Best Grants for New Nonprofits in Illinois

History of AHTF

In the beginning, AHTF’s founders recognized that hand therapy was needed and worked; however, research to support that belief was limited.

The American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT) was founded in 1977. By the 1980’s hand therapy was growing fast and clinical knowledge of hand care lead to remarkable improvements in the treatment of diseased and injured hands. With improvements, however, came the increased need to further substantiate hand therapy practice.

Tri-Alliance Grant Honoring ASHT Founders

Purpose

To fund impactful research in all levels of experimental quantitative research, including systematic reviews, as well as qualitative research. The AHTF has the responsibility of verifying the appropriateness of the proposed research.

Types of Studies

Grant proposals are accepted for research within any domain of hand therapy. Randomized or experimental study designs, including quantitative, mixed methods, or qualitative designs that aim to advance the clinical practice of hand and upper extremity rehabilitation. Ideally, applications should target categories of research identified as part of the current AHTF research priorities.

The Biocodex Microbiota Foundation invites early career researchers in the microbiome field from U.S. institutions to apply for the 2024 grant. This initiative focuses on groundbreaking research into gut microbiota's role in human health and disease, particularly in areas like circadian rhythms and metabolic disorders. The grant supports operational costs, allowing for innovative projects aimed at fostering independent research careers in microbiota studies.

History of AHTF

In the beginning, AHTF’s founders recognized that hand therapy was needed and worked; however, research to support that belief was limited.

The American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT) was founded in 1977. By the 1980’s hand therapy was growing fast and clinical knowledge of hand care lead to remarkable improvements in the treatment of diseased and injured hands. With improvements, however, came the increased need to further substantiate hand therapy practice.

Burkhalter New Investigator Grant for Clinical Research in Hand & Upper Limb Rehabilitation

Purpose

In 1993, the AHTF established a grant in honor of Dr. William Burkhalter (1928-1992), a long-time advocate and promoter of hand therapy. The purpose of the award is to support scientific clinical research in the field of hand and upper limb rehabilitation.

Types of Studies

Experimental, non-experimental, pilot studies, quasi-experimental, measurement, or qualitative studies designed to advance the clinical practice of hand and upper extremity rehabilitation in categories identified by the AHTF research priorities will be considered.

History of AHTF

In the beginning, AHTF’s founders recognized that hand therapy was needed and worked; however, research to support that belief was limited.

The American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT) was founded in 1977. By the 1980’s hand therapy was growing fast and clinical knowledge of hand care lead to remarkable improvements in the treatment of diseased and injured hands. With improvements, however, came the increased need to further substantiate hand therapy practice.

Judy Bell-Krotoski "Grab the Evidence" Grant

Purpose

In 2003, AHTF awarded the first “Grab the Future” Grant. This name was changed in 2005, in response to the growing need to fund basic research science and evidence-based studies in hand and upper limb rehabilitation.

The purpose of the award as designed is to serve as a catalyst for a skilled researcher and/or research team to develop their role as principal investigators and to provide seed money for procurement of larger external funding. 

Types of Studies

Experimental studies, pilot studies, or systematic reviews/meta-analyses which support the evidence of hand and upper extremity rehabilitation in the diagnostic categories identified by the AHTF research priorities or by the specific donor’s research priorities will be considered.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is launching the Centers for Research on Neglected Infectious Diseases (CReNIDs) to enhance research on neglected infectious diseases (NIDs). This initiative aims to tackle substantial health challenges posed by communicable viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections, especially in endemic regions. By fostering multidisciplinary research and sustainable local capacities, the program seeks to improve health outcomes and mitigate the spread of these diseases, ultimately safeguarding public health in the U.S. and globally.

The AHA Quest for Quality Prize recognizes hospitals and health systems that demonstrate exceptional leadership in improving care quality and advancing health. Applicants should showcase innovative models of care and effective partnerships with community organizations. One winner and two finalists will be honored at the 2026 AHA Leadership Summit in Denver. This award aims to inspire hospitals to commit to patient-centered care and address healthcare disparities, ultimately enhancing community health outcomes.

The Brothers Helping Brothers initiative aims to provide essential equipment to small fire departments and EMS organizations in the U.S. Established in 2014, the program offers grants to eligible agencies serving communities with populations under 10,000. With a focus on tools like wireless backup cameras, the organization strives to enhance safety and operational efficiency for first responders. Through community support, they have raised significant funds to assist in this critical mission.

Brothers Helping Brothers is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to providing essential tools and equipment to small and rural fire departments. Founded in 2014 after a tragic loss, the organization has raised over $20,000 to support fire services. They grant financial assistance to eligible fire and EMS organizations across the U.S. with a focus on enhancing safety and operational capability. Their mission continues to grow as they research and address the pressing needs of emergency services.

NEXT for AUTISM's grants program empowers autistic adults by funding innovative initiatives across work, home, social engagement, and health & well-being. With over 380 funded projects nationwide, the program supports 501(c)(3) organizations in the U.S. First-time grantees can apply for up to $10,000, while returning grantees may request up to $25,000. The program emphasizes community-based solutions and aims to enhance the quality of life for autistic individuals.

The Towsley Foundation Grants support initiatives that enhance community welfare and sustainability, focusing on diverse fields such as education, health, and the arts within Michigan. With a commitment to effective philanthropy, the foundation prioritizes projects that demonstrate creativity and strategic impact. Eligible organizations must operate in Michigan and adhere to specific funding guidelines, fostering financial sustainability. Grants are allocated based on project merit and organizational capacity, reinforcing the foundation's mission to improve lives through thoughtful partnerships.

The Bar Success Intervention Grant Program, funded by AccessLex Institute, aims to enhance bar exam passage rates for at-risk law students and graduates. With grants ranging from $150,000 to $300,000 for programs lasting 12 to 24 months, the initiative seeks data-driven solutions that are scalable and replicable. Eligible applicants include U.S. nonprofit organizations and law schools. Programs should feature clear goals, measurable objectives, and a robust evaluation plan to ensure effectiveness and sustainability.

The Can'd Aid: Crush It Crusade Grant empowers nonprofits, local education, and government organizations to enhance recycling efforts. With grants ranging from $3,000 to $8,000, the program supports initiatives that promote recycling at community events, engage volunteers, and foster inclusive outreach. Since 2014, over 125 organizations have benefited from this funding, driving impactful change through community engagement and environmental stewardship.

The OJJDP FY 2026 Opioid Affected Youth Initiative provides funding to support states and localities in combating violent crime and overdose deaths. This initiative aims to enhance prevention, intervention, and treatment strategies for children, youth, and families impacted by substance use disorders. Collaboration among law enforcement, educational institutions, and community organizations is essential to effectively address the needs of at-risk populations and those already involved in the child welfare and justice systems.

The NIJ FY 2026 Research and Evaluation on Human Trafficking funding opportunity aims to support comprehensive research and evaluation projects. It focuses on preventing human trafficking, assessing the impact of federal policies, and enhancing services for victims. This initiative, led by the National Institute of Justice in partnership with the Office for Victims of Crime, seeks to generate insights that can inform better responses to human trafficking in the U.S.

The Solidaire Network's Janisha R. Gabriel Movement Protection Fund supports frontline organizers facing security threats while fostering long-term safety. With $7.9 million allocated, the fund aids groups working towards racial, climate, gender, and reproductive justice. Despite a pause on new applications due to high demand, the fund remains committed to resourcing movement partners and addressing the disproportionate targeting of marginalized leaders amidst rising aggression from right-wing forces.

About The Glaucoma Foundation

The Glaucoma Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of people with glaucoma. The Foundation works to encourage and support basic and applied research in glaucoma with a goal of preserving and restoring vision. We strive to be an important resource to help patients, their families, and at-risk individuals to manage their glaucoma through education and outreach.

About Research to Prevent Blindness

The mission of Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) is to preserve and restore vision by supporting research to develop treatments, preventives and cures for all conditions that damage and destroy sight. Since it was founded 60 years ago, in 1960, RPB has channeled more than $383 million into eye research. As a result, RPB has been identified with nearly every major breakthrough in vision research in that time.

The Glaucoma Foundation (TGF) and Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) partner annually to provide a grant aimed at supporting women and under-represented racial and ethnic minority researchers in the pursuit of glaucoma research.

The TGF (sponsored by Patricia Hill) / RPB Fellowships in Glaucoma provide one-year $10,000 fellowships focused on substantive glaucoma research, including investigation into the etiology, diagnosis and/or treatment of glaucoma, to current ophthalmology fellows with an MD, MD/PhD, PhD or other relevant degree.

The Glaucoma Foundation: Advancing the Treatment of Glaucoma

The Glaucoma Foundation (TGF) is dedicated to accelerating breakthrough glaucoma research and helping move promising discoveries toward patients. By supporting innovative, next-generation research and connecting leading scientists and clinicians, TGF drives progress toward better understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of glaucoma, with the ultimate goal of finding a cure.

Exfoliation Syndrome and Exfoliation Glaucoma, Pressure Independent Mechanisms of Glaucoma, Neuroprotection, and the Genetics of Glaucomas that affect people under the age of 40

The Glaucoma Foundation offers grants to researchers striving to improve the lives of glaucoma patients through novel innovations and scientific advances. The areas of current focus for TGF’s Grant Research program are Exfoliation Syndrome and Exfoliation Glaucoma, Pressure Independent Mechanisms of Glaucoma, Neuroprotection, and Genetics of Glaucomas that affect people under the age of 40 years. Examples of research that may be considered range from basic science to clinical interventions, such as genetics and genomic medicine, disease modeling, assessment of ocular perfusion, artificial intelligence, and clinical research. A priority will be given to novel proposals with a viable study hypothesis leading to impactful results that are fundable at the NIH level. Initial grant funding for one year is for up to $75,000; a grantee is permitted to apply for a grant renewal of up to $75,000. A renewal grant is a one-year grant based on research findings from the initial research.

Kickstart Your Project with a Mini-Grant

At H2O for Life, we never want finances to be a barrier to participating in a service project. The H2O for Life Mini-Grants are meant to be a supportive resource for teachers and students who want to kick-start their projects with us. Mini-grants of up to $500 will be awarded to support teachers and students with the necessary funds for their service-learning programs.

Our Mission

H2O for Life offers a service-learning opportunity designed to engage, educate and inspire youth to take action to solve the global water crisis by raising awareness and funds to support implementation of water, sanitation and hygiene education projects for global partner schools.

Since 2007, nearly 1 million students from H2O for Life schools have supported water, sanitation, and hygiene education projects for partner schools in the developing world.

What is H2O for Life doing to address the global water crisis?

H2O for Life’s service-learning opportunities are designed to engage, educate, and inspire youth to become global citizens. Our innovative school-to-school approach helps young people develop a concern for others by taking a major global crisis and scaling it down to a manageable size — one water project in the developing world.

Through the service-learning opportunity we provide, students learn that they can make a tangible difference for the students in their partner school.

The CFQA: Raymond, Norbert, and Eleanor Rueter Fund offers grants to support K-12 students in Illinois struggling with reading and comprehension. This initiative focuses on enhancing educational opportunities for children in Adams, Brown, Hancock, and Pike counties through tutoring and specialized education. By fostering literacy, the fund aims to create a brighter future for students, ensuring they have the necessary skills to succeed academically and beyond.

The Foundation for Physical Therapy Research offers the Promotion of Doctoral Studies Scholarships for doctoral candidates, providing up to $15,000 annually. This scholarship supports students who have completed their coursework and exams, aiming to foster impactful research careers in physical therapy. Applicants may receive a total of $30,000 during their candidacy phase, with a maximum of $45,000 throughout their doctoral program. This initiative prioritizes academic excellence and alignment with APTA research priorities.

The Stephan D. Weiss Student Mental Health Award, established by the American College Health Foundation, aims to enhance mental health support for college students. Offering $5,000 annually, it encourages innovative initiatives that can improve mental health service delivery and student retention. Eligible applicants are members of the American College Health Association, focusing on identifying mental health needs and developing effective campus-wide strategies. This award addresses growing concerns regarding mental health issues in higher education, fostering a supportive learning environment.

The Simply Organic Giving Fund Grant aims to combat food insecurity in the U.S. and Canada by providing access to nutrient-dense organic food for those in need. Since its inception, the fund has supported various initiatives, including training centers for organic agriculture and community food projects. With a focus on sustainable practices, the grant program seeks to empower communities and improve food access for vulnerable populations, ensuring that healthy, organic options are available to all.

About us

SIR Foundation is a scientific foundation dedicated to fostering research in interventional radiology for the purposes of advancing scientific knowledge, increasing the number of skilled investigators, and developing innovative therapies that lead to improved patient care and quality of life. The foundation is committed to fostering the development and enhancement of innovative, minimally invasive, image-guided therapies from inception to mature clinical application and to conduct educational programs in the service of its mission.

Excellence in Innovation Award

Fund compelling, novel ideas that lead to improved health outcomes in IR.

About

Interventional radiologists create and introduce novel, minimally invasive procedures and devices that help solve some of our toughest medical challenges. To continue this rich history of innovation in IR, the purpose of this award is to fund compelling, novel ideas that lead to improved health outcomes in IR.

Innovation, for this purpose, is broadly defined as any use of emerging methods, new devices, new procedures or new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and nanotechnology, that display an exceptional degree of potential for transforming and advancing the specialty of interventional radiology.

The Annual Meeting Research Award Committee selects one recipient for this award each year.

The recipient will receive:

• Complimentary annual meeting registration
• Travel stipend up to $1,000
• The opportunity to present their research as well as meet peers, network with senior scientists and participate in learning opportunities at the SIR Annual Scientific Meeting
• Recognition during the SIR Annual Scientific Meeting

About Pfizer Grants

Pfizer supports the global healthcare community’s independent initiatives (e.g., research, quality improvement or education) to improve patient outcomes in areas of unmet medical need that are aligned with Pfizer’s medical and/or scientific strategies.

Interventional Research Studies of Brentuximab Vedotin-Based Novel Combinations in AITL and PTCL-NOS

This competitive program is designed to support interventional InvestigatorSponsored Research aimed at generatin clinical evidence for brentuximab vedotin in novel combination approaches in angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) and peripheral T-cell lymphoma–not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS).

Project Types and Area of Interest

Studies considered for Pfizer support should address key clinical and scientific gaps in the use of brentuximab vedotin in AITL and PTCL-NOS irrrespective of CD30 expression, with a focus on evaluating the safety and efficacy of novel brentuximab vedotin–based combinations with therapies available for PTCL treatment that are supported by a clear scientific rationale grounded in mechanism of action and/or disease biology.

The MultiState Conservation Grant Program provides vital funding for wildlife and sport fish restoration projects, as well as initiatives aimed at recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of outdoor enthusiasts. These grants address priority needs identified by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, supporting collaborative efforts among states to enhance conservation efforts. Eligible projects may include research, education, and public outreach, promoting sustainable use of natural resources and fostering community engagement in conservation.

Better Food Policy Fund 

Since its inception, the Better Food Policy Fund has set its strategic direction in a participatory fashion. We are intentionally building capacity for engagement to ensure the Fund aligns with the needs of food policy council stakeholders.   

Thus far, the Fund has engaged 300+ food policy council stakeholders to help co-develop the Fund. We are immensely grateful for the individuals who helped shape the initial direction of this fund. We view this growing stakeholder audience as the people to whom the Fund’s governing body, the Independent Advisory Committee, is ultimately accountable.

Grantmaking

The Better Food Policy Fund invests in US-based food policy councils, empowering community and government collaboration for progressive food policy. We utilize participatory processes to enhance equity and redistribute power in the funding landscape. We seek to celebrate and uplift the work of food policy councils, and believe every food policy council is worthy of financial support.

We define “food policy councils” as councils, networks, coalitions, or other groups working across boundaries at the tribal, municipal, county, state, or regional level.  

We support actions aimed at ensuring an enabling environment for policy change, such as: 

• increasing levels of inclusive and equitable stakeholder engagement in public processes
• engaging systems thinking when tackling complex food system challenges
• facilitating collaboration with and across local government agencies and departments 
• developing or revising local policies and plans  

We define “better food policy” as practices, procedures, ordinances, laws, etc. of governing institutions which strengthen community-based food systems.

We define “civic collaboration” as people joining together at the intersection of community and government to address public issues.

The Emily Hall Tremaine Exhibition Research Grant supports innovative projects that explore contemporary art in new frameworks. With a focus on education in the United States, the foundation emphasizes the importance of research that challenges conventional thought. Grants of $10,000 are awarded to curators collaborating with established non-profits, promoting impactful exhibitions. The foundation aims to foster family unity and respect while addressing enduring societal issues through art, environment, and learning differences.