Best McLean County Grants for Nonprofits in Kentucky

Edward E. Ford Foundation

The Edward E. Ford Foundation seeks to improve secondary education by supporting U.S. independent schools and encouraging promising practices. 

• We make Traditional Grants to eligible schools and Associations to help them grow and develop in pursuit of their own missions.
• We make Educational Leadership Grants to eligible schools or groups of schools that consist of larger dollar awards to fewer recipients.
• We encourage collaboration with others in both grant cycles.
• Occasionally, we may make larger, multi-­year Collaborative Innovation Grants in support of projects that have the potential to influence secondary education more broadly and positively affect our democratic society.
• Beyond grant-making, we share what we learn, sponsor strategic meetings, and work with others to identify and respond to the most pressing challenges facing the field of secondary education.

Traditional Grant for Associations

These grants are made in response to requests that can range from $25,000 to $100,000 and that must be matched by additional funds raised by the association at least 1:1.

Associations seeking placement on a Traditional Grant Agenda should be prepared to specify the anticipated dollar value of their proposal when they request placement. This can be months in advance of the date the final version of the proposal will be due, depending on the length of the queue. 

Traditional Grants are awarded based on the quality of the proposal and other considerations in terms of the association’s operation, but it does not identify certain areas of independent school work as favored. That is, you can seek guidance as to what sort of proposals have been funded in the past but association should identify their own greatest institutional need that they think the Foundation can help address.

Step-by-Step Process

• Request Agenda Placement — Please fill out the Agenda Placement form to tell the Foundation a bit more about your association and to help us determine if it is eligible for EE Ford funding.

• Agenda Placement Phone Call — If your association is eligible for Agenda Placement, we will schedule a phone call between your association’s Executive Director and the Executive Director of the EE Ford Foundation. This phone call will serve as an informal introduction and it will determine if Agenda placement is right for your association. No proposal can be considered from associations that have not reserved a place on an upcoming Agenda. If your association is placed on an Agenda, you will receive an Agenda Placement Confirmation email with further instruction.

• Executive Director Meeting — Schedule a 2-3 hour meeting between your association’s Executive Director and our foundation’s Executive Director to be held in our Brooklyn office. The Preliminary Materials will be due one week prior to this meeting (see “Preliminary Materials” under "Required Materials"). 

• Final Submission — Deadline for submission of final materials is January 30 for the April Agenda or April 1 for the June Agenda. When the Board makes its decision about a proposal, the Executive Director communicates this decision within days.

The Substance Abuse Prevention, Treatment, and Aftercare program aims to combat substance abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native populations. It focuses on enhancing care coordination, expanding culturally competent behavioral health services, and implementing early intervention strategies for at-risk youth. By supporting Tribal and community-led initiatives, the program fosters collaboration among families, youth, and community partners to create effective prevention, treatment, and recovery solutions.

The Healthy Lifestyles in Youth program, funded by the Indian Health Service, aims to empower Tribes and Tribal Organizations to deliver essential public health services. This new cohort of NPHR awards supports initiatives that foster healthier lifestyles among youth in Indigenous communities, addressing critical health disparities and promoting well-being through culturally relevant programs and services.

The Zero Suicide Initiative aims to enhance suicide prevention within Indian health systems by implementing the Zero Suicide framework. This program focuses on culturally informed strategies to empower Tribal health systems, fostering leadership, workforce development, and effective suicide risk identification. It emphasizes timely engagement and evidence-based treatment, ensuring continuity of care and quality improvement, ultimately enhancing outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native individuals at risk for suicide.

The Behavioral Health Integration Initiative aims to enhance the health of American Indian and Alaska Native individuals by expanding access to integrated behavioral health care. It supports Tribal and Urban Indian Organization health systems in providing culturally responsive and trauma-informed services. The initiative focuses on improving care coordination, promoting early identification of mental health issues, and integrating various health services to improve overall health outcomes and quality of life for AI/AN communities.

American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation

The AAFP Foundation focuses on improving health for everyone, and your support makes an immediate impact on the good work we do—from leadership development and education scholarships to funding social and health care services.

The AAFP Foundation strives to create a sense of belonging through an inclusive environment that embraces the family medicine community by recognizing individual uniqueness and contributions to family medicine.

Richard D. Feldman, M.D. Student and Resident Essay Contest

Each year, the Center for the History of Family Medicine (CHFM) sponsors a contest to encourage medical students and family medicine residents to write scholarly essays relevant to the history of family medicine in the United States. The first-place winner will receive $2,000 and the second-place winner will receive a $1,000 award.

We encourage all to apply and are committed to developing scholarly essays relevant to the history of Family Medicine in the United States by medical students and residents who reflect the rich diversity of the specialty and the patients served.

American Brain Foundation

The American Brain Foundation funds research across the spectrum of the brain and nervous system, because it is our best hope for improving treatments, advancing prevention strategies, and discovering cures. Brain diseases, disorders, and injuries are interconnected. When we cure one, we will cure many.

Next Generation Research Grants

The American Brain Foundation’s Next Generation Research Grants (NGRGs) support early career investigators conducting high-quality research aimed at better understanding, treating, and curing brain diseases. These grants are offered in collaboration with disease-focused partner organizations and reflect ABF’s Cure One, Cure Many research philosophy: the belief that breakthroughs in one area of research accelerate progress across many others.

McKnight Clinical Translational Research Scholarship in Cognitive Aging and Age-Related Memory Loss

This award aims to support young investigators in clinical studies relevant to age-related cognitive decline and memory loss. The award also recognizes the importance of rigorous training in clinical research and encourages young investigators to seek opportunities to establish future careers in the area of human cognitive aging.

Please Note: The focus should NOT be on a neurodegenerative dementia (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease); however, proposals that focus on the combined study of cognitive aging and neurodegenerative cognitive changes may be considered.

For the purpose of this scholarship, research is defined as patient-oriented research conducted with human participants, or translational research specifically designed to develop treatments or enhance identification of age-related cognitive decline and memory changes. These may include epidemiologic or behavioral studies, clinical trials, studies of disease mechanisms, the development of new technologies, and health outcomes research. Disease-related studies not directly involving humans are also encouraged if the primary goal is the development of therapies, diagnostic tests, or tools to mitigate age-related cognitive decline and memory loss.

About Father John Foundation GrantIn 1997 Monsignor John P. Hourihan established this perpetual charitable foundation for the purpose of funding care for the homeless and people with disabilities, especially the deaf and hard of hearing. The purpose of the Foundation is to financially assist churches and other non-profit organizations, that do not take more than insubstantial government funding, in administering their programs. Our giving focus is broad and considers programs that are: religious, educational, rehabilitational, social, and/or vocational. A priority is given to the deaf and homeless. All funding is given regardless of nationality, race or religion. The Foundation will continue its dedication to raising and distributing grants to be used by charities devoted to providing care and services to the homeless and disabled.

American Brain Foundation

The American Brain Foundation funds research across the spectrum of the brain and nervous system, because it is our best hope for improving treatments, advancing prevention strategies, and discovering cures. Brain diseases, disorders, and injuries are interconnected. When we cure one, we will cure many.

Next Generation Research Grants

The American Brain Foundation’s Next Generation Research Grants (NGRGs) support early career investigators conducting high-quality research aimed at better understanding, treating, and curing brain diseases. These grants are offered in collaboration with disease-focused partner organizations and reflect ABF’s Cure One, Cure Many research philosophy: the belief that breakthroughs in one area of research accelerate progress across many others.

Lawrence M. Brass, MD Clinical Research Training Scholarship in Stroke

This award aims to recognize the importance of good clinical research and to encourage early career investigators in clinical studies related to stroke, vascular neurology, and neurocritical care.

For the purpose of this scholarship, research is defined as “patient-oriented research conducted with human participants, or translational research specifically designed to develop treatments or enhance diagnosis of neurological disease. These areas of research include epidemiologic or behavioral studies, clinical trials, studies of disease mechanisms, the development of new technologies, and health services and outcomes research.” Disease-related studies not directly involving humans or human tissue are also encouraged if the primary goal is the development of therapies, diagnostic tests, or other tools to prevent or mitigate neurological diseases.

Geological Society of America 

The Geological Society of America (GSA), founded in 1888, is a global scientific society with members from academia, government, and industry in more than 100 countries. Through its meetings, publications, and programs, GSA enhances the professional growth of geoscientists at all career levels, encourages cooperative research among earth, life, planetary, and social scientists, fosters public dialogue on geoscience issues, and promotes the geosciences in the service of humankind. GSA is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, USA.

Jack Kleinman Memorial Award for Volcano Research

The Jack Kleinman Memorial Award for Volcano Research represents a partnership between GSA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to recognize early-career scientists conducting high-impact research in volcanology. The award was created in memory of Jack Kleinman—a USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory scientist known for his commitment to collecting high-quality field data and who relished a challenge, inspired enthusiasm in others, and delighted in the natural world. The award honors students who demonstrate these same qualities in their scientific explorations.

Up to US$5,000 may be awarded to undergraduate, graduate, and aspiring graduate students, regardless of current enrollment status. Successful proposals typically focus on geologic, geochemical, geophysical, or hazards investigations with an emphasis on fieldwork. Cooperation with a staff member from the USGS Volcano Science Center is encouraged and given considerable weight in the selection process.

Funding is intended to defray the costs of field-focused studies, such as travel to field sites, living expenses during fieldwork, field supplies, and analytical costs. Awardees are invited to present their results in the USGS Kleinman Seminar Series and attend the Awards Ceremony at the GSA annual meeting.

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.

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.

Call for Applications: Seeking Outstanding Women Impact Entrepreneurs

The Cartier Women’s Initiative is an annual international entrepreneurship program that aims to drive change by empowering women impact entrepreneurs. Founded in 2006, the program selects 27 fellows from 9 regions for its Regional Awards:

• Latin America and the Carribean
• North America
• Europe
• Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa
• Anglophone and Lusophone Africa
• Middle East and North Africa
• East Asia
• South Asia and Central Asia
• Oceania

Our Mission

The Mission of Kids Chance of Nebraska is to provide financial support to further the education of the children of Nebraska workers who have been severely injured, totally disabled or killed as a result of employment related injuries or occupational diseases. It is the goal of Kids’ Chance of Nebraska to make a difference in the lives of these children by providing scholarships to help eligible students achieve both their educational goals and their families’ dreams.

Scholarship Application Process

Kids’ Chance of Nebraska (KCNE) provides college scholarships to the children of Nebraska workers who have been severely or fatally injured in a workplace-related accident. KCNE awards as many scholarships as the current year’s funding will allow.

We open our application portal twice a year, Fall and Winter.

About All Points North Foundation

All Points North Foundation is dedicated to navigating communities upward.

All Points North Foundation was founded in 2011 by a family who believes passionately that everyone has a “true North” – a place of achievement – and that everyone should have equal opportunity and access to realize their goals.

Our Vision

We envision a nation where the middle school years are seen as an important, vital time in the lives of youth, and where the public middle school education experience in underserved communities measurably improves

We also envision a nation where the integration of solar benefits families, local economies and the environment.

Our Priorities

All Points North Foundation funds grantees in two areas – public middle school education (grades 6-8) and solar – that have the power to help communities nationwide navigate upward.

Grant Making

All Points North Foundation seeks collaborative partnerships with grantees in our two priority areas.

Education

All Points North Foundation is one of the few foundations focused on public middle school education, defined as grades six through eight. We recognize the vital importance of the middle school years in shaping the future of our nation’s youth.

All Points North Foundation seeks to measurably improve public middle school education in underserved communities, whether urban or rural, through two priorities:

• Funding programs that prepare and retain middle school teachers in an ever-changing education climate.
• Helping students grow both academically and socially/emotionally.

Middle schoolers need a nurturing school environment and expertly trained, passionate teachers who can help foster academic, social and emotional growth.

It’s critical for teachers to be adequately prepared for rapidly changing classrooms and school environments, and to be continuously encouraged and inspired to serve as key role models for middle school students.

It’s also critical for middle school students to be inspired and engaged, and excited to embrace the path of learning ahead. Research clearly indicates the habits and patterns set in middle school forecast success for students in their high school years and beyond.

About All Points North Foundation

All Points North Foundation is dedicated to navigating communities upward.

All Points North Foundation was founded in 2011 by a family who believes passionately that everyone has a “true North” – a place of achievement – and that everyone should have equal opportunity and access to realize their goals.

Our Vision

We envision a nation where the middle school years are seen as an important, vital time in the lives of youth, and where the public middle school education experience in underserved communities measurably improves

We also envision a nation where the integration of solar benefits families, local economies and the environment.

Our Priorities

All Points North Foundation funds grantees in two areas – public middle school education (grades 6-8) and solar – that have the power to help communities nationwide navigate upward.

Grant Making

All Points North Foundation seeks collaborative partnerships with grantees in our two priority areas.

Solar Energy

All Points North Foundation is focused on finding ways to significantly advance the penetration of solar through education, job training and use of solar electric technologies in the United States.

All Points North Foundation has three priority areas:

Providing solar and workforce development training for Tribal communities to expand and diversify the solar job pipeline.

Working with small- to medium-sized science centers to engage students, families and local communities on the benefits and science behind solar.

Providing solar installations to nonprofit organizations that build high-quality, safe and affordable residential housing, offsetting energy costs and enabling cost savings for households.

The cost of solar has dropped dramatically over the last decade, however the upfront cost of going solar remains a hurdle for most families, communities and nonprofits.

All Points North Foundation does consider funding solar projects outside of these focal areas, but the programs must demonstrate how solar will have a broader impact on local communities (e.g., economic, social or environmental), as well as showcase the potential for replication across the nation.

Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico

Mission: The Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico serves as a community resource, connects donors to needs, and supports charitable organizations in their work.

Scholarships

CFSNM offers scholarships that support students from all walks and stages of life in pursuing various avenues of their educational and professional journeys.

Applicants must be pursuing any avenue of higher education and/or professional certifications. This includes undergraduate, post-grad, vocational and more! Applicants must be actively enrolled as a student. Applicants in high school must be a graduating senior.

CFSNM Student Success Scholarship

To award outstanding academic students from Doña Ana County in Southern New Mexico

Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico

Mission: The Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico serves as a community resource, connects donors to needs, and supports charitable organizations in their work.

Scholarships

CFSNM offers scholarships that support students from all walks and stages of life in pursuing various avenues of their educational and professional journeys.

Applicants must be pursuing any avenue of higher education and/or professional certifications. This includes undergraduate, post-grad, vocational and more! Applicants must be actively enrolled as a student. Applicants in high school must be a graduating senior.

Clarence H. Fielder Memorial Scholarship

To support African American students from historically underrepresented backgrounds.

Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico

Mission: The Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico serves as a community resource, connects donors to needs, and supports charitable organizations in their work.

Scholarships

CFSNM offers scholarships that support students from all walks and stages of life in pursuing various avenues of their educational and professional journeys.

Applicants must be pursuing any avenue of higher education and/or professional certifications. This includes undergraduate, post-grad, vocational and more! Applicants must be actively enrolled as a student. Applicants in high school must be a graduating senior.

Dr. Robert Palmer Scholarship Fund

To make awards for one or more students from Luna county.

The Edna Mae Scholarship, offered by the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico, aims to support women from rural communities in their pursuit of higher education at vocational community colleges or universities. This scholarship is open to applicants actively enrolled in any form of higher education, including undergraduate and vocational programs, with a special focus on assisting those in need. Applicants must be graduating high school seniors or currently enrolled students.

Betsy L. Bertoli Scholarship

Academic Focus:

• Accounting or business administration/management

Award Average:

• $250

For Torrington High School graduating seniors who plan to pursue a career in accounting or business administration/management at the university level and have had at least one successful high school semester of accounting.

The DoW Spinal Cord Injury Translational Research Award supports innovative research to transform promising spinal cord injury findings into clinical applications. It features an Early-Career Partnership Option, requiring at least one early-career principal investigator. Collaborations with SCI community partners are essential for providing guidance throughout the project. This funding opportunity aims to enhance the effectiveness of spinal cord injury interventions and improve patient outcomes.

The FY26 Spinal Cord Injury Research Program Clinical Translation Research Award funds innovative clinical research aimed at bridging the gap to larger clinical trials. It focuses on accelerating the application of new techniques and improving patient outcomes through effective diagnosis and rehabilitation strategies. Key features include an Early-Career Partnership Option for principal investigators and a requirement for community partner involvement, ensuring collaborative research that meets real-world needs.

The FY26 Spinal Cord Injury Research Program Clinical Trial Award supports innovative clinical trials aimed at significantly improving spinal cord injury treatment. This funding opportunity encourages collaboration by allowing two Principal Investigators, including an early-career investigator, to drive the research forward. Applicants must partner with at least two SCI community members, ensuring that the project is informed by lived experiences and community needs throughout its development and implementation.

The FY26 Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP) Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA) supports innovative research aimed at enhancing patient care and quality of life for individuals with spinal cord injuries. This award encourages collaboration, allowing an Early-Career Partnership Option for two Principal Investigators, where one must be an early-career investigator. Focused on impactful research from basic to translational science, this opportunity is crucial for advancing SCI knowledge and interventions.

The FY26 Melanoma Research Program Focused Program Award for Rare Melanomas supports multidisciplinary research initiatives aimed at addressing critical questions in rare melanomas. This award requires collaboration between an Initiating Principal Investigator and up to two Partnering PIs, with the inclusion of a rare melanoma survivor or patient advocate in the project team. Approximately $5.6M is allocated to fund two awards, each capped at $2.8M, over a maximum performance period of four years.

The Melanoma Research Program Melanoma Academy Scholar Award supports early career investigators within seven years of their initial faculty appointment. This unique virtual academy fosters collaboration among established researchers and Scholars, focusing on research and career potential in melanoma. With approximately $1.54M allocated to fund two Scholar Awards, each capped at $0.77M, the maximum performance period is three years, and funding is expected to be available until September 30, 2032.