Best Capacity Building Grants for Nonprofits in Illinois

The Jill Botkin Hearing Health - Care Accessibility Scholarship, funded by the American Academy of Audiology, offers a $5,000 award to a full-time graduate student in audiology dedicated to improving access to hearing care. With nearly 50% of U.S. counties lacking nearby services, this scholarship aims to support students who demonstrate commitment through their academic achievements and personal statements. It emphasizes the importance of equitable healthcare access in underserved communities and encourages future audiologists to bridge this critical gap.

The Ronald Barnes Memorial Grant, offered by The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America, supports North Americans pursuing studies in carillon performance, composition, music history, or instrument design. Established in 1998 to honor Ronald Barnes, a significant figure in carillon music, the grant has awarded over US$140,000 since 2007. For the 2025 cycle, grants of up to US$14,138 are available, depending on the number of successful applicants, promoting education in this unique art form.

• Innovative: An approach that brings fresh thinking, tools, or models to homeownership in ways that challenge the status quo and demonstrate a disruptive, future-oriented vision with potential to inspire or shift broader field practice.
• Impactful: A solution with meaningful potential to expand homeownership through knowledge and action, featuring clear and measurable progress indicators that demonstrate capacity to shift trajectories for low- and moderate-income households.
• Bridge-Building: An initiative that effectively connects and unifies a wide range of stakeholders, fostering meaningful collaboration across sectors or perspectives. The strongest submissions will reflect strong community partnerships across the housing ecosystem.
• Durable: A sustainable pathway that addresses root causes of homeownership barriers rather than just symptoms, with compelling evidence of potential to elicit robust support from broad private, philanthropic, and public funding sources over time.

The Native Public Health Resilience (NPHR) program is a new funding opportunity aimed at supporting Tribes and Tribal Organizations in delivering essential public health services. Sponsored by the Indian Health Service, this initiative seeks to bolster public health infrastructure and resilience within tribal communities, ensuring they have the necessary resources to address health challenges effectively. Eligible applicants will receive financial assistance to enhance their public health capabilities and improve community health outcomes.

The 21st Century Museum Professionals (21MP) Program, funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, aims to enhance career pathways and professional networks in the museum sector. This initiative focuses on developing current museum staff, recruiting new professionals, and fostering partnerships that promote effective workforce training. By emphasizing peer learning and alternative career pathways, the program seeks to create a robust and diverse museum workforce across the nation.

The RFP for the Rural Rental Housing Preservation Academy offers no-cost training sessions aimed at empowering rural housing providers to acquire and preserve affordable housing financed by USDA, HUD, and LIHTC. Participants will engage in peer learning, receive targeted technical assistance, and access expert guidance tailored to their needs. This initiative seeks to enhance the preservation of affordable housing opportunities, particularly those with rental assistance, in rural communities across the region.

The Eastern Bird Banding Association is offering the Memorial Fund Research Grants to support research utilizing avian marking techniques, such as banding. Applicants must submit a detailed project proposal, including significance and budget, alongside their background in ornithology. Grants are open to all, particularly encouraging student applications, with no lifetime award limit per individual. Projects must focus on species within EBBA territory, ensuring marking techniques are integral to the research.

This funding opportunity aims to advance HIV/AIDS research by implementing human new approach methodologies (NAMs) to reduce the reliance on specific pathogen free (SPF) animal models. It emphasizes the integration of NAMs-enabled frameworks for in vitro testing while supporting essential SPF colony resources. The initiative seeks to enhance research rigor and reproducibility through innovative strategies that prioritize human-relevant models, ultimately improving HIV research outcomes and facilitating collaborative development in the field.

The Bonnie Sorenson Scudder Scholarship aims to support female students aspiring to become teachers, particularly those passionate about women's physical education. Established in memory of Bonnie Sorenson Scudder, a dedicated physical education teacher at Harvard High School, this scholarship encourages future educators to continue her legacy. For more details, contact Marcia Miller at Harvard High School.

RRCU Gives Foundation Grant

Mission Statement:

RRCU Gives strengthens our region by providing meaningful financial support to nonprofits addressing hunger, housing, and financial education. Through our annual grant awards and major funding initiatives, we help local organizations grow, thrive, and create lasting change.

 We award grants annually, with applications in June and awards in August.

Focus Areas

• Hunger
• Housing
• Financial Education

The Gary S. Wilmer / RAMI Music Scholarship supports local students aged 19 and under who are passionate about music and committed to furthering their education in the arts. Established in memory of Gary Wilmer, founder of RAM Magazine, this scholarship honors his legacy by providing financial assistance to aspiring musicians in Boone, Ogle, or Winnebago County. Applicants are required to submit an audition recording and a reference from a music teacher to demonstrate their dedication to musical excellence.

Raptor Research Foundation

RRF Mission Statement: The Raptor Research Foundation advances the science, conservation, and understanding of birds of prey.

The Raptor Research Foundation (RRF) is the world’s largest professional society for raptor researchers and conservationists. Founded in 1966 as a non-profit organization, our primary goal is the accumulation and dissemination of scientific information about raptors. The Foundation organizes annual scientific conferences and provides competitive grants and awards for researchers and conservationists. The Foundation also provides support and networking opportunities for students and early career raptor researchers.

Fran and Frederick Hamerstrom Achievement Award

The Fran and Frederick Hamerstrom Award is a non-monetary award that recognizes an individual who has contributed significantly to the understanding of raptor ecology and natural history. The award has no restrictions, but membership in the RRF is encouraged. Nomination packets can be submitted in the spring. Recipients will be announced at the annual meeting. Recipients are invited to give a plenary lecture at the subsequent RRF annual meeting. 

About The Hamerstroms: The award was established in 1990 to recognize and honor the Hamerstrom’s contributions to our understanding of raptor natural history and ecology through their long-term ecological studies. Between them, during their lifetime of research they authored and co-authored over 240 scientific papers, books, and reviews. Fran and Hammie moved from Boston to the midwest, where Fran was Aldo Leopold’s only female graduate student. They settled down in Plainfield Wisconsin where a small army of young researchers got their start in the field helping out on studies of harriers and prairie chickens. 

Raptor Research Foundation

RRF Mission Statement: The Raptor Research Foundation advances the science, conservation, and understanding of birds of prey.

The Raptor Research Foundation (RRF) is the world’s largest professional society for raptor researchers and conservationists. Founded in 1966 as a non-profit organization, our primary goal is the accumulation and dissemination of scientific information about raptors. The Foundation organizes annual scientific conferences and provides competitive grants and awards for researchers and conservationists. The Foundation also provides support and networking opportunities for students and early career raptor researchers.

Partners for Raptors Lifetime Achievement Award

The Partners for Raptors Lifetime Achievement Award honors outstanding individuals who have dedicated their lives to raptor research and conservation. These notable awardees are recognized for their significant contributions to the study and conservation of birds of prey, as well as their outstanding achievements gained through innovative field work, impactful collaborative partnerships, and a lifetime of inclusive interactions with their peers and the public focused on raptors. This is a joint award originally given by the Raptor Research Foundation in partnership with The Peregrine Fund. Going forward, we welcome partnerships with other raptor-oriented organizations, depending on the nominee’s involvement with both the proposing organization and RRF. The award is intended to complement RRF’s Hamerstrom (primarily academic focused) and Cade (primarily conservation focused) awards. 

This is a non-monetary award, designated with a plaque and a RRF resolution honoring the awardee.

The nomination committee consists of representatives of both RRF and the partner organization. Once a nominee is identified, the boards of both the RRF and the partner organization will ratify the nomination.

Raptor Research Foundation

RRF Mission Statement: The Raptor Research Foundation advances the science, conservation, and understanding of birds of prey.

The Raptor Research Foundation (RRF) is the world’s largest professional society for raptor researchers and conservationists. Founded in 1966 as a non-profit organization, our primary goal is the accumulation and dissemination of scientific information about raptors. The Foundation organizes annual scientific conferences and provides competitive grants and awards for researchers and conservationists. The Foundation also provides support and networking opportunities for students and early career raptor researchers.

William Andersen Student Presentation Awards

The Awards: The William C. Andersen Memorial Awards are given to both the best student oral and poster presentation at the annual RRF meeting. This award can only be given to a student once per degree (bachelor, master, or doctorate). To be eligible, a student must be senior author and presenter of the paper or poster.

Students wishing to apply for this award should indicate their interest by checking the box on the abstract submission form. 

Amount

The poster award recipient receives $325, 1-year free membership to RRF, and waived page charges to publish their research in the Journal of Raptor Research. The recipient must be the primary author and the paper must reflect what the award was for.

The paper award recipient receives $525, 1-year free membership to RRF, and waived page charges to publish their research in the Journal of Raptor Research. The recipient must be the primary author and the paper must reflect what the award was for.

About William Andersen

The William C. Andersen Award was established in 1982 in memory of Bill Andersen, who drowned in 1980 while canoeing the Churchill River in Manitoba during a Peregrine Falcon survey. Dr. Andersen was a chemistry professor, but his first love was raptors. He established the Ornithology Research Center at Otero Jr. College in La Junta Colorado, as a medium for raising funds for the field research he conducted with his students. His interest in raptors of southeastern Colorado grasslands naturally evolved into developing a solution to the universal problem of raptor persecution. He established a rehabilitation facility and tirelessly lectured to service clubs and school groups about the benefits of raptors. He was a strong supporter of the RRF and a number of students accompanied him to each of the annual meetings. His enthusiasm, sincerity, and humor sparked an interest in raptors among many of his students and associates. While participating in the 1980 North American Peregrine Falcon Survey, Bill and a partner were canoeing on the Churchill River in northern Manitoba. They unexpectedly encountered extremely turbulent water and capsized. Bill disappeared and presumably drowned. In that instant, raptors and those inspired by them lost one of their strongest allies.

Nurses Educational Funds

Nurses Educational Funds, Inc. depends solely on donations to advance our only mission, to promote nursing leadership through annual scholarship support for professional nurses seeking masters and doctoral degrees in nursing education, practice, research, and administration.

NEF’s only purpose is to provide nursing scholarship assistance to make graduate level nursing education possible. NEF is one of the largest, national, private, professionally endorsed source of funds for advanced nursing study with over one hundred years of service to and for professional nursing. NEF is a non-profit organization with 501(c) status.

Rita Reis Wieczorek Scholarship for Maternal-Infant and Pediatric Nursing

Created in 2020, by Rita Reis Wieczorek, EdD, RN, PNP, FAAN, together with NEF. Dr. Wieczorek is an NEF Board Member Emeritus and longtime board member. This scholarship is the first NEF Scholarship to focus on maternal-infant and pediatric nursing. For over four decades Dr. Wieczorek has devoted her career to providing the best maternal-infant and pediatric care to her patients as well as teaching the highest standards of care to master's and doctoral nursing students, motivating them to excel in their care for the well-being of mothers, infants and children.

The SCORCH Program: Phase 2 aims to enhance the understanding of single cell biology in the context of HIV and Substance Use Disorder (SUD). Building on previous research, this initiative will explore new single cell approaches to investigate the interactions between SUD and HIV progression at various biological levels. By leveraging advanced techniques, the program seeks to identify candidate mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets, ultimately contributing to innovative solutions for SUDs and HIV-related challenges.

About Us

Driving Positive Change in Noble County!

At the Community Foundation of Noble County we are passionate about making Noble County an even better place to call home. Since 1991, area residents have been turning to the Community Foundation of Noble County to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible, as we see it as our mission to serve as a catalyst for positive change. The Community Foundation of Noble County is a public charity 501 (c) 3 entity.

As a group of invested community members, we identify local current and emerging issues and stimulate resources to address those needs, helping our region prepare for the future. We then leverage gifts and bequests from generous donors like you to drive positive change through grants in such areas as arts and culture, education, health and human services, civic affairs and other charitable areas of interest.

Our Mission

To improve the quality of life in Noble County by serving as catalyst for positive change, enabling donors to carry out charitable intent, and making grants.

Donor Story – Joest, Brian H. Memorial Fund

Brian Henry Joest was born in Lagrange, Indiana in 1957. He grew up on the Atwood family farm that was settled by his ancestors in the mid-1800s. Now a historical Hoosier Homestead, the Atwood Farm provided him with all the outdoor activities possible for a farm boy in northern Indiana. Brian’s love of nature and the outdoors continued throughout his life. After high school, he attended Glen Oaks Community College and then Purdue University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics

For decades, Brian went on annual backcountry camping and canoeing trips across the US and Canada. He paddled some of the most beautiful rivers in North America. He took a road trip to remote northern Alaska. He camped out on an active volcano in Guatemala. He explored most of the US National Parks. In his later years, his travels were less rustic but still adventurous as he and his wife, Cindy, checked off many items on his bucket list. They traveled to Paris, Rome, Florence, the Amalfi Coast of Italy, Ireland, and all around the US and Canada.

Brian began his professional career with management positions at Many Glacier Hotel at Glacier National Park in Montana; the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan; the Mountain View Grand Resort in New Hampshire; and Copper Mountain Ski Resort in Colorado. He also worked for Marriott Corporation where he opened new hotels across the Midwest.

Upon the birth of his first child, Brian moved his young family back to Lagrange County so his children could grow up on the Atwood Farm near their family. Brian worked for Life Care Center of Lagrange, was a substitute teacher for the Lakeland School District, and worked for fifteen years for East Noble School Corporation, most recently as an Instructional Assistant for high school students with special needs.

Brian enjoyed doing things for other people and took so much joy in their happiness. His career choices reflected his servant’s heart. He loved working in the hospitality industry and being able to make someone else’s vacation more memorable. He helped the patients and their families at Life Care Center. He spent years making a difference for students in our local schools.

Brian experienced first-hand the unique challenges faced by the families of individuals with special needs. He was a father, stepfather, and step-grandfather to children with different disabilities. He understood the difficulties of navigating support systems and knew there are gaps in these systems that result in unmet needs. At the end of his life, while he was fighting cancer, Brian dreamed of being able to return to the classroom to help special needs students. This was not to be. In 2022, his family created this fund in his honor with the intent of continuing his dream to help improve the lives of individuals with special needs.

The AISES Indigenous Peoples Education Fund (IPEF) Scholarship offers $5,000 to support Indigenous students pursuing degrees in STEM fields. This scholarship is available to current AISES members who are full-time students and enrolled citizens or descendants of recognized Native American tribes. AISES aims to empower these students, fostering diversity in STEM while recognizing the importance of education as a tool for personal growth and community development.

The Little Giraffe Foundation, a national non-profit based in Chicago, provides NICU Support Grants ranging from $100 to $1,000. Since 2011, they have positively impacted countless families by delivering over 32,000 gift bags and funding essential research. These grants aim to enhance the experience for parents and patients in neonatal intensive care units, supporting initiatives like holiday gift bags and resources for bonding with babies. Applications are welcomed from eligible U.S.-based institutions.

The Little Giraffe Foundation is dedicated to supporting neonatal health through research grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000. Since 2011, they have provided substantial resources to hospitals and institutions, focusing on both immediate and long-term health challenges faced by premature infants. Eligible applicants include scientists and healthcare professionals from U.S.-based institutions. The foundation aims to advance research in biological processes, genetics, clinical studies, and more, improving outcomes for vulnerable populations.

Alkermes

At Alkermes, we apply our deep neuroscience expertise to develop medicines designed to help people living with complex and difficult-to-treat psychiatric and neurological disorders, including addiction, serious mental illness and sleep disorders. With our portfolio of marketed medicines and investigational pipeline candidates, we seek to make a meaningful difference in the way people manage these chronic diseases. Our patient-inspired science, integrated research strategy, sophisticated development capabilities and specialized commercial infrastructure enable us to pursue the development and commercialization of innovative new medicines, including those for people with conditions that have traditionally been overlooked or stigmatized.

Our greatest strengths at Alkermes are our people and our inherent empathy for patients, families and caregivers. Neurological and psychiatric disorders strike people at the core of who they are and impact many facets of their lives. We work with urgency to develop new treatment options for people living with these conditions.

Pathways APN Research Awards

The Alkermes Pathways Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) Research Awards™ program is designed to empower the advanced practice nursing community by offering funding opportunities that recognize their vital role in evidence-based care and the advancement of mental health research.

The Alkermes Pathways APN Research Awards provide opportunities for individual grants of up to $10,000 per project for licensed psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners who are actively engaged in clinical, academic, and/or community health settings and are committed to advancing research in schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder.

Carl Hill Memorial Scholarship

Awards:

• One time award of $500.

The Holloway Family Foundation, established in North Central Texas, aims to enhance community quality of life regardless of race, gender, or religion. Their mission focuses on financial security, creative expression for under-resourced youth, and mentorship for personal development. The foundation supports organizations that provide workforce training, artistic opportunities for children, and guidance for youth in need. By fostering individual growth and economic stability, they empower families and strengthen communities, staying true to the founders' core values and personal experiences.

About NABT

Since its establishment in 1938, the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) has been the recognized "leader in life science education." Thousands of educators have joined NABT to share experiences and expertise with colleagues from around the globe; keep up with trends and developments in the field; and grow professionally.

NABT Mission

The National Association of Biology Teachers empowers educators to provide the best possible biology and life science education for all students.

Climate Education Action Award

Sponsored by NCSE, this award recognizes excellence in classroom/community education that specifically supports and promotes the accurate and robust teaching of climate science and the impact of the changing climate on society beyond the classroom. This award is presented to K-12 teachers in odd-numbered years and undergraduate and/or informal educators in even-numbered years. NCSE’s sponsorship of this award includes a $1,000 honorarium. The recipient also receives a recognition plaque to be presented at the NABT Professional Development Conference and one year of complimentary membership to NABT.

About Colin Farrell FoundationThe Colin Farrell Foundation is committed to transforming the lives of individuals and families living with intellectual disability through education, awareness, advocacy, and innovative programs. Inspired by his two sons, he is excited and deeply humbled by the hope that the Colin Farrell Foundation can help those who the larger systems of governance have neglected.

CFF Innovation GrantsWe’re looking for bold, scalable solutions focused on one or more of these priority areas:

• Affordable co-housing models for individuals and families
• Employer-partnered day programs and inclusive job opportunities
• Tools and technologies that enhance accessibility at home and in community spaces
• Cross-sector collaborations between public, private, and nonprofit organizations

The AGA-Bern Schwartz Family Fund Research Scholar Award in Pancreatic Cancer provides $100,000 annually for three years to early-career faculty in digestive disease research. This award aims to support independent careers in pancreatic cancer research by protecting a significant portion of the recipient's time for research activities. Eligible applicants must hold an MD, PhD, or equivalent and work at a North American institution, with AGA membership required. Strong encouragement is given to underrepresented groups.