Best Grants for Charities in Maine

The Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People Grant supports partnerships with economically disadvantaged groups in the U.S. It aims to empower these communities to take control of their lives and address systemic issues of poverty and oppression. This initiative encourages sustainable change through community-led programs that advocate for justice, human dignity, and economic equity, fostering a transformative impact on their local environments.

The Orphan Kitten Club’s Mightycat Grant Program offers financial assistance to individuals and organizations dedicated to saving neonatal kittens. Funding supports essential needs such as medical care, supplies, and innovative programs aimed at improving survival rates. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations and independent rescuers with a proven track record in kitten care. The program's mission is to enhance rescue efforts and provide vulnerable kittens the opportunity to thrive and find loving homes.

The AOAP Life Jacket Grant supports aquatic facilities in drowning prevention by offering funds for swim lessons and life jackets. Administered by the Association of Aquatic Professionals, the program aims to provide at least 100 free lessons and distribute 500 life jackets annually. This initiative promotes safety education and awareness of life jacket usage, ensuring that underserved communities have access to vital water safety resources. Applications are open to AOAP members meeting eligibility criteria.

The Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program aims to support organizations in their efforts to screen and educate individuals who have been exposed to radiation from uranium mining and U.S. nuclear weapons testing. This initiative emphasizes the importance of awareness and education in mitigating health risks associated with radiation exposure, ensuring affected communities receive the necessary resources and support for health management.

The NIH Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) fosters innovative educational initiatives aimed at pre-college students, promoting their interest in STEM fields, especially in biomedical and behavioral sciences. This program supports both classroom projects and informal science education activities, such as after-school programs and library events. Emphasizing the development of quantitative and computational skills, SEPA seeks to inspire the next generation of scientists and thinkers through engaging educational experiences.

American Physical Society

The American Physical Society is a nonprofit membership organization working to advance physics by fostering a vibrant, inclusive, and global community dedicated to science and society. APS represents more than 50,000 members, including physicists in academia, national laboratories, and industry in the United States and around the world.

APS Honors recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of the global physics community. Guided by our core values, APS Honors encourages nominations that reflect the full range of talent, distinction, and experience in our field, and supports broad canvassing for professional achievement across diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and expertise.

Joseph A. Burton Forum Award

The Joseph A. Burton Forum Award recognizes outstanding contributions to the public understanding or resolution of issues involving the interface of physics and society. The award consists of $5,000, a certificate citing the contributions of the recipient, and an allowance for travel to the meeting of the Society at which the award is presented. It will be awarded annually.

Nominations will be considered for three review cycles provided the nominator re-certifies the nomination before the next deadline.

Investing in research and healthcare to prevent, treat, and heal firearm-related harms

Kaiser Permanente Center for Gun Violence Research and Education

Kaiser Permanente established this Center in 2022 to scale its longstanding commitment to help communities prevent, treat, and heal from firearm-related injuries or death. The Center’s focus on violence prevention is rooted in healthcare, care delivery, and clinical interventions.

The Center is coordinated in collaboration with the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (HAVI).

Research to support more effective health interventions

The Center funds research to test and expand health interventions that treat and prevent firearm injuries and deaths. This approach uses the same rigor and expertise that has helped treat and prevent other leading health concerns and causes of death, such as stroke, cancer, and heart disease. Funding supports projects to:

• Identify and evaluate health system strategies to address firearm injury and death, especially in communities that are most impacted.
• Test clinical interventions to prevent, treat, and heal trauma caused by firearm injuries and death.
• Assess pathways to implement and scale clinical interventions for firearm injury prevention in various healthcare settings.
• Improve healthcare identification and engagement of individuals at high risk of firearm injury or death.

Since its inception, the Center has awarded more than $8.5 million through 49 grants across 25 states and Washington, D.C., to advance research, capacity building, narrative change, and education.

Funding Opportunity

The call is open to applicants at varying stages of the research continuum. It is expected that central to all proposed initiatives are efforts to meaningfully engage communities that have been the most impacted by firearm violence.

What Work Will Be Considered for Funding?

Funding is currently available in two categories: Category 1 - Research Capacity Building; Category 2 - Pilot or Formative Healthcare Research

Category 1: Research Capacity Building

Up to two (2) projects will be selected, each receiving up to $100,000 over two (2) years.

Build capacity within the organization, institution, and/or clinical care setting to conduct research on healthcare approaches to addressing firearm violence or firearm suicide.

The Survivor Fellowship Program for Students, initiated by Everytown for Gun Safety in 2015, empowers individuals directly affected by gun violence. This year-long volunteer advocacy training helps survivors share their narratives, fostering awareness and mobilizing communities to combat gun violence. Participants must be at least 18 years old and enrolled in an educational institution, with a personal connection to gun violence, ensuring diverse experiences are represented in this impactful initiative.

The AWG Mid-Career Excellence Award honors outstanding mid-career women scientists contributing significantly to geosciences. It recognizes achievements across academia, industry, and government, with nominees evaluated on their scientific impact and community service. This prestigious award encourages nominations from the AWG membership and the broader geoscience community, fostering recognition of women's vital contributions in the field. With a commitment to diversity, the award aims to inspire future generations of women in geoscience careers.

About Us

Mission and Vision

The Mission of the Foundation is to improve the quality of life in the Coastal Bend by building community endowment and addressing social, educational, environmental, and cultural needs through the awarding of grants and scholarships.

Beck - O.J. Beck, Jr. Memorial Scholarship

Purpose:

Established in memory of O.J. (Junior) Beck, Jr., a respected general contractor and builder in the Coastal Bend with a reputation for attention to his projects and friendly relations with owners. He served his community as a member, director, vice president and president of the South Texas Chapter of the Association of General Contractors, the Business Development Commission, Chamber of Commerce, Ada Wilson Hospital, United Way, YWCA and many other organizations. He came to an untimely death on April 15, 1982.

The Tommy Wilson Memorial Grant, established by Dr. George T. Wilson and his wife Irene, honors their son Tommy, who had cerebral palsy. This grant supports recreational programs for individuals with disabilities and aims to positively impact their lives. Applicants must be nonprofit organizations with a successful history of programming for individuals with disabilities. The grant prioritizes programs serving economically disadvantaged individuals and may only fund applicants once every five years.

The DEVCOM Analysis Center Broad Agency Announcement invites research proposals to support the U.S. Army's mission of informed modernization through data-driven analysis and technology development. Open until January 4, 2028, it seeks innovative whitepapers and proposals from various organizations to enhance Army capabilities and technologies. This initiative aims to foster significant advancements that align with national security needs and drive scientific exploration in applied research and advanced technology.

About

Paul Newman was born and raised in Ohio by parents who owned a successful sporting goods store. He enlisted in the Navy and completed his military service as a radioman/gunner in the Pacific during World War II. Seeing his father’s business ethic during the Great Depression and experiencing the war fueled his desire to help others in need.

In 1958, Paul made his acting debut on Broadway in “Picnic,” where he also met his future wife, Joanne Woodward. Paul started a successful race car driving career inspired by training for the film Winning. He went on to win second place in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world’s oldest endurance race event. After years of acting and being recognized for his achievements on screen and stage, he received many accolades including an Oscar for Best Actor in The Color of Money.

Paul used his fame for good. He was dedicated to civil rights–attending the March on Washington in August 1963–women’s rights, and gay rights. He used his platform to advocate for equal pay for his female co-stars. He was a vocal political advocate committed to ending the nuclear arms race and determined to elect opponents of war and militarism. President Jimmy Carter appointed him to a United Nations General Assembly session on nuclear disarmament.

In 1982, Paul Newman and his friend Hotch founded a food company on a bit of a lark. They turned a profit selling salad dressing that first year, and did something truly radical when they decided to “give it all away” to good causes.

Paul established Newman’s Own Foundation to ensure the continuation of his philanthropic legacy after his passing. 40+ years since its founding, his first of its kind food company and its innovative business model are still going strong.

Garden Grants

Through Whole Foods Market’s Garden Grant program, schools turn outdoor spaces into powerful hands-on learning gardens that connect kids with food, spark their curiosity and support classroom curriculum.

The Diana and Leon Feffer Scholarship Fund, administered by the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, provides financial support to residents of Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire Counties. Eligible students include undergraduates and graduates attending accredited institutions in the U.S. Students can receive up to $3,000, which may affect financial aid. Scholarships can cover tuition and other educational costs, and recipients should confirm tax implications with their colleges or tax advisors.

The Olney Medal, established in 1944 by the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC), honors exceptional achievements in textile chemistry and related fields. It recognizes significant contributions to the development of chemical processes and agents in textile manufacturing. Open to all AATCC members for nominations, the award emphasizes the importance of innovation and public recognition in advancing textile sciences, a legacy of its founder, Dr. Louis Atwell Olney.

The Bonnie Plants 3rd Grade Cabbage Grant Program inspires young students to cultivate a love for gardening by providing free oversized cabbage plants to 3rd grade classrooms across the continental U.S. Initiated in 1996, the program encourages hands-on learning about where food comes from. Each year, students compete for a $1,000 prize awarded to the best cabbage grown, fostering excitement and education about agriculture. This initiative not only promotes environmental awareness but also engages students in practical science.

The Fisher Family Lost Acres Scholarship Fund, administered by the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, provides financial assistance to students pursuing agriculture, horticulture, or related majors. Eligible applicants include undergraduate and graduate students planning to enroll in accredited post-secondary institutions in the U.S. Scholarships can reach up to $3,000 and may affect other financial aid. Students are encouraged to check with college financial aid offices for guidance on potential implications.

Mission: A non-profit, charitable, Private Foundation established in 1959 by the Long family to support local charities, schools, education events and general community needs.

Grants

Our approach to grant requests focuses on fostering local neighborhood vitality and excellence. The John F. Long Foundation supports local non-profit organizations that promote this objective. The Foundation looks for groups who are working to help themselves, help their own communities, and help others like themselves through self-empowering, community organizing efforts. To be eligible for consideration, the grant request must meet the following criteria:

• Funds’ use must have measurable benefits
• Your organization must have good management, a solid financial background, well-established administration policies and Board of Directors
• The grant request must be precise and complete, providing necessary detail
• The Foundation Questionnaire is to be completed in its entirety
• The grant request amount and time frame must be clearly communicated, i.e. one-time grant, ongoing support, or special project
• If your request is for a particular event or program, providing a budget is always helpful
• Requests for grants of $1,000.00 or more, as well as groups we have not funded within the past two years, must: (i) Provide financial reports/statements for past and current fiscal year; (ii) Provide a list of past donors going back no more than two years.

Native Forward awards are allocated based on the financial aid information provided by the institution’s Financial Aid Office. Awards can vary, ranging from $100 to $30,000 per academic year.

Native Forward Scholars Fund members of federally and state-recognized Tribes as well as first and second-generation descendants. However, Native Forward Scholars Fund scholarship opportunities have different Tribal eligibility requirements and can be determined by submitting a Tribal Eligibility Certificate.

Jeanette Elmer Scholarship

This opportunity is provided to honor the life and legacy of Jeanette Elmer.

The purpose of the Jeanette Elmer Scholarship program is to provide financial assistance to eligible American Indian and Alaska Native graduate students pursuing degrees full-time at an accredited institution in library science.

This opportunity is a need-based award.

About Us

The Wenner-Gren Foundation is a private operating foundation dedicated to providing leadership in support of anthropology and anthropologists worldwide.

Our Mission

The Wenner-Gren Foundation is committed to playing a leadership role in anthropology. We help anthropologists advance anthropological knowledge, build sustainable careers, and amplify the impact of anthropology within the wider world. We dedicate ourselves to broadening the conversation in anthropology to reflect the full diversity of the field.

Engaged Research Grant

General

This program supports longstanding research partnerships that empower those who have historically been the subjects of anthropological research, rather than researchers themselves. Designed in alliance with individuals who have borne the impact of marginalization, these partnerships bring together scholars and their interlocutors in an effort to expand anthropological knowledge, combat inequality, and help communities flourish. The program supports projects that will make a significant contribution to anthropological conversations through collaboration and engagement.

Anthropological research involves forging ethical relationships. Researchers must acknowledge the contributions of interlocutors and compensate them appropriately for their labor and time. Projects funded by Engaged Research Grants go even further. Not only are interlocutors participants in the research, but they have an active role in determining the problems explored. This grant program targets projects, growing out of a scholar’s established relationship with a community, that show greater potential when undertaken as a partnership, beginning with the formulation of research questions and extending to data gathering, skill sharing, scholarly communication, and public mobilization. Engaged research occurs in a broad range of settings, including communities, courtrooms, government offices, and laboratories. It results in findings that are meaningful and potentially transformative for research participants and others with a stake in the collaboration. Through this program, the Foundation seeks to demonstrate how engagement can foster innovation and further anthropological knowledge.

Award Money

The maximum Engaged Research Grant is $25,000. There is no limit to the duration of the grant, and applicants may request funding to cover distinct research phases (for example, two summers) if this is part of the research design.

Investing in research and healthcare to prevent, treat, and heal firearm-related harms

Kaiser Permanente Center for Gun Violence Research and Education

Kaiser Permanente established this Center in 2022 to scale its longstanding commitment to help communities prevent, treat, and heal from firearm-related injuries or death. The Center’s focus on violence prevention is rooted in healthcare, care delivery, and clinical interventions.

The Center is coordinated in collaboration with the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (HAVI).

Research to support more effective health interventions

The Center funds research to test and expand health interventions that treat and prevent firearm injuries and deaths. This approach uses the same rigor and expertise that has helped treat and prevent other leading health concerns and causes of death, such as stroke, cancer, and heart disease. Funding supports projects to:

• Identify and evaluate health system strategies to address firearm injury and death, especially in communities that are most impacted.
• Test clinical interventions to prevent, treat, and heal trauma caused by firearm injuries and death.
• Assess pathways to implement and scale clinical interventions for firearm injury prevention in various healthcare settings.
• Improve healthcare identification and engagement of individuals at high risk of firearm injury or death.

Since its inception, the Center has awarded more than $8.5 million through 49 grants across 25 states and Washington, D.C., to advance research, capacity building, narrative change, and education.

Funding Opportunity

The call is open to applicants at varying stages of the research continuum. It is expected that central to all proposed initiatives are efforts to meaningfully engage communities that have been the most impacted by firearm violence.

What Work Will Be Considered for Funding?

Funding is currently available in two categories: Category 1 - Research Capacity Building; Category 2 - Pilot or Formative Healthcare Research

Category 2 - Pilot or Formative Healthcare Research

Up to two (2) projects will be selected, each receiving up to $250,000 over two (2) years.

Expand or pilot new research on evidence-informed healthcare practice or clinical care models that address firearm violence or firearm suicide.

This grant aims to enhance safety and health in U.S. mining operations through research in automation, robotics, and intelligent systems. It addresses critical issues like emergency communication and self-escape reliability while supporting the development of field-ready solutions. By leveraging advanced technologies, the initiative seeks to improve miner safety and health, reduce hazardous exposures, and foster community engagement. Applicants must be U.S. academic institutions with accredited mining programs, linking project goals to documented health burdens.

The American Australian Association's Graduate Education Fund offers scholarships for American and Australian students pursuing Masters, Ph.D., or Postdoctoral research in various fields, including Science, Technology, and Sustainability. Established in 2002, the fund has awarded nearly $11 million to over 350 scholars. Scholarships up to $40,000 support travel, living, and tuition costs. Applications are accepted biannually, with specific periods for each direction of study. It also includes scholarships for Indigenous students.

Community Foundation of Northern Nevada

Established in 1998 as a Nevada nonprofit 501(c) 3 Corporation, the Community Foundation of Northern Nevada has distributed more than $200 million in grants and scholarships from over 300 charitable funds to strengthen our Nevada home. 

Scholarship Program

The Community Foundation of Northern Nevada’s Scholarship Program is intended to help students cover the ever-increasing cost of tuition. Some of our scholarships are based on financial need, but others represent an award for achievement. These scholarships typically go to students who have excelled in an academic area or have shown they can balance academics, volunteer work, and extracurricular activities. There are also scholarships designated for students who have overcome adversity, students pursuing degrees in high-need areas, and adult learners outside the traditional college age group. Community Foundation scholarships can help cover tuition, books, and on-campus housing.

General Fred Michel Memorial Scholarship

You are eligible to apply for a scholarship if you:

• provide strong evidence of interest in aviation as a career
• are a senior graduating from a northern Nevada high school, or are enrolled in or accepted to an accredited institution of higher education (2-year, 4-year, trade school, or certificate program)
• are pursuing or plan to pursue a degree in a field related to aviation
• have a minimum 1000 SAT and/or minimum 20 ACT score
• have a minimum 2.75 GPA
• agree to maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA and submit an unofficial copy of transcripts at the end of each semester you are receiving an award

The Otto & Aegun Hensens Educational Fund, established in 2018, supports Hawaii high school graduates pursuing degrees in medicine, science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. To qualify, applicants must be residents of Hawaii, maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher, and demonstrate financial need. Preference is given to previous recipients and members of the Aiea Korean Methodist Church. This fund plays a vital role in fostering future leaders in STEM fields.

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 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.

Richard W. and Florence B. Irwin Scholarship Fund, Bank of America, Trustee

To support male residents of Northampton with a preference for students attending law school. Consideration will be given to students attending medical school or studying to become religious ministers.

Additional Guidelines

• Students can receive up to $3,000 in scholarships from the Community Foundation.
• Scholarship awards could impact the financial aid offered by a college, and students are advised to check with their college financial aid offices about this.
• Scholarships may be used to offset tuition, fees, room and board, and other items included as part of the cost for attending the institution. Some part and/or all the award could be considered taxable income. It is advisable students check with the college or tax accountant regarding this matter.