Best Civil Rights Grants in Maryland

Maryland 501(c)(3) nonprofits using community organizing to advance civil and human rights can seek approximately US $12,000 in mostly general support from the Abelard Foundation. Focused on grassroots social, racial, economic, and immigrant justice, the funder invites smaller, locally based groups east of the Mississippi River, including Maryland, to apply.

About NIF

Advancing Equality for All Israelis

The New Israel Fund (NIF) helps Israel live up to its founders’ vision of a society that ensures complete equality to all its inhabitants. Our aim is to advance liberal democracy, including freedom of speech and minority rights, and to fight the inequality, injustice and extremism that diminish Israel.

From Israel’s first rape crisis centers, to fighting discrimination, NIF-funded organizations have driven positive social change and furthered justice and equality. NIF has provided over $350 million to more than 950 organizations since our inception in 1979.

Naomi Chazan Global Activism Fellowship

Want to travel to Israel/Palestine while advancing equality, democracy, and peace for all?

The New Israel Fund’s Naomi Chazan Global Activism Fellowship offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to visit Israel/Palestine, meet frontline Israeli and Palestinian activists, and learn about issues of war, peace, and inequality by seeing the reality on the ground. 

Fellows will visit Israel/Palestine on November 3-10, 2026.

This trip is a great opportunity to learn alongside peers and friends (ages 21 – 35). NIF is based on the simple idea that those of us who share a commitment to Israel/Palestine and to progressive values can join together to work for equality, freedom, and human rights. You will join a cohort of participants from the U.S. and Canada building relationships across borders to be sustained for years to come.

Following the trip, participants are expected to organize at least two NIF events in their home communities, with support from NIF staff. These events could look like a report-back highlighting the participants’ learnings from the trip, educational programs featuring NIF grantees/partners, or something else entirely that is tailored to the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual needs of the fellow’s communities.

The program is subsidized by generous donors in the NIF community. All “on-the-ground” costs—your hotel accommodation and almost all meals—will be covered by NIF. Participants are responsible for purchasing their own airfare and travel/health insurance. If the cost of airfare is a barrier for you, please apply anyway. Limited airfare subsidies may be available.

The Amy Adina Schulman Memorial Fund

The Amy Adina Schulman Memorial Fund is a Princeton, New Jersey-based endowment fund providing grants to individuals, young adults who volunteer or intern for progressive social action projects or programs in an area of their interest and commitment. The Amy Adina Fund also sponsors a lecture each year on a relevant and timely topic related to its educational mission.

The Amy Adina Schulman Memorial Fund was started in 1987 one year after Amy Adina, 20, died suddenly while a student and activist at Rutgers University. It is a realization of her family and her communities’ desire to celebrate her life, to fulfill her dreams and her potential. Since its inception, almost 1,500 grants have been awarded for work in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and the United States—nearly $1,000,000 in total. The Amy Adina Schulman Memorial Fund is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

About Our Grants

Small grants (depending on length of service), are awarded to as many applicants as possible rather than giving larger amounts to fewer individuals. The number of awards has grown each year thanks to annual contributions as well as to gifts sent to the Fund to honor special occasions and life cycle events.

Nonprofit fair housing enforcement organizations conducting civil rights testing, investigations, and enforcement activities in Maryland can access funding through US HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. This national Private Enforcement Initiative offers US $250,000 - US $500,000 to support work addressing discriminatory housing practices under the Fair Housing Act and equivalent state or local laws.

U.S.-based 501(c)(3) public charities and fiscally sponsored projects rooted in BAMEMSA communities can seek general operating support for civil and human rights, civic engagement, and immigration and refugee rights work, including in Maryland. With a mission to advance justice, Proteus Fund provides up to US $25,000 through the RISE Together Fund Small Grants program.

Law students focused on civil rights and civil liberties work can receive up to US $3,000 to support their studies and leadership development through this scholarship, open to those studying in the U.S. The William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law awards it annually to a third-year student showing strong scholastic merit and public interest commitment.

Nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations in the U.S., including those in Maryland, can seek multi-year support for civil rights and related community programs through grants from Adient Foundation. Funding may also assist work in education, health, arts, and human services, with awards based on organizational capacity, community relationships, and commitment to equal opportunity.

Adient Foundation provides Maryland civil rights and social service nonprofits with one-time grants supporting charitable programs and operations. U.S.-based, tax-exempt organizations working in areas like civil rights, community services, education, health, arts, and cultural institutions may be eligible, with renewals considered through reapplication rather than automatic ongoing support.

Researchers studying community-led development and civil rights–related issues in Latin America and the Caribbean or the U.S. can receive US $20,000 fellowships for rigorous, field-based research. Social Science Research Council and the Inter-American Foundation support work on topics like social inclusion, violence prevention, migration, and economic opportunity; Maryland-based scholars may be eligible if citizenship criteria are met.

501(c)(3) public charities in Maryland working on civil rights, LGBTQIA2S+ support, displaced people, immigrant communities, or mental health resources can apply for the Looking Out Foundation’s grants, awarding US $5,000 - US $25,000 for program support. Organizations serving disadvantaged youth, women, the arts, the hungry, or unhoused may also be competitive.

Grassroots 501(c)(3) organizations or fiscally sponsored groups in Maryland led by formerly incarcerated or directly impacted people can seek rapid-response funding for civil rights and criminal justice work. Focused on urgent movement-building, Circle for Justice Innovations supports actions opposing criminalization and incarceration, protecting protest and mutual aid, and advancing restorative and transformative justice with grants up to US $7,500.

Individuals, agencies, and similar organizations in Maryland exploring civility, civil discourse, and civil practices can apply for GriffinHarte Foundation grants of up to US $1,000 to support related research, conversations, and educational efforts. Projects addressing civil rights, feminism, identity, and social, political, or economic justice may be especially relevant.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations working on civil rights and government accountability can seek one-year project support, including in Maryland, with awards of US $5,000 - US $25,000. With a mission to defend basic freedoms and combat discrimination, Herb Block Foundation funds nationwide efforts addressing Bill of Rights protections and contemporary societal issues.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations working on civil rights and related civic initiatives in Maryland and nationwide may be eligible for support to advance constitutional liberties, free markets, and strong civil society. The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation funds programs that defend individual liberty, foster informed citizens, and strengthen families and communities.

Nonprofit schools, parks departments, community organizations, and amateur leagues in Maryland that run structured sports programs for girls ages 11–18 may be eligible to use this funding for coaching, equipment, transportation, and related costs. Women’s Sports Foundation supports programs serving predominantly Black, Hispanic, African-American, and Native American girls to expand equitable access to sports and leadership development.

Nonprofit or aspiring 501(c)(3) local news organizations in Maryland can receive funding to build sustainable business capacity and expand digital newsroom operations. American Journalism Project provides support for public-service journalism that is free to the public, independent, and committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and meeting local information needs, which may benefit civil-rights-focused coverage and initiatives.

Maryland education unions and affiliates working on racial justice in schools can apply for the CRSJ Racial Justice in Education Grant to support awareness, capacity-building, and action projects. Grants from National Education Association Staff Organization range from US $5,000 - US $75,000 and fund initiatives advancing racial equity, leadership of people of color, and organizational transformation.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Maryland working on intellectual freedom and civil discourse, rare disease research, Jewish heritage, elder care, or climate change initiatives can seek support for innovative, non-duplicative projects. The Mike & Sofia Segal Foundation funds programs that advance open society, underfunded medical research, cultural preservation, senior services, and climate resilience in the U.S.

Maryland civil rights and justice-focused organizations or individuals with proven, innovative improvements to U.S. civil or criminal justice systems can receive recognition and US $15,000 awards. Foundation for Improvement of Justice provides national awards for successful efforts such as legal reform, crime prevention, child protection, crime victims’ rights, and related systemic improvements; nominations are accepted year-round.

Maryland local governments, public schools, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, and community partners can access funding through Safe Routes to School National Parternship to host Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day events. Grants of US $500 - US $1,000 support youth-focused activities that promote activism, anti-racism, anti-bullying, and walking, biking, or rolling to school on or around November 14, 2026.

U.S. 501(c)(3) public charities working on national or multi-state democracy and civil liberties initiatives can apply for the Lisa & Douglas Goldman Fund’s invitation-only support. Funding can back efforts to protect voting rights, reduce money in politics, or strengthen gun violence prevention policy and education, which may benefit Maryland-focused civil rights programming with broader reach.

The Puffin Foundation's Environmental Artistic Activism Grant Program supports artists addressing environmental issues through diverse artistic genres such as film, music, and theater. Grants, typically around $1,750, fund projects that prioritize sustainability and innovative solutions to the climate crisis. Eligible applicants include U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and current DACA recipients. The foundation emphasizes projects that avoid contributing to environmental harm while fostering artistic expression and community engagement.

The Impact Fund provides recoverable grants to legal services nonprofits and small law firms working on social, environmental, and economic justice issues. With over $10 million awarded since 1992, the fund supports impactful litigation addressing systemic injustices. Grants range from $10,000 to $50,000 and prioritize cases directly involving affected communities. Recipients must repay the grant amount with interest if they recover fees or costs, ensuring sustainability for future funding.

The Morton K. and Jane Blaustein Foundation Grant supports initiatives addressing climate justice, racial equity, and immigrant rights. It prioritizes organizations working towards sustainable climate solutions, advocating against racial injustices, and protecting the rights of immigrants and refugees. The foundation focuses its efforts particularly in areas affected by institutionalized racism and climate change, with a geographic emphasis on Baltimore, New York, and the DC Capital Region. Proposals are welcomed on a rolling basis.

The Grassroots Organizing National Grant Program, funded by the Ben & Jerry's Foundation, supports small, community-led organizations in the U.S. working to confront social and environmental injustices. Grants of up to $30,000 per year are available for two years, prioritizing organizations with budgets under $350,000. The program emphasizes grassroots organizing and community empowerment, inspired by the legacy of John Lewis. Eligible applicants must focus on collective action and local leadership to drive social change.