Best Grants for Small Nonprofits in Montana

Bruce E. Hepke Memorial Scholarship

Mission Statement

The Bruce E. Hepke Memorial Scholarship was established in 2021 to commemorate the life of a very special husband, father, and friend.

Devoted husband to wife Sue, and father to sons Darren and Connor, Bruce was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2016. He fought the disease bravely, until tragically, it took its final toll on February 18, 2021. The support that Bruce received from his family during this period, as well as his own personal courage and perseverance to live life to its fullest, were exceptionally inspirational.

A true gentleman, in every sense of the word, this memorial scholarship will be awarded each year to a college-bound candidate that demonstrates the characteristics that made Bruce such a remarkable and outstanding person-

Perseverance, Integrity, Leadership and Sportsmanship.

About the Scholarship

An avid golfer his entire life, Bruce loved the mental and physical challenges of the sport, the camaraderie, the competition, and the pure fun in traveling and playing on different courses. In 1998 he joined the West Chester Golf and Country Club, where he found a wonderful group of people with whom to socialize and play golf. Bruce was a true “renaissance man” with an incredibly wide range of interests but playing golf and being an active member of his Club were at the top of his list. This scholarship is intended to reflect his love for both the sport and his Club. It will be awarded annually to a high school senior and will be chosen from a candidate pool that includes the West Chester Golf and Country Club’s Ambassador Golf program as well as six surrounding high schools that have special meaning to the Hepke family. (The six high schools are Great Valley, Malvern Preparatory School, Marple Newtown, West Chester Bayard Rustin, West Chester East and West Chester Henderson.)

The DoW Orthopaedic Applied Research Award supports innovative research aimed at improving treatment and functionality for individuals with combat-related orthopaedic injuries. Applicants are required to present preliminary data and focus on applied research that evaluates new solutions, including pharmacologic agents and rehabilitation techniques. This initiative emphasizes the importance of military relevance, aiming to benefit Service Members, their families, and Veterans, while clinical research proposals are not permitted.

The FY26 Orthopaedic Research Program Clinical Research Award supports vital clinical research addressing orthopaedic-specific factors and interventions. It aims to generate evidence that optimizes patient outcomes and informs clinical care, benefiting Service Members, Veterans, and the public. Applications should focus on priority areas such as Ligamentous Trauma and Military Women’s Health, ensuring significant impact on patient care and mitigation of orthopaedic injuries.

The Samaritan Hospital Medical Staff/Ashland County Physicians Medical School Scholarship, established in 1996, offers two $1,500 scholarships to Ashland County residents pursuing MD or DO degrees at accredited medical schools in Ohio. This initiative reflects gratitude for past medical education and aims to encourage recipients to return to their community for practice. Eligible applicants can reapply for a maximum of four years, fostering a commitment to local healthcare.

The IATSE Local 798 Fund offers emergency financial assistance to performing arts and entertainment professionals facing unexpected critical needs. This support helps cover essential living expenses, including housing, utilities, and healthcare, to prevent eviction or service shut-offs. Eligible applicants must be union members for at least two years and have experienced unforeseen financial hardship due to circumstances beyond their control, such as injury or natural disasters.

The Albert C. and Rose Turri Scholarship, offered by the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, supports students pursuing a degree in electronics or electrical engineering. Established in memory of Albert and Rose Turri, this scholarship awards two $1,000 grants to eligible students residing in NCCF's service area. It aims to empower local talents to achieve their educational goals while championing community causes through dedicated support.

The Petco Love Canine Cancer Fund Grant supports active and retired working canines diagnosed with cancer. Established in 2012 through a partnership with Petco Love, Blue Buffalo, and the Search Dog Foundation, this grant alleviates financial burdens for handlers, ensuring their canine partners receive necessary treatments. Funding is allocated on a case-by-case basis, allowing many working dog teams facing cancer to benefit each year. This initiative emphasizes the importance of preserving the quality of life for these heroic animals.

Peter & Inez Schonveld Scholarship

This scholarship was established through a bequest from the estate of Inez Schonveld to provide scholarship assistance to graduating high school seniors and graduates of the Kalamazoo Public School District.

KZCF scholarships may be applied to any items under your school’s cost of attendance (COA). Each school has a different COA that may include items such as tuition, fees, housing, transportation, food, health insurance, etc. Scholarship payments are sent directly to your institution. 

This scholarship is a one-time award, meaning that it will not repeat in subsequent years. The money awarded can be applied to your education costs alongside other scholarships or funding that you may receive, and there are no necessary steps once funds are sent.

The Canine Healthcare Fund Grant provides vital medical coverage for SDF-trained canines throughout their lives, ensuring they receive top-notch veterinary care at no expense to their handlers or agencies. Additionally, it extends support to non-SDF-trained handlers of active and retired disaster search canines, covering veterinary costs for wellness, illness, and injury not funded by their organizations. Each handler may receive up to $1,000 annually to help manage these essential healthcare expenses.

The Skyline Country Club Scholarship aims to support the educational ambitions of employees and their families through financial assistance for tuition or PGA Membership dues. This scholarship is awarded for one academic year, with the potential for renewal for up to four years. Eligible applicants must be high school graduates with a minimum GPA of 2.5 and must have been employed by Skyline Country Club for at least six months. This initiative reflects the commitment to fostering future leaders in our community.

ASPCA PRO

ASPCApro.org provides tools and resources for animal welfare professionals, veterinary personnel and volunteers. We take a progressive approach to helping the country's at-risk animals, promoting cutting edge research to advance the field.

ASPCA Research Grants

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA®) research grants fund high-quality research with a clear potential to benefit animals, either directly or through effecting systems-level change. Proposals to extend existing studies, focused on other disciplines, will also be considered if they can clearly demonstrate substantial potential benefit to animal welfare.

This year we are soliciting proposals in the following six research areas:

• Access to Veterinary Care (AVC) Research
• Applied Behavior Research
• Cruelty Research
• Farm Animal Welfare Research
• Psychological Trauma Research
• Shelter Research

Proposals focused on evaluating the effectiveness of a program or service must demonstrate methodological rigor and a clear plan to produce generalizable scientific knowledge. Please view eligibility information for specific projects from the research area you are interested in. 

Cruelty Research

Proposals that address cruelty toward equines, cats, or dogs from any angle or relevant discipline (e.g., public policy, law, criminal justice, criminology, veterinary forensics, community engagement, prevention/intervention, human behavior change). Of particular interest is research that a) increases understanding of the perspectives of key stakeholder groups (e.g., law enforcement/animal control, veterinary professionals, animal shelters/rescues) or b) investigates the effectiveness of cruelty prevention/response efforts at the community or system level. Also of interest is research that heightens awareness of animal cruelty and builds knowledge that informs and engages key community stakeholders and allied professionals in preventing and responding to this animal welfare issue.

Proposals that include a shelter-researcher partnership aspect are especially encouraged. Examples include, but are not limited to, inclusion of both shelter and academic staff on the study team, the creation of a shelter-facing deliverable, an implementation prospectus that includes a feasibility assessment and identified partner shelter, etc.

The Splendido Residents Association Scholarships aim to support students in Southern Arizona by providing financial assistance for educational pursuits. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 and have worked at least 12 hours weekly for six months. Scholarships range from $2,000 to $13,000 based on school type and enrollment status. Recipients can reapply for up to four years, ensuring ongoing support for their academic journeys.

John L. and Linda D. Bohnel Scholarship Fund

Must be attending a college or university that partners with Upswing.

Awards

• (5) $1,000.00

Women Giving to Women Scholarship

Women Giving To Women (WGTW) provides intellectual and emotional support for women of diverse backgrounds. WGTW scholarship was established to empower women to complete a bachelor’s degree and become leaders in the community. WGTW also provides financial support for the following community endeavors: The Child Abuse and Neglect Council (CAN) Great Lakes Bay Region, The McNally House of Covenant Hospital, Underground Railroad of Saginaw and The Women’s Studies Section of the Frankenmuth Wickson District Library.

Evaluation Criteria

• Scholastic record (25)
• Community involvement (15)
• Leadership (10)
• Essay (25)
• References (15)
• Non-traditional field of study (10)

The Rosa Louise Parks Scholarship, offered by the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, aims to support students in financial need who demonstrate the potential for academic success. This unique scholarship, named after the civil rights icon, is dedicated to high school graduates from Southern Arizona, ensuring that they have the necessary resources to pursue higher education and become future leaders. It exemplifies the Foundation's commitment to fostering educational aspirations within the community.

The Goldman Fund, established in 1992, focuses on reproductive health and rights, providing vital support for organizations that enhance access to abortion services. They invite proposals from public charities with a 501(c)(3) status and prioritize projects that improve training for abortion service delivery. The fund supports initiatives across multiple states, excluding projects limited to a single state, except California, and considers requests by invitation only.

Danial & Joeanna Smith Education Scholarship

The scholarship was established through a bequest from the estate of Danial and Joeanna Smith for the purpose of providing educational scholarships to permanent residents of Van Buren County and who are planning to pursue a bachelor's degree at a four-year college/university. Additional application materials are required for this scholarship.

KZCF scholarships may be applied to any items under your school’s cost of attendance (COA). Each school has a different COA that may include items such as tuition, fees, housing, transportation, food, health insurance, etc. Scholarship payments are sent directly to your institution.

This scholarship is a one-time award, meaning that it will not repeat in subsequent years. The money awarded can be applied to your education costs alongside other scholarships or funding that you may receive, and there are no necessary steps once funds are sent.

The Michael Aurbach Fellowship for Excellence in Visual Art, awarded by the College Art Association, supports artist members with an MFA or equivalent who teach studio classes. This fellowship provides a $7,500 award and conference registration to a qualifying artist, focusing on their artistic work rather than a proposal. It aims to recognize and empower visual arts professionals in academia.

The Bridget McCabe Memorial Scholarship, funded by the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, aims to support students at any life stage who demonstrate a passion for learning. With an annual award of up to $1,000, this non-renewable scholarship encourages applicants with a minimum 2.5 GPA who have graduated from a high school in Southern Arizona. The initiative reflects a commitment to nurturing future leaders and ensuring access to education for deserving students.

Brian Thiele Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship, established by family and friends in memory of Brian Thiele, provides financial assistance to students who exhibit characteristics similar to those for which Brian is so fondly remembered. This includes playing varsity and/or club soccer, achievement of personal and academic goals, overcoming obstacles to meet his goals, competitive spirit, leadership and a special caring for community. Additional application materials are required for this scholarship.

KZCF scholarships may be applied to any items under your school’s cost of attendance (COA). Each school has a different COA that may include items such as tuition, fees, housing, transportation, food, health insurance, etc. Scholarship payments are sent directly to your institution. 

This scholarship is a one-time award, meaning that it will not repeat in subsequent years. The money awarded can be applied to your education costs alongside other scholarships or funding that you may receive, and there are no necessary steps once funds are sent.

National Academy of Construction

Purpose: The purpose of the Academy is to establish a body of acknowledged construction industry leaders and to provide them recognition through election to the National Academy of Construction. It also offers their collective experience and expertise for the improvement of the industry. The Academy shows recognition to fresh and novel industry achievement with appropriate awards programs. Another important purpose of the Academy is to provide a network system of linkage between past and present participants in the construction industry.

NAC Scholarship

• Members of the National Academy of Construction (NAC) established this scholarship to provide funding for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree in construction or a closely related field and who intend to pursue a career in the construction industry.
• NAC’s mission is to recognize and honor individuals from all disciplines in the industry for their distinguished contributions to the industry and to share this reservoir of expertise as a service to the nation, including service contributions. It is one of the nation’s esteemed construction industry institutions, characterized by its extensive and diverse expertise, proven leadership, and trusted judgment.
• NAC is committed to diversity and inclusiveness in the construction industry. The intent of this scholarship is to provide financial support for two semesters for deserving students who plan to pursue careers in the construction industry, thus giving back to the profession some of the benefits that its members have received.

Since the scholarship program’s inception in 2020, NAC has awarded 36 scholarships worth over $203,000 to students from across the country.

Only one applicant is permitted from each university. There are no exceptions to this requirement. If more than one application is received from a university, the university will be notified and asked to choose one applicant.

Scholarship recipients will be invited to attend the NAC Annual Meeting. NAC will cover registration for this event and work with the recipients, their universities and others to identify sources of funding to cover travel expenses to attend. Attendance at the Annual Meeting is not required.

The scholarships we award vary each year based on the unique criteria of each scholarship. In 2025, we awarded over $3 million in scholarships to over 500 students, including $1.3 million to 110 students in western NC through our Disaster Relief and Resilience Scholarship.

Alpha Beta Chapter Scholarship Fund

Depending on the scholarship, it may pay for tuition, room and board, books, fees and/or other related educational expenses. This will be outlined in your award notification. The minimum scholarship award amount is $1,000.

NCCF scholarship awards are only issued to not-for-profit institutions and government entities such as public colleges or universities.

North Carolina Community Foundation

At the North Carolina Community Foundation, we bring together generous people and connect them to causes and organizations they care about. Our mission is to inspire North Carolinians to make lasting and meaningful contributions to their communities.

A Focus on Rural

We serve the entire state, with a focus on rural North Carolina. Our 53 affiliate foundations serve as our roots in North Carolina’s rural communities and our expertise provides our fundholders with local insight that strengthens our grantmaking – and our communities.

Scholarships

We partner with donors to administer scholarships for students across the state. All NCCF scholarship opportunities are established with criteria determined by the donor. 

Ralph Edwin and Ruby Irene Holloman Davis Scholarship Endowment

Applicants are graduating seniors from high schools in Johnston County who are continuing their education at a college, university, community or junior college, technical school, nursing school, or other post-high school training leading to a degree or associate degree, with preference to those who have financial need.

The scholarships we award vary each year based on the unique criteria of each scholarship. In 2025, we awarded over $3 million in scholarships to over 500 students, including $1.3 million to 110 students in western NC through our Disaster Relief and Resilience Scholarship .

Depending on the scholarship, it may pay for tuition, room and board, books, fees and/or other related educational expenses.

Jack C. Wells Scholarship for Harnett County

This will be outlined in your award notification. The minimum scholarship award amount is $1,000.

NCCF scholarship awards are only issued to not-for-profit institutions and government entities such as public colleges or universities.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to raise funds for college scholarships by using the proceeds from our monthly golf tournaments and other fundraising efforts. MAGA PHX is a 501 (c) (3).

MAGA College Scholarship Program

MAGA Phoenix created the MAGA Scholarship Program in 2015, and has continued to award deserving students college scholarships each year. MAGA Phoenix takes great pride in being able to assist young students in achieving their educational goals.

The Mexican American Golf Association of Phoenix, Arizona (MAGA Phoenix) is dedicated to raising funds for college scholarships through monthly golf tournaments.

MAGA Phoenix is pleased to announce that we will be offering 12 qualified applicants $1,000.00 (renewable) scholarships to assist them in continuing their education. Eight of the 12 scholarships will be going to students entering into a traditional college/university and up to four of the scholarships will be going to students entering a trade/vocational/apprenticeship program.

At the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, we work with donors, grantees, and advisors to address key community issues.

Swenson Family Scholarship

This scholarship has been made possible by the generosity of Leland L. Swenson, who established the Swenson Family Scholarship of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County. Dr. Leland Swenson practiced orthopedic surgery in Muskegon from 1949-1978 and worked at Hackley Occupational Health Clinic, completing orthopedic disability evaluations from 1985-2005. The Swenson family wished to continue with their charitable actions, and believe the Community Foundation would carry out their wishes. The Swenson Family Scholarship is designed to provide scholarships to students throughout Muskegon County.

Scranton Area Community Foundation

For over 70 years, the Scranton Area Community Foundation has served Northeastern Pennsylvania as a steward of charitable resources, a grantmaker, and a catalyst for positive change. Guided by our core values of collaboration, trust, integrity, innovation, and inclusivity, we work to ensure that our communities thrive with opportunities for all.

Scholarships

We are honored to be the stewards of over 90 scholarship funds established by philanthropically-minded individuals in our community. Generous donors entrust us to connect them to dynamic students to provide financial resources for their education through scholarships. Our donors establish scholarship funds with criteria they wish to be met by applicants. Our scholarship committee considers the criteria, evaluates the submitted applications, and chooses the best candidates for each scholarship.

Peoples Security Bank and Trust Company Scholarship Award

The Peoples Security Bank and Trust Company Scholarship Award consists of ten $1,000 scholarships awarded annually to graduating high school seniors who are customers of Peoples Security Bank and Trust Company, or who have a parent or guardian who is a customer, and who plan to pursue postsecondary education.