Best Highlands County Grants for Nonprofits in Florida

Highlands County, Florida nonprofits and community organizations involved in academics, medical, athletics, or the arts can access funding through Thakkar Family Foundation to support local programs and services. Eligible groups should be located in Highlands County or nearby focus areas and align their requests with the foundation’s mission to improve communities.

With a mission to conserve threatened forestlands, Florida Forest Service provides Highlands County, Florida landowners and public partners with funding to acquire or place conservation easements on environmentally important forests. Eligible participants can sell land or development rights to keep forests intact, supporting sustainable management and long-term land and habitat conservation.

Joseph G Markoly Foundation Inc

When Joseph Markoly originally established the foundation more than thirty years ago, its focus was on Alzheimer’s and heart disease support, funded through a number of the larger national disease-related organizations. Over time the focus has shifted to helping small to mid-size organizations in our local communities which support children and seniors in a variety of effective ways. 

Markoly Foundation was established in honor of Joseph G. Markoly, an entrepreneur and philanthropist who wanted to make a positive impact in people’s lives. Joseph’s family was affected directly by both Alzheimer’s and heart disease having lost a family member to each condition. For that reason, the foundation dedicates a majority of their resources to providing grants to organizations that focus on the treatment of each of these diseases. In addition, Markoly Foundation supports a variety of programs dedicated to helping children and seniors by providing services, supplies, programs and research in areas impacting these demographics.

Joseph G. Markoly Foundation Grant Support for Elder Organizations

The Markoly Foundation takes pride in supporting local organizations that provide services for elders in our community. Seniors face a number of challenges that come with aging, especially when they don’t have loved ones who are able to assist them with their needs. We provide grants for a variety of senior-related programs from Caregiver Education and Support to Emergency Meal Delivery and Transportation Services.

We are dedicated to providing funding for local nonprofit programs that improve the quality of life for all, but particularly for the children and elders in our community.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and government entities in Highlands County, Florida can seek up to US $20,000 for workforce development, K-12 energy education, climate resiliency, and inclusive economic opportunity projects. With a mission to power community vitality, Duke Energy Foundation provides rolling, year-round support for programs serving communities in its Piedmont Natural Gas service area.

Units of local government in small urban and rural areas of Highlands County, Florida can seek funding for community development projects such as housing rehabilitation, infrastructure, parks, and downtown revitalization. Florida Commerce administers this HUD-funded Small Cities CDBG program, which also supports economic development activities that create or retain jobs for low- and moderate-income residents.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Highlands County, Florida working with children, youth services, or hunger relief can receive monetary or in-kind dining certificate support through Brinker International’s charitable giving program. Brinker International provides Highlands County nonprofits with one donation per year to strengthen kids’ health, food access, and education-focused community efforts.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, public schools, and qualified local governments in Highlands County, Florida can receive funding to provide job-related classes and courses for their employees. Grants from TD Charitable Foundation help organizations serving low- to moderate-income and historically underserved communities build staff skills while advancing work in areas like financial literacy, education, housing, and business development.

Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits serving children and families, including those in Highlands County, Florida, can apply for Amscot’s funding to expand education, enrichment, and safety programs. Eligible organizations must be in good standing for at least one year and operate in communities where Amscot has a presence.

Adult education, ESOL, and family literacy programs in Highlands County, Florida can apply for Florida Literacy Coalition’s Florida Financial Literacy Initiative Grants; awards up to US $5,000 to integrate financial education with literacy and math instruction. Eligible programs include those serving parents and children through comprehensive family literacy components.

Organizations restoring or enhancing longleaf pine or bottomland hardwood forests in Highlands County, Florida can seek $250,000 to $3,000,000 for on-the-ground conservation projects. Grants from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation help forestry and habitat restoration efforts across the historical longleaf pine range, supporting voluntary restoration, enhancement, and conservation activities.

Nonprofit and community organizations in Highlands County, Florida working on urban forestry recovery and resilience can apply for funding from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. With a mission to restore storm-damaged urban forests, this program provides US $5,000 - US $75,000 for tree planting, pruning, and planning to improve long-term canopy resilience.

Community Transportation Coordinators and non-traditional transportation service providers in Highlands County, Florida can apply for the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged’s Innovative Service Development Grant; awards up to US $750,000 to test new or expanded transportation services for transportation disadvantaged individuals, improving cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and accessibility, including underserved or cross-county trips.

Nonprofit organizations running community, health, education, or environmental programs in Highlands County, Florida can apply for regional grants of more than US $5,000. With a mission to improve quality of life, TD Charitable Foundation provides support especially for initiatives serving diverse, historically underserved, or low-to-moderate income populations.

Nonprofit and for-profit organizations hosting community-focused events or activities in Highlands County, Florida can seek sponsorship support to positively impact local communities. Grants from TD Charitable Foundation help Highlands County community services and environmental initiatives that engage TD Bank colleagues, build local relationships, and create public-facing opportunities benefiting both the community and the bank.

Highlands County, Florida environmental and conservation organizations can access funding through Restore America’s Estuaries to address threats to estuaries, including habitat loss, coastal resilience, stormwater runoff, and harmful algal blooms. This nationally competitive program offers US $200,000 - US $500,000 for projects within eligible National Estuary Program watershed boundary areas.

Highlands County, Florida 501(c)(3) nonprofits serving children’s education, health, or emotional well-being can access funding through the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation Grant Program. Eligible organizations must be at least two years old, comply with anti-discrimination laws, and be located in a county served by Suncoast Credit Union, including Highlands County.

Highlands County, Florida housing organizations focused on eviction prevention and renter stability can access funding through TD Charitable Foundation. The Housing for Everyone Competition supports innovative early-intervention programs in low- to moderate-income communities, with awards ranging from US $1,000,000 - US $2,000,000 for select real estate and housing initiatives.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and governmental entities in Highlands County, Florida can seek up to US $20,000 for programs in workforce development, climate resiliency, and justice, equity and inclusion. Grants from Duke Energy Foundation help eligible Florida communities served by Duke Energy deliver measurable economic, environmental, and opportunity-focused impact.

Nonprofit organizations and eligible public entities running food access and nutrition programs in Highlands County, Florida can access funding through Bayer Fund to combat malnutrition and hunger. Support focuses on education that drives healthy eating behavior change and food security efforts like pantries, backpack programs, soup kitchens, gardens, and other nutritious food distribution initiatives.

With a mission to conserve natural resources, the Curtis & Edith Munson Foundation provides Highlands County, Florida environmental nonprofits with US $10,000 - US $40,000 for conservation initiatives. Eligible 501(c)(3) organizations must typically offer a 1:1 match and demonstrate 100% board giving; site-specific projects focus on South Florida ecosystems, including eligible Highlands County areas.

Rural Infrastructure Fund

The Rural Infrastructure Fund (RIF) facilitates planning, preparing, and financing of infrastructure projects in rural communities to encourage job creation, capital investment and the strengthening and diversification of rural economies. RIF funds are often used by rural communities as a match for other infrastructure funding programs, such as those offered by the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant, United States Department of Agriculture - Rural Development, and the United States Department of Commerce - Economic Development Administration.

Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-2027 RIF Available Funding

A total of $27 million in funding is available through RIF for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-2027. Funding in the amount of $22 million is available for eligible rural communities statewide. Additionally, $5 million is available to Panhandle Specific counties including Calhoun, Gadsden, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty, and Washington.

Up to $300,000 can be awarded for infrastructure feasibility studies, design and engineering activities, or other infrastructure planning and preparation activities.

• Projects located outside a Rural Area of Opportunity - $75,000 with 50% local funds match.
• Projects located within a Rural Area of Opportunity - $300,000
• Projects located within a catalyst site (as defined in Section 288.0656, Florida Statutes): maximum amounts same as above. Local funds match requirements may be waived pursuant to the process in Section 288.06561, Florida Statutes.

The Eugene and Nadine Stegelmeyer Scholarship, established by the Community Foundation of Northern Nevada, supports students pursuing post-secondary and graduate studies in teaching and geriatrics. Eligible applicants include graduating seniors from Washoe County High Schools or those enrolled in relevant programs at accredited institutions. This scholarship aims to alleviate the financial burden of tuition costs while encouraging academic excellence and dedication to the fields of education and geriatrics.

The BRAIN Initiative aims to create web-accessible data archives to enhance research on brain science by offering tools for data analysis and visualization. This effort, led by the National Institute of Mental Health in collaboration with other NIH Institutes, seeks to establish a framework for rigorous data sharing and collaboration across various sub-domains. The initiative will enable the scientific community to access standardized and comprehensive data archives to support innovative neurotechnology research.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) aims to support innovative research for validating therapeutic targets in Alzheimer's Disease-Related Dementias (ADRD). This initiative focuses on overcoming barriers in treatment development by ensuring well-validated targets linked to disease mechanisms. By employing a phased award mechanism, NINDS seeks to enhance the rigor of target validation, facilitating the transition from basic discoveries to clinical applications, ultimately accelerating the development of effective therapeutic strategies.

City of Chicago's UNCF Workplace Campaign Scholarship

The City of Chicago's UNCF Workplace Campaign Scholarship will provide a one-time, merit-based scholarship of $5,000 for students of any classification who have a parent or guardian employed by the City of Chicago and its affiliate agencies. Students must be enrolled full time at any U.S. four-year, accredited college or university in the 2026-2027 school year.

The City of Chicago’s UNCF Workplace Campaign Scholarship was created in partnership with the City of Chicago and UNCF to ensure that dependents of City of Chicago employees can earn a college degree.

This merit-based scholarship is open to full-time, four-year university students of any classification who have a parent or guardian employed by the City of Chicago and its affiliate agencies.

The Coco Gauff Tennis Scholarship

The Coco Gauff Tennis Scholarship will provide a need-based scholarship of up to $8,500 to eligible HBCU student-athletes competing on their intercollegiate tennis teams. Awards will be issued in the 2026-2027 academic year.

UNCF STEM Scholars Program

The UNCF STEM Scholars Program is an initiative designed to identify and provide scholarship and academic support for students who aspire to earn STEM degrees and to pursue careers in STEM fields, awarding 75 scholarships. The program enables highly capable young people to pursue undergraduate STEM majors and prepares them for successful careers in a variety of STEM professions.

Individual Award

• Maximum total up to $25,000, please see Program Benefits below.