and end-of-program opportunities to provide program feedback and evaluation; and
• Have opportunities for personal and/or professional growth within the program and organization.

Urban Greening

For the purpose of this grant we define “urban greening” as any activity that creates a mutually beneficial relationship between city dwellers and their environments. Programs that are a strong fit for Rooted in Justice will have many opportunities for youth to be outdoors.  Project settings can include, but are not limited to: 

• Urban and aquaponic farms
• Greenhouses and rooftop gardens
• Community gardens, green spaces, and rain gardens
• Composting sites
• Land conservation efforts
• Urban forests
• River or other water restoration  

Cohort-Based Youth Works

Rooted in Justice looks to fund organizations that build community with cohorts of youth through intentional, recurring programming. This grant is intended to support programs that offer youth significant learning and leadership opportunities as a group and as individuals. Priority will be given to organizations that have program infrastructure that supports a cohort of youth over time.  Drop-in programming, one-time conferences, or individual internships are not a good fit for Rooted in Justice.  

Youth Budgeting

As part of grant proposal, all Rooted in Justice grantees must share a plan to allocate a portion of the grant funds for youth participants to manage. What do we mean by this? We ask applicants to specifically set aside some amount of grant funds for youth to allocate to priorities of their choosing.  For example, youth participants can use their allocated funding to:

• Fund an entrepreneurial endeavor;
• Design the brand or swag for their group;
• Hire a speaker or outside expert to teach a new skill;
• Purchase supplies for a community-based art project;
• Host a celebration for their families, friends and neighbors;
• Pay for transportation to programming, special events, or conferences; and/or
• Any other youth-led activity the group may find beneficial.

Use of Funds

Rooted in Justice funding must be used for project support of existing youth led, urban greening, social justice work and associated general operating expenses. Operating expenses can include anything from program costs like staff salaries and youth stipends to organizational sustainability needs like major equipment purchases and leadership/staff training. If your organization’s entire mission is youth led, urban greening, social justice work, the Rooted in Justice grant can be general support. 

Funding

Two Year Grant

• Rooted in Justice Grant awards are two-year grants of $25,000 per year.
• After the initial two year grant, grantees may be eligible for a third year of funding at the same or lower level through a simple renewal process.
• In the 2025-2026 grant cycle, the Cedar Tree Foundation expects to support 4 organizations with multi-year grant awards.

Funding for Professional Development

• Each Rooted in Justice grantee organization also has access to an additional $6,000 to support professional development opportunities identified by each organization.  Half of these funds must be used to directly support the professional development of youth. 
• Rooted in Justice grantees can request reimbursement from this professional development fund to attend conferences, hire consultants, purchase equipment or software that increases organizational capacity, or participate in any activities that strengthen youth programming or justice practice of program providers in support of their youth development programming. The funds set aside for youth professional development can be used for youth exchanges or youth participation in conferences and other professional development opportunities directly for youth.  

Community Professional Development Calls

• Cedar Tree works with grantee partners to assess their professional development interests and facilitates on-line gatherings of staff or youth for skill shares, trainings, and networking opportunities.
• These network calls will likely happen 2-3 times per year. 

The St. Louis Community Foundation provides grants management and administrative support for private and family foundations.  We assist foundation trustees with their grantmaking decisions in an effort to help them fund creative and sustainable programs. We provide assistance to nonprofits in navigating the diverse funding structures of our clients and provide the foundations with information about the nonprofit landscape as a whole, as well as their particular area of interest. Each foundation has its own set of funding criteria and submission deadlines. In order to be considered for a grant, we recommend that nonprofit organizations review the list below and reach out to the St. Louis Community Foundation staff to learn more about each funder’s priorities and process.

Charless Foundation

The purpose of the Charless Foundation is “to provide support to other charitable organizations providing services and assistance to promote the health, welfare, and wellness of Missouri Senior Citizens, with an emphasis, where possible, in the South St. Louis City neighborhoods.”

As part of its 2024-2028 strategic framework, the Community Foundation established two strategic priority areas: Economic Mobility and Youth Connections. The Economic Mobility priority includes grantmaking in the areas of housing, financial health, and job access and creation; these sub priority areas were identified as areas of community need and partnership opportunities, as well as high interest areas of community stakeholders.

Beginning in 2025, therefore, the Community Foundation will be aligning Charless Foundation grantmaking with our strategic priority focusing on housing. In particular, Charless Foundation will concentrate funding on assisting older adults in South St. Louis City through home repairs, modifications, weatherization, and preservation.

In recognition of the number of older adults who face food insecurity, Charless Foundation will also provide some funding for food banks and food pantries in South St. Louis city, limited to $10,000 per distribution site.

Funding

Grants may range from $10,000 to $50,000 per year. Awards for food banks and food pantries will be limited to $10,000 per year per distribution site. For new applicants, funding is available for one year. For past Charless grantees, funding is available for up to three years, with eligibility for second- and third-year funding based on annual reporting. All funded organizations will be required to complete a final report.

About the Foundation

Light A Single Candle is a private foundation dedicated to the relief of poverty through effective partnerships that target:

• Food support, food security and food sustainability;  
• Youth and Family Development & Youth at Risk
• Development of individuals, families, and communities toward self-determination and an improved standard of living .

We believe the need for food and economic sustainability is basic to all poverty solutions. We are motivated by faith in God and values based initiatives and programs, but are not limited to the support of faith-based partnerships.

What is Impact 100?

The Impact 100 represents organizations working to meet the most critical health and human service needs facing our region today. Each nonprofit must meet a high bar of organizational accountability in terms of finances, governance and community impact. Selected organizations are diverse in human service domains, geographic reach, and populations served.

United Way of Greater Kansas City is seeking proposals from area nonprofit organizations that are part the community’s health and human service ecosystem for inclusion in the 2025 United Way Impact 100, a network of high-impact health and human service providers supported by United Way of Greater Kansas City.

Impact 100 Funding Opportunity

Organizations selected for the Impact 100 receive a one-year, unrestricted grant in support of the organization’s mission. In addition, grantee organizations become part of United Way’s network, gaining exposure to United Way’s community of donors and corporate partners. In weighing whether to apply for this opportunity, organizations should consider their alignment with areas of investment across the three pillars of Health, Education and Financial Stability, as described in United Way’s Community Needs Index as well as selection criteria and related goals established by United Way to ensure the greatest impact across the region.

United Way Areas of Community Investment and Program Demographic Reporting

United Way awards a single, unrestricted grant to organizations that are selected for the Impact 100. To ensure that United Way leaders understand and communicate effectively about the impact of that investment, United Way also collects a limited amount of programmatic data from applicant organizations. Specifically, you are asked to complete a program demographic form for your organization’s top three programs (or 1 or 2, if you have fewer than three) and provide participant demographic data for each. In this form, you are asked to provide a brief description of the program and select up to two program categories with which the program aligns. The categories appear in a drop-down menu in the program demographic form:

• Access to Healthcare and Supportive Services
• Aging and Senior Support Services
• Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Intervention & Treatment
• Child Welfare
• Community and Family Violence Prevention and Intervention
• Early Childhood Education and Development
• Financial Stability and Employment
• Food and Nutrition Security
• Housing Security
• Services for Individuals with Disabilities
• Supports for People with Involvement in the Justice System
• Youth Development, K-12 Academic Supports and Postsecondary Pathways

Overall Portfolio Criteria

In addition to the above criteria for assessing individual applicants, United Way’s selection of Impact 100 grantees will also be guided by the following goals in ensuring a broad-based and inclusive portfolio of grantees that, together, improve the quality of life for all people across the region.

• United Way strives to invest in a wide variety of strategies and approaches to improving community conditions, including programming that responds to immediate critical needs and preventative strategies to prevent critical needs from emerging, as well as both direct-service programming and systems-level approaches.
• United Way is committed to investing in a wide range of health and human service domains, addressing community needs across the three pillars of Health, Education and Financial Stability. 
• United Way supports a wide range of organizations, in terms of scope and scale—including multicounty organizations and those with a narrow geographic focus; those with large budgets, as well as small- and medium-sized budgets; and those that provide a single service as well as those with a multi-faceted set of services.
• United Way is committed to maximizing the impact of its investments.
  • This means reaching as many lives as possible through those investments.
  • We also consider the depth of impact and recognize that some organizations serve a small number of people but make a deep and lasting impact.
  • We strive to strike a balance between these considerations when selecting Impact 100 grantees.

Not every organization that aligns with United Way’s interest areas and effectively meets selection criteria will be able to receive funding. Organizations that are not selected for the Impact 100 will be eligible for donor-directed giving and, as such, will have the opportunity for inclusion in United Way’s broader network of community partners.

Ms. Foundation for Women

The mission of the Ms. Foundation for Women is to build women’s collective power in the U.S. to advance equity and justice for all. We achieve our mission by investing in, and strengthening, the capacity of women-led movements to advance meaningful social, cultural and economic change in the lives of women.

Birth Justice Initiative

In 2022, Ms. Foundation for Women launched our first national, open call request for proposals for our Birth Justice Initiative to support Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities in addressing racial based health disparities in birth experiences and birth outcomes. Through this initiative, Ms. will mobilize funding and capacity building resources nationally to organizations implementing birth justice strategies rooted in movement building and organizing.

The Birth Justice Initiative will build upon our decades of experience supporting grassroots leaders fighting for reproductive justice. The overall goals of our initiative are to:

• Build power within the birth justice movement
• Increase connectivity and collaboration between Birth Justice Organizations and movement leaders.
• Provide philanthropic advocacy, thought partnership, and thought leadership, to influence the movement of more resources to the Birth Justice movement.

We are committed to deepening our investment in grassroots Black, Indigenous and WGOC-led organizations working toward achieving birth justice. In our first round of grant making, we will invest over $1,000,000 in support of birth justice organizations across the spectrum of movement building and organizing, and supporting our communities to advance more equitable birth outcomes.

Background

AmeriCorps improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. AmeriCorps brings people together to tackle some of the country’s most pressing challenges through national service and volunteerism. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities and those serving. AmeriCorps helps make service a cornerstone of our national culture.

AmeriCorps grants are awarded to eligible organizations proposing to engage AmeriCorps members in evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions practices to strengthen communities. An AmeriCorps member is an individual who engages in community service through an approved national service position.

Funding Priorities

AmeriCorps’ priorities for this funding opportunity are:

• Organizations leading service in communities with concentrated poverty, rural communities, tribal communities, and those organizations serving historically underrepresented and underserved individuals, including but not limited to communities of color, immigrants and refugees, people with disabilities, people who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community, people with arrest and/or conviction records, and religious minorities;
• Evidence-based interventions on the AmeriCorps Evidence Exchange that are assessed as having Moderate or Strong evidence.
  • Please note that many of these interventions have demonstrated effectiveness in improving outcomes for individuals living in underserved communities and that the agency has committed resources to supporting grantees seeking to replicate and evaluate these interventions in similar communities;
• Veterans and Military Families, Caregivers, and Survivors – a program model that improves the quality of life of veterans and improves the well-being of military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors;
• Faith-based organizations;
• Programs that provide additional benefits to AmeriCorps members aimed at enhancing member experience and bolstering member recruitment and retention such as paying more than the minimum living allowance, transportation, housing, food, etc.;
• Programs that create workforce pathways for AmeriCorps members, including deliberate training, certifications, and hiring preferences or support;
• Environmental Stewardship, including supporting communities to become more resilient through measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve land and water, increase renewable energy use and improve at-risk ecosystems, especially in underserved households and communities;
• Community-based programs that enhance and expand services to second chance youth and or engage those youth as AmeriCorps members;
• Programs that support civic bridgebuilding programs and projects to reduce polarization and community divisions; and providing training in civic bridgebuilding skills and techniques to AmeriCorps members;
• Programs focused on implementing or expanding access to high-quality early learning and those that prepare AmeriCorps members to enter early learning careers.

In addition to these federal priorities, MCSC will prioritize the investment of national service resources in the following areas:

• Geographic areas of the state that are currently underserved
• Programs focusing on academic improvement in mathematics
• Urban environmental stewardship programming
• Racial justice programming
• Serving people/recruiting people with disabilities
• Returning citizens/incarcerated individuals programming

John Deere FIRST

John Deere and FIRST are together committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion which encourages teams to be more innovation, creative, and make better decisions. We encourage your team to support and encourage diversity within your team.

John Deere grants are focused on increasing the participation and positive outcomes for students in John Deere home communities who historically have been underserved and underrepresented in STEM (Engineering, Computer Science/IT, and Manufacturing). This focus is supporting John Deere’s Bold Commitment of reaching at least one million underserved/underrepresented youth by 2030.

Current U.S. & Canada John Deere Inspire Home Communities

United States:

• California - Torrance
• Georgia - Augusta
• Illinois - Champaign & Quad Cities
• Iowa - Des Moines, Dubuque, Paton, Ottumwa, Quad Cities, & Waterloo
• Kansas - Coffeyville
• Louisiana - Thibodaux
• Missouri - Springfield
• North Carolina - Raleigh-Durham
• North Dakota - Fargo & Valley City
• Tennessee - Greeneville
• Wisconsin – Horicon

Canada:

• Alberta - Edmonton 
• Manitoba - Altona
• Ontario - Grimsby
• Ontario - Oakville
• Saskatchewan - Regina

FIRST Robotics Competition

Combining the excitement of sport with the rigors of science and technology

Royalty Fields Program

The Kansas City Royals Foundation provides financial support to help improve baseball and/or softball facilities throughout the Midwest region through the Royalty Fields Program, presented by Price Chopper. The Kansas City Royals Foundation will provide matching grants to qualifying organizations.

Matching grants are available for major renovations of baseball and/or softball fields used primarily for youth. Major renovations will include the upgrading of essential baseball field components.

Items That Qualify

• New sod​
• Infield​
• Fencing​
• Dugouts​
• Other items necessary to provide safe conditions to play baseball and/or softball

Purpose

To broaden and strengthen opportunities for positive development and participation in community life for youth.

General Information

Administered by the Department of Economic Development (the DED), YOP is a tax credit for contribution program created to broaden and strengthen opportunities for positive development and participation in community life for youth 21 years old and under through public-private partnerships. To administer a project, eligible organizations must be approved by the DED through the YOP application process.

An approved applicant is granted assistance in the form of state tax credits to help attract eligible donors who would be able to, in effect, redirect their Missouri tax dollars to an approved project. Under YOP, a tax credit is equal to 50% of eligible monetary contributions and 30% of eligible in-kind donations. The tax credit is used to offset an eligible donor’s income tax liability and is claimed when the donor files their Missouri tax return. The credit may be used against taxes owed for the year of the donation plus five additional tax periods. This form of assistance is not a grant and does not include the transfer of tax dollars from YOP to approved organizations. Through fundraising efforts, approved organizations assume full responsibility for securing the financial support necessary to implement the YOP project. The State’s role is to approve projects, provide project oversight, and issue tax credits to eligible donors that contribute to YOP projects.

The total amount of YOP tax credits available for distribution is $6 million, with no more than $200,000 in tax credits awarded to any one project.

YOP Priorities

While there are many types of projects that qualify for the Youth Opportunities Program, the Department actively seeks and prioritizes proposals that directly address the following YOP goals:

• Programs that are local/neighborhood/community based.
• Programs designed to generate self-esteem and a positive self-reliance in youth and which abate youth violence.
• Programs located in areas of the state which have statistically higher incidence of crime, violence, and poverty.

John Deere FIRST

John Deere and FIRST are together committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion which encourages teams to be more innovation, creative, and make better decisions. We encourage your team to support and encourage diversity within your team.

John Deere grants are focused on increasing the participation and positive outcomes for students in John Deere home communities who historically have been underserved and underrepresented in STEM (Engineering, Computer Science/IT, and Manufacturing). This focus is supporting John Deere’s Bold Commitment of reaching at least one million underserved/underrepresented youth by 2030.

Current U.S. & Canada John Deere Inspire Home Communities

United States:

• California - Torrance
• Georgia - Augusta
• Illinois - Champaign & Quad Cities
• Iowa - Des Moines, Dubuque, Paton, Ottumwa, Quad Cities, & Waterloo
• Kansas - Coffeyville
• Louisiana - Thibodaux
• Missouri - Springfield
• North Carolina - Raleigh-Durham
• North Dakota - Fargo & Valley City
• Tennessee - Greeneville
• Wisconsin – Horicon

Canada:

• Alberta - Edmonton 
• Manitoba - Altona
• Ontario - Grimsby
• Ontario - Oakville
• Saskatchewan - Regina

John Deere FIRST

John Deere and FIRST are together committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion which encourages teams to be more innovation, creative, and make better decisions. We encourage your team to support and encourage diversity within your team.

John Deere grants are focused on increasing the participation and positive outcomes for students in John Deere home communities who historically have been underserved and underrepresented in STEM (Engineering, Computer Science/IT, and Manufacturing). This focus is supporting John Deere’s Bold Commitment of reaching at least one million underserved/underrepresented youth by 2030.

Current U.S. & Canada John Deere Inspire Home Communities

United States:

• California - Torrance
• Georgia - Augusta
• Illinois - Champaign & Quad Cities
• Iowa - Des Moines, Dubuque, Paton, Ottumwa, Quad Cities, & Waterloo
• Kansas - Coffeyville
• Louisiana - Thibodaux
• Missouri - Springfield
• North Carolina - Raleigh-Durham
• North Dakota - Fargo & Valley City
• Tennessee - Greeneville
• Wisconsin – Horicon

Canada:

• Alberta - Edmonton 
• Manitoba - Altona
• Ontario - Grimsby
• Ontario - Oakville
• Saskatchewan - Regina

Mission

The mission of the Foundation is to benefit the welfare of children and families and to support public safety in specific communities.

Vision

• Children and families receive the help they need to overcome abuse, addiction and poverty so they can have a brighter future.
• Public safety providers have the skills and equipment needed to protect and save lives.
• Families are provided a solid foundation through faith based programs.

Geographic Focus

• Barry County, Missouri
• Cabell County, West Virginia
• Jackson & Josephine Counties, Oregon

To support the Mission and Vision of the Robert & Frances Chaney Family Foundation grants are awarded in the areas of human services, public safety and faith based programs.

The Jelley Family Foundation Endowment for Children's Education Fund

In 2013, the Jelley Family Foundation was established by Dr. Carl Jelley, who cared deeply for the well-being and education of local children. He firmly believed that hard work, responsibility, honesty, and integrity are the building blocks of a meaningful and purposeful life. Dr. Jelley was deeply devoted to helping all children and youth, regardless of demographics, reach their full potential. The endowment established in his name continues to exemplify Dr. Jelley’s dedication to children’s education.

What Is A Typical Jelley Grant Award Amount?

The average Jelley Grant award is $5,000-$8,000. The maximum award is $10,000. More than $141,000 is available annually through the Jelley Family Foundation for Children's Education.

The Menorah Heritage Foundation is guided by the following principles in awarding grants:

• Perpetuate the Jewish Community
• Anticipate and adapt to changing needs
• Invest in transformational change
• Address critical/severe needs
• Support meaningful programs that benefit the Greater Kansas City Community

The Menorah Heritage Foundation seeks to support organizations who:

• Maintain a history of compassion and excellence
• Address the needs and represent the interests and viewpoints of their clients
• Possess the leadership, management, efficiencies and resources necessary to achieve the organizational objectives
• Collaborate with other providers whenever feasible and appropriate
• Establish financial stability and present a sense of awareness regarding the details of operations

The Menorah Heritage Foundation seeks to support organizations who:

• Maintain a history of compassion and excellence
• Address the needs and represent the interests and viewpoints of their clients
• Possess the leadership, management, efficiencies and resources necessary to achieve the organizational objectives
• Collaborate with other providers whenever feasible and appropriate
• Establish financial stability and present a sense of awareness regarding the details of operations

Unrestricted Operating Support Cycle

Our Unrestricted Operating Support Cycle provides mission-based operating support through unrestricted grants to organizations providing emergency assistance, shelter, safety-net health care, child welfare and youth services and other critical human services. This unrestricted funding may be used for organizational expenses which are part of a board-approved annual budget, including administrative salaries, employee benefits, utilities, office supplies and equipment, technology, rent and professional development. Eligible organizations must be based in and provide the majority of their services in the metro Kansas City area.  

Examples of General Community Core funding might include the following:

• Audit expenses
• Rent
• Utilities
• Office Equipment
• Technology Upgrades and Training
• Benefits and Insurance

What Kinds of Proposals Does the Community Grants Program Fund?

Applications to the Community Grants program must address one or more of the following issues:

• Arts, Culture, and Historic Preservation.
• Adult or Non-Traditional Education (not Children's Education).
• Community Betterment (improving neighborhoods, youth development and leadership, programs for seniors, transportation, violence prevention, racial equity, etc.);
• Health and Human Services.
• Click here for Wildlife Conservation in Missouri

Built on a strong foundation.

The Patterson Family Foundation was established to reinvest in rural communities and cultivate values of education and hard work for current and future generations. Currently, the Foundation is led by the adult children of the Patterson Family.

Youth Engagement

Funding for programs that expand the ability to engage youth and young adults in rural communities.

Project focus areas could include

• Getting youth involved in volunteerism,
• Participating in community service organizations,
• Gaining leadership experience and skills, and
• Enhancing youth voices in the arts and local journalism

Purpose

21st CCLC programs are required to provide the following programmatic components, as authorized under Title IV, Part B, of the ESEA, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015:

• Provide opportunities for academic enrichment, including providing tutorial services to help students, particularly students who attend low-performing schools, to meet the challenging State academic standards in at least math, reading, and science (subjects are Missouri specific);
• Offer students a broadarray of additional services, programs, and activities; such as, youth development activities, service learning, nutrition and health education, drug and violence prevention programs, counseling programs, arts, music, physical fitness and wellness programs, technology education programs, financial literacy programs, environmental literacy programs, mathematics, science, career and technical programs, internship or apprenticeship programs, and other ties to an in-demand industry sector or occupation for high school students that are designed to reinforce and complement the regular academic program of participating students; and
• Offer families of students served by community learning centers, opportunities for active and meaningful engagement in their children’s education, including opportunities for literacy and related educational development. 

All three components must be offered at each site (a site would NOT be eligible if it only offered homework and/or tutoring and/or credit recovery as these do not provide all the required programmatic components of 21st CCLC programs).

A center may be composed of one or more sites. Each site occurs at a separate geographic location, but is still part of the total 21st CCLC.

Centers need to provide a range of high-quality services to support student learning and development, including tutoring and mentoring, homework help, academic enrichment (such as hands-on math, reading/language arts, and science, STEM programs), community service opportunities, as well as music, arts, sports, and cultural activities. At the same time, centers help working parents by providing a safe environment for students during non-school hours or periods when school is not in session. 

About Cigna

Our Mission

To improve the health and vitality of those we serve.

Our Vision

A better future built on the vitality of every individual and every community.

Youth Mental Health Grant

The Cigna Group Foundation is committing $9 million over three years to improve the mental health of youth (ages five to 18) as it relates to post-pandemic stress and distress. This commitment includes support for their parents, caregivers, and youth service professionals like educators and therapists.

We seek to collaborate with and support nonprofits that leverage evidence-informed programs and services to serve local youth experiencing the most need.

During the first year of our three-year commitment, we will focus on investing in solutions that address mental health concerns early, and strategically offer programming, intervention, and access to care in schools and related settings in underserved communities. We look forward to partnering with nonprofit organizations that align to at least one of these grant program goals:

• Increase reach of programming that fosters social-emotional skills and well-being.
• Increase the number of parents, caregivers, and youth service professionals who feel equipped to support.
• Increase pathways to mental health intervention and access to care.

Grant Range and Term

• $100,000 – $150,000
• One-year term

Missouri State Parks Bus Grant Program

Bus grants assist schools and nonprofit organizations with the transportation expenses of field trips and outdoor learning opportunities at Missouri state parks and historic sites. Bus grants have been made available to Missouri schools and youth-focused nonprofit organizations throughout the state.

Information on eligible field trip destinations can be found on the Missouri State Parks website. 

Purpose

The purpose of the grant program is to promote natural, cultural, and recreational opportunities at Missouri state parks and historic sites. Missouri State Parks offers busing grants to underwrite the cost of field trips for schools and non-profit organizations in an effort to connect children with nature. 

Grant Requirements

To maximize funding availability statewide, two grants per school district may be awarded during the initial review (only one application per school per field trip will be accepted). Additional applications may be considered after all awards have been made and upon funding availability. 

Funding must be used to underwrite the costs of transporting youth (Pre-K through12th grade) to a Missouri state park or historic site. 

Examples of eligible costs include: 

• standard mileage for buses or vans owned by a school or organization; 
• charter bus costs; and 
• wage/salary costs for bus drivers.

Applicants are responsible for making all transportation arrangements. Applicants must contact the state park or historic site to coordinate field trip activities prior to submitting a grant application. 

The Sumners Foundation Grant

Working through qualified, tax-exempt organizations, the Foundation seeks to reach, educate, and motivate the general public and the current and future leaders of American society on the science of self-government.

The specific efforts of the Foundation include support for:

• Programs and activities that provide personal involvement in the political process and functions of government, such as democracy reform, civic education and engagement programs, and mock legislative sessions, as well as conferences and seminars on relevant public policy issues.
• Teacher training on the founding documents and/or democratic principles.
• Programs and academic contests on American democratic self-government targeting youth, educators, young professionals, and other societal leaders.
• Other programs and activities that, in the opinion of the trustees, meet the obligations of the Foundation's statement of purpose.