Best Unrestricted Grants for Nonprofits in Michigan

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is funding initiatives to enhance the value of scientific datasets through innovative artificial intelligence (AI) methods. This program aims to facilitate interdisciplinary research and unlock new insights by applying AI for feature extraction, metadata generation, and dataset integration. Proposals should ensure data security and promote collaboration with various sectors to advance AI-driven scientific discovery. By aligning with NSF priorities, researchers can contribute to cutting-edge science and technology for broader participation in STEM.

The Midland Area Community Foundation offers the Midland County Youth Action Council Grants, designed to empower local youth through funding requests up to $10,000. This initiative supports projects that directly enhance the lives of young people in Midland County. Eligible applicants include 501c3 nonprofits, educational institutions, and government entities that serve local residents. The foundation emphasizes community improvement, fostering collaboration, and creating lasting legacies that make a significant impact.

The Junior and Senior Faculty Research Grants in Humanities and Arts Program at the University of Georgia supports tenured or tenure-track faculty in developing impactful research or creative projects. These grants serve as seed funding, fostering growth towards external awards and significant recognition through various forms of creative output. Proposals are welcomed annually, with eligibility limited to one submission per individual per year, ensuring focused and meaningful contributions to the humanities and arts.

The Willson Center Faculty Research Fellowship at the University of Georgia supports tenured and tenure-track faculty in their arts and humanities research. This fellowship, awarded every five years, encourages interdisciplinary work and provides course release from two assigned courses. It aims to foster excellence in creative practice and scholarly activities, ensuring a conducive environment for faculty to pursue their research goals effectively.

The Organizational Change in the Professional Formation of Engineers (ENGINEER:OC) initiative promotes innovative research and activities aimed at transforming engineering education and workforce development. Supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), it seeks to enhance access to quality engineering programs across diverse institutions. Projects may involve implementing new curricular innovations or adapting existing models to different contexts, ultimately advancing the professional formation of engineers and fostering inclusive educational pathways.

The Professional Formation of Engineers (PFE) initiative aims to enhance the engineering workforce through integrated research and education. It focuses on developing ethical engineers who can adapt to a changing technical landscape. PFE supports diverse training contexts, including formal education, internships, and community experiences, ensuring clear pathways into the profession. This initiative fosters collaboration among engineers, technical workers, and communities, enhancing the skills needed for global competition and technological advancement.

The Stewart C. Watson Memorial Scholarship, offered by the ACI Foundation, provides a $5,000 stipend to graduate students focusing on joints, bearings, or seismic systems in concrete structures. This scholarship supports educational pursuits and recognizes recipients in Concrete International magazine. Eligible candidates must be full-time master's or PhD students and should not have exceeded their second year of a master's or fourth year of a PhD program. This initiative promotes innovation in the concrete industry.

Scholarships are available to graduating high school seniors. Applications are accepted from mid-November until mid-March. Scholarship award recipients will be announced at the high school awards ceremony. 

Wyoming-Sullivan Counties Bar Association Scholarship

Established by the Bar Association of Wyoming and Sullivan Counties to provide college assistance to a High School graduate from those two counties who will major in the legal profession.

The Wyoming/Sullivan County Bar Association created its annual scholarship in 2020 to provide assistance to a deserving high school graduating from those two counties who plans on majoring in the areas of pre-law, criminal justice or sociology. The intent is to encourage the graduate to pursue a career in these fields and to return to their home county upon attaining their graduate or post-graduate degree in order to provide these needed services to their local community.

The Community Foundation of Shelby County

Our Mission

To inspire donor generosity and transform it into meaningful, lasting impact through charitable gifts.

Our Vision

To be the primary partner for donors who want to advance the community’s quality of life and capacity for excellence.

Law Student Assistance Scholarship

Students entering their third year of law school (current second-year students approaching the third year).

Selection based upon:

• Financial need, above-average law school academic achievement, and demonstrated leadership in undergraduate and law school activities and in community, school, and church.

Awards

• Up to $3,500 in scholarships

The MMUF Advancement Program offers Adjunct Faculty Fellowships designed for alumni of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship. These fellowships provide essential resources and time to focus on research and scholarship, aiding individuals in securing tenure-track positions. Each fellow receives a $10,000 stipend, a six-month award period, a mentor, and funding to attend a conference. This initiative supports diverse perspectives in higher education, fostering an inclusive academic environment.

The Career Enhancement Fellowship, offered by Citizens & Scholars, supports junior faculty from diverse backgrounds in the humanities and humanistic social sciences. With stipends up to $35,000, funding for research, and travel support, this program nurtures academic diversity and enhances campus perspectives. Since 2001, over 400 fellows have advanced their careers while fostering a rich academic community. The fellowship promotes innovative scholarship and leadership roles, contributing to a more inclusive academic environment.

The Engineering Biological and Biomedical Systems (EBBS) program, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), aims to advance our understanding of biological systems and improve human health through innovative engineering solutions. It supports research that combines mechanistic insights with experimental techniques to develop novel biomedical technologies, enhance biomanufacturing processes, and explore therapeutic applications. Projects focusing on engineering principles for biological responses and rehabilitation are encouraged, while drug design and clinical trials are outside the program's scope.

Beckley Area Foundation

Beckley Area Foundation was established in January 1985 by ten community-minded citizens. It began with a gift of $1.1 million from the Dr. Thomas Walker Memorial Health Foundation as “seed” money for this Raleigh County project. BAF assets have grown to over $70 million with over 500 different funds managed by our three trustee banks. Today, Beckley Area Foundation is one of West Virginia’s largest community foundations.

Since its inception, BAF has distributed over $23 million to charities and other worthy projects in the fields of education, public recreation, health & human services, the arts, animal services and beautification.

Scholarships

The Beckley Area Foundation proudly manages scholarship funds established by individuals, businesses, and organizations dedicated to helping students pursue higher education. Many of these scholarships are tailored for specific schools, fields of study, or graduates from local high schools, while others offer broader opportunities. No matter the path, our scholarships aim to support students from our region as they work toward achieving their educational goals.

Most of these scholarships must be awarded to students from our geographic area or at least preference given to such students. While the majority of scholarships benefit Raleigh County applicants there are others designated for Fayette, Summers, Webster, and Wyoming students. 

Brown Wesley Payne Fellowship Scholarship

Provides scholarship aid to disadvantaged and minority West Virginians who will attend law school to prepare for a legal practice in the State of West Virginia; Applicants must demonstrate outstanding contribution to organizations and programs in the human rights field.

This scholarship is not renewable.

Beckley Area Foundation

Beckley Area Foundation was established in January 1985 by ten community-minded citizens. It began with a gift of $1.1 million from the Dr. Thomas Walker Memorial Health Foundation as “seed” money for this Raleigh County project. BAF assets have grown to over $70 million with over 500 different funds managed by our three trustee banks. Today, Beckley Area Foundation is one of West Virginia’s largest community foundations.

Since its inception, BAF has distributed over $23 million to charities and other worthy projects in the fields of education, public recreation, health & human services, the arts, animal services and beautification.

Scholarships

The Beckley Area Foundation proudly manages scholarship funds established by individuals, businesses, and organizations dedicated to helping students pursue higher education. Many of these scholarships are tailored for specific schools, fields of study, or graduates from local high schools, while others offer broader opportunities. No matter the path, our scholarships aim to support students from our region as they work toward achieving their educational goals.

Most of these scholarships must be awarded to students from our geographic area or at least preference given to such students. While the majority of scholarships benefit Raleigh County applicants there are others designated for Fayette, Summers, Webster, and Wyoming students. 

Appalachian Scholarship

High school graduate from Appalachian coal fields enrolling in an engineering program at a technical college or university such as Carnegie Mellon, Georgia Tech, MIT, Cal Tech, Colorado School of Mines, or the engineering schools of Virginia Tech and Texas A&M; Applicants planning to attend engineering schools not listed must contact the BAF office to determine if it is a donor approved program. The recipients are to be selected based on their academic potential.

This scholarship is renewable.

Bureau of Justice Assistance

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) was created in 1984 to reduce violent crime, create safer communities, and reform our Nation’s criminal justice system.

BJA strengthens the Nation’s criminal justice system and helps America’s state, local, and tribal jurisdictions reduce and prevent crime, reduce recidivism, and promote a fair and safe criminal justice system. BJA focuses its programmatic and policy efforts on providing a wide range of resources, including training and technical assistance, to law enforcement, courts, corrections, treatment, reentry, justice information sharing, and community-based partners to address chronic and emerging criminal justice challenges nationwide. 

Special Attorneys Program

This program will support state, local, Tribal, and territorial prosecuting agencies in assigning or hiring qualified prosecutors to serve full time as Special Attorneys within the National Fraud Enforcement Division or the Criminal Division or as Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) within a United States Attorney’s Office. These cross-designated prosecutors will investigate and prosecute fraud and other crimes committed by aliens within the United States (hereafter referred to as “criminal aliens”) and will investigate and prosecute crimes involving drug or human trafficking committed within the United States.

This grant program, authorized under Public Law 119-21, Title X, Subtitle A, Part II, Section 100055 (codified at 34 U.S.C. § 61101), is intended to strengthen investigative and prosecutorial capacity, expand intergovernmental coordination, and enhance the ability of jurisdictions to investigate and prosecute fraud and other crimes committed by aliens within the United States and drug and human trafficking crimes. The program is also intended to increase the availability of cross-designated prosecutorial personnel who can pursue these matters in coordination with federal authorities and contribute to the effective enforcement of applicable criminal laws.

Dr. C. D. Rao Memorial Scholarship

Students pursuing engineering studies.

Awards

• (2) $1,300.00

Mission

The Social Science Research Council (SSRC) is an independent, international, nonprofit organization founded in 1923. The Council fosters innovative research, nurtures new generations of social scientists, deepens how inquiry is practiced within and across disciplines, and mobilizes necessary knowledge on important public issues.

SSRC-JF Next Gen Japan Postdoctoral Fellowship

The SSRC-JF Next Generation Japan Studies Development Program invites US colleges and universities to apply for grants to support postdoctoral fellowships. This program provides grants of up to $60,000 as partial support for the hiring of recent PhD students specializing in Japan to both teach and conduct research on Japan, within any social science or humanities discipline, at the institution for one academic year. This program is supported by the Japan Foundation.

Background

The Next Gen Japan Postdoctoral Fellowship provides an opportunity for fellows to conduct essential research early in their careers while concurrently gaining valuable teaching experience and a greater understanding of the demands of professorship through this bridge from graduate school to tenure track positions.

Further, this fellowship provides host institutions with the means to enrich the offering of Japan-related courses, in particular, while enhancing the depth of a broad array of disciplines through the use of Japan in comparison or as a case study.

Priorities

• Priority is given to applications from colleges and universities located in the US South and Midwest.
• Priority is given to institutions planning Postdoctoral Fellow course assignments that allow for the enrollment of students from a variety of disciplines ranging from the humanities and social sciences to the natural sciences.

The Schneider Electric SkillPointe Scholarship aims to close the skills gap in America by providing $3,000 scholarships to individuals pursuing careers in building automation and related fields. Funded by the SkillPointe Foundation, this initiative is designed for students enrolled in relevant training programs who are passionate about energy and sustainability. With a proven success rate of 95% in training completion and 97% employment, this scholarship empowers workers to thrive in high-demand industries without requiring a four-year degree.

Mission

The Social Science Research Council (SSRC) is an independent, international, nonprofit organization founded in 1923. The Council fosters innovative research, nurtures new generations of social scientists, deepens how inquiry is practiced within and across disciplines, and mobilizes necessary knowledge on important public issues.

SSRC-JF Next Gen Japan Visiting Professor Grants

The SSRC-JF Next Generation Japan Studies Development Program provides grants of up to $20,000 to US academic institutions or consortia of institutions to host Japan-based faculty for a six-week stay in the United States. This program is supported by the Japan Foundation.

Background

At the core of the Next Gen Japan Program is the idea that scholarly engagement and collaboration by students and scholars across disciplines, the boundaries of the nation-state, and cultures are central to effectively addressing the pressing concerns facing societies today.

The Next Gen Japan Visiting Professor Grants provides Japan-based faculty who research Japanese society an opportunity for intellectual engagement with US faculty, students, and local communities. It further provides the professor with professional development experience in presenting their work in English and conducting their own research in the US.

Hosting institutions, likewise, will gain access to international scholars and exposure to research from outside the United States.

Priorities

Priority is given to:

• Visiting professors hosted at liberal arts colleges, universities, college consortia, or community colleges located in the US South and Midwest for the duration of the grant.
• The hosting of early- to mid-career faculty.
• Engagement Plans that are designed to attract interdisciplinary audiences and support interdisciplinary networking ranging from academic fields such as the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and the wider general public.

AGC Undergraduate Scholarship

The AGC Education and Research Foundation offers undergraduate and graduate level scholarships to students enrolled in ABET, ACCE and some ATMAE-accredited construction management or construction related engineering programs. Over $11 million in scholarships have been awarded to more than 4,500 students attending colleges and universities across the country. 

Through endowments made by AGC members and supporters, as well as AGC Chapters, the Foundation is able to give 150 or more undergraduate and graduate scholarships each year to deserving students. Undergraduate students receive up to $2,500 per academic year (renewable for 3 years).

To be considered for renewal annual award installments, the scholarship recipient is required to provide indications of continued enrollment and good standing (min. 2.0 GPA). Grade transcripts and upcoming class schedules MUST be forwarded at the conclusion of each academic period. Recipients will not be reminded to provide this information; failure to do so will result in non-renewal of scholarship award installments. Recipients are encouraged to seek summer employment in construction during undergraduate enrollment.

The Edward Mallinckrodt, Jr. Foundation provides crucial support for early-stage biomedical researchers in the first four years of their tenure-track positions at American institutions. With grants of $75,000 annually for up to three years, this funding aims to help investigators advance their projects towards securing independent funding. The foundation emphasizes the importance of a clear project description and requires a one to two-page lay summary, making it accessible to both scientific and non-scientific board members.

The HEAL Initiative aims to enhance therapeutic medical devices through team science research, focusing on the mechanisms that drive their effectiveness. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) seeks to improve clinical outcomes by fostering interdisciplinary collaborations. This initiative invites teams with expertise in engineering, biology, and clinical care to explore innovative device-based therapies. By understanding how these devices work, the program hopes to optimize existing technologies and inspire new designs, ultimately improving patient care.

The Dream Big Technology Grant by KindCause.org aims to empower registered 501(c)(3) organizations by funding the implementation of Salesforce CRM. This initiative enhances nonprofit operations, enabling better donor management and campaign efficiency. With automated workflows and integrated tools, nonprofits can improve fundraising efforts and save valuable resources. Successful applicants will receive tailored technology roadmaps and potential funding for essential packages, ensuring they maximize their impact in the community.

The NIAID Physician-Scientist Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) aims to support new independent physician-scientists by facilitating their transition from postdoctoral research to tenure-track faculty positions. This program provides essential research funding to help awardees establish their careers in biomedical research, addressing the national shortage of physician-scientists. Applicants must propose research that does not lead an independent clinical trial, but may include mentorship in clinical trials.

The American College of Bankruptcy Foundation offers a Pro Bono Grant aimed at supporting legal services organizations that align with its mission. Grants typically do not exceed $15,000, with some exceptions for innovative projects up to $20,000. Eligible initiatives focus on bankruptcy law and pro bono assistance, while ineligible projects include lobbying, fundraising, and those not directly related to debtor-creditor education. The Foundation encourages efforts that promote legal aid for disadvantaged communities.

The ISF Law Scholarship Program, established by the Islamic Scholarship Fund, aims to improve access to justice for Muslims in America. Since 2009, it has provided scholarships ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 to support students in law and public interest fields. The program seeks to enhance American Muslim representation in policy-making and media, ensuring their voices are heard. Eligible applicants include full-time students or part-time students working in ISF-supported fields, maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.0.

The ISF Judicial Internship Scholarship provides a $3,000 stipend for law students interning with judges for a minimum of 8 weeks. It aims to prepare American Muslim students for careers in public interest law by offering real-world courtroom experience. Eligible applicants include first and second-year law students who have received internship offers from judges or are ISF Law Scholarship recipients. Preference may be given to applicants not receiving other funding.