Best Seed Grants for Nonprofits in Louisiana

The Zachary Adam Giordan-Lascari Memorial Scholarship, offered by the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico, supports fathers pursuing physical therapy education at accredited institutes. This scholarship aims to assist students from diverse backgrounds, including those with disabilities and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. With a focus on community impact, this fund exemplifies the Foundation's commitment to enhancing educational opportunities and fostering a thriving future for recipients in Southern New Mexico.

The Myasthenia Gravis Network (MGNet) Scholar Program is designed to enhance research capabilities in myasthenia gravis through individualized training and mentorship. Funded by the Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network (RDCRN), this program supports scholars with up to $75,000 for salary and research costs, aiming to prepare them for independent careers in clinical and translational research. Eligible candidates include MDs, PhDs, and mid-career faculty committed to advancing MG research.

The DoW Military Burn, Patient-Centered Research Award aims to enhance the implementation of burn care research into clinical practice for military settings. The FY26 program supports clinical trials and research that directly benefit burn patients in resource-limited environments, fostering collaborations between experienced researchers and junior scholars. This initiative addresses critical gaps in combat burn care, ensuring effective interventions and guidelines are developed and utilized in operational battlespaces.

The Gravelin Scholarship, offered by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, awards a $450 grant to a graduating high school senior who has faced significant life challenges, such as illness or trauma. Eligible candidates must have a minimum GPA of 3.3, show financial need via a FAFSA-SAI form, and plan to enroll in an accredited two-year, four-year, or vocational institution. Applicants are required to submit a transcript, a personal essay, and details of their community service and school involvement.

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For over 70 years, the Scranton Area Community Foundation has served Northeastern Pennsylvania as a steward of charitable resources, a grantmaker, and a catalyst for positive change. Guided by our core values of collaboration, trust, integrity, innovation, and inclusivity, we work to ensure that our communities thrive with opportunities for all.

This scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior from a high school in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, or Pike county who plays baseball and plans to continue playing in college.

The Gunner Lee Thomason Autism Scholarship, offered by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, provides a $700 grant to a graduating high school senior or undergraduate student dedicated to working with autistic individuals and their families. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and demonstrate financial need. Preference is given to those from the Truman Lake area. The application requires a transcript, essay, letter of recommendation, and a description of community service and work experience.

Marion Community FoundationMarion Community Foundation is the area’s leading philanthropic organization, providing charitable donors the opportunity to easily create endowment funds to benefit and support our community through grants and scholarships. We serve communities throughout Marion County through philanthropy, leadership, and civic engagement.

Mission: To continually improve the Marion Area community through philanthropy, leadership and civic engagement. Tasha Jones Memorial ScholarshipThe Tasha Jones Memorial Scholarship Fund was created in 2020 to honor the young life of Tasha Jones (1985-2020), a long-time and faithful employee of Edgefield Animal Care Center in Marion. The Tasha Jones Memorial Scholarship, created by her colleagues at Edgefield Animal Care Center, supports students pursuing a career in animal science, veterinary medicine, veterinary technician, or veterinary technology, who will be grateful, happy, and hardworking and pursue a goal of making life better for the animals and people they meet every day.

Mission: To continually improve the Marion Area community through philanthropy, leadership and civic engagement. Kannan Family ScholarshipThe Kannan Family Scholarship is open to students from any high school in Marion County, with preference to seniors or graduates of Pleasant High School where the Kannan’s children attended. Their scholarship supports students pursuing a career in a STEM field – science, technology, engineering, or mathematics – or health care and special consideration will be given to those with demonstrated financial need.

The Polk County Tech Scholarship, offered by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, provides a $2,000 award for eligible high school seniors from select schools. This scholarship is renewable for a second year if a 2.5 GPA is maintained while enrolled in an accredited two-year or vocational program. Applicants must demonstrate financial need and submit an essay detailing their work experience and academic goals, ensuring support for those pursuing careers in technical fields.

Mission: To continually improve the Marion Area community through philanthropy, leadership and civic engagement. Mountz Girls ScholarshipThe Mountz Girls Scholarship Fund was created in 2022 by Patricia Anne Chapman to honor her mother and aunts — Virginia M. Duffey, Glenna L. Rodman, and Jean A. Kibler, and her mother, Rachel F. Chapman. An inheritance from her Aunt Glenna Lou was the seed money to start the scholarship, to be awared to female students — seniors and graduates — of high schools in Marion County pursuing an education in the fine arts, visual arts, commercial art, or art education.

Marion Community Foundation

Since 1998, area residents have been turning to Marion Community Foundation to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. We are a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common concern … improving the quality of life in Marion County. We use distributions from the more than 500 charitable funds — created by generous, local donors — to award more than $2.5 million in grants and scholarships each year to many of the humanitarian, educational and cultural organizations in this remarkable community we call home.

Marion Community Foundation is the area’s leading philanthropic organization, providing charitable donors the opportunity to easily create endowment funds to benefit and support our community through grants and scholarships. We serve communities throughout Marion County through philanthropy, leadership, and civic engagement.

Dr. Tarlok & Amar Purewal Scholarship

Dr. Tarlok and Amar Purewal, long-time Marion residents, strongly believe in helping young people find employment in the trades and careers that do not require a college degree, or even a high school degree. In collaboration with Jobs & Family Services, the Buckeye School, Tri-Rivers Adult Education, Marion Matters, and Marion Technical College, the Purewals created an endowment fund which blends a scholarship with a field of interest fund. The scholarship criteria does not require a high school degree — but does not exclude applicants with one — and will be awarded to applicants pursuing an education in the trades, apprenticeship, and skilled labor, or two-year degrees in fields that do not require traditional 4-year degrees. The Purewal Fund may award grants to an organization or program that assists individuals in obtaining training for gainful employment, especially for individuals with financial need for such training and education.

The Purewal Fund is an example of the flexibility community foundations have to match donors’ unique ideas to local needs.

The FY26 Military Burn Research Program (MBRP) Discovery Award aims to support groundbreaking research in combat-relevant burn care. This award encourages innovative and exploratory studies that provide new insights and foundational data for future clinical research. The focus is on novel approaches that lay the groundwork for scientific advancements and product development in burn care, ensuring robust preliminary data generation for subsequent research initiatives.

Community Foundation for Mason County, MI

At the Community Foundation for Mason County, we work with donors, grantees, and advisors to address key community issues. As a leader in community philanthropy, building a vibrant community with great opportunities for all, we are focused on advancing education, increasing recreation opportunities, and community and economic development.

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

Emily & Frank Smiddy Scholarship

This scholarship has been made possible by the generosity of Emily & Frank Smiddy who established the Emily & Frank Smiddy Scholarship Fund of the Community Foundation for Mason County.

Frank Smiddy, former owner of ProAct Environmental Services located in Ludington, has always had a passion for STEM-related learning and wants to give back to the community where he owns his business. He and his wife, Emily, wanted to leave a legacy of students going into this field the best chance possible to get their college education with as little debt as possible, so they established the Emily & Frank Smiddy Scholarship Fund. It is their hope that students receiving this scholarship will be motivated, when they are financially able, to give back to the community to help others see success.

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 Walter J. Weber, Jr. AEESP Frontier in Research Award recognizes outstanding professors in environmental engineering or science for their innovative research contributions. Awardees receive a plaque, a cash prize of $500, and a $750 travel allotment for attending the ceremony. Nominations are valid for three years and must include a complete package of materials, ensuring strong endorsement of the nominee's pioneering work in the field.

The William Brewster Snow Award, presented by the AEESP Foundation, honors outstanding environmental engineering graduate students. This annual award recognizes significant achievements in academic or employment projects, offering a plaque and a $250 cash prize. Eligible candidates must either be enrolled in or have recently completed a relevant Master's program. Evaluation criteria include academic performance, community service, and engineering accomplishments, ensuring that deserving students are acknowledged for their contributions to environmental engineering.

Community Foundation for Mason County, MI

At the Community Foundation for Mason County, we work with donors, grantees, and advisors to address key community issues. As a leader in community philanthropy, building a vibrant community with great opportunities for all, we are focused on advancing education, increasing recreation opportunities, and community and economic development.

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

George Dila Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship has been made possible by the generosity of Wayne and Jeanie Mortenson, who established the George Dila Memorial Scholarship Fund of the Community Foundation for Mason County to honor the memory of their dear friend, George Dila.

This scholarship is for graduating senior(s) of Ludington High School pursuing a degree or certification at any two or four-year accredited college, university, or vocational/technical school.

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 National Institute on Aging (NIA) is preparing to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) aimed at advancing research on the genomic factors influencing Alzheimer's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease-Related Dementias (AD/ADRD). This initiative encourages interdisciplinary projects that utilize innovative genomic analysis techniques to uncover the mechanisms of neurodegeneration. The goal is to identify therapeutic targets that can inform precision medicine strategies for AD/ADRD treatment, while allowing time for potential applicants to form collaborations.

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 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.

Community Foundation for Mason County, MI

At the Community Foundation for Mason County, we work with donors, grantees, and advisors to address key community issues. As a leader in community philanthropy, building a vibrant community with great opportunities for all, we are focused on advancing education, increasing recreation opportunities, and community and economic development.

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

Joe Lancour Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship has been made possible by the generosity of the family of Joe Lancour, who established the Joe Lancour Memorial Scholarship Fund of the Community Foundation for Mason County.

Joe Lancour served our country in Afghanistan where he lost his life. Joe was active in sports and graduated in 2004 from Ludington High School. He was artistic in many ways and loved to cook. His mother Starla Owens championed this scholarship fund to honor his memory.

Community Foundation for Mason County, MI

At the Community Foundation for Mason County, we work with donors, grantees, and advisors to address key community issues. As a leader in community philanthropy, building a vibrant community with great opportunities for all, we are focused on advancing education, increasing recreation opportunities, and community and economic development.

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

Ludington Education Association Scholarship

This scholarship has been made possible by the generosity of the Ludington Area School District, which established the Ludington Education Association Scholarship Fund of the Community Foundation for Mason County. This fund provides scholarships to graduating seniors of Ludington High School.

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is set to announce a funding opportunity for research on the cerebellum's role in cognitive and emotional functions during aging and Alzheimer's disease. This initiative emphasizes the need for studies that enhance understanding of cerebellar physiology and neuroanatomy in these contexts, welcoming diverse research approaches. Researchers are encouraged to prepare for this new opportunity to investigate potential interventions aimed at cognitive preservation and delaying Alzheimer's onset.

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 Installed Building Products Building for Tomorrow Scholarship, established by The Columbus Foundation, aims to support employees and their families in pursuing educational goals. Award amounts include $5,000 annually for the duration of a program or degree, with a special $10,000 scholarship for a candidate demonstrating the highest financial need. Open to anyone attending accredited institutions in the U.S., preference is given to those in construction-related fields.