Best Grants for Small Nonprofits in Kentucky

The National Science Foundation's FINDERS FOUNDRY program fosters collaboration among K-12 educators, technologists, and researchers to address challenges in learning and workforce development. By creating innovative, evidence-based solutions, the program enhances educational outcomes and prepares students for a digital future driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI). It emphasizes early exposure to AI, encouraging partnerships across various sectors to co-design responsive, technology-based solutions. The program includes phases for planning and development, aligning with national priorities.

Our Mission

The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts seeks to enrich the quality of life of the people of our region by:

• Encouraging philanthropy
• Developing a perpetual, flexible endowment
• Assessing and responding to emerging and changing needs
• Serving as a resource, catalyst, and coordinator for charitable activities
• Promoting efficiency in the management of charitable funds

The Scholarship Program

The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts administers over 160 scholarships. Some of the funds help students from a particular school or area; others provide financial assistance to those pursuing a specific field of study; still others assist students that are most in need. Students who apply to the Scholarship program may be eligible for many of these funds.

• Scholarships may be used to offset tuition, fees, room and board, and other items included as part of the cost for attending the institution. 
• Most scholarships are for students who live in Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden Counties. However, some are also available to students who live in Berkshire County and Hartford County in Connecticut.
• We offer scholarships to those who attend on either a full-time or part-time basis. 
• Any student who plans to enroll for the upcoming fall semester, in any year of college as an undergraduate or graduate student and who will attend an accredited post-secondary school in the United States may apply.
• Scholarships are provided for one academic year and are not automatically renewed each year. You can reapply to our program every year you are going to attend college, and the application you submit that year will be considered for all scholarships for which you are eligible.

Jacob and Celia Richmond Fund

To support residents of Hampden County attending law school.

Our Mission

The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts seeks to enrich the quality of life of the people of our region by:

• Encouraging philanthropy
• Developing a perpetual, flexible endowment
• Assessing and responding to emerging and changing needs
• Serving as a resource, catalyst, and coordinator for charitable activities
• Promoting efficiency in the management of charitable funds

The Scholarship Program

The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts administers over 160 scholarships. Some of the funds help students from a particular school or area; others provide financial assistance to those pursuing a specific field of study; still others assist students that are most in need. Students who apply to the Scholarship program may be eligible for many of these funds.

• Scholarships may be used to offset tuition, fees, room and board, and other items included as part of the cost for attending the institution. 
• Most scholarships are for students who live in Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden Counties. However, some are also available to students who live in Berkshire County and Hartford County in Connecticut.
• We offer scholarships to those who attend on either a full-time or part-time basis. 
• Any student who plans to enroll for the upcoming fall semester, in any year of college as an undergraduate or graduate student and who will attend an accredited post-secondary school in the United States may apply.
• Scholarships are provided for one academic year and are not automatically renewed each year. You can reapply to our program every year you are going to attend college, and the application you submit that year will be considered for all scholarships for which you are eligible.

Edward and Joan Noonan Scholarship Fund

To support students from Hampden County, studying engineering with a preference for students studying aerospace engineering or fly as an extracurricular activity.”

The Roots & Shoots Project Grant, offered by the Jane Goodall Institute, empowers U.S.-based youth to initiate community-action projects that positively impact people, animals, and the environment. With a funding opportunity of $250, this grant encourages young leaders to take charge and make a difference in their communities. Eligible applicants include children, teens, educators, and community groups. Join the movement to foster change and celebrate local initiatives that contribute to a sustainable future.

Concrete Advancement Foundation

Vision

To be the resilient resource to collaboratively support concrete as the leading sustainable building material.

Goals

• Goal 1: To fund and manage highly credible and impactful research to achieve societal goals
  • Decarbonization
  • Resilient, sustainable and affordable communities
  • World-class sustainable infrastructure
• Goal 2: Disseminate knowledge and create educational tools for the benefit of stakeholders
  • Attract and advance the concrete industry workforce
  • Tools and programs to advance communities and societal goals
• Goal 3: To be the resilient resource for collaboratively funding the advancement of the concrete industry
  • Bring together industry stakeholders to provide the financial resources and governance needed to accomplish the Foundation's goals
  • Measure progress and success of the Foundation goals and ensure strategic, long-term alignment and communication with stakeholder audiences

Funding

The Foundation funds research and education programs that are consistent with our mission of increasing the quality, professionalism and sustainability of the ready mixed concrete industry.

Those wishing to perform research on concrete materials topics may consult the list of research needs developed by NRMCA's Research Engineering & Standards Committee. Please note that this list is only a guide, and neither guarantees funding of a particular topic, nor precludes research on topics not listed.

Foundation of the Federal Bar Association

The Foundation of the Federal Bar Association provides the best way for practitioners to give back to the Federal legal community. Chartered by Congress in 1954, the Foundation serves people in communities across the United States through its generous grants, scholarships, and programming.

Our Mission: The Foundation’s mission is to:

• Promote and support legal research and education;
• Advance the science of jurisprudence;
• Facilitate the administration of justice;
• Foster improvements in the practice of Federal law

Foundation Grants

Foundation grants support community service projects and civics programs which comply with the Foundation’s mission to promote and support legal research and education; advance the science of jurisprudence; facilitate the administration of justice; and foster improvements in the practice of Federal law.

Community Outreach Grant

The Community Outreach Grants Program is designed to support projects and initiatives that provide legal services in local communities. Through targeted funding, the program empowers FBA chapters, sections, divisions, national standing committees (FBA entity) and other organizations to develop and support projects that make a lasting impact on their communities.

Applicants may only receive one (1) Foundation grant per year.

Community Foundation of Carroll County

The Community Foundation of Carroll County, Inc. was established in 1994 to ensure financial support for Carroll County not-for-profit organizations. It is governed by a Board of Directors and is a 501c(3) public charity. The Community Foundation of Carroll County is trusted partner for donors and nonprofits. We provide one central place where anyone can create a charitable fund, support what matters most, and leave a legacy of lasting impact.

Scholarships

The Community Foundation of Carroll County supports more than 75 scholarships. These scholarships vary in the amounts they award and cover a wide variety of student interests. Qualifiers range from academic achievements, sports played, and community service performed, to 4-H and FFA involvement. While the majority are for graduating Carroll County high school seniors, there are several for students in college or technical school, and even opportunities for students attending private primary school. 

Charles and Claudia Lewis STEM Scholarship

The Charles and Claudia Lewis STEM Scholarship was established in 2004 by his family. Mr. Lewis did not have the advantage of monetary funds for college but he strongly believed in the value of education. As a result, during his lifetime, he tried to provide that support to others to help them achieve their educational goals. The purpose of this Fund is to provide a scholarship for a graduating senior of a Carroll County, Maryland, High School who will pursue a college education in Engineering, who has a financial need, who has exhibited academic achievement, and who has demonstrated involvement in his or her community. The student must have been enrolled at a Carroll County High School for his or her entire junior and senior years. Students enrolled in Engineering courses at the Carroll Career and Technology Center will be given special consideration. 

The Luce/ACLS Collaborative Grant in China Studies offers up to $150,000 for innovative pilot activities aimed at addressing pressing challenges in China Studies over 12 to 18 months. The grant encourages collaborative proposals that enhance teaching resources, develop open-access materials, and promote professional development. Successful projects may lead to new networks, sustainability plans, or white papers. This initiative aims to foster transformative change within the academic community focused on China.

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.

Law Student Assistance Scholarship

Students entering their third year of law school (current second-year students approaching the third year).

Selection based upon:

• Financial need, above-average law school academic achievement, and demonstrated leadership in undergraduate and law school activities and in community, school, and church.

Awards

• Up to $3,500 in scholarships

The Borchard Foundation Fellowship in Law and Aging offers two-year fellowships for law school graduates pursuing careers in law and aging. The fellowship provides $62,000 annually, with support for professional development and networking opportunities. Eligible candidates must be U.S. citizens or residents and have a host agency to supervise their projects. The fellowship begins around July 1 or September 1, depending on Bar admission status, allowing flexibility in work location within the U.S.

The Sidney Stern Memorial Trust Grant supports charitable, scientific, medical, and educational organizations that are 501(c)(3) certified. This private funder emphasizes impactful service to diverse populations without discrimination. Grants must be utilized within the United States and cannot be awarded to individuals, political candidates, or lobbying efforts. The Trust is dedicated to enhancing the general welfare through soundly-managed initiatives that contribute significantly to community needs.

Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund

The American Bar Association (ABA) awards an annual Legal Opportunity Scholarship to first-year law students. The program's mission is committed to enhancing the diversity, equity, and inclusion of the legal profession. The ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarship grants $15,000 of financial aid to 20 - 25 incoming law students over their three years in law school. Since its inception, the ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarship has benefitted more than 400 students from across the country.

The Skadden Fellowship Foundation, established in 1988, offers two-year fellowships for law graduates to engage in public interest law. With a focus on serving the legal needs of impoverished communities, the program has funded over 900 fellows who contribute significantly to public service. The fellowship covers salaries and benefits, ensuring dedicated legal talent addresses critical issues. Skadden fosters ongoing support through newsletters and reunions, solidifying its commitment to improving legal services across the United States.

AGC Undergraduate Scholarship

The AGC Education and Research Foundation offers undergraduate and graduate level scholarships to students enrolled in ABET, ACCE and some ATMAE-accredited construction management or construction related engineering programs. Over $11 million in scholarships have been awarded to more than 4,500 students attending colleges and universities across the country. 

Through endowments made by AGC members and supporters, as well as AGC Chapters, the Foundation is able to give 150 or more undergraduate and graduate scholarships each year to deserving students. Undergraduate students receive up to $2,500 per academic year (renewable for 3 years).

To be considered for renewal annual award installments, the scholarship recipient is required to provide indications of continued enrollment and good standing (min. 2.0 GPA). Grade transcripts and upcoming class schedules MUST be forwarded at the conclusion of each academic period. Recipients will not be reminded to provide this information; failure to do so will result in non-renewal of scholarship award installments. Recipients are encouraged to seek summer employment in construction during undergraduate enrollment.

Mission

The Social Science Research Council (SSRC) is an independent, international, nonprofit organization founded in 1923. The Council fosters innovative research, nurtures new generations of social scientists, deepens how inquiry is practiced within and across disciplines, and mobilizes necessary knowledge on important public issues.

SSRC-JF Next Gen Japan Visiting Professor Grants

The SSRC-JF Next Generation Japan Studies Development Program provides grants of up to $20,000 to US academic institutions or consortia of institutions to host Japan-based faculty for a six-week stay in the United States. This program is supported by the Japan Foundation.

Background

At the core of the Next Gen Japan Program is the idea that scholarly engagement and collaboration by students and scholars across disciplines, the boundaries of the nation-state, and cultures are central to effectively addressing the pressing concerns facing societies today.

The Next Gen Japan Visiting Professor Grants provides Japan-based faculty who research Japanese society an opportunity for intellectual engagement with US faculty, students, and local communities. It further provides the professor with professional development experience in presenting their work in English and conducting their own research in the US.

Hosting institutions, likewise, will gain access to international scholars and exposure to research from outside the United States.

Priorities

Priority is given to:

• Visiting professors hosted at liberal arts colleges, universities, college consortia, or community colleges located in the US South and Midwest for the duration of the grant.
• The hosting of early- to mid-career faculty.
• Engagement Plans that are designed to attract interdisciplinary audiences and support interdisciplinary networking ranging from academic fields such as the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and the wider general public.

The Hardin County Bar Association Teen Court Scholarship, offered by the Central Kentucky Community Foundation, supports local students committed to justice. Eligible applicants must reside in Hardin County, participate in Teen Court, and maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5. Required documentation includes an essay outlining their civic values and a recommendation letter from a guidance counselor or principal. This scholarship aims to foster responsible citizenship and encourage interest in legal careers among youth.

Mission

The Social Science Research Council (SSRC) is an independent, international, nonprofit organization founded in 1923. The Council fosters innovative research, nurtures new generations of social scientists, deepens how inquiry is practiced within and across disciplines, and mobilizes necessary knowledge on important public issues.

SSRC-JF Next Gen Japan Postdoctoral Fellowship

The SSRC-JF Next Generation Japan Studies Development Program invites US colleges and universities to apply for grants to support postdoctoral fellowships. This program provides grants of up to $60,000 as partial support for the hiring of recent PhD students specializing in Japan to both teach and conduct research on Japan, within any social science or humanities discipline, at the institution for one academic year. This program is supported by the Japan Foundation.

Background

The Next Gen Japan Postdoctoral Fellowship provides an opportunity for fellows to conduct essential research early in their careers while concurrently gaining valuable teaching experience and a greater understanding of the demands of professorship through this bridge from graduate school to tenure track positions.

Further, this fellowship provides host institutions with the means to enrich the offering of Japan-related courses, in particular, while enhancing the depth of a broad array of disciplines through the use of Japan in comparison or as a case study.

Priorities

• Priority is given to applications from colleges and universities located in the US South and Midwest.
• Priority is given to institutions planning Postdoctoral Fellow course assignments that allow for the enrollment of students from a variety of disciplines ranging from the humanities and social sciences to the natural sciences.

The American Bar Endowment's Opportunity Grant Program provides funding for innovative, boots-on-the-ground initiatives that address urgent legal needs of the public. This grant focuses on increasing access to justice for underserved populations, improving the justice system, and enhancing public understanding of legal rights. Eligible applicants include public charities and organizations directly impacting local communities, with a strong emphasis on projects that leverage technology and address immediate legal challenges.

Armstrong County Community Foundation

The Armstrong County Community Foundation, a public nonprofit corporation,

• Gives grants, scholarships, and organizational support to address the needs of our community.
• Builds a permanent endowment to help our donors create a legacy through this endowment.
• Promotes informed philanthropy to increase and sustain charitable resources for the region.
• Provides leadership and builds partnerships to identify and solve community issues.

Robert A. & Geneva K. Deveney Engineering Scholarship

This scholarship was established to provide funds for graduating seniors from Armstrong County high schools planning to study engineering.

Scholarship Details

• Available to High School Seniors
• Nonrenewable

All ACCF Scholarships are merit based.

The Global Micro-Residencies Grant, sponsored by the Franco Family Institute for Liberal Arts, supports tenure-line faculty from the College of Arts & Letters in pursuing scholarly micro-residencies abroad. With grants up to $7,000, faculty can engage in international collaboration and enhance their scholarship through prestigious host institutions outside the U.S. Additional funding is available for graduate research assistants. The program emphasizes collaborative scholarly exchange and requires prior arrangement with host institutions.

Central Kentucky Community Foundation (CKCF) Scholarships 

We have been awarding scholarships for over 60 years to local students through the generosity of people like you who want to make educational opportunities available to more students. We are the largest awarder of scholarship funds in the region. In 2025, CKCF awarded 170 scholarships totaling over $373,000 to 126 local students. Just as education is critical to achieving community and economic development, scholarships are essential to further education. Scholarships expand our youth’s opportunities for educational advancement. This educational access facilitates life dreams and career options that lead to financial independence.

We work with donors who desire to make these opportunities available to people, students who can benefit from both the financial investment and personal empowerment from a scholarship award, and colleges and universities to streamline the process for both the donor and student.

Bureau of Justice Assistance

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) was created in 1984 to reduce violent crime, create safer communities, and reform our Nation’s criminal justice system.

BJA strengthens the Nation’s criminal justice system and helps America’s state, local, and tribal jurisdictions reduce and prevent crime, reduce recidivism, and promote a fair and safe criminal justice system. BJA focuses its programmatic and policy efforts on providing a wide range of resources, including training and technical assistance, to law enforcement, courts, corrections, treatment, reentry, justice information sharing, and community-based partners to address chronic and emerging criminal justice challenges nationwide. 

Special Attorneys Program

This program will support state, local, Tribal, and territorial prosecuting agencies in assigning or hiring qualified prosecutors to serve full time as Special Attorneys within the National Fraud Enforcement Division or the Criminal Division or as Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) within a United States Attorney’s Office. These cross-designated prosecutors will investigate and prosecute fraud and other crimes committed by aliens within the United States (hereafter referred to as “criminal aliens”) and will investigate and prosecute crimes involving drug or human trafficking committed within the United States.

This grant program, authorized under Public Law 119-21, Title X, Subtitle A, Part II, Section 100055 (codified at 34 U.S.C. § 61101), is intended to strengthen investigative and prosecutorial capacity, expand intergovernmental coordination, and enhance the ability of jurisdictions to investigate and prosecute fraud and other crimes committed by aliens within the United States and drug and human trafficking crimes. The program is also intended to increase the availability of cross-designated prosecutorial personnel who can pursue these matters in coordination with federal authorities and contribute to the effective enforcement of applicable criminal laws.

The Graduate Student Conference Support Fund, provided by the American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies, aims to assist ABDs and recent PhDs in attending the Annual Meeting. This fund offers free or reduced registration for eligible students. Each year, the number of awards depends on contributions to the fund. Membership in ASECS is required for eligibility, and only one award can be granted to each recipient, ensuring broad access to this valuable support.

The Engineering Biological and Biomedical Systems (EBBS) program, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), aims to advance our understanding of biological systems and improve human health through innovative engineering solutions. It supports research that combines mechanistic insights with experimental techniques to develop novel biomedical technologies, enhance biomanufacturing processes, and explore therapeutic applications. Projects focusing on engineering principles for biological responses and rehabilitation are encouraged, while drug design and clinical trials are outside the program's scope.

The Saw Island Foundation offers grants focusing on education, science, and health, primarily targeting nonprofit organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area. Their education grants support scholarships and program partnerships, while science and health grants aim to enhance life experiences through improved health outcomes. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations, and the foundation emphasizes innovative collaborations that demonstrate measurable impact in their communities.

Safety Net Grants

The safety net grant funding threshold will be $20,000 and will continue to provide essential support to individuals and families facing an immediate crisis. (The single county basic needs grant threshold was $10,000 previously.) The focus on safety net services is a more refined approach from the wide lens of basic needs. By eliminating regional basic need grants, funding becomes more targeted, ensuring equitable grant distribution across counties. (Six-month Single County Safety Net grant application available now)

Single-County Grants 

• Go to programs that expect to serve exclusively or primarily residents of a single county.
• Have a grant request ceiling of $20,000 per program.
• Be scored by volunteers. Volunteers will not score program applications for organizations that provide services in the county where they reside or with which they are affiliated. Funding requests and scores are reviewed by 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.

Ken and Mary Beth Monnier Engineering Scholarship

Shelby County high school senior with a GPA of no less than 3.0, who is pursuing an ABET accredited Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering.

Selection based upon (in order of priority):

• Demonstrated community and school service, academic ability, financial need, and recommendations.

Awards

• Two $2,000 scholarships