Best Unrestricted Grants for Nonprofits in Minnesota

The PVA Education Foundation Grant Program, offered by the Paralyzed Veterans of America, supports innovative projects aimed at improving the lives of individuals with spinal cord injury and disease (SCI/D). Grants of up to $75,000 are available for initiatives in consumer education, professional development for healthcare providers, and research translation. This funding enables the development of essential educational tools and resources to enhance health, independence, and quality of life for the SCI/D community.

The North Central Soybean Research Grant Program (NCSRP) aims to enhance soybean production through collaborative research and outreach. By investing in innovative projects, it addresses key challenges in soybean yield, profitability, and environmental sustainability. The program encourages proposals that focus on genetic improvement, pest control, and production practices tailored for the North Central region. Funded projects are expected to deliver practical benefits to soybean farmers while fostering communication and collaboration among stakeholders in the industry.

The Elliott Antokoletz Fund supports doctoral and post-doctoral research in twentieth-century music, honoring the legacy of esteemed scholar Elliott Antokoletz. It is open to Ph.D. students and recent graduates from North American universities, with an award range of $500 to $5000. Preference is given to applicants from institutions lacking financial support for musicological research. This initiative promotes creativity through music-centered research, ensuring equity and inclusion in the academic study of music.

The Genentech Career Development Award for Underrepresented Minority Emerging Vision Scientists, offered by ARVO, supports early-career underrepresented minority investigators in establishing independent vision research programs. This two-year grant provides $100,000 for research and personnel costs, aiming to foster innovative project ideas and promising preliminary results. Successful applicants will receive strong mentorship within the eye and vision research community, facilitating career advancement and the potential for impactful scientific publications.

The Howard Vincent Kurtz Student Engagement Grant, funded by USITT, supports emerging theater artists with financial assistance up to $1,200 for academic costs. Grants cover research, travel, and project completion, along with a complimentary conference registration. Eligible applicants include undergraduate and graduate students in theatrical design and technology, nominated by a USITT member. Winners receive mentorship for six months, fostering professional growth and development in the entertainment industry.

The John R. Stempka Memorial Scholarship, established by Linda Stempka and family, supports Erie County residents pursuing technical education, particularly in welding. In 2023, the Erie Community Foundation awarded over $800,000 in scholarships to empower more than 500 students in their educational endeavors. This scholarship aims to help individuals achieve their career goals and enhance their skills in the technical field, ensuring a brighter future for the community.

The J.J. Crosetti, Jr. Memorial Scholarship offers a $1,500 award to students majoring in agriculture. To qualify, applicants must either reside in Santa Cruz County or be members of the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau. The scholarship is awarded upon proof of college enrollment, making it an excellent opportunity for aspiring agricultural professionals to receive financial support for their education.

The SPFFA Educational Scholarship provides financial support of $5000 for university candidates aiming to teach French in primary and secondary schools. To be eligible, applicants must be American citizens or resident aliens, preferably enrolled in a School of Education and pursuing a Master in Teaching with a focus on French. Additionally, applicants need to maintain a GPA above 3.00, ensuring commitment to their educational goals.

The Earl and Jane Ferguson Scholarship Fund provides financial support to graduates of Klamath County high schools who wish to pursue higher education across the United States. This initiative aims to empower local students by making education more accessible, thereby fostering academic growth and community development. The fund is managed by The Oregon Community Foundation, a private organization dedicated to enhancing educational opportunities for deserving individuals.

Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program

Program Overview:

Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian (LB21) projects build a library and archival workforce that can meet the information needs of communities and increase the institutional capacity of libraries, archives, and library and information science graduate programs across the country.  

The program supports projects that:  

• provide training and professional development to library and archives professionals;  
• develop faculty and information leaders; and 
• recruit, educate, and retain the next generation of library and archives professionals. 

Projects can support the recruitment, education, training, and retention of pre-professionals, students, faculty, and the current library and archives workforce. 

Project Type

Applied Research

Northern Piedmont Community Foundation

The Northern Piedmont Community Foundation (NPCF) began in December 2000 when nine concerned citizens from Virginia’s Piedmont region were searching for solutions to the charitable needs in Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, and Rappahannock counties. With modest beginnings, our funds have grown to over $39 million in support of local charities, scholarships and community need in our northern Piedmont region.

Scholarships

Northern Piedmont Community Foundation manages the scholarship application process for dozens of scholarships for students in Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, and Rappahannock counties (as well as a handful serving students from surrounding counties too). 

Dr. Eric J. Maybach Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship was established in memory of a local family practitioner, Dr. Eric J. Maybach. Dr. Maybach treated countless residents of Fauquier County, and in his honor, a scholarship was created. Qualifying applicants must be a resident of Fauquier County and pursuing a degree in medicine – medical school, nurse practitioner, physician’s assistant. Award amount varies.

Jack and Jill - Jacqueline Moore Bowles Scholarship

The Jack and Jill of America Foundation is committed to the positive development of youth and future leaders. Through providing programs focused on financial literacy, education, mentoring, health and wellness, and early childhood development, the Foundation promotes the preparation of succeeding generations of leaders.

In partnership with UNCF, the Jack and Jill of America Foundation - Jacqueline Moore Bowles Scholarship was developed to provide a one-time need-based scholarship of up to $2,500 to service-oriented undergraduate students majoring in Communications. 

Applicants must have completed a minimum of 60 hours of volunteer and community service within 12 months preceding the application deadline. Awards will be issued in the 2025-2026 spring term.

The Veterans United Foundation Scholarship supports the educational aspirations of military families by providing financial assistance to eligible applicants. This scholarship is open to veterans with service-related disabilities, surviving spouses, and children of deceased servicemembers. Since its inception in 2012, over $1 million has been awarded, making a significant impact on the education of those who serve our country. The application process requires proof of eligibility and documentation to ensure support for education-related expenses.

Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley

The Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley is a collection of individual funds and resources given by local citizens to enhance and support the quality of life in the Fox River Valley of Illinois.

We are a tax-exempt public charity that allows individuals, businesses, and non-profit organizations to establish permanent endowments and temporary funds within the confines of one large foundation.

Foundation funds are used to provide grants to non-profit organizations and scholarships to area students. The Foundation also hosts a Youth Engagement in Philanthropy (YEP) program, which helps high school students learn more about philanthropy and empowers them to make a difference in the community.

The Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley serves the City of Aurora, Kane County, and Kendall County within the State of Illinois.

Schafer Scholarship Endowment Fund

The Schafer Scholarship Endowment Fund was created to provide scholarships to students pursuing careers in business.

“This fund was established in memory of our fathers, Tom Angott and Jerry Schafer both who built successful businesses. Midge and I hope this fund will help students reach their dreams and learn the leadership skills it takes to be successful in business. We are proud of the fact that we have built several successful companies that now allows us to establish the Schafer Scholarship Endowment Fund, in hopes of helping generations well into the future learn the ethical practices of a business.”

The monetary value of each scholarship award varies depending upon the amount available in each individual scholarship fund. The most common scholarship award amount is $1,000 for a single year. Scholarships are designated as non-renewable one-year awards or renewable multi-year awards depending upon the scholarship fund criteria, as established by the donor of the scholarship fund.

The Gerald Kahan Scholar's Prize, awarded by the American Society for Theatre Research, honors the best essay published in English in a refereed scholarly journal or edited collection within the field of theater research. Eligible authors must be untenured and within seven years of their doctorate or enrolled in a doctoral program. The prize includes a $500 honorarium and complimentary registration for the ASTR annual meeting, acknowledging the editor's contribution to scholarship.

The Emergency Educational Grants offer vital financial support of up to $5,000 for undergraduate students who are children of deceased or totally disabled Elks. This grant is renewable for one year and is intended solely for educational purposes, helping cover costs such as tuition and books. Eligible applicants must demonstrate financial need and maintain full-time enrollment in an accredited U.S. college or university, while being unmarried and under 24 years old during the application year.

The Daniel E. and Marjorie A. Hartung Scholarship aims to support non-traditional single parents in Erie County, Ohio, seeking to further their education. Established in 1995, this fund focuses on those returning to school after a break or pursuing a degree part-time. Financial need is considered, promoting lasting contributions that enhance the quality of life in the community. This scholarship reflects the commitment to empower individuals and foster educational growth in Erie County.

The ABMS Research and Education Foundation grants support innovative research aimed at enhancing healthcare quality through board certification. By encouraging collaborations among ABMS Member Boards, the program seeks original studies that inform improvements in certification processes. Proposals are reviewed based on relevance to the ABMS mission, research novelty, methods, team composition, and potential impact. Applications from diverse health organizations are welcomed, provided the principal investigator is unaffiliated with ABMS.

UNCF STEM Scholars Program

The UNCF STEM Scholars Program is an initiative designed to identify and provide scholarship and academic support for students who aspire to earn STEM degrees and to pursue careers in STEM fields, awarding 75 scholarships. The program enables highly capable young people to pursue undergraduate STEM majors and prepares them for successful careers in a variety of STEM professions.

Individual Award

• Maximum total up to $25,000, please see Program Benefits below.

Through the generosity of fundholders and donors, NCCF has awarded more than half a million dollars in scholarships to assist students in Northwest Connecticut with the cost of higher education.

NCCF awards more than $530,000 in scholarships a year. 

Donald E. Heisinger Scholarship

Academic Focus:

• Accounting, Finance, or Business

Award:

• $750

Established by the Dillon Family, this scholarship is awarded to a student whose primary residence is in Torrington and who pursues, or intends to pursue, a degree in accounting, finance, or business at an accredited university or college. This scholarship is not financially need-based. (No FAFSA required)

Armstrong County Community Foundation

The Armstrong County Community Foundation, a public nonprofit corporation,

• Gives grants, scholarships, and organizational support to address the needs of our community.
• Builds a permanent endowment to help our donors create a legacy through this endowment.
• Promotes informed philanthropy to increase and sustain charitable resources for the region.
• Provides leadership and builds partnerships to identify and solve community issues.

James K. Greenbaum Scholarship

In gratitude for the many years of service that Dr. Greenbaum has given to our community, a scholarship has been established in his name to benefit a graduating student from the area who will be furthering his or her education.

The goal of the scholarship is to honor Dr. Greenbaum’s lifetime contribution to the children of our area and to continue his legacy.

Scholarship Details

• Available to High School Seniors
• Nonrenewable

All ACCF Scholarships are merit based.

Brown County Community Foundation

BCCF operates as a 501 (c)(3) corporation. It professionally manages and distributes income from charitable bequests consistent with the donor’s wishes and interests. In other words, BCCF manages charitable funds, making grants to local, nonprofit organizations based on advice from donors. Donors can specify a specific organization or a general area of concern within the community to which their gift be directed.

Scholarships

The Foundation manages several academic scholarship funds, many established expressly for Brown County High School graduates. 

Additionally, through the Foundation’s affiliation with The Lilly Endowment Inc., over forty Brown County residents have received four-year full-tuition scholarships through the Endowment’s Community Scholars Program.

BCCF Scholarships are available to current high school graduates, students currently enrolled in college, past graduates planning to enroll, as well as G.E.D. graduates.

Lions Club of Brown County Scholarship

Purpose: To provide one-year tuition assistance to five Brown County residents pursuing either a four-year college academic degree or a multi-year vocational degree at a trade school or community college.

Scholarship winners are chosen by the Brown County Lions Club using the application form. The selection committee considers service to the community/school, academic or vocational achievement, character, personal circumstances and financial need. Applicants may state their personal circumstances and financial needs in the section titled Statement of Special Circumstances.

Dissertation Grants

With support from the National Science Foundation, the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Grants Program seeks proposals for Dissertation Grants. The AERA Grants Program provides advanced graduate students with research funding and professional development and training. The program supports highly competitive dissertation research using rigorous quantitative methods to examine large-scale, education-related data. The aim of the program is to advance fundamental knowledge of relevance to STEM education policy, foster significant science using education data, promote equity in STEM, and build research capacity in education and learning. Since 1991, this AERA Program has been vital to both research and training at early career stages.

The Grants Program encourages the use of major data sets from multiple and diverse sources. It emphasizes the advanced statistical analysis of data sets from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and other federal agencies. The program also supports studies using large-scale international data systems (e.g., PISA, PIRLS, or TIMMS) that benefit from U.S. federal government support. In addition, statewide longitudinal administrative data systems (SLDS) enhanced through federal grants are also eligible for consideration. The inclusion of federal or state administrative information that further expands the analytic capacity of the research is permissible. The thrust of the analysis needs to be generalizable to a national, state, or population or a subgroup within the sample that the dataset represents.

The Grants Program is open to field-initiated research and welcomes proposals that:

• develop or benefit from advanced statistical or innovative quantitative methods or measures;
• analyze more than one large-scale national or international federally funded data set, or more than one statewide longitudinal data system (SLDS) or incorporate other data enhancements;
• integrate, link, or blend multiple large-scale data sources; or
• undertake replication research of major findings or major studies using large-scale, federally supported or enhanced data.

The Grants Program encourages proposals across the life span and contexts of education and learning of relevance to STEM policy and practice. The research may focus on a wide range of topics, including but not limited to such issues as student achievement in STEM, analysis of STEM education policies, contextual factors in education, educational participation and persistence (pre-kindergarten through graduate school), early childhood education and development, postsecondary education, and the STEM workforce and transitions. Studies that examine issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion across STEM topics and/or for specific racial and ethnic groups, social classes, genders, or persons with disabilities are encouraged.

Award

• Award Component 1 - $27,500 Stipend
• Award Component 2 - AERA Research and Training Conference
• Award Component 3- AERA Annual Meeting Capstone Research Institute

The budget must include funds to attend the AERA Annual Meeting. The funds can be used for research-related expenses such as tuition, living expenses, travel to secure data enclaves or scholarly conferences, books, computer equipment, and other expenses directly related to conducting this research. AERA encourages cost sharing from universities in the form of tuition assistance, office space, university fees, and other expenses.

The Community Care Grant, offered by the Banfield Foundation, supports nonprofit organizations and local/state government agencies in providing affordable veterinary care to owned pets. Since 2015, the foundation has aimed to enhance preventive care through grants and partnerships, helping pets in crisis and underserved communities across the U.S. This initiative ensures that essential veterinary services are accessible to all pet owners, fostering a better world for pets.

The Reeves Foundation supports research aimed at understanding and treating macular degeneration, a condition that has personally affected the founder's family. Established in 1997, the foundation allocates 50% of its grants to research and the other half to local charities in Columbus, Indiana. Nonprofit organizations exempt under IRS code 501(c)(3) are eligible to apply, but funds cannot be used for administrative costs. The foundation prioritizes equipment purchases and partnerships with other funding sources.

The Boustany Foundation's Sport 4 Children Award aims to enhance children's lives through sports, fostering happiness, health, and social skills. Open to organizations globally, the award supports projects that utilize sports for children's well-being. With a funding of 50,000 Euros, it encourages innovative and inclusive initiatives that promote participation in sports, aiming to create positive behavioral changes and community engagement. The foundation believes in the transformative power of sports to build responsible and healthy adults.

The Partnership Grants, offered by Music Movement, provide funding between $2,500 and $5,000 for eligible entities such as academies, public schools, hospitals, and non-profit organizations within the United States. Applications are reviewed semi-annually, and existing non-profits must submit their 501(c)(3) TIN. Grants can be resubmitted for reconsideration annually, but international applications are not accepted.