Best Workforce Grants in Iowa

Chautauqua Region Community Foundation

Mission: In partnership with our community, we ignite positive change and create a legacy of impact.

Scholarships

The Chautauqua Region Community Foundation annually awards more than $2 million in scholarships to students pursuing higher education, job training and certification. The Foundation hosts several different scholarship opportunities throughout the year. 

Workforce Training

Open to adult residents of Chautauqua County enrolled in a certification program outside of higher educational degree. Examples include phlebotomist, LPN, CNA, EMT, Radiologic Technologist, Automotive Technician, CDL, HVAC, Welding, Machining etc.

The Reader’s Digest Partners for Sight Foundation offers Single Program Grants to support impactful programs for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. These grants, ranging from $25,000 to $50,000, prioritize initiatives that enhance independence and service delivery. Eligible organizations must be US 501(c)(3) non-profits, and unsolicited proposals are not accepted. The foundation emphasizes community-based solutions and invites qualified applicants to submit a Letter of Inquiry followed by a full proposal.

The EDU Core Research (ECR) program by the National Science Foundation invites proposals for fundamental research that enhances STEM education. Focused on various research areas, including STEM learning and workforce development, it supports diverse educational activities for all age groups. The funding ranges from $500,000 to $2,500,000, with project durations of 3 to 5 years, emphasizing the importance of justifying funding levels in proposals to ensure alignment with research maturity.

Spencer Educational Foundation Inc

The Spencer Educational Foundation was founded by the Rims Atlanta Chapter in 1979. To this day, Spencer remains the premier organization funding the education of tomorrow's risk management and insurance leaders.

The Spencer Educational Foundation: awards merit-based scholarships and grants to university students pursuing careers in risk management, insurance, and/or actuarial science; provides grants that create experiential learning opportunities both on and off campus; funds the development of risk management and insurance curricula in colleges and universities; supports Risk Managers by creating internship opportunities within the risk management function of their companies; and operates across the United States and Canada. 

Spencer Educational Foundation: Spencer Success Stipend

The Spencer Success Stipend is a student support initiative created to help reduce financial barriers associated with internship opportunities in the risk management and insurance industry. The program provides funding to eligible students to assist with internship-related expenses that may otherwise make it difficult to participate in valuable experiential learning opportunities.

Through the Spencer Success Stipend, students may receive support for expenses such as housing, transportation, professional attire, technology, relocation costs, work-related meals, licensing or background check fees, and other direct internship participation costs. The goal of the program is to ensure students can fully engage in career-building experiences that strengthen their professional development, industry exposure, and long-term success.

Thanks to the generous support of Allied World and Munich Re, Spencer is proud to expand access to these opportunities and continue investing in the next generation of industry talent. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Spencer Educational Foundation Inc

The Spencer Educational Foundation was founded by the Rims Atlanta Chapter in 1979. To this day, Spencer remains the premier organization funding the education of tomorrow's risk management and insurance leaders.

The Spencer Educational Foundation: awards merit-based scholarships and grants to university students pursuing careers in risk management, insurance, and/or actuarial science; provides grants that create experiential learning opportunities both on and off campus; funds the development of risk management and insurance curricula in colleges and universities; supports Risk Managers by creating internship opportunities within the risk management function of their companies; and operates across the United States and Canada. 

Spencer Educational Foundation: General Grants

Spencer’s goal to help build a talent pipeline of Risk Management and Insurance professionals is achieved in part by our collaboration with Risk Management and Insurance educators across the United States and Canada. Since 2010, Spencer has awarded over $4.5 million in General Grants to support over 225 student-centered experiential learning initiatives at universities and RMI non-profit orgs.

Spencer's General Grants Program supports student-centered initiatives that (1) provide experiential learning opportunities for Risk Management & Insurance students and (2) attract new talent to risk and insurance careers. 

Spencer Educational Foundation Inc

The Spencer Educational Foundation was founded by the Rims Atlanta Chapter in 1979. To this day, Spencer remains the premier organization funding the education of tomorrow's risk management and insurance leaders.

The Spencer Educational Foundation: awards merit-based scholarships and grants to university students pursuing careers in risk management, insurance, and/or actuarial science; provides grants that create experiential learning opportunities both on and off campus; funds the development of risk management and insurance curricula in colleges and universities; supports Risk Managers by creating internship opportunities within the risk management function of their companies; and operates across the United States and Canada. 

Spencer Educational Foundation: Course Development Grants

Since 2014, Spencer has invested over $1.6 million in developing risk management and insurance (RMI) courses at close to 70 colleges and universities, exposing approximately 19,000 students to the RMI industry.

Our Course Development Grant program supports Introductory Risk Management and Insurance Course Development - for universities that have not previously offered any such instruction - as well as proposals for additional Course Curriculum Development and Program Development - for universities looking to develop a RMI program and/or expand existing RMI course offerings, with an emphasis on new and emerging areas in the industry.

T7 Social Impact GrantsThe T.D. Jakes Foundation (TDJF), in partnership with Wells Fargo, is proud to launch the Social Impact Grant Challenge, a transformative funding opportunity designed to identify, support, and amplify nonprofit organizations creating meaningful change in communities across the United States.

Designed around the T.D. Jakes Foundation's pillars of service (Educational Access & Workforce Readiness, financial inclusion, and community transformation and well-being), the Challenge seeks innovative nonprofit organizations that are addressing critical social issues through impactful, scalable, and sustainable solutions.

Finalists selected through this process will have the opportunity to showcase their organization through a live presentation at the inaugural Thriving Seven (T7) Summit, taking place November 12 –14 in Atlanta, Georgia. In addition to competing for grant funding, finalists will gain national visibility for their work and connect with nonprofit leaders, funders, and changemakers from across the country.Grant Funding: A total of $1,500,000 in grant funding is anticipated to be awarded: 

• One (1) - $500,000 grant
• One (1) - $250,000 grant
• Two (2) - $100,000 grant
• Eleven (11) - $50,000 grant

The Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Grant, offered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), aims to enhance career pipelines in the water utilities sector. This funding opportunity supports institutions and organizations in expanding access to water utility jobs through apprenticeship, education, and training programs. By fostering collaborations and increasing public awareness, the initiative seeks to address the workforce needs of water systems, contributing to community health and environmental protection.

United Health Foundation

The United Health Foundation was established by UnitedHealth Group in 1999 as a nonprofit, private foundation dedicated to improving health and healthcare. To date, the United Health Foundation has committed $880 million to programs and communities around the world, including a $100 million commitment to help support the healthcare workforce.

Grants

Our Philanthropic Partnerships

The United Health Foundation partners with local and national organizations to help build healthier communities. We focus on expanding access to care and improving health quality and outcomes by:

• Advancing and supporting the healthcare workforce
• Addressing mental and behavioral health
• Improving maternal and infant health outcomes
• Helping individuals manage chronic conditions

The Professional Formation of Engineers: Research Initiation in Engineering Formation (PFE: RIEF) program aims to foster research in the Professional Formation of Engineers (PFE) while expanding the community of researchers in this field. It targets early-career Principal Investigators (PIs) with limited experience in social science or education research, enabling them to develop expertise in engineering education research and address critical challenges in engineering formation.

The Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program aims to enhance the library and archival workforce by addressing community information needs and strengthening institutional capacities. It supports innovative projects that explore alternative pathways into library services, advance continuing education, and foster recruitment and retention of future professionals. By focusing on diverse training and development, the program seeks to cultivate a new generation of library leaders equipped to meet evolving challenges.

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 Tribal Colleges Extension Program Special Emphasis (TCEP-SE) aims to enhance community engagement through pilot projects at 1994 Institutions, targeting issues like agricultural productivity, food systems, and public health. This program is open to a wide range of Tribal colleges and universities, promoting workforce development and youth involvement in agriculture. By addressing local needs, TCEP-SE fosters community vitality and prepares the next generation of Tribal agriculture leaders.

About

Being deeply connected to the community means more than providing access to excellent healthcare. It means understanding, and investing in, the health needs of our community.

Through our Community Investment Fund (CIF), Endeavor Health has awarded more than $38.5 million to 59 local partnerships dedicated to enhancing community health and wellbeing, advancing health equity and supporting local economic growth. Together, we’re committed to helping everyone in our communities be their best.

Award categories

Through the CIF, we will make meaningful and intentional investments through impact awards and capacity builder awards. These awards are intended to meaningfully advance the health of our community over time towards three bold aspirations through investments in five areas of focus.

We aspire to a future where:

• A person’s zip code does not determine how long they will live
• Hunger and homelessness in our communities are history
• The healthcare workforce is thriving and representative of the communities we serve

To help advance these aspirations, the CIF will invest in the following areas:

• Access to healthcare
• Behavioral health
• Food insecurity
• Housing insecurity
• Workforce development for careers in healthcare

Impact awards

• Designed for 5-year initiatives where organizations come together to drive measurable impact and longer-term change in the communities we serve by improving existing systems and innovation
• Emphasize strategic cross-sector and/or intra-sector partnerships between community-based organizations
• Uplift community members of greatest need
• Directly align with CIF areas of focus and meaningfully contribute to CIF goals
• Award amount: $1 million per year, up to 5 years

The CIF Capacity Builder Awards by Endeavor Health focus on enhancing community health through strategic investments. With over $38.5 million allocated to local partnerships, these awards aim to address critical areas like healthcare access, food insecurity, and workforce development. Designed for nonprofit organizations, the awards range from $100,000 to $500,000 annually for 1-2 years, fostering long-term community impact and advancing health equity in the service areas.

About the Hertz Foundation

Empowering the Nation’s Most EXCEPTIONAL Innovators

The Hertz Foundation identifies and empowers the nation’s most exceptional innovators in science and technology, fueling a lifelong community dedicated to solving our most pressing problems.

Hertz Community

Awards & Recognition

We’ve established several awards to recognize and support Hertz community members who are accelerating solutions to significant real-world challenges, either through their individual careers or volunteering to strengthen the Hertz Foundation’s work. In addition to providing financial and professional support at a critical time, we also hope to generate more awareness within the Hertz community and inspire collaborations that build on the momentum.

Hertz Foundation Travel Fund

The Hertz Foundation Travel Fund provides financial support to Hertz Fellows to advance their professional growth through conference travel and interdisciplinary engagement. Awardees receive a lump sum of $2,000 for domestic or $5,000 for international travel.

Supporting professional development

Established in 2025, this funding provides Fellows with critical support to enhance their career and professional development. Funding is designated to support travel to attend technical conferences, interdisciplinary or entrepreneurial convenings and workshops or seminars that catalyze new career paths, research directions or cross-sector collaborations.

The 1890 Institution Teaching, Research, and Extension Capacity Building Grants Program aims to enhance the capabilities of eligible institutions by fostering collaboration with federal and non-federal entities. This initiative supports the White House's commitment to promote excellence at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). By strengthening institutional teaching, research, and extension capacities, the program helps ensure that HBCUs can effectively contribute to innovative solutions in education and community development.

The Providers Clinical Support System – Universities program aims to equip graduate-level health professional students with the necessary skills to understand, identify, intervene, and treat patients with substance use disorders. By focusing on practical training and comprehensive education, this initiative prepares future practitioners to effectively address the challenges associated with substance misuse, ensuring they are well-prepared upon obtaining their licenses.

The Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program (HVRP) aims to assist veterans experiencing homelessness by providing tailored employment services. This federal initiative focuses on helping veterans transition to stable employment through job training, case management, and connections to local supportive services. HVRP aligns with national priorities to enhance career outcomes for veterans, ensuring they receive the necessary tools and resources for sustainable employment and integration into the workforce.

Greenawalt Foundation

Building Stronger Communities

At The Greenawalt Foundation, we believe that opportunity is the foundation of prosperity. By supporting organizations that educate, train, and empower people in the trades, we’re helping to build a stronger, more sustainable future for all.

Skilled Trades Grant Opportunities

The Greenawalt Foundation advances opportunities in the skilled trades through funding for accredited pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs, workforce training initiatives, and youth career exploration experiences. These programs promote technical readiness and connect STEM education to modern trades careers, building a stronger, more sustainable workforce. Foundation support focuses on expanding access and creating equitable pathways to prosperity for individuals pursuing skilled trades careers. Through these efforts, the Foundation helps develop the next generation of skilled professionals who will shape the future of our communities.

Eligible Grant Categories

• Skilled Trades Training Support
• Pre-Apprenticeship or Apprenticeship Programs
• Youth Career Exploration Camps

The TURTLE Program aims to empower Tribal Entities by fostering a skilled workforce in biomedical research. It supports undergraduate and graduate students in health research, ensuring they complete their degrees and transition into impactful careers. With phased awards, the program emphasizes effective training and mentoring, inviting eligible organizations to apply. Applications will undergo NIH's peer-review process, ensuring only the most meritorious proposals are funded, ultimately enhancing Tribal health research capabilities.

The FY 2027 Department of War Multidisciplinary Research Program (MURI) funds U.S. academic teams engaged in innovative basic research addressing future defense challenges. Established in 1985, MURI emphasizes collaboration across multiple scientific disciplines to tackle complex, DoW-relevant issues. By fostering partnerships among faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and students, the program aims to advance the U.S. defense industrial base and nurture a skilled scientific workforce, contributing to significant breakthroughs in military technology and economic growth.

Benefitting people in the places making the AI future possible

The Future is for Everyone Fund

Meta is investing directly in education, community enhancement, workforce development and sustainability projects in locations where we have a data center in the United States.

The AI future we are building is for everyone. That starts with making sure everyone in the places that are home to a Meta data center feel the benefits in their communities. We want students to have bright futures, small businesses to flourish and communities to be prosperous.

Our commitment to the communities we call home.

The Future is for Everyone Fund supports investments and programs that address local community priorities in the United States, where we have a Meta data center:

We invest in the people and shared spaces that help a community thrive. That includes the parks, trails, and gathering places where neighbors come together, the technology and access that keep them connected, and first responders - like police officers, firefighters, and paramedics — who keep our communities safe.

We support the people and organizations that power local economies - helping workers gain the skills, certifications, and hands-on experience the modern economy rewards, and backing initiatives that create jobs and give a community its character.

We fund the programs, spaces, and tools that help learners of every age discover what they're capable of - from early literacy and the arts to hands-on science, technology, and problem-solving - and we equip the educators who make it happen with the resources to bring their most ambitious lessons to life.

We invest in the long-term health of the land, water, and wildlife that make our communities home - supporting things like habitat restoration and resource conservation that connects people to the natural world.

What is the Future is for Everyone Fund?

The Future is for Everyone Fund is Meta’s $1 billion commitment to invest directly in the U.S. communities that are home to a Meta data center. The Fund supports local schools, nonprofits, and community organizations and is organized into four focus areas that reflect local priorities: Community Enhancement, Economic Vitality, Education, and Sustainability. It builds on the over $70 million in grant funding we’ve provided to our data center communities since 2011.

Who We Are - CAP Foundation

Mission

Our mission is to improve people’s health by:

• Developing tomorrow’s pathology leaders through awards for advanced training, research, and education.
• Mobilizing pathologists to expand health equity in medically underserved communities within the US and globally.

Vision

Our vision is that pathologists are equipped to bridge health disparities and enhance outcomes globally.

CAP Foundation History

For over 50 years, the CAP Foundation has granted millions of dollars to support pathology education, research, training, and travel grants, with the purpose to:

• Enhance the role of the pathologist in the provision of medical care.
• Advance pathology through the education of the medical community.
• Encourage the clinical application of research developments.

Our Core Values

• Advancement: We are committed to pushing the boundaries of pathology and patient care through scholarships, grants, and educational programs.
• Collaboration: Through effective partnerships, we significantly enhance our capacity to fulfill our mission.
• Excellence: We are dedicated to achieving the highest standards in pathology education, research, and community service.
• Service: Service reflects our core mission of improving health equity by providing access to healthcare and pathology expertise, particularly in underserved communities.

Presidential Pathology Scholarship

This scholarship allows the sitting CAP President to personally support educational creativity, expand awareness of pathology, and connect communities through the CAP Foundation’s mission to develop tomorrow’s pathology leaders. This scholarship is established in honor of each sitting CAP President, as a commitment to the CAP Foundation’s efforts to advance the specialty by supporting creative projects that encourage interest in or expand the reach of pathology. Up to two scholarships will be supported each year. Ranging from $500-$1,500 per awardee, to be used toward the selected project(s).

Each year the sitting CAP President will select a focus area to support based on at least one of the CAP Foundation’s Five (5) Pillars. CAP Foundation Five Pillars:

• Global: Expands global pathology access, capacity, training, and equity.
• Future Leaders: Builds pipeline through learning, leadership, mentorship, and awards.
• Ethics, Research, Innovation: Advances ethical practice, discovery, innovation, and diagnostic excellence.
• Advanced Training: Delivers specialized skills through grants, workshops, and roundtables.
• Community Engagement: Increases visibility and connection with patients, partners, and the public.

Every Kindness is a Gift

Dollar Tree Gift Card Program 2026

Every Kindness is a Gift is a gift card grant program made possible through the generosity of Dollar Tree and managed by the team here at Gift Card Bank. We are a nonprofit organization that specializes in the distribution of gift cards and our mission is to improve well-being and build financial stability by supporting people through their time of need.

Through Every Kindness is a Gift, nonprofit organizations and Title I schools located in the 48 contiguous states may apply to receive a grant of Dollar Tree gift cards.

Gift cards received through these grants are meant to be distributed directly to individuals and families in need. A primary goal of the program is to give gift card recipients the dignity of choice by empowering them to shop for what they need themselves. By putting gift cards directly in the hands of our neighbors in need, we are able to increase access to essentials like food, school supplies, paper products, cleaning products, and hygiene items.

In 2026, there will be two rounds of grant distributions. In each round, we will award a number of grants between $2,500 and $10,000.

Round One is a summer distribution. Gift cards awarded in Round One will arrive in late June, while kids are on break and back-to-school is around the corner. Round Two is a holiday distribution. Gift cards awarded in Round Two will arrive in early November, as the end-of-year holidays approach.

We know that these are times of year when budgets are tight. Through these gift card grants, we hope to connect individuals and families directly to the essential resources they need during difficult months.

Angel Post Deployment Test Program

Through a collaborative partnership with UNCF, XYZ Corporation has established a scholarship program to help STEM students get on the fast track to a rewarding career. In addition to direct financial support, Intel-sponsored scholarships offer the benefits of exposure to potential job opportunities, networking with fellow scholars, insight to other Intel scholarships, research, training opportunities, and access to Intel mentors offering support on technical, non-technical, cultural, and dissertation-related needs.

About BlackRock

We’re a global asset manager and technology provider dedicated to helping more and more people experience financial well-being. We help millions of people invest to build savings that serve them throughout their lives. The BlackRock Foundation which funds and partners with organizations that strengthen financial security for more people,

BlackRock Future Builders

BlackRock Future Builders is a $100 million philanthropic initiative funded by The BlackRock Foundation to expand economic opportunity and power the next generation of America’s skilled trades workers. Through this Request for Proposals (RFP) process, The Foundation seeks to support U.S. nonprofit organizations (i.e., registered 501(c)3 organizations) delivering or supporting high‑quality skilled trades training.

This competitive grant opportunity operates in parallel to other BlackRock Future Builders partnerships and is intended to surface additional, regionally grounded solutions across the skilled trades ecosystem. Organizations may propose direct worker training programs or capacity‑building efforts that enable systems to function more effectively and at greater scale. This first round RFP will be administered by Jobs for the Future (JFF), a national nonprofit that transforms U.S. education and workforce systems.

Focus Areas and Solutions

Applicants may propose worker training or capacity‑building solutions aligned to skilled trades workforce development.

• Worker training interventions may include direct service proposals such as pre-apprenticeship or career navigation programs, workforce training programs, apprenticeship programs, or wraparound participant supports that are supportive of training persistence and completion.
• Capacity-building interventions are organizational and system-focused, rather than in direct service of participants, and may include, but are not limited to, proposals such as ecosystem-building, demonstration projects, technology or tool adoptions, or research, among others.