Best Grants for International Development in Illinois

The Community Foundation’s scholarships are for Arkansas students pursuing education at two- or four-year colleges or universities, vocational schools or technical training programs. Each scholarship has its own eligibility criteria. Some scholarships are designated for graduates of a particular high school or those who plan to attend a particular college. Others are based on extracurricular activities or intended college majors.  

The Foundation has a scholarship portal with a quiz to help applicants determine scholarship eligibility. 

“Since 1976, the Community Foundation has partnered with individuals and organizations who want to support our state’s students in their pursuit of higher education,” said Heather Larkin, Community Foundation president and CEO. “These generous people provide the funding and determine the size and eligibility criteria of each scholarship, while we oversee the application and awarding process on their behalf.” 

Arkansas Service Memorial Scholarship

For students who are children of Arkansans who lost their life in service in the state, nation or community.

The Goldman Fund, established in 1992, focuses on reproductive health and rights, providing vital support for organizations that enhance access to abortion services. They invite proposals from public charities with a 501(c)(3) status and prioritize projects that improve training for abortion service delivery. The fund supports initiatives across multiple states, excluding projects limited to a single state, except California, and considers requests by invitation only.

The Amazon Literary Partnership Grant supports nonprofit organizations in the U.S. that empower diverse and marginalized writers. Since 2009, it has provided over $17 million to various literary groups, fostering emerging talent across genres. Eligible organizations must focus on developing writers, celebrating storytelling, and connecting them with audiences. By funding innovative initiatives, Amazon helps ensure that underrepresented voices are heard in the literary community, contributing to a rich and diverse narrative landscape.

The Community Wellbeing Grant, offered by the Lululemon Centre for Social Impact, aims to enhance wellbeing through movement, mindfulness, and connection. This grant supports community-led non-profits working to address systemic inequities, helping to build access to wellness resources. Applications are encouraged from organizations that prioritize diverse leadership and serve populations facing barriers to wellbeing. The goal is to impact 10 million individuals positively by 2025, fostering equity and resilience in communities worldwide.

The Creative Economy Fund offers vital support to digital creators and entertainment professionals affected by the LA Wildfires. Catering to individuals in film, music, and performing arts, this fund provides assistance for those who have experienced home loss or damage. Eligible applicants include direct creators, employees of talent agencies, and other creative professionals, ensuring a broad reach within the entertainment community. With a focus on personalized resources and guidance, the fund aims to foster resilience in a challenging industry.

League of Chicago Theatres 

The League of Chicago Theatres was founded in 1979 by a small group of theaters formerly known as the Off Loop Producers Association. Their mission was to enrich and sustain the economic and cultural life in Chicago by developing marketing, advocacy and information services to strengthen the operations of member theatres. 

Today the League serves many functions for the community including audience development, advocacy, government relations, grant-making, and professional development. The League remains an organization that is governed by our membership and is proud to serve more than 200 theaters. Our membership encompasses a diverse list of companies including not-for-profit and commercial operations, suburban and city-based, all-volunteer storefront operations and large regional theatres. 

ComEd Powering the Arts Program

Purpose and Overview

Exposure to the arts is vitally important for the health of our communities. Coming together to share a cultural offering is a way to cultivate community and achieve social connection, which inspires and uplifts us all. Arts and culture should be accessible to everyone. Through this program, ComEd and the League of Chicago Theatres look to reach audiences that have otherwise been unable to access the richness of cultural offerings throughout the ComEd service area.

Experiences in the arts increase creativity across the spectrum of human endeavor. Each experience provides audiences with further opportunities for interaction, whether they are inspired to educate themselves further about the topic, create a work of art themselves, or perhaps to attend another event. Each exposure enhances the quality of life for the audiences but can also change lives in profound ways.

Recognizing that access to art is crucial to the quality of our lives, ComEd has partnered with the League of Chicago Theatres to support cultural institutions in northern Illinois in their efforts to reach new and diverse audiences. The ComEd Powering the Arts program has been designed to assist local institutions in these efforts by providing funding for some expenses toward these goals.

Applicants may request funding for either $20,000 or any amount up to $10,000. Requests for funding between levels ($10,001-$19,999) will not be considered.

Community Foundation for Muskegon County

At the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, we work with donors, grantees, and advisors to address key community issues.

The mission of the Community Foundation is to engage donors and connect them with opportunities to make a lasting impact, build community endowment, provide leadership on key issues, and make grants that reflect the communities we serve.

Scholarships

Our scholarship funds seek to empower and encourage Muskegon County residents to pursue their dreams, hone in their gifts, and give back to our community.

If you’re a high school or homeschooled senior, current college student, early college senior, or adult learner, the Community Foundation for Muskegon County may have a scholarship for you. We manage one of the largest scholarship programs in our area, with over $1 million committed to students in over 500 new and renewed scholarships awarded each year.

West Shore Cardiology Consultants, P.C. Scholarship

This scholarship has been made possible by the generosity of West Shore Cardiology Consultants, P.C., who established the West Shore Cardiology Consultants, P. C. Scholarship of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County. The five partners, Dr. Carl Gebuhr, Dr. Ralph Ryan, Dr. Mark Meengs, Dr. John Skallerup, and Dr. Gregory Bernath, felt they "...wanted to give something back to the community," and therefore chose a scholarship fund because of a strong commitment to education and its impact on an individual's success. Awards are for Muskegon County students with merit and financial need.

Bolivian Society of St. Louis

The Bolivian Society of St. Louis was founded in 1965 by Bolivian immigrants to promote and preserve the rich customs and culture of Bolivia for future generations and new Bolivian immigrants. We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in the Greater St. Louis Area.

Whether you're a native Bolivian, connecting with your family’s culture, or curious to learn more, we would love to have you join us at one of our events or fundraisers for some of the best food, music, traditions, and community that Bolivia has to offer.

Bolivian Society of St. Louis Scholarship

The scholarship is awarded on the basis of merit, community outreach, outstanding academic performance, and ancestry. Students of Bolivian and Hispanic/Latino ancestry (up to two generations) planning to enroll in a university, college, or trade school are eligible to apply. Preference will be given first to students of Bolivian decent, then to students born in a Latin American country, then to students of Latin American decent. 

The Transformational Partnerships Fund offers catalytic grants of up to $100,000 to support partnerships among degree-granting institutions, focusing on student-centered solutions. These grants aim to explore innovative collaborations that enhance stability and success for students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds. Eligible institutions must demonstrate a commitment to transformational partnerships, with priority given to those serving diverse populations and improving educational outcomes. Interested applicants can find more information on the grant process and criteria.

The William W. and Beverly I. Sutton Scholarship, provided by the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, aims to empower Muskegon County residents to achieve their educational dreams. This scholarship is available to high school seniors, current college students, and adult learners. With over $1 million in scholarships awarded annually, it reflects the Foundation's commitment to fostering educational opportunities and community growth, ensuring that the legacy of Bill and Beverly Sutton continues to inspire future generations.

The Pittsburgh Foundation

Established in 1945, The Pittsburgh Foundation is one of the nation’s oldest community foundations and as of 2022 is the 18th largest of more than 750 similar foundations across the United States.

As a community foundation, its resources comprise endowment funds established by individuals, businesses and organizations with a passion for charitable giving and fulfilling the Foundation’s mission of improving quality of life for all in the region. The Foundation currently manages about 2,500 individual donor funds and, together with its supporting organizations and its affiliate, The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County, has assets of $1.386 billion (2022). Grantmaking benefits a broad spectrum of basic needs and development opportunities within Pittsburgh and beyond.

Scholarships

The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County provide scholarship opportunities for local students to pursue their educational goals. Scholarships are available for graduating high school seniors, undergraduates, graduate, medical and professional school students who are attending community colleges, four-year universities and career/technical schools.

William and Muriel Reynolds Moreland Scholarship Fund

The William and Muriel Reynolds Moreland Scholarship was established at The Pittsburgh Foundation to honor William H. Moreland and Muriel Reynolds Moreland in appreciation of their lifetime commitment to the citizens of the Borough of Dormont, Pennsylvania. This scholarship supports graduating seniors who are residents of Dormont Borough and are continuing their education in a post secondary accredited program. Applicants should demonstrate service to others through their school, church and community.

Award Type: Single-Year Award. Previous recipients are encouraged to re-apply.

Battle Creek Community Foundation

Our Mission: The Battle Creek Community Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to expand opportunity and create lasting community benefit for today and tomorrow.

Scholarships

Every Battle Creek area resident shall have the resources to access post-secondary education and training. Whether you’re a graduating high school senior, an adult returning to school, or a graduate student pursuing advanced education, we’re here to support you by opening doors to opportunity.

Aaron W. Howard Scholarship Fund

The Aaron W. Howard Scholarship Fund was established by the parents, family and friends of Aaron Howard. Pfc. Howard died in February 1991 while serving in the U.S. Army in the Persian Gulf War. He was a 1989 Lakeview High School graduate. There are no restrictions as to college to be attended or curriculum to be followed. To qualify, an applicant must be in need of financial assistance and must have demonstrated potential to succeed in the college curriculum to be pursued. Factors considered, in addition to financial need are character and citizenship, industry and effort and ability as indicated by test data and grades received to date in high school.

The Pittsburgh Foundation

Established in 1945, The Pittsburgh Foundation is one of the nation’s oldest community foundations and as of 2022 is the 18th largest of more than 750 similar foundations across the United States.

As a community foundation, its resources comprise endowment funds established by individuals, businesses and organizations with a passion for charitable giving and fulfilling the Foundation’s mission of improving quality of life for all in the region. The Foundation currently manages about 2,500 individual donor funds and, together with its supporting organizations and its affiliate, The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County, has assets of $1.386 billion (2022). Grantmaking benefits a broad spectrum of basic needs and development opportunities within Pittsburgh and beyond.

Scholarships

The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County provide scholarship opportunities for local students to pursue their educational goals. Scholarships are available for graduating high school seniors, undergraduates, graduate, medical and professional school students who are attending community colleges, four-year universities and career/technical schools.

Westmoreland Education Fund

The Westmoreland Education Fund was created at The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County to provide scholarships to traditional and non-traditional students who reside in Westmoreland County.

Award Type: Renewable award.

The Society of Family Planning is dedicated to advancing equitable access to contraception and abortion through science. The recent approval of Opill, the first over-the-counter oral contraceptive in the U.S., presents a unique opportunity to enhance contraceptive access. This initiative encourages research on implementation strategies to address cost, distribution, and education, ensuring the successful integration of over-the-counter contraceptives into healthcare options for all.

The Joint DMS/NIGMS Initiative aims to enhance research at the intersection of mathematical and biological sciences, fostering collaborations and innovative activities. Funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, this program offers two funding tracks: Track 1 supports projects with budgets up to $600,000 for three years, while Track 2 accommodates budgets up to $1,200,000 for three to four years. This initiative addresses critical questions in the biological and biomedical fields.

The Bear Paw Resort Scholarship, offered by the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, supports graduating seniors from White Lake High School who plan to pursue post-secondary education. With over $2 million available for scholarships in 2025, this initiative aims to empower students in their educational journeys. The scholarship is designed to assist with tuition costs, payable after the completion of the first semester, thereby encouraging academic success and community development.

Battle Creek Community Foundation

Our Mission: The Battle Creek Community Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to expand opportunity and create lasting community benefit for today and tomorrow.

Scholarships

Every Battle Creek area resident shall have the resources to access post-secondary education and training. Whether you’re a graduating high school senior, an adult returning to school, or a graduate student pursuing advanced education, we’re here to support you by opening doors to opportunity.

Athens Area Community Foundation Scholarship Fund

The Athens Area Community Foundation (AACF) was created by and for the residents of the community and, therefore, belongs to everyone in this community! Athens Area Community Foundation responds to our changing needs, including developing postsecondary education scholarships. The AACF Scholarship is for graduating seniors and graduates of Athens High School, or current Athens area residents, who wish to seek postsecondary education and have a grade point average of 2.5 or above.

The Pittsburgh Foundation

Established in 1945, The Pittsburgh Foundation is one of the nation’s oldest community foundations and as of 2022 is the 18th largest of more than 750 similar foundations across the United States.

As a community foundation, its resources comprise endowment funds established by individuals, businesses and organizations with a passion for charitable giving and fulfilling the Foundation’s mission of improving quality of life for all in the region. The Foundation currently manages about 2,500 individual donor funds and, together with its supporting organizations and its affiliate, The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County, has assets of $1.386 billion (2022). Grantmaking benefits a broad spectrum of basic needs and development opportunities within Pittsburgh and beyond.

Scholarships

The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County provide scholarship opportunities for local students to pursue their educational goals. Scholarships are available for graduating high school seniors, undergraduates, graduate, medical and professional school students who are attending community colleges, four-year universities and career/technical schools.

College Club of Pittsburgh Scholarship Fund

The College Club of Pittsburgh Scholarship Fund was created at The Pittsburgh Foundation to provide scholarships for students who have faced social, economic, or educational barriers due to systemic gender inequity, and who were born, lived in or went to school in Western PA to provide support for continuing education.

Award Type: Single Year Award. Previous recipients are encouraged to re-apply in consecutive years.

Battle Creek Community Foundation

Our Mission: The Battle Creek Community Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to expand opportunity and create lasting community benefit for today and tomorrow.

Scholarships

Every Battle Creek area resident shall have the resources to access post-secondary education and training. Whether you’re a graduating high school senior, an adult returning to school, or a graduate student pursuing advanced education, we’re here to support you by opening doors to opportunity.

Barton Farm Co. Scholarship Fund

The Barton Farm Company Scholarship was established in 2007 by the Barton family. This scholarship was established in appreciation for the support of the Homer community. The Barton family feels very fortunate that they have been able to employ talented students from the Homer area. The Barton's believe strongly in the importance of education and the continued excellence of our local schools.

The Charles and Louis Lincoln Scholarship, awarded by the Erie Community Foundation, provides financial assistance to Erie High School students who are first- or second-generation Americans. This scholarship supports those with demonstrated scholastic ability and financial need, helping them pursue higher education. In 2023, over $800,000 was awarded to more than 500 students, reflecting the foundation's commitment to educational access and support for diverse communities.

The Spanos Family Memorial Scholarship, funded by the Erie Community Foundation, offers financial support to outstanding students who are active members of the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Erie. In 2023, over $800,000 in scholarships were awarded to more than 500 students pursuing higher education. Applications are evaluated based on merit, academic performance, financial need, and community involvement, ensuring that deserving individuals receive the assistance they need to succeed in their educational endeavors.

Battle Creek Community Foundation

Our Mission: The Battle Creek Community Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to expand opportunity and create lasting community benefit for today and tomorrow.

Scholarships

Every Battle Creek area resident shall have the resources to access post-secondary education and training. Whether you’re a graduating high school senior, an adult returning to school, or a graduate student pursuing advanced education, we’re here to support you by opening doors to opportunity.

Blanche Barr Trone Scholarship Fund

Blanche Barr Trone (1892 – 1985) by her Last Will and Testament established a Trust for scholarships for needy students attending college or institutions for advanced training. Mrs. Trone operated a pharmacy in Battle Creek for many years and was vitally interested in helping young people further their education.

The American Floral Endowment (AFE) offers educational grants aimed at enhancing the floriculture industry through innovative programs. With over $3 million funded since its inception, AFE supports initiatives targeting young people and addressing industry challenges. Grants range from $500 to $10,000 annually, encouraging multi-year projects that benefit broad geographical areas. Eligible applicants include community organizations focused on floriculture education within the U.S. AFE prioritizes programs with national scope and significant educational impact.

The STEM Innovation Grant by Colocation America supports innovative STEM programs for K-12 students, offering up to $7,500 in funding. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations and schools with STEM-specific programming. The grant aims to inspire youth through unique learning approaches and real-world applications of STEM knowledge. Interested parties must attend a mandatory informational call, with funding available for tools, curriculum development, and professional training.

The GM on Main Street Grant Program, led by Main Street America, focuses on enhancing the safety and vibrancy of downtowns through innovative road safety and traffic calming projects. Funded by General Motors, this program seeks transformative ideas that promote pedestrian safety and accessibility, making downtown areas more inviting for residents and visitors. Eligible applicants include non-profits and local governments in designated counties, with a strong emphasis on projects that are inclusive, feasible, and easily replicable.

Battle Creek Community Foundation

Our Mission: The Battle Creek Community Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to expand opportunity and create lasting community benefit for today and tomorrow.

Scholarships

Every Battle Creek area resident shall have the resources to access post-secondary education and training. Whether you’re a graduating high school senior, an adult returning to school, or a graduate student pursuing advanced education, we’re here to support you by opening doors to opportunity.

Bronson Class of 1981 Memorial Scholarship

The Bronson Class of 1981 Scholarship Fund was established for the purpose of providing scholarship to Brinson area students who seek educational opportunities beyond high school.

Battle Creek Community Foundation

Our Mission: The Battle Creek Community Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to expand opportunity and create lasting community benefit for today and tomorrow.

Scholarships

Every Battle Creek area resident shall have the resources to access post-secondary education and training. Whether you’re a graduating high school senior, an adult returning to school, or a graduate student pursuing advanced education, we’re here to support you by opening doors to opportunity.

CACC Clara Miner-Fuller Scholarship

This fund has been established to provide scholarships for CACC students to further their careers by taking post-secondary classes and to assist CACC in developing programs which will meet students' needs for education in technological fields. Whenever possible, funding will be prioritized for, but not limited to, programs and students in the Agriscience and Natural Resources fields.