Best Small Grants for Nonprofits in New York

National Main Street Center Inc.

Main Street America (MSA) leads an inclusive, impact-driven movement dedicated to reenergizing and strengthening older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts through place-based economic development and community preservation. We work in collaboration with thousands of local partners and grassroots leaders across the nation who share our commitment to advancing shared prosperity, creating resilient economies, and improving quality of life.

Main Street America was founded in 1980 as the National Main Street Center®, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Over the past 40 years the MSA network has helped to generate over $115.27 billion in local reinvestment, rehab 345,801 buildings, create 815,894 new jobs, and start 181,647 new businesses in over 2,000 communities. 

Great American Main Street Awards

Main Street America celebrates communities whose successes serve as a model for comprehensive, preservation-based revitalization efforts in their historic downtowns and commercial corridor districts with the Great American Main Street Awards (GAMSA).

Winners represent the diversity of communities in the Main Street America network — small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts from every region in the country — and demonstrate the power of the Main Street Approach™. Since the inception of the Great American Main Street Awards in 1995, 118 Main Street programs have been honored.

Selection Criteria: Semifinalists and winners are selected from a nationwide pool of applicants by a jury of Main Street professionals and leaders in the fields of community and economic development and historic preservation. Criteria for winning GAMSA include: strength of the Main Street program in spurring community transformation, commitment to historic preservation, innovative programming, implementation of cross-sector partnerships, community outreach and stakeholder engagement, and ensuring their downtown districts are for everyone. 

Accolades & Ceremony: Semifinalists are promoted through Main Street America’s digital channels and receive media relations support. Winners also receive a short documentary film, a plaque, communications and media relations support, prominent placement on the Main Street America website for two years, and recognition at the 2027 Main Street Now Conference in Detroit, Michigan.

The Garden Club of Houston, established in 1924, promotes gardening and environmental conservation through various community initiatives. Their funding supports nonprofit organizations and government entities, focusing on projects that enhance public landscapes, educational resources, and community gardens. Grants are not awarded for operating funds or endowments, with preference given to projects within the greater Houston area. This commitment to civic improvement underscores their mission to foster a love of gardening and environmental stewardship.

Mission: A non-profit, charitable, Private Foundation established in 1959 by the Long family to support local charities, schools, education events and general community needs.

Grants

Our approach to grant requests focuses on fostering local neighborhood vitality and excellence. The John F. Long Foundation supports local non-profit organizations that promote this objective. The Foundation looks for groups who are working to help themselves, help their own communities, and help others like themselves through self-empowering, community organizing efforts. To be eligible for consideration, the grant request must meet the following criteria:

• Funds’ use must have measurable benefits
• Your organization must have good management, a solid financial background, well-established administration policies and Board of Directors
• The grant request must be precise and complete, providing necessary detail
• The Foundation Questionnaire is to be completed in its entirety
• The grant request amount and time frame must be clearly communicated, i.e. one-time grant, ongoing support, or special project
• If your request is for a particular event or program, providing a budget is always helpful
• Requests for grants of $1,000.00 or more, as well as groups we have not funded within the past two years, must: (i) Provide financial reports/statements for past and current fiscal year; (ii) Provide a list of past donors going back no more than two years.

Steven Thayer Hopi Scholarship

This scholarship was established by the family of Steven Thayer to provide scholarship funding for young Hopi artists to develop their talents and artistic skill.

The CHEERS Open Period 2 initiative invites white papers from researchers in various technical fields, focusing on projects that align with the objectives of the Continuing Enabling, Enhancing, Restoring, and Sustaining (CHEERS) MAA. This funding opportunity, backed by the US DOD's Air Force Materiel Command, is aimed at advancing national defense capabilities through innovative research and development in areas such as ordnance, telecommunications, and medical supplies.

The Social Psychology Program at NSF advances knowledge in social psychology by supporting innovative research and infrastructure. It encourages diverse projects that enhance understanding of human social behavior, addressing topics such as social cognition, group dynamics, and emotions. Proposals must demonstrate intellectual merit and broader societal impacts, with a focus on interdisciplinary approaches. The program prioritizes research that benefits society and strengthens national security, while also ensuring representation across various demographics.

Dr. Jill Biden Scholarship - Biden Breast Health Initiative

Essay:

• Why have you chosen a career in health care or education, and why do you feel it is important to encourage others to adopt a healthy lifestyle?

Awards:

• One time award of $2,500; one award per county. 

The Sarah Bradley Tyson Memorial Fellowship, established in 1928, honors Sarah Tyson's commitment to women's agricultural education. It offers an annual scholarship to a full-time graduate student in agriculture or horticulture at an accredited U.S. institution. Eligible candidates must have relevant experience in these fields. This fellowship not only supports academic advancement but also aims to empower women pursuing careers in agriculture, reflecting Tyson's legacy of fostering education and community involvement.

The Ed. Foundation

In 2001, community advocate Amy Bass assembled a group of volunteers to form an education foundation with the goal of making a difference in the experience of students in Port Washington. The following spring, the PWEF awarded its first grants, totaling $20,329, to fund 18 projects ranging from an oral history study at Schreiber to math literacy workshops at the elementary schools. Since then, hundreds of grants have been awarded in every school, at every grade level, in every subject area, totaling well over 2.5 million dollars. 

Our Mission: The Ed. Foundation is an independent, not-for-profit 501(c)3 community-based organization. The purpose of the Foundation is to support initiatives that are beyond basic educational needs and to enhance and expand educational opportunities for all students in the Port Washington public school district. The Foundation actively seeks donations, grants and government funds in order to distribute funds to selected programs and resources.

The Ed. Foundation Grant

Our grants support innovative programs, classroom enhancements, and initiatives that enrich the educational experience for students across the district.

Our grant process is a full-year cycle. It begins in January with application distribution and culminates in October with the Grant Awards Ceremony. Prior to each grant season, The Ed. Foundation team meets with Interim Superintendent Dr. Chris Shields, school district administrators, and each building principal to develop grant focus areas such as technology, literacy, or science and math.

We attend staff meetings at all of the seven schools to explain the process and answer any questions that might arise. We receive applications from teachers, administrators, students, and other community members. The committee meets to evaluate the merits of each individual proposal.

The Committee reviews the requests using criteria such as number of students served, ties to curriculum, creativity of the project, budget and impact on the school, and students served. We also assess whether partial funding is an option, or whether support from other community organizations is a possibility.

The Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards Program supports talented early career faculty in the chemical sciences by providing an unrestricted research grant of $100,000. Nominees must demonstrate outstanding research achievements and a commitment to education. Each institution can submit one nomination annually. The program emphasizes innovation and leadership in research while considering factors such as awards, publication success, and contributions to education, particularly at the undergraduate level.

The Queens Community Arts Grant, funded by the New York State Council on the Arts, supports artists and organizations in Queens to enhance community culture through arts projects. Open to nonprofits and partnered groups, applicants can request funding between $1,000 and $7,500. Successful proposals should demonstrate how funds will strengthen community ties, increase cultural access, and advance the organization's mission, making the arts more accessible to all residents.

The Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program aims to support organizations in their efforts to screen and educate individuals who have been exposed to radiation from uranium mining and U.S. nuclear weapons testing. This initiative emphasizes the importance of awareness and education in mitigating health risks associated with radiation exposure, ensuring affected communities receive the necessary resources and support for health management.

The Lawrence W. & Francis W. Cox Scholarship, established by Mrs. Wahneta T. Hinrichs in 2008, honors the legacy of her husband and father-in-law. This scholarship is awarded annually to one undergraduate civil engineering student enrolled in an ABET-accredited program. It aims to support students with tuition expenses, furthering their education in civil engineering disciplines, thus contributing to the profession's growth and sustainability.

The Artists in Queens Grant, supported by the New York State Council on the Arts, aims to fund Queens-based artists in creating new works that engage the community. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and current residents of Queens. The program emphasizes community involvement through public presentations and creative interactions, enhancing cultural awareness and fostering community bonds. Successful applications will illustrate how the project enriches the local cultural landscape while advancing the artist's career.

The Robert P. Wadell Transportation Engineering Scholarship, established in 2022 by Robert P. Wadell, P.E., MSCE, F.ASCE, supports undergraduate students in civil engineering with a focus on transportation. Funded through the ASCE Foundation, the scholarship aims to aid up to two deserving students annually with tuition and fees. Eligible applicants must be U.S. citizens enrolled in an ABET-accredited program and members of the ASCE. Preference is given to those in their final two years of study.

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is calling for transformative research proposals through the Advancing Technologies for Spatiotemporal Omics in Live Tissue program. This initiative seeks to combine innovative engineering with biological research to explore the complex molecular dynamics of health and disease. By fostering collaboration among scientists and AI experts, this funding aims to unlock new high-precision interventions, significantly advancing our understanding and management of health issues.

The David Redden Conservation Science Fund Small Grants Program, managed by the Black Rock Forest Consortium, aims to support innovative research projects that advance conservation efforts within the 1,586-hectare Black Rock Forest. With a focus on diverse biological scales and a maximum funding of $6,000 over a one-year period, the program encourages applications from underrepresented groups to promote equity in science and conservation initiatives.

The GHI Doctoral and Postdoctoral Research Fellowships offer support for European and North American scholars pursuing research in German and European history, German-American relations, and North American history. Awarded by the German Historical Institute, these fellowships prioritize projects requiring primary sources in North America and are available for one to four months. Monthly stipends are € 2,000 for doctoral students and € 3,400 for postdoctoral scholars, with additional airfare reimbursement for European recipients.

The George Family Foundation offers Spirituality & Inner Life Grants to empower organizations that foster mindfulness and personal healing. They seek to support programs that promote respect, empathy, and compassion, aiming to bridge divides and enhance individual well-being. The foundation prioritizes initiatives that align with their mission, particularly those addressing meaningful community needs. They focus on 501(c)(3) organizations primarily in Minnesota and select areas, emphasizing innovative spiritual and inner life endeavors.

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) is offering funding up to $750,000 for studies aimed at addressing critical methodological gaps in patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research. This initiative focuses on enhancing the quality of evidence in clinical research by prioritizing areas such as artificial intelligence, study design improvements, support for data research networks, and ethical considerations. Successful proposals will contribute to advancing research methodologies and improving patient outcomes.

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) is funding Cycle 3 to enhance patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER). This initiative targets critical methodological gaps, focusing on improving the use of artificial intelligence, study design, data research networks, and ethical protections. By addressing these areas, PCORI aims to strengthen the quality of evidence in CER, thus promoting better outcomes in healthcare decision-making.

The B. Charles Tiney Memorial ASCE Student Chapter Scholarship, established in 1980 by Mrs. Hazel M. Tiney, provides financial support to deserving undergraduate civil engineering students. This scholarship aims to assist with tuition expenses for those enrolled in ABET-accredited programs. Recipients are chosen based on their commitment to the civil engineering field and must be members in good standing of the American Society of Civil Engineers and their respective student chapters.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) invites applications for the Toward Translation of Nanotechnology Cancer Interventions (TTNCI) program. This funding opportunity focuses on advanced pre-clinical research aimed at developing nanotechnology-based cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. TTNCI awards will support the maturation of innovative nanomedicines using nanoparticles and nano-devices, enhancing cancer treatment efficacy. Successful projects will progress towards further NCI translational programs, such as the NExT initiative.

Communities Foundation of Oklahoma

The Communities Foundation of Oklahoma stems from the vision of Tom McCasland Jr., and Gene Rainbolt. Two decades ago, these gentlemen formed a shared vision to create a single philanthropic organization to serve the charitable needs to rural communities across the great state of Oklahoma. Today, CFO has grown to assist hundreds of efforts in more than 45 counties.

Scholarship Opportunities

CFO offers over 100 diverse scholarship opportunities, empowering students across the state to pursue their educational goals. Each scholarship is tailored to meet unique needs, making higher education more accessible for all.

Ashley Parks Creative Scholarship

Supports continued education in the arts or creative fields for non-traditional students.

American Physical Society

The American Physical Society is a nonprofit membership organization working to advance physics by fostering a vibrant, inclusive, and global community dedicated to science and society. APS represents more than 50,000 members, including physicists in academia, national laboratories, and industry in the United States and around the world.

APS Honors recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of the global physics community. Guided by our core values, APS Honors encourages nominations that reflect the full range of talent, distinction, and experience in our field, and supports broad canvassing for professional achievement across diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and expertise.

Joseph A. Burton Forum Award

The Joseph A. Burton Forum Award recognizes outstanding contributions to the public understanding or resolution of issues involving the interface of physics and society. The award consists of $5,000, a certificate citing the contributions of the recipient, and an allowance for travel to the meeting of the Society at which the award is presented. It will be awarded annually.

Nominations will be considered for three review cycles provided the nominator re-certifies the nomination before the next deadline.

Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians

The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians is a sovereign nation and has three main branches of government – Judicial, Executive, and Legislative. One of our most important resources is our people.

Education

The Confederated Tribes of Siletz seeks to provide opportunities for Tribal members to reach potential, establish independence and improve quality of life through lifelong learning and education.

Arthur S. Bensell Memorial Scholarship

Arthur S. Bensell was an educator, civic leader, Tribal Council member and Tribal Chairman. He spent many years in service to his community and Tribe as Mayor of the City of Siletz and tribal leader.

Art attended Ohio State University and graduated from Heidelberg College in 1934. During his career with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, he served as a teacher, principal and reservation principal in Minnesota, Alaska and North Dakota. Upon returning to Siletz, Art became involved in tribal business affairs and served many years on the Tribe’s Education Committee and always strived for better educational opportunities for Tribal members.

A memorial scholarship fund was established through the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians to honor and award Tribal members in education. The $1000 scholarship is administered by the Tribal Education Committee and strengthened by various fund raising activities throughout the year.