Best Quality of Life Grants in Maryland

The Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training (ARRT) Program, funded by the US HHS: Administration for Community Living, aims to enhance the capabilities of individuals with advanced degrees in conducting high-quality research focused on health and function outcomes for people with disabilities. The program offers advanced training opportunities over a 36-month period, specifically targeting rehabilitation researchers, including those with disabilities, to foster multidisciplinary approaches in disability and rehabilitation research.

The OJJDP FY 2026 Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program Support aims to fortify a national network of 61 multiagency task forces dedicated to combating child sexual exploitation facilitated by technology. This funding opportunity enhances training, prevention, and outreach efforts while fostering collaboration among law enforcement entities. Applications are due in JustGrants by November 9, 2026, at 8:59 p.m. ET, ensuring timely support for critical initiatives to protect children.

The OJJDP FY 2026 Second Chance Act Youth Reentry Program aims to provide critical support for moderate- to high-risk youth transitioning back into their communities after confinement. This funding opportunity encourages collaboration among state agencies, local governments, Tribes, and community organizations to deliver comprehensive reentry services and assist youth in overcoming challenges related to recidivism. Applications are due by November 9, 2026, at 8:59 p.m. ET.

The Collaborative Centers in Children’s Environmental Health Research and Translation program aims to establish a national network of research centers focused on improving children's health through innovative research and public health strategies. By fostering collaboration within the children’s environmental health community, these centers will lead the way in translating scientific findings into actionable practices, ensuring a healthier future for children while addressing emerging environmental threats.

The BJA FY 2026 National Center for Veterans Justice aims to enhance support for veterans in the criminal justice system. By providing specialized training and resources to law enforcement and service providers, the center will address critical gaps in veteran identification and coordination among agencies. This initiative seeks to improve outcomes for veterans experiencing issues like PTSD and military sexual trauma, ultimately strengthening public safety and ensuring effective responses to their unique needs.

The OJJDP FY 2026 Community and Schools Youth Drug Prevention Program aims to combat youth substance use through comprehensive prevention strategies. This initiative invites applications from states, local governments, and nonprofit organizations to develop programs that educate and support youth in schools and community settings. By fostering collaboration with law enforcement and community coalitions, the program seeks to build capacity and implement effective interventions to protect the well-being of American youth.

The Parkinson's Foundation offers Community Grants to support impactful programs for people with Parkinson's disease across the U.S. With over $5 million awarded in the last three years, the Foundation aims to enhance health, wellness, and education. Eligible applicants include local non-profits and healthcare facilities focusing on mental health, care partner support, and exercise programs tailored for PD. This initiative promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion in service delivery.

The AGA-R. Robert & Sally Funderburg Research Award in Gastric Cancer aims to support established investigators in gastric cancer research. This award focuses on enhancing the understanding of gastric cancer pathobiology and developing strategies for prevention, treatment, and cure. Eligibility includes holding an MD or PhD, with specific experience requirements. The American Gastroenterological Association encourages applications, particularly from underrepresented groups in biomedical research, to foster diversity in the field.

Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Inc

The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation is the only nonprofit charity organization dedicated to ending mesothelioma, and the suffering caused by this cancer, by:

• funding research to improve treatment options;
• providing treatment support and education for patients and their families;
• and advocating for federal funding of research.

The mission of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation spans across four distinct areas: through research, education, support, and advocacy the Foundation seeks to eradicate the vicious effects of mesothelioma. Led by the Board of Directors, our team works collaboratively to develop and administer our programs, and to fundraise to pay for those programs (the Foundation is funded by private individual and corporate contributions only — it does not receive any government funding).

Bret A. Rosenthal Patient Assistance Fund

Patients diagnosed with cancer at a younger age often face greater financial burdens. This is a time in a patient’s life when they are raising a family, starting a career, or have not accumulated savings. For patients 49 and under, the Foundation administers the Bret A. Rosenthal Patient Assistance Fund grant program. This program is made possible by the generosity of the Rosenthal family.

The 1Fur1 Foundation Grant supports U.S.-based 501(c)(3) charities that engage in animal-assisted programs. Eligible organizations can apply for grants ranging from $500 to $7,500 to support Animal Assisted Therapy, Activity, and Service Dog programs. The foundation focuses on charities that align with its mission and does not fund individual requests, for-profit businesses, or initiatives that promote animal cruelty. Applications are reviewed within 90 days.

The Towsley Foundation Grants support initiatives that enhance community welfare and sustainability, focusing on diverse fields such as education, health, and the arts within Michigan. With a commitment to effective philanthropy, the foundation prioritizes projects that demonstrate creativity and strategic impact. Eligible organizations must operate in Michigan and adhere to specific funding guidelines, fostering financial sustainability. Grants are allocated based on project merit and organizational capacity, reinforcing the foundation's mission to improve lives through thoughtful partnerships.

The Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN) aims to enhance diagnostic excellence through multiple clinical Networks of Diagnostic Excellence (NODEs). These NODEs will operate as regional networks, leveraging partnerships with various healthcare facilities to provide participant-centered evaluations for complex conditions. They will also engage in research and training to improve diagnostic tools and strategies. This initiative encourages collaboration and aims to improve the overall experience and access for participants in need of specialized care.

The Braly Trade / Vocational Scholarship, offered by the Longmont Community Foundation, supports individuals over 21 pursuing a trade or vocational education. This one-time award of $5,000 is allocated for tuition, fees, books, and other educational expenses. The scholarship honors the Braly family’s legacy in trades and aims to empower recipients to positively impact their communities. Applicants must be high school graduates or hold a GED and plan to attend an accredited institution in the U.S.

The A Woman’s Work Founders Scholarship, provided by the Longmont Community Foundation, supports women in the Longmont and St. Vrain Valley area who demonstrate financial need and a commitment to their education. With awards ranging from $500 to $5,000, this scholarship prioritizes applicants who have shown resilience in overcoming challenges. By empowering women, the scholarship aims to foster individual achievement and strengthen the community, creating pathways to sustainable futures.

Better Food Policy Fund 

Since its inception, the Better Food Policy Fund has set its strategic direction in a participatory fashion. We are intentionally building capacity for engagement to ensure the Fund aligns with the needs of food policy council stakeholders.   

Thus far, the Fund has engaged 300+ food policy council stakeholders to help co-develop the Fund. We are immensely grateful for the individuals who helped shape the initial direction of this fund. We view this growing stakeholder audience as the people to whom the Fund’s governing body, the Independent Advisory Committee, is ultimately accountable.

Grantmaking

The Better Food Policy Fund invests in US-based food policy councils, empowering community and government collaboration for progressive food policy. We utilize participatory processes to enhance equity and redistribute power in the funding landscape. We seek to celebrate and uplift the work of food policy councils, and believe every food policy council is worthy of financial support.

We define “food policy councils” as councils, networks, coalitions, or other groups working across boundaries at the tribal, municipal, county, state, or regional level.  

We support actions aimed at ensuring an enabling environment for policy change, such as: 

• increasing levels of inclusive and equitable stakeholder engagement in public processes
• engaging systems thinking when tackling complex food system challenges
• facilitating collaboration with and across local government agencies and departments 
• developing or revising local policies and plans  

We define “better food policy” as practices, procedures, ordinances, laws, etc. of governing institutions which strengthen community-based food systems.

We define “civic collaboration” as people joining together at the intersection of community and government to address public issues.

About Pfizer Grants

Pfizer supports the global healthcare community’s independent initiatives (e.g., research, quality improvement or education) to improve patient outcomes in areas of unmet medical need that are aligned with Pfizer’s medical and/or scientific strategies.

Interventional Research Studies of Brentuximab Vedotin-Based Novel Combinations in AITL and PTCL-NOS

This competitive program is designed to support interventional InvestigatorSponsored Research aimed at generatin clinical evidence for brentuximab vedotin in novel combination approaches in angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) and peripheral T-cell lymphoma–not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS).

Project Types and Area of Interest

Studies considered for Pfizer support should address key clinical and scientific gaps in the use of brentuximab vedotin in AITL and PTCL-NOS irrrespective of CD30 expression, with a focus on evaluating the safety and efficacy of novel brentuximab vedotin–based combinations with therapies available for PTCL treatment that are supported by a clear scientific rationale grounded in mechanism of action and/or disease biology.

About us

SIR Foundation is a scientific foundation dedicated to fostering research in interventional radiology for the purposes of advancing scientific knowledge, increasing the number of skilled investigators, and developing innovative therapies that lead to improved patient care and quality of life. The foundation is committed to fostering the development and enhancement of innovative, minimally invasive, image-guided therapies from inception to mature clinical application and to conduct educational programs in the service of its mission.

Excellence in Innovation Award

Fund compelling, novel ideas that lead to improved health outcomes in IR.

About

Interventional radiologists create and introduce novel, minimally invasive procedures and devices that help solve some of our toughest medical challenges. To continue this rich history of innovation in IR, the purpose of this award is to fund compelling, novel ideas that lead to improved health outcomes in IR.

Innovation, for this purpose, is broadly defined as any use of emerging methods, new devices, new procedures or new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and nanotechnology, that display an exceptional degree of potential for transforming and advancing the specialty of interventional radiology.

The Annual Meeting Research Award Committee selects one recipient for this award each year.

The recipient will receive:

• Complimentary annual meeting registration
• Travel stipend up to $1,000
• The opportunity to present their research as well as meet peers, network with senior scientists and participate in learning opportunities at the SIR Annual Scientific Meeting
• Recognition during the SIR Annual Scientific Meeting

Kickstart Your Project with a Mini-Grant

At H2O for Life, we never want finances to be a barrier to participating in a service project. The H2O for Life Mini-Grants are meant to be a supportive resource for teachers and students who want to kick-start their projects with us. Mini-grants of up to $500 will be awarded to support teachers and students with the necessary funds for their service-learning programs.

Our Mission

H2O for Life offers a service-learning opportunity designed to engage, educate and inspire youth to take action to solve the global water crisis by raising awareness and funds to support implementation of water, sanitation and hygiene education projects for global partner schools.

Since 2007, nearly 1 million students from H2O for Life schools have supported water, sanitation, and hygiene education projects for partner schools in the developing world.

What is H2O for Life doing to address the global water crisis?

H2O for Life’s service-learning opportunities are designed to engage, educate, and inspire youth to become global citizens. Our innovative school-to-school approach helps young people develop a concern for others by taking a major global crisis and scaling it down to a manageable size — one water project in the developing world.

Through the service-learning opportunity we provide, students learn that they can make a tangible difference for the students in their partner school.

The Solidaire Network's Janisha R. Gabriel Movement Protection Fund supports frontline organizers facing security threats while fostering long-term safety. With $7.9 million allocated, the fund aids groups working towards racial, climate, gender, and reproductive justice. Despite a pause on new applications due to high demand, the fund remains committed to resourcing movement partners and addressing the disproportionate targeting of marginalized leaders amidst rising aggression from right-wing forces.

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.

Marion Rotary Club’s George Brown Scholarship

The Marion Rotary Club was chartered in 1922, as club number 1051, with 23 charter members led by Fred Guthery, the first president. The Marion Rotary Club, along with the Marion Rotary Foundation, which was incorporated in 1959, has contributed to many organizations and scholarships over the years.

The Marion Rotary Club George K. Brown Scholarship was created in 2020. It honors the late George K. Brown, philanthropist, businessman, and a member of one of Marion’s founding families. His scholarship provides financial support for Marion County graduating seniors who have been a resident of Marion County for at least two full years and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Special consideration will be given to applicants who intend to pursue an education and career in or related to business or management.

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.

Marion Rotary Club’s Karl W. Schell Scholarship

The Marion Rotary Club was chartered in 1922, as club number 1051, with 23 charter members led by Fred Guthery, the first president. The Marion Rotary Club, along with the Marion Rotary Foundation, which was incorporated in 1959, has contributed to many organizations and scholarships over the years.

The Marion Rotary Club Karl W. Schell Scholarship migrated to Marion Community Foundation in 2017. It honors the late Karl Schell and provides financial support for Marion County graduating seniors. Recipients will have been a resident of Marion County for at least two full years and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or higher based on a 4.0 scale.

Special consideration will be given to applicants who intend to pursue an education and career in, or related to, business, management, or the real estate industry.

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.

Marion Rotary Club’s R.T. Lewis Scholarship

The Marion Rotary Club R.T. Lewis Scholarship migrated to Marion Community Foundation in 2017. It honors the late R.T. Lewis and provides financial support for Marion County graduating seniors pursuing an education in business, management, land development, real estate, or who will be attending the Marion Campus of The Ohio State University.

Born in 1877, R.T. Lewis became known as “Mr. Marion” for his grocery business, downtown and land development, and philanthropic efforts. In 1957, as Ohio State University began offering classes in Marion, he was among the first to create student scholarships. He also supported the YMCA and the Palace Theatre. He was among the 23 charter members of the Marion Rotary Club when it was formed in 1922 under the leadership of Fred Guthery, the first president. The Marion Rotary Club, along with the Marion Rotary Foundation which R.T. helped start, was incorporated in 1959 and has contributed to many organizations and scholarships over the years. Rotary honored Lewis’ contributions with the creation of the R.T. Lewis Fellowship, which recognizes members who contribute $1,000+ to the Marion Rotary Foundation.

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.

Marion Rotary Club’s Warren Brown Scholarship

The Marion Rotary Club was chartered in 1922, as club number 1051, with 23 charter members led by Fred Guthery, the first president. The Marion Rotary Club, along with the Marion Rotary Foundation, which was incorporated in 1959, has contributed to many organizations and scholarships over the years.

The Marion Rotary Club Warren Brown Scholarship migrated to Marion Community Foundation in 2017. It honors the late Warren Brown of Wyandot, Inc. and provides financial support for Marion County graduating seniors. Recipients will have been a resident of Marion County for at least two full years and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or higher based on a 4.0 scale. Special consideration will be given to applicants who intend to pursue an education and career in or related to business or management.

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.

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.

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.