Best Grants for Museums in New Jersey

Fall 2026 Early Childhood Education Funding Cycle

Overall Early Childhood Education Program Blueprint

The Stranahan Foundation’s Early Childhood Education grant program supports efforts to improve access to high-quality early care and education for young children (birth to five), especially those from low-income families. We do this by investing in strategies that strengthen, support, and retain a high-quality, thriving early educator workforce.

The Foundation has a history of supporting professional development (PD) and learning systems through its Provider strategy (). We believe strong professional development systems are essential for building a skilled early childhood workforce and creating positive learning environments for young children.

The Fall 2026 funding cycle is available for organizations that align with this Provider strategy.

Funding Opportunity

This funding opportunity will provide up to $750,000 to support early childhood education providers in strengthening existing professional development (PD) systems. Funding is intended to improve a specific area of an established PD system—not to build a brand-new system from scratch or put the foundational elements in place.

What kind of improvements can funding support?

Organizations should focus their projects on strengthening their professional development systems. The Stranahan Foundation defines a strong professional development system as one that includes:

• Connect learning opportunities that build on one another over time.
• Use adult learning best practices.
• Align staff learning to educator competencies, credentials, career growth, or compensation.
• Provide learning experiences that are individualized, scaffolded, and responsive to educators’ needs, experience, and goals.
• Have dedicated leadership and organizational capacity to support ongoing implementation.

• Gather regular feedback from staff and families.
• Use standardized assessment and evaluation tools to understand what is working and where improvements are needed.
• Make ongoing improvements based on what is learned.
• Support reflective practice, peer learning, and collaborative inquiry among educators.

• Offer both individual and group learning opportunities, such as training, professional learning communities, coaching, and mentoring.
• Provide learning opportunities on an ongoing basis rather than in a one-and-done situation.
• Connect internal and external learning opportunities to make the best use of available resources.
• Support classroom implementation through observation, modeling, feedback, and continuous improvement cycles.

• Provide learning experiences that are practical, relevant, and easy to apply in daily work.
• Include fundamental topics such as family engagement, effective instruction, developmentally appropriate practice, and classroom management.
• Align with established standards, research, and effective practices in the early childhood field.
• Equip educators to support all learners, including multilingual learners, children with disabilities, and children impacted by trauma or adverse experiences.

Pinky Swear Foundation

Our mission

Pinky Swear Foundation's mission is to help kids with cancer and their families with financial support. 

All-Star Fund

Housing, food, and transportation support

The All-Star Fund provides financial support for everyday expenses to families navigating the challenging journey of childhood cancer. This fund provides assistance for rent/mortgage, utility payments, groceries, gas, and car payments, ensuring that families can focus on what truly matters - their child.

Ignite Your Innovation & Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

Lead the future of innovation at your higher education institution with the Ecosystem Futures Fellowship. This fellowship is an evolution of our Course & Program Grants that focuses on scalable science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) innovation and entrepreneurship (I&E) ecosystem solutions through the lens of environmental and social sustainability and inclusive innovation. This program offers professional development, immersive learning experiences, and a supportive community of leaders. It enhances the role of faculty and higher education leaders as ecosystem builders in partnership with industry and government.

VentureWell Ecosystem Futures Fellowship

The Ecosystem Futures Fellowship is a one-year program that aims to strengthen campus innovation and entrepreneurship. This fellowship enhances both in-class and out-of-class student engagement and institutional culture by growing ecosystem networks. Teams of two will receive $30,000 in funding—a $10,000 award and $5,000 in travel stipends for each fellow—and 12 months of immersive programming and communities of practice.

The Ecosystem Futures Fellowship is a one-year experience that supports higher education leaders in advancing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) innovation and entrepreneurship (I&E) ecosystem growth centered on environmental and social sustainability and inclusive innovation.

What types of projects are eligible?

Projects should focus on STEM I&E ecosystem expansion, addressing significant social, health, or environmental challenges. Your STEM I&E ecosystem growth goals might align well with the fellowship if they are similar to one of the following:

• Building out a degree pathway that incorporates I&E into STEM disciplines
• Creating or revising courses that focus on STEM I&E through a social and environmental sustainability lens—these should be courses that make connections to I&E beyond the course in order to provide more robust I&E opportunities to a diverse population of students (community-engaged learning, internships, industry partnerships, etc.)
• Connecting existing courses to campus and off-campus extracurricular and co-curricular activities
• Designing new extracurricular and co-curricular I&E activities that connect to community partners
• Working with government, industry, or other community collaborators to expand STEM I&E activities on and off campus for students and other campus collaborators
• Working with administration on campus to change policies or systems that hinder STEM I&E activities on campus (promotion and tenure requirements, tech transfer opportunities, IP policies, etc.)
• Breaking down silos on campus in order to grow connections between disciplines and learning opportunities beyond the classroom
• Strengthening research translation and innovation development opportunities that work to solve the world’s most difficult problems

What support is provided besides funding?

• Mentorship from experienced industry experts.
• Access to a resource library and a collaborative network of STEM educators and students.
• Participation in on-campus immersive experiences, communities of practice, and VentureWell’s annual conferences.

History of AHTF

In the beginning, AHTF’s founders recognized that hand therapy was needed and worked; however, research to support that belief was limited.

The American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT) was founded in 1977. By the 1980’s hand therapy was growing fast and clinical knowledge of hand care lead to remarkable improvements in the treatment of diseased and injured hands. With improvements, however, came the increased need to further substantiate hand therapy practice.

Tri-Alliance Grant Honoring ASHT Founders

Purpose

To fund impactful research in all levels of experimental quantitative research, including systematic reviews, as well as qualitative research. The AHTF has the responsibility of verifying the appropriateness of the proposed research.

Types of Studies

Grant proposals are accepted for research within any domain of hand therapy. Randomized or experimental study designs, including quantitative, mixed methods, or qualitative designs that aim to advance the clinical practice of hand and upper extremity rehabilitation. Ideally, applications should target categories of research identified as part of the current AHTF research priorities.

History of AHTF

In the beginning, AHTF’s founders recognized that hand therapy was needed and worked; however, research to support that belief was limited.

The American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT) was founded in 1977. By the 1980’s hand therapy was growing fast and clinical knowledge of hand care lead to remarkable improvements in the treatment of diseased and injured hands. With improvements, however, came the increased need to further substantiate hand therapy practice.

Burkhalter New Investigator Grant for Clinical Research in Hand & Upper Limb Rehabilitation

Purpose

In 1993, the AHTF established a grant in honor of Dr. William Burkhalter (1928-1992), a long-time advocate and promoter of hand therapy. The purpose of the award is to support scientific clinical research in the field of hand and upper limb rehabilitation.

Types of Studies

Experimental, non-experimental, pilot studies, quasi-experimental, measurement, or qualitative studies designed to advance the clinical practice of hand and upper extremity rehabilitation in categories identified by the AHTF research priorities will be considered.

History of AHTF

In the beginning, AHTF’s founders recognized that hand therapy was needed and worked; however, research to support that belief was limited.

The American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT) was founded in 1977. By the 1980’s hand therapy was growing fast and clinical knowledge of hand care lead to remarkable improvements in the treatment of diseased and injured hands. With improvements, however, came the increased need to further substantiate hand therapy practice.

Judy Bell-Krotoski "Grab the Evidence" Grant

Purpose

In 2003, AHTF awarded the first “Grab the Future” Grant. This name was changed in 2005, in response to the growing need to fund basic research science and evidence-based studies in hand and upper limb rehabilitation.

The purpose of the award as designed is to serve as a catalyst for a skilled researcher and/or research team to develop their role as principal investigators and to provide seed money for procurement of larger external funding. 

Types of Studies

Experimental studies, pilot studies, or systematic reviews/meta-analyses which support the evidence of hand and upper extremity rehabilitation in the diagnostic categories identified by the AHTF research priorities or by the specific donor’s research priorities will be considered.

The OVC FY 2026 Specialized Human Trafficking Assistance program provides critical funding to enhance the capacity of multidisciplinary anti-trafficking task forces and legal service providers. This initiative aims to strengthen the Enhanced Collaborative Model (ECM) through specialized training, ensuring effective identification and support for victims of human trafficking. By focusing on victim-centered investigations and successful prosecution of traffickers, this funding opportunity aligns with the U.S. Department of Justice’s mission to protect citizens and combat violent crime.

The National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP) invites applications to digitize historically significant newspapers published between 1690 and 1963 across the U.S. This initiative by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress aims to create a comprehensive online database accessible to the public. Successful applicants will convert approximately 100,000 pages into digital format over two years, following specific technical guidelines. This program enhances access to vital historical resources for research and education.

The Social Impact Partnerships to Pay for Results Act (SIPPRA) by the U.S. Department of the Treasury aims to enhance social service effectiveness through innovative funding strategies. Established in 2018, SIPPRA encourages state and local governments to apply for awards that redirect funds from ineffective programs to those that yield measurable outcomes. By promoting public-private partnerships and performance-based funding, SIPPRA seeks to address critical social issues and improve the lives of families and individuals in need.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) is launching a funding opportunity for the Collaborative Initiative on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (CIFASD). This program aims to foster multidisciplinary research on FASD, addressing critical needs such as early identification, intervention development, and mechanisms of alcohol exposure effects. By supporting integrated projects within the CIFASD consortium, the initiative seeks to enhance understanding and reduce the impact of FASD through coordinated research efforts.

The Community Development Block Grant Program for Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages aims to foster the development of viable communities by providing funding for housing, living environments, and economic opportunities, primarily benefiting low- and moderate-income individuals. The program is competitive, offering both single-purpose and imminent threat grants to address urgent public health and safety issues, ensuring that tribes can improve their community welfare effectively.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is launching the Centers for Research on Neglected Infectious Diseases (CReNIDs) to enhance research on neglected infectious diseases (NIDs). This initiative aims to tackle substantial health challenges posed by communicable viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections, especially in endemic regions. By fostering multidisciplinary research and sustainable local capacities, the program seeks to improve health outcomes and mitigate the spread of these diseases, ultimately safeguarding public health in the U.S. and globally.

About AOTF

Established in 1965, AOTF is an independent 501(c)(3) charitable, scientific, and educational organization. We serve as the premier resource for occupational therapy research and scholarship, working alongside researchers, educators, practitioners, community partners, and students to build evidence-based practice that improves lives.

As the only foundation dedicated exclusively to advancing occupational therapy science, we bridge the critical gap between innovative research and real-world practice. Our work ensures that occupational therapy interventions are grounded in rigorous scientific evidence, ultimately improving outcomes for millions of people worldwide.

Community Engaged Research Grant (NBCOT®)

Background

It is imperative that occupational therapy research is grounded in the priorities and lived experiences of the individuals it aims to serve, particularly for historically marginalized or underrepresented communities.

Community-engaged research is a collaborative approach that establishes equitable and meaningful partnerships between researchers, community members, service providers, and other stakeholders throughout all phases of the research process. It centers on addressing community-identified priorities and co-creation of research that produces mutually beneficial outcomes.

By ensuring that research is culturally relevant, contextually appropriate, and responsive to community priorities, this approach enhances its impact while improving health, participation, and quality of life.

Program Mission

The Community Engaged Research Grant program supports studies that apply rigorous qualitative and/or quantitative methodologies to address research priorities and service or knowledge gaps identified in partnership with communities.

AOTF emphasizes the importance of equitable partnerships in which power, decision-making, and responsibility are shared between researchers, practitioners, community-based organizations, people with lived experience, and other relevant partners.

By fostering these inclusive practices, AOTF aims to ensure that occupational therapy scholarship remains scientifically rigorous, equitable, and responsive to the real-world needs of diverse communities.

Funding Priorities

All proposed projects must: 

• Be led by a community-academic partnership.
• Identify at least one community member as a Co-Investigator.
• Demonstrate meaningful and equitable engagement of community partners.
• Include a plan to compensate community partners.
• Address potential barriers to engagement
• Clearly align with the scope of occupational therapy practice.
• Focus on original research.

About AOTF

Established in 1965, AOTF is an independent 501(c)(3) charitable, scientific, and educational organization. We serve as the premier resource for occupational therapy research and scholarship, working alongside researchers, educators, practitioners, community partners, and students to build evidence-based practice that improves lives.

As the only foundation dedicated exclusively to advancing occupational therapy science, we bridge the critical gap between innovative research and real-world practice. Our work ensures that occupational therapy interventions are grounded in rigorous scientific evidence, ultimately improving outcomes for millions of people worldwide.

AOTF President’s Award

The President’s Award honors and recognizes Pi Theta Epsilon chapters that organize and implement outstanding scholarly activities. This award celebrates chapters whose events increase knowledge, develop professional skills, and help advance the occupational therapy profession.

Review Process: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis with an annual review beginning January 31. The national PTE Executive Board evaluates all submissions.

Multiple Awards: When appropriate, a second award may be considered to distinguish outstanding individual and interchapter accomplishments.

About AOTF

Established in 1965, AOTF is an independent 501(c)(3) charitable, scientific, and educational organization. We serve as the premier resource for occupational therapy research and scholarship, working alongside researchers, educators, practitioners, community partners, and students to build evidence-based practice that improves lives.

As the only foundation dedicated exclusively to advancing occupational therapy science, we bridge the critical gap between innovative research and real-world practice. Our work ensures that occupational therapy interventions are grounded in rigorous scientific evidence, ultimately improving outcomes for millions of people worldwide.

PTE Grant for Excellence in Interchapter Collaboration

The PTE Grant for Excellence in Interchapter Collaboration honors and recognizes Pi Theta Epsilon chapters that excel in creating meaningful partnerships with other chapters. This award celebrates collaborative efforts that support PTE’s mission and expand the impact of scholarly activities across multiple institutions.

This grant recognizes interchapter collaborations that:

• Support and advance the Pi Theta Epsilon mission
• Increase knowledge in occupational therapy
• Develop professional skills among members
• Contribute to the advancement of the OT profession
• Foster connections between chapters and institutions

Collaboration Definition: Activities organized and implemented by two or more Pi Theta Epsilon chapters working together toward a common scholarly goal.

Examples of Qualifying Collaborations:

• Joint events or conferences
• Collaborative workshops
• Co-authored educational or scholarly papers
• Virtual symposiums
• Multi-chapter research initiatives
• Regional or national networking events

The BJA FY 2026 Tribal Civil and Criminal Legal Assistance Program offers vital funding to support legal assistance for tribal members and justice systems in rural areas of the U.S. This initiative aims to enhance legal services where they are scarce, providing training and technical assistance for tribal courts and justice operations. Key focuses include veterans' legal aid, addressing Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, and implementing the Violence Against Women Act.

The BJA FY 2026 Justice Reinvestment Initiative aims to enhance state and local operations to effectively reduce crime and recidivism. This funding opportunity encourages state, local, and tribal governments to optimize resource allocation within the justice system, targeting urgent challenges through data-driven project proposals. By addressing areas such as law enforcement, prosecution, and probation, applicants can focus on strategies that maximize public safety and reduce the inefficient use of funds.

The Genesis Mission Graduate Fellowship Pilot aims to empower American scientists and engineers in the super intelligence (SI) revolution by inviting applications from U.S. higher education institutions. This initiative focuses on developing innovative doctoral training programs integrating SI with other scientific disciplines. Participants will gain valuable research experience through collaborations with DOE National Laboratories and industry, preparing them as the next generation of skilled Ph.D. scientists and engineers to tackle pressing national science and technology challenges.

About Us

advancing the science of water ®

Who We Are

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public.

5418 - Optimizing PFAS Treatment Systems for Multi-contaminant Removal and Operational Benefits

Project Objectives

About Us

advancing the science of water ®

Who We Are

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public.

5426 - Investigation of Non-Point Sources of PFAS in Sewersheds and Potential Mitigation Strategies

Grant Information

Evaluate the impact of non-point or dispersed sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the sewershed (including PFAS-contaminated groundwater infiltration) on PFAS mass loading to wastewater treatment plants.

Assess how PFAS loading from non-point or dispersed sources of PFAS in the sewershed may affect treatment efficiency and reuse water quality.

Improve understanding of PFAS precursor contributions.

Identify potential strategies to mitigate PFAS loading from non-point or disbursed sources of PFAS in the sewershed.

About Us

advancing the science of water ®

Who We Are

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public.

5416 - Innovative Approaches to Extend Lifetime and Minimize O&M for Nature-based Installations

Grant Information

• Identify and evaluate innovative design, construction, and management approaches that extend the functional lifetime of nature-based installations and reduce ongoing operations and maintenance (O&M) requirements.
• Develop practical guidance on key factors affecting nature-based solution (NbS) longevity, including hydraulic optimization, engineered media selection and replacement, plant selection, sediment management, and construction-phase best practices.
• Survey utilities and other NbS owners to document current maintenance practices, costs, and hours, and establish benchmarks to inform targets for improvement.

About Us

advancing the science of water ®

Who We Are

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public.

5415 - Guidelines to Develop Best-In-Class Maintenance Strategies for Vertical Assets

Grant Information

• Develop a clear understanding of the background and benefits associated with implementing well-rounded maintenance strategies for vertical assets.
• Develop a structured approach to identify and implement best-in-class maintenance strategies for vertical assets that improve reliability, increase asset availability, reduce unplanned work and emergency shutdowns, support the transition from reactive to proactive maintenance, and minimize total lifecycle cost.
• Apply leading practices such as Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) and cutting-edge technologies and analytics to vertical assets.

About Us

advancing the science of water ®

Who We Are

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public.

5429 - Bioavailability and Transformation of Dissolved Organic Nitrogen and Phosphorus Across WRRFs

Project Objectives

• Survey and characterize dissolved organic nitrogen and phosphorus (DON/DOP) concentrations and speciation across North American wastewater facilities, including but not limited to influent, secondary effluent, tertiary effluent, digester supernatant, thermal hydrolysis process (THP) centrate, autothermal thermophilic digestion (ATAD) sidestreams, and dewatering recycle streams.
• Understand the dynamics of DON/DOP in effluent, including quantifying the bioavailable fraction of DON/DOP in different relevant process streams, evaluating their transformation into nitrogenous disinfection by-product (N-DBP) precursors, determining bio-uptake rates representative of receiving water conditions, and measuring the timescale for biodegradation in receiving waters.

About Us

advancing the science of water ®

Who We Are

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public.

5427 - Advancing Actionable Climate Resilience Metrics for Water Supply Planning

Grant Information

• Catalog existing performance metrics that consistently drive water utility operational and capital decisions, assess their applicability to support future resilience-based decision making under nonstationary climate conditions, and identify adjustments or alternative metrics needed to support forward-looking, resilience-based decision making for water utilities.
• Determine the appropriate level of climate resilience analysis needed to evaluate and apply climate resilience metrics, with requirements scaled based on metric sensitivity to climate change, decision context, and utility characteristics.
• Develop guidance to integrate climate resilience metrics into planning and decision processes.

About Us

advancing the science of water ®

Who We Are

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public.

5409 - Smarter Water Governance with AMI: Conservation, Affordability, and Rate Design

Grant Information

• Evaluate how utilities are currently leveraging advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) data to inform pricing, conservation programs (including emergency curtailment practices), affordability programs, and plans for future implementation.
• Analyze AMI data and assess how the data can be leveraged to develop and/or enhance conservation programs, policies, rates, and affordability programs.
• Investigate the potential for advanced analytics, including machine learning, of AMIdatasets to support adaptive or dynamic rate structures, early detection of hardship or atrisk households, categorization of customer classes, dynamic tiering based on household size, and better targeting of affordability and conservation interventions.
• Identify the obstacles utilities and regulators face when balancing conservation, equity, and revenue stability, and how improved AMI data can clarify tradeoffs.

About Us

advancing the science of water ®

Who We Are

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public.

5428 - Establish Standardized Guidelines for Embedding O&M Considerations into the Design Process

Grant Information

• To provide provisions that address common, recurring design issues that drive operations and maintenance (O&M) time and material, including but not limited to standardization of spare parts and consumables, support for condition based and predictive and preventive maintenance, and maintain-in-place design strategies.
• To develop standardized design guidance to measurably reduce lifecycle O&M labor hours for municipal water and wastewater treatment facilities, pumping stations, etc., once required process performance and regulatory compliance are achieved.

About Us

advancing the science of water ®

Who We Are

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public.

5412 - Determinants of Workforce Retention in Public-Sector Water Utilities

Grant Information

• Quantify the relative influence of compensation, pension stability, mission alignment, schedule flexibility, leadership support, career development opportunities, and other factors on employee retention in public-sector water utilities.
• Identify and analyze key impediments to retaining talent, including structural, cultural, compensation-related, and organizational barriers.
• Identify and benchmark retention best practices from sectors outside the water industry to assess transferability and develop case studies of high-retention organizations to distill replicable strategies and measurable success factors.