Best Grants for Community Service Projects in Mississippi

Mississippi 501(c)(3) charities, public charities, and government entities can seek support for community and school-based health programs, wellness initiatives, and health education projects. Community groups running service projects that improve health literacy, healthy eating, exercise, or access to quality care in Mississippi can access funding through Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation.

Nonprofit organizations, public institutions, and eligible government or veterans groups in Mississippi can seek funding for arts and culture, healthy families, poverty solutions, and community improvement projects. With a mission to strengthen communities, Entergy Charitable Foundation provides support that can advance local community development and revitalization efforts, with priority for specific counties and parishes.

Nonprofit organizations, schools, libraries, and community groups in underserved Mississippi counties can seek funding for arts programming that engages local residents and enhances community life. Focused on expanding arts access, the Mississippi Arts Commission invites eligible groups in Amite, Clarke, Itawamba, Jefferson Davis, Tishomingo, and Winston counties to develop and support quality arts experiences.

Mississippi arts nonprofits and public or tribal arts agencies seeking professional development for staff or board can receive up to US $1,000 to build organizational capacity. With a mission to advance Southern vitality through the arts, South Arts supports travel, registration, consultants, and training for small arts organizations (budgets of $500,000 or less) serving their communities.

The WKKF Grant, offered by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, is dedicated to fostering a future where every child and family thrives. With a focus on nurturing early education, accessible healthcare, and equitable food systems, this grant supports initiatives that empower communities across the U.S. and parts of Mexico and Haiti. Organizations meeting IRS regulations and being legal entities, particularly 501(c)(3) nonprofits, are encouraged to apply for funding to create lasting impacts in their communities.

With a mission to strengthen local leadership, Community Foundation of East Mississippi provides Mississippi community organizations with funding for leadership training, community development, and projects that enhance the image of Meridian and East Mississippi. Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) nonprofits or fiscally sponsored groups serving Clarke, Kemper, Lauderdale, Neshoba, or Newton counties.

Mississippi-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits and local government units can receive matching mini-grants to build arts programming and organizational capacity in Mississippi communities. With a mission to support arts development, Mississippi Arts Commission provides funding for hiring professional artists, organizational or curriculum development, and conference-based professional development that can strengthen community-focused arts and cultural projects.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations working on health, education, social justice, arts, or community development projects in Mississippi’s DeSoto County can apply for support from The Assisi Foundation of Memphis. Grants can fund direct services, capacity building, cultural programming, or community enhancement efforts that strengthen well-being and resilience in the Mid-South region.

Mississippi community organizations, schools, and government entities running shooting sports or firearms safety programs can access funding through The NRA Foundation for education, training, and safety initiatives. Eligible 501(c) entities and state-recognized nonprofits may receive US $3,000 - US $5,000 to promote safe marksmanship, hunting safety, and firearms education that benefit their communities.

501(c)(3) nonprofits in Mississippi counties where Penn National Gaming operates can apply for Penn National Gaming Foundation grants to support community development, education, human services, cultural programs, health, and veteran and military support. Eligible Mississippi areas include Hancock, Harrison, and Tunica Counties for local community service and improvement projects.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and public entities in Mississippi can receive US $1,500 - US $10,000 to run volunteer and civic engagement projects that serve their communities. With a mission to expand service, Volunteer Mississippi provides funding for mentoring, literacy, arts, environmental restoration, social justice, and projects addressing food insecurity, poverty, and homelessness, covering facilities, supplies, printing, advertising, and volunteer training.

Organizations conducting legal or policy research on coastal resilience issues in Mississippi can access funding through the Coastal Resilience Program; awards US $75,000 for two-year projects. Grants from National Sea Grant Law Center support work on sea level rise, flooding, storms, land use, and related environmental policy effectiveness across eligible coastal and Great Lakes states.

Graduating high school seniors planning to study business at Mississippi State University can receive renewable scholarship support through the Dean William C. Flewellen Jr. Mississippi State University Scholarship Fund. With a mission to strengthen communities, Central Alabama Community Foundation backs academically strong students (minimum 3.0 GPA and 27 ACT or equivalent SAT) pursuing higher education in business fields.

The MAC Project Grants support arts initiatives across Mississippi, empowering community-based groups to enhance cultural engagement. Funding is available for four key areas: Arts Based Community Development, Arts Education, Arts Industry, and Folk & Traditional Arts. These grants aim to foster community growth, improve educational opportunities, stabilize the arts sector, and promote traditional art forms, ensuring a vibrant cultural landscape in Mississippi.

Master and apprentice folk and traditional artists in Mississippi can receive $3,000 to support one-on-one apprenticeship projects, primarily covering the master’s teaching fee and related supplies and travel. Mississippi Arts Commission provides this funding to sustain community-based art forms, which may complement local cultural and community development efforts.

Grants from Entergy Charitable Foundation help Mississippi community-focused nonprofits and public entities fund arts and culture, community improvement, healthy families, and social services projects. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations, schools, hospitals, governments, qualifying veterans groups, and volunteer fire departments, with priority for programs serving counties and parishes where Entergy has customers or employees.

K–12 schools in Mississippi can receive funding to run curriculum-based service learning projects that address real community needs through hands-on, classroom-integrated activities. With a mission to strengthen active, experiential learning, Joe W & Dorothy Dorsett Brown Foundation provides support for projects in any subject area that follow NYLC service learning standards and partner with a service organization.

Nonprofits, educational institutions, and workforce partners supporting training and career preparation programs in Mississippi can seek US $50,000 - US $300,000 through the Delta Workforce Grant Program. With a mission to build long-term community capacity, Delta Regional Authority funds projects that expand local talent pipelines and strengthen community and economic development in eligible Delta and Alabama Black Belt counties.

Mississippi rural public entities and nonprofit organizations can receive US $10,000 - US $500,000 in USDA Rural Development funding to support small rural business development and community economic growth. Grants may cover technical assistance, training, facilities and infrastructure, revolving loan funds, incubators, and strategic planning, and can strengthen local community service and development projects in eligible rural areas.

Nonprofit organizations enhancing community services in Mississippi and other All In Credit Union service areas can use these grants for project improvements that expand their impact. All In Credit Union provides community development and nonprofit growth funding, with awards offering prominent naming rights for the funder on supported projects.

Nonprofit organizations, schools, and governmental entities in Mississippi can apply for the Charles Young Historic Preservation Grant to support building renovations, capital improvements, and special projects. Administered by the Community Foundation of East Mississippi, it may benefit community development and revitalization efforts within Lauderdale County’s African-American community.

Kemper County K–12 teachers seeking up to US $500 for classroom educational programs or creative curriculum projects in Mississippi may be eligible for these mini-grants. Grants from Community Foundation of East Mississippi help educators enhance instruction with new tools or initiatives, with six teacher awards made each year from the Kemper Hometown Endowment Fund.

Mississippi teachers seeking support for classroom educational programs can receive mini-grants up to US $500 to enhance curriculum, tools, or creative projects. Community Foundation of East Mississippi provides Neshoba County educators with funding for academic enrichment, teacher development, and curriculum development that can strengthen local community education efforts.

WFM Community Impact Project Grants

Community Impact Project Grants are project grants available to nonprofits for up to $5,000. No financial match is required, however, projects demonstrating community support will be prioritized.

Community Impact Grants will support projects in the following categories: Placemaking, Children and Families, and Community Partnerships.

Placemaking

Examples include, but are not limited to: Projects that can demonstrate outcomes that contribute to increased livability, projects that focus on the activation of underutilized spaces such as beautification, trail improvements, tactical urbanism, blight removal, or other project-based creative interventions to transform public spaces or increase public dialog about the built environment, community vibrancy, local storytelling or quality of life.

Children and Families

Examples include but are not limited to: Projects that support reading and childhood literacy, programs that increase opportunities to connect children and families with physical, mental or financial health resources, projects that increase access to clean water for children and families at high risk for lead and other contaminants. Other examples include projects that prioritize prevention, early intervention and programs that can demonstrate the ability to measure impact related to children and families within CFM’s 22 county service area. 

Community Partnerships

Projects that specifically focus on collaborative projects between two or more cross-sector or nonprofit partnerships. Examples might include but are not limited to: Projects that take a collaborative approach to address or advance an issue important to their community such as support for community visioning, charettes and asset mapping, or to support inclusive stakeholder convenings. CFM seeks to support programs that can demonstrate their intention for diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) as it relates to project participation. Therefore, grant support may also include projects that lead to positive community change, positive civic engagement, and increasing community voice.

The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis offers Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants to enhance the organizational health of nonprofits in the Mid-South. These one-time financial grants, averaging $15,000 with a total of $210,000 available, are for projects that improve governance and management, rather than direct programming. Organizations must raise matching funds dollar-for-dollar to leverage additional resources. Eligibility requires a reviewed profile on LIVEGIVEmidsouth.org and meeting specific operational criteria.

Mississippi public bodies, community-based nonprofits, and federally recognized Tribes can access funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas, including community service projects. Local organizations can access funding through USDA Rural Development to purchase, construct, or improve facilities and equipment that support community development in eligible rural communities of 20,000 or fewer residents.

Educators in public or private schools in eligible Mississippi counties can receive up to US $2,000 for innovative classroom or school projects that enhance student learning. Focused on academic success and enrichment, Gulf Coast Community Foundation invites creative proposals that benefit students, staff, or teacher effectiveness and may support broader community development goals.