Best Middlesex County Grants for Nonprofits in New Jersey

Welcome to the Greater Houston Community Foundation Scholarship Application Site!   

The Greater Houston Community Foundation (GHCF) administers a variety of unique scholarship funds that grant over $5.7 million annually to college students. The scholarship funds have been established by thoughtful and generous donors and each has a unique set of eligibility criteria and award structure.

Scholarship Application Info:  

Greater Houston Community Foundation administers over 60 different scholarship programs, each with differing eligibility requirements. Eligibility for some scholarships may be dependent on employment, course of study, high school, or college. 

Bratcher Family Foundation Scholarship

This is a renewable scholarship, meaning recipients can renew the award for multiple years funding if they meet the GPA and enrollment requirements and complete the renewal application for each academic year they plan to be enrolled.

About the Scholarship Award

• One (1) new scholarship awarded annually. Scholarship award amounts and renewal durations vary by degree type:
  • 4-year degree at a college/university - $6,000 per academic year
    • Renewable for up to four (4) years of funding maximum ($24,000 in total), as long as the student meets renewal requirements
• 2-year degree at a trade school/community college - $4,000 per academic year
  • Renewable for up to two (2) years of funding maximum ($8,000 in total), as long as the student meets renewal requirements

What can the scholarship be used for?

• The scholarship will be mailed directly to the student's college to be used towards tuition, required academic fees, and/or book expenses. 
• Scholarship funding cannot be distributed directly to the student. Funding cannot be used for room and board, rent, meal plans, parking passes, or other similar living expenses.

Are there any requirements I must meet if I'm selected as a scholarship recipient?

• Recipients must attend an accredited university, community college, or trade school in the United States.
• Recipients must enroll in at least 12 credit hours for both the fall and spring semesters (or be enrolled full-time according to your school if it is on a different system).
• Recipients must submit college enrollment information online through GHCF Scholar the summer before the academic year begins. This information is required in order for the scholarship check to be mailed to the student's college. Instructions will be included in the student's award letter.
• Recipients must meet certain criteria in order to receive subsequent annual awards (i.e., renewals): maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75, be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours per semester, and complete the renewal application for each academic year they planned to be enrolled.

Bright Minds Scholarship

The Bright Minds Scholarship, in conjunction with the Salem Five Charitable Foundation, supports academic excellence and community leadership across Essex and Middlesex counties. We recognize that the journey to a four-year degree requires significant dedication—and significant resources.

To support that journey, we provide a scholarship award designed to make a real-world impact on the cost of higher education.

The Award

• 5 Scholars Selected Annually: Each year, we name five exceptional students as Bright Minds Scholars.
• Up to $20,000 total: Awarded as $5,000 annually over four years of undergraduate study.
• Maintain good academic standing to receive support throughout your entire bachelor's degree program.

The Salem Five Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. Scholarship awards are granted without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or disability. Final selection of scholarship recipients is at the sole discretion of the Salem Five Executive Committee in partnership with the Phillips Scholarship Fund.

Agog Open Call: Climate Futures + Immersive Media

This open call supports immersive media projects that help people better understand and respond to climate challenges and imagine what a better world could be.

We are looking for projects that use immersive technologies—including smart glasses, augmented reality, spatial sound, and mixed reality—to create more engaging, experiential forms of climate storytelling and civic participation.

The open call will support projects across a range of stages and formats, from early ideas to more developed work. What matters most is a compelling story or experience, a clear sense of purpose, and a thoughtful approach to bringing the work to life.

Grants may be awarded in denominations ranging from $25,000 to $200,000. In addition to funding, selected projects may receive mentorship, advisor support, and opportunities for partnership and distribution.

Gladys Phillips Memorial Scholarship

Gladys Phillips, the second of four daughters of former Aberdeen Mayor and Superior Court Judge J. M. Phillips, began practicing law in Aberdeen in 1937, the same year she joined three other women in graduating from the University of Washington Law School.

Gladys quickly earned a reputation – a reputation she maintained for over 60 years – as one of Grays Harbor’s most intelligent and formidable lawyers. With both an “encyclopedic knowledge of the law” and a love of roses, ballet and beautiful words, she was to her clients not only a trusted advisor but also a cherished friend.

As a community activist, she helped establish and lead the Bishop Foundation, served as a state representative, worked to erect the Aberdeen YMCA, and guided the creation of the Grays Harbor Community Foundation. The Gladys Phillips Memorial Scholarship is open to all applicants who satisfy the general eligibility requirements of the Scholarship Program.

William and Bess Osheroff Memorial Scholarship

William Osheroff was born in Omaha and grew up in Erickson, Nebraska. He earned his Bachelor of Science and his Masters and Doctor of Medicine degrees from the University of Nebraska.

A member of the Grays Harbor Medical Association and the American Medical Association, Dr. Osheroff became known on the Harbor as an excellent physician who cared deeply about the community. A general practitioner, he trained to work as a cardiologist and introduced cardiac care services to the Harbor after recognizing that such services were badly needed in the community. Before the technology became commercially available, Dr. Osheroff developed a device for sending EKG tracings over the phone, allowing him to keep better track of his patients’ heart conditions. In 1972, he became a member of the American College of Cardiology.

Like her husband, Bess Osheroff cared deeply about the communities of Grays Harbor and worked to improve the quality of life and health of her neighbors. Born in Jessup, Pennsylvania and raised in Emporia, Virginia, Bess Osheroff became a Registered Nurse through New York City’s Cumberland Hospital School of Nursing.

Together, Bess and her husband helped organize the first Red Cross Blood Drive on Grays Harbor. Bess continued to organize blood drives for twenty years. William and Bess had a daughter and four sons, one of whom died in 1977. Bess died in November 1996, a month after seeing her son Doug, a Stanford physics professor, win the Nobel Prize in Physics.

While preference will be given to applicants interested in studying science or medicine, the William and Bess Osheroff Memorial Scholarship is open to all applicants who satisfy the general eligibility requirements of the Scholarship Program.

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.

Pre-clinical Investigation of anti-TFPI-mediated Rebalancing Mechanisms in Non-Hemophilic Bleeding Disorders

There remains a scientific gap in understanding of the role of anti-TFPImediated hemostatic rebalancing in the context of inherited or non-hemophilic bleeding disorders. This competitive grant program encourages competitive submissions focsed on generating preclinical/foundational data exploring the therapeutic potential and mechanisms of TFPI modulation in bleeding disorders other than hemophilia.

Project Types and Area of Interest

Potential applicants are encouraged to identify and address preclinical/basic science data generation for TFPI modulation/rebalancing in their local setting. This may include:

• Rare bleeding disorders which arise from deficiencies in different clotting factors or pathway components but converge on a common functional endpoint which is an impaired thrombin generation (e.g., Factor II, Factor V, Factor VII, Factor X and Factor XI deficiencies, as well as von Willebrand disease).
• Other diseases such as Glanzmann's thrombasthenia (GT) that have a distinct pathophysiological mechanism.
• Other rare bleeding disorders whose mechanisms are not well understood (e.g., Bleeding Disorder of Unknown Cause, BDUC).

The Novak Family Scholarship

Walter M. Novak was born on April 19, 1921, the second son of Michael and Apolonia, Polish immigrants who had arrived in America just after the turn of the century. They were determined that their two sons receive a college education and through years of hard work in Hoquiam mills, survival through the Great Depression, and with help from their large vegetable garden, fishing, and clamming they were able to send both sons to the University of Washington where they each received Mechanical Engineering degrees.

Walter has inspired many people throughout his life with his dedicated work ethic, intelligence, honesty, concern and care for his employees and friends and his love for his family. He is the true product of the “American Dream” and these scholarships given in his name are meant to help others achieve their goals.

Dr. John D. “Jack” Ehrhart Memorial Scholarship

Dr. John D. Ehrhart was a standout athlete in tennis, football, and basketball who graduated from Hoquiam High School in 1935 and went on to study at Stanford University and earn his M.D. degree from Stanford Medical School.

In high school, Jack won the Pacific Northwest Junior Tennis Championship, and in later years he was instrumental in helping young people learn to play tennis. He remained an avid sports fan all his life. He practiced medicine in Aberdeen for nearly 30 years before his life was cut tragically short in 1974 when the plane he was piloting through dense fog crashed in the hills of East Aberdeen.

The Dr. John D. “Jack” Ehrhart Memorial Scholarship is open to all applicants who satisfy the general eligibility requirements of the Scholarship Program

Dr. George H. Hitchings Memorial Scholarship

Born in Hoquiam in 1905, George H. Hitchings grew up in a family of shipbuilders. Hitchings’ father, George, Sr., worked at and eventually managed the Hoquiam shipyard that his father-in-law, Peter Matthews, established in 1897. 

From the late 1960s until his death in 1998, Dr. Hitchings became increasingly involved with philanthropy. He served as President of the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, a nonprofit foundation which supports biomedical research, and he led several charities in the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina, where Burroughs Wellcome had relocated in 1968. In 1983, Dr. Hitchings founded the Greater Triangle Community Foundation, which serves the Triangle area.

While preference will be given to applicants interested in studying science or medicine, the George H. Hitchings Memorial Scholarship is open to all applicants who satisfy the general eligibility requirements of the Scholarship Program.

Dave Dupont Memorial Scholarship

The family remembers Dave as a very kind hearted, loving husband, father, and friend. He and his wife Sandi were married 35 years, and had 2 children Kyle and Danielle DuPont.

Dave loved to give back to his community, and attend as many fundraisers as he could. Dave would be proud to be able to give back to the kids in his community.

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.

Biochemical and Molecular Characterization of Marstacimab and TFPI Pathways 

This competitive grant encompasses research aimed at elucidating molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying marstacimab-TFPI interactions, including but not limited to differential expression of tissue factor and TFPI in various tissues, binding kinetics, and other biochemical properties. Projects should seek to advance foundational understanding of these interactions through innovative approaches in biochemistry, molecular biology, and related disciplines.

Project Types and Area of Interest

Projects that will be considered for Pfizer support will focus on basic science and fundamental biological understanding of Tissue Factor Pathway Inhibitor (TFPI), anti-TFPI Monoclonal Antibodies, and marstacimab. The areas of interest may include (but are not limited to):

• Basic biology of TFPI including interactions among key regulatory proteins in the intrinsic and/or extrinsic clotting cascades (e.g. Protein S being a co-factor for both Protein C and TFPI).
• Impact of differential TFPI expression within tissues and the role of various TFPI pools/isoforms in the regulation of coagulation.
• Pharmacology resulting from concomitant therapies added to anti-TFPI

The Carol D. Garling Scholarship, established by Carol D. Garling, provides financial assistance to students pursuing a post-secondary education who have completed at least 30 credit hours at an accredited institution. Offered by the Community Foundation of Washington County, MD, this scholarship is part of a larger initiative to support local students and promote educational advancement within the community. Applications are accepted annually from January to April 1st, encouraging both high school graduates and non-traditional students.

The FY26 Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Research Program's Idea Development Award promotes innovative, high-risk research aimed at advancing treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). It encourages projects with a strong scientific basis and feasibility, focusing on therapies that work across all ages, including infants and nonambulatory patients. Eligible applicants include experienced and transitioning investigators, fostering diverse expertise to enhance DMD research and improve patient outcomes.

The FY26 Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Research Program's Clinical/Translational Research Award supports pivotal research aimed at translating innovative therapeutic strategies into clinical applications for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Two funding levels cater to diverse project complexities, along with a Partnering PI Option promoting collaboration between early-career and established investigators. This initiative emphasizes the integration of preliminary data and encourages pilot trials to advance DMD therapies effectively.

The 2026 Rare Cancers Research Program Resource and Community Development Award aims to enhance rare cancer research through improved resources and datasets. It addresses critical gaps in research resources, communication strategies, and data sharing infrastructures. Key features include engaging patient advocates throughout the research process and ensuring sustainability of community platforms. This funding opportunity emphasizes community building and the dissemination of findings to benefit scientific and patient communities alike.

The FY26 Joint Warfighter Medical Research Program's Military Medical Research and Development Award aims to fund the continuation of previous Department of War-funded research addressing high-priority medical needs for Service Members and Military Health System beneficiaries. It supports various projects, including late-stage preclinical studies and clinical research. Eligibility requires prior DOD funding, and a Clinical Research Option is available for studies involving human subjects or biological samples.

The FY26 Bone Marrow Failure Research Program's Resource Development Award aims to create a multiomic atlas from human bone marrow failure samples. This resource will be open-access, providing essential data for researchers and clinicians to enhance their understanding of bone marrow failure diseases. A comprehensive Data Resource Sharing Plan is required to ensure timely availability of the developed resource, fostering collaboration within the scientific community.

New Jersey Department of Health

The scope of work for the public health system is ever-expanding, and the Department is on the frontlines in leading the response to public health challenges. The Department has three primary branches – Public Health Services, Health Systems, and Integrated Health. All work collaboratively toward improving health by strengthening New Jersey’s health system.

Our Mission: Protect the public’s health, promote healthy communities, and continue to improve the quality of health care in New Jersey

Tobacco Age of Sale Enforcement TASE Program

Purpose for which the Grant Shall be Used 

The purpose of this grant award is to support enforcement of New Jersey’s Tobacco Age of Sale law, which prohibits the sale of any tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21, through routine compliance inspections of Tobacco Retail Establishments (TREs) by implementing the Tobacco Age of Sale Enforcement (TASE) program within select counties that face disproportionately high tobacco use burden.

The DoW Kidney Cancer Early-Career Scholar Award is a unique initiative by the Academy of Kidney Cancer Investigators, established in FY19. It aims to foster innovative kidney cancer research through a mentoring program that pairs early-career scholars with experienced mentors. This program not only enhances research capabilities but also builds a robust network of kidney cancer researchers. By supporting promising scholars, the initiative aspires to advance the field and improve treatment outcomes for kidney cancer patients.

The FY26 Parkinson’s Research Program Investigator-Initiated Research Award supports innovative, multidisciplinary research projects aimed at advancing the understanding and treatment of Parkinson’s disease. The award encourages collaboration among multiple principal investigators, requiring preliminary data and allowing clinical trials to enhance research outcomes. This initiative is vital for fostering impactful discoveries within the four specified focus areas of the program, ultimately improving patient care and management.

The FY 2027 DoN HBCU/MI Program aims to enhance the research capabilities of Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions. This initiative promotes innovative solutions to naval science challenges while engaging students and faculty in STEM fields. Key objectives include strengthening research infrastructure and fostering collaborative efforts across institutions. White papers are due by September 18, 2026, and should clearly outline the proposed advancements in naval-relevant science and technology.

The FY26 Kidney Cancer Research Program's Idea Development Award supports innovative research that enhances understanding of kidney cancer, aimed at improving patient outcomes. Proposals should feature a strong hypothesis and a detailed research plan, with team members experienced in kidney cancer research. A unique aspect is the Partnering Principal Investigator option, fostering collaboration between two investigators, ensuring comprehensive project development while allowing for distinct submissions. This award emphasizes impactful partnerships to drive advancements in the field.

The FY26 Parkinson’s Research Program (PRP) Early Investigator Research Award supports early-career researchers in Parkinson’s disease (PD) research. It offers two funding levels: Level 1 for fellows requiring a Mentor and Level 2 for independent investigators. The PI must show potential in PD research, with Level 1 emphasizing mentorship and Level 2 needing preliminary data. Research must align with one of the four FY26 PRP Focus Areas, excluding clinical trials.

The Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP), established by Congress in 1988, aims to fund organizations to combat discriminatory housing practices. The Education and Outreach Initiative (EOI) educates stakeholders about their rights under fair housing laws. Key components include the National Media Campaign, which promotes fair housing awareness nationally, and local programs that support community-based outreach. HUD oversees the process, ensuring compliance and monitoring of funded initiatives to enhance fair housing practices.

About DEP

A national leader. A balanced approach. A commitment to be guided by science. That is the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

For over 50 years, DEP has made New Jersey a stronger and fairer state by protecting our environment and public health. With hard work, exceptional knowledge and expertise, the DEP’s staff has made the agency an unfailing guardian of New Jersey’s precious natural and historic resources.

The DEP was established on April 22, 1970 – America’s first official Earth Day. Today, DEP employees in dozens of programs continue to advance innovative strategies to safeguard and enhance New Jersey’s air, water and land, and the health of its residents.

Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Grants

ORLP funds the acquisition or development of new parks, or substantial renovation of parks, in low-income communities of at least 25,000 people. ORLP focuses on providing new or significantly improved nature-based parks in urban, disadvantaged communities lacking adequate access to walkable outdoor recreation (a.k.a. park deserts).

The program priorities described below are established by the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act (Public Law 118-234), which represents a historic bipartisan commitment to expanding outdoor recreation on public lands and waters for all Americans.

Anticipated Award Amounts:

ORLP is a dollar-for-dollar matching grant program, with a minimum award of $300,000 and maximum award of $15M. ORLP is a reimbursement program. Grant recipients must use their own resources to pay for all project costs.

Cost Share Requirements:

The required 50% grant match must come from eligible (typically non-federal) sources, such as Green Acres park development or acquisition grants, county and municipal open space funding, and philanthropic organizations, among others.

An award from the George and Viola Hoffman Fund may be made annually for student research toward a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation on a geographical subject in Eastern Europe. Eastern Europe includes the countries of East Central and Southeast Europe from Poland south to Romania, Bulgaria, and the successor states of the former Yugoslavia. Topics may be historical or contemporary, systematic or regional, limited to a small area or comparative.

The F26AS00104 State ANS Management Plan 2026 aims to combat aquatic nuisance species through pre-proposals followed by full applications. Managed by the US Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service, this initiative requires a 25% cost-share and limits administrative costs to 5%. Applications are due by October 14, 2026, though the funding opportunity closes on December 16, 2026. The plan is crucial for maintaining biodiversity and supporting a coordinated national approach to invasive species management.