Best Seed Grants for Nonprofits in Indiana

The Ian Van Heyde Memorial Culinary Scholarship Fund, established by Stephen and Nancy Van Heyde, honors their son Ian, a culinary arts student from Whetstone High School. This fund provides scholarships to students pursuing postsecondary education in culinary arts, food management, or restaurant management. Award amounts start at $1,500, aimed at supporting talented individuals from central Ohio's public culinary programs. Previous recipients are encouraged to apply again, fostering continued growth in the culinary field.

The Columbus Hilltop Lions Community Service Scholarship Fund, established by The Columbus Foundation in 1943, aims to support high school seniors from the Hilltop area of Columbus who demonstrate a strong commitment to community service. The scholarship offers $2,000 over two years to eligible candidates who have completed at least 30 hours of volunteer service. This initiative reflects the foundation's long-standing dedication to enhancing the quality of life in central Ohio.

The Columbus Firefighters Foundation Scholarship supports the dependent children of active or retired members of the Columbus Division of Fire. Established by The Columbus Foundation in 1943, this scholarship aims to enhance the educational opportunities for these children. Eligible candidates must attend a public or nonprofit independent college or university in the U.S. full-time, with an award amount of $1,000 to assist in their educational journey.

The Burton E. Stevenson Endowment Scholarship, established by The Columbus Foundation, supports underprivileged children in Ross County, Ohio. Named after the influential librarian and author Burton E. Stevenson, this scholarship aims to alleviate the challenges faced by these children, promoting access to education regardless of race, sex, or religion. Applicants must be graduating seniors from Ross County high schools and plan to attend a public or nonprofit college in the U.S. Awards range from $500 to $6,500.

The Anonymous Scholarship for Franklin County, established by The Columbus Foundation, aims to support students in financial need within the community. This scholarship provides $1,000 annually for up to five years, covering the duration of a first degree. Eligible candidates include graduating seniors residing in Franklin County with a minimum GPA of 2.0, who plan to attend a two- or four-year college in the U.S. This initiative reflects a commitment to enhancing educational opportunities for local youth.

The Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative, led by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, aims to support land trusts in conserving private lands for bird protection. With funding for up to fourteen grants, the initiative encourages capacity building and management projects that enhance bird habitats. Eligible organizations can apply for grants to expand conservation efforts through collaboration and innovative strategies, fostering partnerships that leverage additional funding and community support. This initiative highlights the importance of birds in land stewardship and conservation.

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

Lewis G. and Margaret R. Curtis Scholarship

This scholarship has been made possible by the generosity of Lewis and Margaret, who established the Lewis G. and Margaret R. Curtis Scholarship of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County. Margaret Curtis wished to establish two scholarships; one for females pursuing careers in nursing or health care careers and the other for a male pursuing a vocational, technical or trade career scholarship. Mrs. Curtis, a nurse in the area, provided for this fund in her will in memory of her husband and herself. She stated that the income be used to award scholarships in two fields, nursing and vocational training.

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

Stanley C. and Maxine G. Sutherland Scholarship

This scholarship has been made possible by the generosity of Stanley Sutherland, Jr., who established the Stanley C. and Maxine G. Sutherland Scholarship of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County. Education was important to Maxine Sutherland. She graduated from Muskegon Junior College in 1940, received her nursing degree from the Hackley School of Nursing in 1942, and continued her education over the years until she received a B.S. in Education from Western Michigan University. Nursing was also important to Maxine, and over the years she was employed by Hackley Hospital, Visiting Nurses, and the office of her brother, Dr. Griffith. In her memory, her husband, Stanley Sutherland, Jr., has established the Maxine G. Sutherland Memorial , a donor advised , which will assist Muskegon County residents to pursue careers in nursing and other health related fields as well as support other projects and programs that were equally important to her.

Alpha Chapter Controlling Corp. of the Delta Theta Sigma Fraternity Scholarship Fund

The purpose of the fund is to provide scholarship awards to deserving high school students who plan to attend an accredited college or university and undertake studies in marketing, communications, journalism, or advertising.

Award Amount:

• The Gene “Duke” Perry Scholarship - $3,000.00
• The Founders Scholarship - $1,500.00
• The Founders Scholarship - $1,500.00

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

Sherman R. Poppen Scholarship

This scholarship has been made possible by the generosity of Sherman R. Poppen, who established the Sherman R. Poppen Scholarship of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County. Nancy Poppen was an artist who wanted children to explore and develop their talents in the fine arts. Prior to her death, in 1993, she established a fund in her name to provide "individualized arts opportunities" for Muskegon Public Schools students in grades three through 12. Her husband, Sherman Poppen, has watched the talents of over one hundred students develop over these last few years. Feeling the need to continue to support their talents, he established the Sherman R. Poppen Scholarship Fund to provide scholarships for Muskegon High School graduates who have participated in programs funded through the Nancy K. Poppen Fund. Now these students, pursuing arts studies at accredited colleges and universities or under the tutelage of master artists, can be assured of continued support and backing.

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

Rocket Scholars Foundation Scholarship

This scholarship has been made possible by the generosity of the parents and alumni of Reeths Puffer Schools, who established the Rocket Scholars Foundation Scholarship of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County. The Rocket Scholars Foundation was created by parents and alumni with two purposes in mind:

• To continue to foster within the school system a culture of rigorous academic achievement for all students and
• To offer those students who have demonstrated high achievement, scholarships to help defray the increasingly expensive tuition costs at colleges, universities and accredited post-secondary vocational and technical schools.

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

Paul and Libby Kara Scholarship

This scholarship has been made possible by the generosity of Paul M. Kara, who established the Paul and Libby Kara Scholarship of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County. The Paul and Libby Kara Scholarship Fund helps graduating seniors or adult/returning students with significant financial need. It is designed to help students with the "last dollars" needed to continue their education. Paul and Libby believe that every student should be able to achieve their educational goals.

Nebraska Community Foundation

Nebraska Community Foundation was established in 1994 by a group of visionaries determined to empower communities throughout the state to grow and prosper. They believed that with the right tools and resources, people could build the hometowns of their dreams.

Through philanthropy, our team helps communities develop strong local economies, high quality of life, and abundant leadership and volunteer opportunities. We empower local leaders to identify community assets, invest in their own resources, and bring about their own positive change. 

BCAFF Scholarships

The Butler County Area Foundation Fund is offering three scholarships to graduating seniors who meet individual scholarship criteria. These scholarships are the Butler County Clinic Scholarship (medical field major); Charles O. & Grace M. Stoops Scholarship in Agricultural or Environmental Studies; and Butler County Area Foundation Fund Scholarship.

Charles O. & Grace M. Stoops Scholarship in Agricultural or Environmental Studies

• Funding for this scholarship through the Butler County Area Foundation Fund has been provided by a gift of Grace M. Stoops and the late Charles O. Stoops of Montecito, California. Scholarship funds are available for students whose major field of study is agricultural or environmental studies.

• Two $1000 scholarships will be awarded annually to resident graduates of David City High School, Aquinas High School, or East Butler High School. Additionally, a student who is a resident of Butler County who attends a school outside of Butler County, is also eligible. Each applicant may be an entering freshman or an upperclassman enrolled for post-secondary education at an accredited school of higher education in the general areas of agriculture or environmental studies.

• Each scholarship must be used at a post-secondary accredited school of higher education.

• Scholarship funds will be paid directly to the school after the student has successfully completed the first semester.

Access Advocate for Clinical Research Participation

Objective:

This program will support implementation and evaluation of a Parkinson’s disease (PD) focused Access Advocate model designed to increase inclusive research participation. Funding will support Access Advocates at clinical sites to build practical, relationship based pathways to improving representative research enrollment and retention.

Funding Details:

• Duration: 24 months 
• Award Amount: $200,000 

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) and its inclusive recruitment strategy has examined what barriers and motivators shape participation (e.g., FIRE-UP PD study3) as well as funded sites to pilot tactics that address those barriers (e.g., Black & African American Connections to Parkinson’s Disease study4). Now we aim to scale and validate approaches that show early promise by investing more deeply and measuring impact across settings.

This program will fund advocates at clinical sites to build practical, relationship-based pathways to improving representative research enrollment and retention. These support staff will help patients and care partners navigate health system complexity and everyday needs that often determine whether research participation is feasible. They will help address barriers such as transportation, caregiving responsibilities, language needs, and insurance and financial strains by connecting people to resources, coordinating logistics and providing consistent follow-up. These advocates also should discuss research participation opportunities with patients and connect them to recruiting studies.

The model is grounded in the idea that research participation is more feasible when (i) foundational practical needs are addressed first and (ii) raised by a trusted health care partner. By helping to reduce practical barriers, advocates are expected to increase screenings, enrollment conversion and retention across key trial milestones.

This program will test these hypotheses and further establish training, infrastructure needs and sustainability of such positions.

Program Goal

This program aims to:

• Support establishment of site-based Access Advocates to support potential participants and care partners across multiple active or planned PD studies.
• Evaluate needs and opportunities for onboarding and ongoing training for advocates in PD and clinical research fundamentals as well as site and local resources.
• Recommend repeatable workflows for identifying prospective participants, assessing barriers, connecting them to resources, coordinating logistics and supporting follow-up.
• Collect and report a core set of evaluation metrics across sites (reach, encounters, referrals, screened, enrolled, retained), including barrier tracking and resolution.
• Evaluate the impact of Access Advocates in recruiting and retaining underrepresented community individuals to/in Parkinson’s studies.
• Evaluate the impact of Access Advocates on “health system value” indicators (e.g., appointment adherence/show rates, medication access/adherence proxies) that could support funding sustainability from other sources.
• Establish a cross-site learning community that enables funded sites to share lessons, refine the Access Advocate model and inform broader adoption beyond the funding period.

The Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond

The Community Foundation of Richmond is a philanthropic organization dedicated to improving quality of life across the Richmond region by connecting people, ideas, and resources for lasting community impact. The Foundation manages charitable funds, supports local nonprofits, and leads strategic initiatives that address community priorities such as education, health, economic opportunity, and equity. Through grantmaking, donor services, and community leadership, the Foundation works to strengthen nonprofits, respond to emerging needs, and build a more resilient, inclusive, and thriving Richmond-area community.

The Woman's Club Scholarship

The long-standing scholarship program honors the life and leadership of one of its founding members and past presidents, Mary Munford. Her accomplishments on behalf of education and especially the education of women in Virginia are legendary. Through her efforts and encouragement, the Education Endowment Fund was established. Now known as The Woman's Club Scholarship Fund, it has continued to flourish with the consistent and generous support of The Woman’s Club members. Hundreds of students from Richmond have had their education aspirations affirmed and supported by the Fund.

The purpose of the Fund is to support post-secondary education scholarships for qualifying graduates of the Richmond metropolitan area high schools. Scholarships are intended to reflect The Woman’s Club’s long history of supporting educational opportunities for women in the Greater Richmond region. Scholarship recipients, referred to as Mary Munford Scholars, are chosen annually and are invited to a reception honoring their accomplishment. Recipients are also encouraged to attend the annual spring meeting of The Woman’s Club designated to recognize the work of The Woman's Club Scholarship Fund. 

Every Battle Creek area resident shall have the resources to access post-secondary education and training.

Your dreams matter — and we want to help you achieve them. 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.

Beyond tuition, many funds support total cost of attendance — books, fees, equipment, and in some cases childcare or transportation.

Checks are made payable to the educational institution indicated on the follow-up and mailed directly to the educational institution. Checks are typically mailed in early August.

In God We Trust, Mitchelle T. Savage Memorial Scholarship Fund

The In God We Trust, Mitchelle T. Savage Memorial Scholarship was established to provide educational opportunities beyond high school for Battle Creek area graduates or graduating seniors. Eligible recipients will be graduating seniors from Battle Creek area public and private schools who will be attending a college that is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.

DeKalb County Farm Bureau Foundation

Mission – The Foundation’s mission is to broaden awareness and understanding of agriculture through outreach and education.

Scholarships

The DeKalb County Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture is proud to offer numerous scholarships for high school seniors and college students. Preference will be given to applicants of Farm Bureau members or their children with certain eligibility requirements.

High School Senior Scholarship

The DeKalb County Farm Bureau Foundation endeavors to recognize students for their academic, school and community performance while in high school. The recognition is in the form of a scholarship to the student’s college of choice. 

James M. Johnson Ag Scholarship

The Johnson family established this scholarship in memory of James, farmer and veteran, in 2024. This scholarship is for a graduating High School senior within DeKalb County, who must also be a member of the FFA or a 4-H Club. One $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to a student who plans to study agriculture or the trades.

DeKalb County Farm Bureau Foundation

Mission – The Foundation’s mission is to broaden awareness and understanding of agriculture through outreach and education.

Scholarships

The DeKalb County Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture is proud to offer numerous scholarships for high school seniors and college students. Preference will be given to applicants of Farm Bureau members or their children with certain eligibility requirements.

College Students Scholarships 

The DeKalb County Farm Bureau Foundation endeavors to recognize students for their academic, school and community performance while in college. The recognition is in the form of a scholarship to the student’s school of choice. The scholarship award will be sent directly to the recipient’s school to be applied toward college costs. 

James E. Montgomery Ag Scholarship

As a tribute to their father, the James E. Montgomery Ag Scholarship was established by family members to honor his farming heritage. This scholarship is available to college sophomores, juniors, and seniors and trade school students in an ag-related field of study. One, $2,000 scholarship will be awarded annually.

The Strategic Health Partners Scholarship, offered by the Cobb Community Foundation, supports children of W-2 employees of Strategic Health Partners. Eligible applicants include U.S. citizens or legal residents with a combined family income under $330,000. Scholarships provide up to $2,500 for the first year and $1,000 for up to three renewals, contingent upon maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.0. This initiative aims to facilitate educational opportunities for families in need.

Our History

In late 1993, a group of Cobb business leaders recognized the community’s need for a vehicle to invest in its future. The group was led by Jim Rhoden, owner of Futren Corporation (now Futren Hospitality) and included the late Otis Brumby Jr., Bobbi Burruss, Murray Homan, Judge Conley Ingram, Senator Johnny Isakson, Bob Prillaman, Bob Russell, the late Lanie Shipp Hoover, the late Roy Simmons, Deborah Wallace, the late John Williams, Jack Wilson and Diane Woods. Their solution was the creation of the Cobb Community Fund at the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta.

Fourteen years later, we obtained our own 501(c)(3) designation. Now, we are Cobb Community Foundation. In 2017 alone, we made $1.4 million in grants, $900,000 of which were distributed to charitable organizations right here in Cobb County.

Our Mission

Be a catalyst for a thriving community—mobilizing people, ideas, and resources to improve quality of life in and around Cobb.

Apply for a Scholarship

Each Cobb Community Foundation Scholarship Fund was created by a donor or group of donors with a specific objective in mind. In some cases, scholarships were created to honor someone’s memory, and in others, they were created to ensure opportunities would be available to certain groups of people. In all cases, they were established by individuals who want to help you pursue your dream.

Metro Marietta Kiwanis Morgan Thomas Scholarship Fund

The Morgan Thomas Scholarship was established by the Metro Marietta Kiwanis Club as an appropriate way to perpetuate the name and ideals of Mr. Morgan Thomas, a founding member. Mr. Thomas was a man who devoted his life to helping others through Kiwanis, his church and his profession. The scholarship will help others in the tradition of Mr. Thomas by providing financial assistance to deserving Cobb County students.

The estimated scholarship award will be $1,000-$2,500 with an estimated number of 3-4 scholarships available.

Every Battle Creek area resident shall have the resources to access post-secondary education and training.

Your dreams matter — and we want to help you achieve them. 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.

Beyond tuition, many funds support total cost of attendance — books, fees, equipment, and in some cases childcare or transportation.

Checks are made payable to the educational institution indicated on the follow-up and mailed directly to the educational institution. Checks are typically mailed in early August.

Louis E. Maddalena Battle Creek Area Scholarship

The Louis E. Maddalena Battle Creek Area Scholarship Fund has been established for the purpose of providing scholarships to greater Battle Creek area public and private high school graduating seniors and graduates, pursuing post-secondary educational opportunities, who have accepted to or are enrolled at a 2-year or 4-year college or university, technical or trade school. Preference will be given to graduating seniors.

Every Battle Creek area resident shall have the resources to access post-secondary education and training.

Your dreams matter — and we want to help you achieve them. 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.

Beyond tuition, many funds support total cost of attendance — books, fees, equipment, and in some cases childcare or transportation.

Checks are made payable to the educational institution indicated on the follow-up and mailed directly to the educational institution. Checks are typically mailed in early August.

Lionel and Muzzie Wood Family Scholarship Fund

The Muzzie Wood Scholarship was established in loving memory of Muzzie by her family after she passed away on March 16, 2001. In 2010, the name of the fund changed to the Lionel and Muzzie Wood Family Scholarship Fund and its support of Battle Creek area students expanded. Muzzie enjoyed spending time with her husband, Woody, their three daughters, stepson, and eight grandchildren. She loved the outdoors, flower and vegetable gardening, sewing, remodeling, fishing, and turkey and duck hunting. Her husband laughingly recalls a time she wore her sneakers in the river, knee-deep, and caught a salmon bare handed! Muzzie always had a smile on her face and gave more than she received. Woody, enjoys an active and blessed life rarely missing an opportunity for fun and fellowship at the Y Center of Battle Creek and spending time with family and friends, This scholarship is awarded to graduating seniors within Calhoun County who are members of a Missouri Synod Lutheran Church. If there are no eligible members, members of a Christian-based church may also be considered.

The Fostering Education Scholarship Fund, established by Village Connection and Innovative Fitness, provides scholarships of $2,000-$3,000 to eligible students who have aged out of Georgia's foster care system. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or legal residents, high school seniors or recent graduates, and have a minimum GPA of 2.5. This initiative aims to empower these students with the financial support they need to pursue higher education, fostering a brighter future for the community.

The Community Foundation of Shelby County

Our Mission

To inspire donor generosity and transform it into meaningful, lasting impact through charitable gifts.

Our Vision

To be the primary partner for donors who want to advance the community’s quality of life and capacity for excellence.

Layton Family Foundation Scholarship

Selection based upon (in order of priority):

• Academic ability and an additional essay on a designated topic, and recommendations.

Awards

• One $1,200 scholarship

The Community Foundation of Shelby County

Our Mission

To inspire donor generosity and transform it into meaningful, lasting impact through charitable gifts.

Our Vision

To be the primary partner for donors who want to advance the community’s quality of life and capacity for excellence.

Schmiesing Homeschool Scholarship

Selection based, in order of priority:

• Demonstrated church participation, employment history, recommendations, academic ability, and financial need.

Awards

• One $1,000 scholarship

The Community Foundation of Shelby County

Our Mission

To inspire donor generosity and transform it into meaningful, lasting impact through charitable gifts.

Our Vision

To be the primary partner for donors who want to advance the community’s quality of life and capacity for excellence.

Shelby County Youth Soccer Scholarship

Selection based upon (in order of priority): 

• Soccer involvement as a player, referee, and/or coach, demonstrated passion for soccer, a recommendation letter from a soccer coach or soccer mentor is REQUIRED, and an additional essay of no less than 100 words and no more than 200 words on a designated topic.

Awards

• Two $1,000 scholarships – One to a male applicant and one to a female applicant.

The Marian Settle Memorial Music Scholarship, established in 2015, honors the musical legacy of Marian Settle, a cherished educator and family member. This scholarship supports graduating seniors and current college students from Fulton, Montgomery, or Schoharie counties who plan to pursue music or music education. Eligible applicants must demonstrate active participation in music-related activities within their communities or schools. The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region proudly facilitates this opportunity to empower local students.