Best Grants for Grassroots Organizations in North Carolina

Mellon Foundation

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation was established in 1969 to strengthen, promote, and defend the arts and humanities as essential to democratic societies. Throughout our history, Mellon has held true to our founding commitments, secure in our conviction that the arts and humanities are essential to the health of a multivocal and democratic society. From our earliest days, we have aspired to build partnerships with our grantees, offering expertise and counsel in addition to funding

In recent years, Mellon has expanded on these core principles by actively prioritizing social justice across all of our grantmaking. This strategic shift builds on our long history of advocating for and investing in expanded access to higher education, humanities, and the arts, and addressing historical inequities in these fields. Our vision for Mellon’s future includes a focus on justice for all in all that we do—rooted in the Foundation’s long-held historic belief in the impact and power of the arts and humanities. At Mellon, we make grants to actively support communities and ideas that unlock the power in the arts and humanities that helps connect us all.

Humanities in Place Grant Program

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation actively works with our grantee partners and we are deeply immersed in the fields in which we invest. Our grants are designed to activate the spirit of learning through the creation and sharing of bold new ideas and the inspiration felt in art, expression, spaces, and scholarship. 

From Alaska to Guam and the Borderlands to the Midwest, America is a constellation of unique heritages, traditions, and stories. In communities of all sizes, people are striving to expand the ways we can understand and authentically engage with the history that is all around us. Our Humanities in Place grants fund place keepers, artists, institutions, and storytellers who shine a spotlight on historically overlooked sites, and the communities and stories that surround them. In doing so, they help broaden our shared understanding and open new paths to discover what unites us, what makes us unique, and what we can learn from one another.

The Classroom Research Grant PK-6, offered by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, aims to foster collaborative research between teachers and mathematics educators in Pre-K-6 classrooms. This grant supports innovative projects focusing on curriculum development, instructional methods for diverse learners, and technology integration in mathematics education. Successful proposals should lead to publishable research articles that demonstrate a significant impact on student learning outcomes.

The NIDA Avenir Program aims to cultivate innovative leaders in addiction science by funding exceptional early stage investigators (ESIs) embarking on pioneering research. Launched in 2015, this initiative encourages high-risk, high-reward mechanistic studies related to Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) across diverse scientific domains. Applications from new investigators and those outside addiction research are welcomed, fostering interdisciplinary approaches that enhance understanding of SUD mechanisms. The program supports ESIs who may lack preliminary data but demonstrate potential for impactful contributions.

The Cheatham-White Scholarship, offered by North Carolina Central University, is a prestigious merit-based program designed for exceptional scholars. It covers full tuition, fees, housing, meals, and additional expenses for four years, along with enrichment opportunities including international travel. Candidates must exhibit outstanding academic performance, leadership qualities, and community involvement. This scholarship aims to nurture scholars into global citizens proficient in both arts and sciences, preparing them for impactful futures.

The Choose Aerospace SkillPointe Scholarship offers $2,500 to support students pursuing aviation technician programs. Administered by the SkillPointe Foundation, this initiative aims to bridge the skills gap in the aviation maintenance field. With twenty scholarships available, eligible applicants must be planning to attend or currently enrolled in an aviation technical program. Priority consideration may be given to students attending ATEC member institutions, making this a vital opportunity for aspiring aviation professionals.

The BJA FY25 Capital Case Litigation Initiative aims to enhance the quality of legal representation in state capital cases, ensuring effective public representation and support for indigent defendants. This initiative is part of the OJP's commitment to uphold the rule of law, protect civil rights, and address public safety challenges. Through federal leadership and funding, OJP seeks to bolster law enforcement efforts and combat violent crime, thereby improving community safety and justice.

The Marcus Foundation focuses on addressing critical needs and systemic challenges, primarily in hunger alleviation and sustainable practices. They seek partnerships with organizations that promote innovative food resources and sustainability. Their funding strategy emphasizes collaboration to amplify resources and enhance impact while fostering immediate solutions to hunger issues. The Foundation believes in long-term stewardship and the importance of sustainability for future generations, aiming to create systemic change alongside immediate support.

The Career Awards for Medical Scientists (CAMS), established by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, offers $700,000 over five years to support early career physician scientists transitioning to independence in academic biomedical research. This highly competitive program aims to enhance research innovation and public service by fostering a diverse scientific workforce. Proposals in basic biomedical, disease-oriented, or translational research, particularly those incorporating artificial intelligence or addressing climate change and human health, are encouraged.

The Professor Emeritus John Edward Lillich Endowed Scholarship Program, funded by the United Negro College Fund, aims to provide need-based scholarships to students majoring in engineering at HBCUs, with a preference for those attending North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NCAT). This scholarship honors John Edward Lillich, a WWII veteran and advocate for women in engineering, supporting students in their pursuit of education and leadership roles.

The Pittsburgh Foundation

Established in 1945, The Pittsburgh Foundation is one of the nation’s oldest community foundations and as of 2022 is the 18th largest of more than 750 similar foundations across the United States.

As a community foundation, its resources comprise endowment funds established by individuals, businesses and organizations with a passion for charitable giving and fulfilling the Foundation’s mission of improving quality of life for all in the region. The Foundation currently manages about 2,500 individual donor funds and, together with its supporting organizations and its affiliate, The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County, has assets of $1.386 billion (2022). Grantmaking benefits a broad spectrum of basic needs and development opportunities within Pittsburgh and beyond.

Scholarships

The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County provide scholarship opportunities for local students to pursue their educational goals. Scholarships are available for graduating high school seniors, undergraduates, graduate, medical and professional school students who are attending community colleges, four-year universities and career/technical schools.

Frank A. Weidman Fund

The Frank A. Weidman Fund was established at The Pittsburgh Foundation to provide funds for graduates of Pittsburgh Public Schools to complete college and university studies in the arts and social sciences.

Award Type: Single-Year Award

Every Battle Creek area resident shall have the resources to access post-secondary education and training.

Your dreams matter — and we want to help you achieve them. Whether you’re a graduating high school senior, an adult returning to school, or a graduate student pursuing advanced education, we’re here to support you by opening doors to opportunity.

Beyond tuition, many funds support total cost of attendance — books, fees, equipment, and in some cases childcare or transportation.

Checks are made payable to the educational institution indicated on the follow-up and mailed directly to the educational institution. Checks are typically mailed in early August.

Janine and Sidney Adams, Jr., Aviation Careers Scholarship Fund

The Janine and Sidney Adams, Jr. Aviation Careers Scholarship Fund was established by Janine “Jan” Adams in memorial tribute to her loving husband of 26 years, Sidney “Sid” Adams, Jr. Jan stated that there were three areas of special interest to Sid, economic development, education, and aviation. Establishing this fund honors all three of these areas of special interest. Giving back to his community was paramount to Sid. You could find Sid’s hand on many committees and projects promoting his beloved community, receiving numerous awards and recognition along the way. He was a founding member of Battle Creek Unlimited, serving on its Board for over 25 years, many of those years as chair.

Sid valued education. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Alcorn State University, taught at Western Michigan University and was a life learner never missing an opportunity to take a class, seminar, or workshop. He established a summer aviation camp introducing area youth to careers in aviation. At the advent of the personal computer, Sid jumped in and built his first computer. He then worked with the Kellogg Company on a project that donated to area schools and non-profits over 4,000 laptops and computers that he refurbished with the help of students from the Computer Networking classes at the Calhoun Area Career Center. He worked with these students teaching them software and hardware skills. Aviation was a huge part of Sid’s life. He earned his first set of wings serving as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division, U.S. Army. At the age of 46, he became a private pilot purchasing his beloved Cessna Cardinal soon achieving his instrument certification. He joined the Civil Patrol, where he served as a first Lieutenant. Sid was appointed to the Michigan Aeronautics Commission and served 11 years, 2 years as Commission Vice Chair and 3 years as Chair. He was inducted into the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame in 2023. His impact on our community was immeasurable. Jan, a longtime educator with Battle Creek Public Schools, met Sid in his pursuit of giving computers away to youth. Sid’s persistence paved the way for their union, and the rest, “as they say,” is history!

Native Forward awards are allocated based on the financial aid information provided by the institution’s Financial Aid Office. Awards can vary, ranging from $100 to $30,000 per academic year.

Native Forward Scholars Fund members of federally and state-recognized Tribes as well as first and second-generation descendants. However, Native Forward Scholars Fund scholarship opportunities have different Tribal eligibility requirements and can be determined by submitting a Tribal Eligibility Certificate.

PNM Pueblo Education Endowment Everett F. Chavez Scholarship

The PNM Everett F. Chavez Memorial Scholarship was established to honor the life and legacy of Everett F. Chavez. The purpose of the PNM Everett F. Chavez Memorial Scholarship is to provide financial assistance to eligible students from one of the nineteen Pueblo Nations of New Mexico who are pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in the field of engineering. This opportunity is a merit-based award.

Every Battle Creek area resident shall have the resources to access post-secondary education and training.

Your dreams matter — and we want to help you achieve them. Whether you’re a graduating high school senior, an adult returning to school, or a graduate student pursuing advanced education, we’re here to support you by opening doors to opportunity.

Beyond tuition, many funds support total cost of attendance — books, fees, equipment, and in some cases childcare or transportation.

Checks are made payable to the educational institution indicated on the follow-up and mailed directly to the educational institution. Checks are typically mailed in early August.

Edite Balks Walter, M.D. Scholarship Fund

This fund was established to help women seeking degrees in biology, chemistry, physics and human or animal medicine. Dr. Walter is a graduate of the former Springfield High School. Through the assistance of various scholarships, she graduated cum laude from Kalamazoo College. Dr. Walter remains an inspiration and believes, "Women Can Do Science and Should Do Science."

The Jerry Newson Scholarship Fund, established by the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, supports Davidson County residents pursuing education at accredited four-year colleges or universities. This fund honors Jerry Newson Jr., who valued the transformative power of education. Prioritizing students majoring in social sciences, it aims to empower individuals to give back to their communities. With over 30 years of community engagement, the Foundation fosters positive change through collective philanthropy.

The Hale Kauai Scholarship in Memory of William Moragne, established in 2015, supports Kauai residents pursuing degrees in agriculture or engineering. Eligible applicants must demonstrate financial need, maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0, and be full-time students at accredited colleges in Hawaii or the mainland USA. Preference is given to past recipients who continue to meet the criteria. This scholarship fosters educational advancement within the community, ensuring a brighter future for Kauai's youth.

Scholarships

Since awarding our first $500 scholarship in 1987, the Saginaw Community Foundation has awarded college scholarships to area students totaling more than $13.7 million, thanks to our generous donors. Each year, over 500 college-bound or career and technical education students benefit from our scholarship awards.

Our single application process makes it easy to potentially qualify for one or more of our 260+ scholarships.

Bud & Katherine Rae Aviation Scholarship

The Bud and Katherine Rae Aviation Scholarship was organized by friends of the late Bernard “Bud” Rae in 1983 to honor his many years of service to the aviation community. Among the principal organizers and donors of the scholarship fund are the Aviation Division of the Saginaw County Sheriff’s Department, the Saginaw Valley Air Museum and Mrs. Katherine Rae.

The purposes of the scholarship are to assist in preparation for an aviation career, to promote safety in aviation through education, training and research, to promote scientific study of aviation-related phenomenon, to develop aviation-oriented community leaders and to perpetuate the spirit of community service personified by Bud Rae.

The Otto & Aegun Hensens Educational Fund, established in 2018, supports Hawaii high school graduates pursuing degrees in medicine, science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. To qualify, applicants must be residents of Hawaii, maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher, and demonstrate financial need. Preference is given to previous recipients and members of the Aiea Korean Methodist Church. This fund plays a vital role in fostering future leaders in STEM fields.

The BRAIN Initiative Connectivity across Scales (BRAIN CONNECTS) invites innovative research proposals aimed at advancing technologies for understanding brain connectivity. This funding opportunity supports specialized projects focused on creating comprehensive atlases of brain wiring, emphasizing human and non-human species. Successful applications will contribute to a network aimed at enhancing the analysis and interpretation of brain circuits, ultimately leading to better strategies for treating brain disorders. Proposals must demonstrate novel approaches to data collection and integration.

The Healthcare Auxiliary Scholarship, offered by the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, provides two scholarships of $2,500 each for students pursuing careers in healthcare. Eligible applicants must reside in Canaan, Cornwall, Kent, North Canaan, Salisbury, or Sharon. Preference is given to those who actively volunteer and engage with their community. This initiative aims to support local students in achieving their academic and professional goals in the healthcare sector.

Larimer County Scholarship

The Larimer County Scholarship is designed to support post-secondary pursuits of students throughout the region and is funded through contributions from many community members and legacy gifts. 

The Larimer County scholarship is available to students who have participated in community or philanthropic activities designed to strengthen our community. Activities could include volunteering or fundraising to provide funding to local nonprofits or school-based initiatives.   

This scholarship is available to high school seniors living in Larimer County. The scholarship is open to students pursuing any kind of secondary education including four-year degrees, two-year degrees, trade schools, etc. 

Scholarship amount:

• $4,000

Number of awards:

• 3

Scholarship awards are one-time awards. The amount awarded to a selected recipient may be used for the cost of attendance. All scholarships will be paid directly to the recipient’s school and must be used for the upcoming academic year. Award disbursement is contingent upon the outside scholarship policies of a recipient’s college or university.

Our Consortium

ROAR (Rare Organic Acidemias Research) is a multi‑center study that brings together patients, families, clinicians, and researchers to better understand rare organic acidemias such as PA, MMA, GA‑1, IVA, and others. Our goal is to improve lifelong care and future treatment options for the rare disease community.

ROAR works in partnership with patient organizations, clinicians, and research networks to ensure that study findings are shared, accessible, and meaningful. Families play a central role in shaping our questions and informing our direction.

Rare Organic Acidemias Research (ROAR) Consortium Pilot and Feasibility Grants

The overall mission of the ROAR pilot & feasibility grant is to support small projects which advance diagnosis, enhance clinical trial readiness, and improve therapies and outcomes for individuals with organic acidemias. Potential pilot projects may include data-mining of existing data, genotype-phenotype correlations, observational studies, patient-reported outcomes assessments, focus groups with patients and advocacy groups, interventional clinical trials (with prior NIH approval), biomarker studies, ancillary studies to ROAR clinical projects, or other similar projects. Upon completion of funding, we expect that the data generated from ROAR pilot projects will be leveraged for larger grant applications and larger projects within and outside the consortium. Moreover, we expect that the data generated will inform the design of future clinical trials and clinical studies in organic acidemias and ultimately, will impact the lives of individuals with organic acidemias by improving the diagnosis, management, and treatment for these disorders. 

Annual funding of up to $40,000 (total cost, including indirect costs) is available to support one pilot project for a one-year period. The ROAR Consortium intends to fund at least 1 award this cycle starting on October 15, 2026.

The Robert & Toni Bader Charitable Foundation, established in 2010, supports projects that align with Jewish ideals in education, science, and the arts. Based in Indianapolis, this foundation has funded initiatives across the United States, addressing various social issues. They do not impose minimum or maximum grant amounts, focusing instead on the project's merit and alignment with their mission. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations, while general operating funds are not provided.

The Robert C. Seamans, Jr. Fellowship in Science, Technology, and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School supports students excelling in research and management at the intersection of technology and public policy. This fellowship fosters future leadership in these critical areas, ensuring a commitment to addressing pressing public challenges. Applicants from diverse backgrounds are encouraged, as the program is designed to promote inclusivity and recognizes the importance of varied perspectives in policy-making.

The Charles Edison Fund Fellowship at Harvard Kennedy School supports students aiming to enhance the impact of the Science, Technology, and Public Policy Program. This fellowship targets those committed to addressing significant public issues through innovative solutions. Ideal for both U.S. and international applicants, it emphasizes merit and financial need, aligning with Harvard's mission to foster public policy leadership and promote a just and sustainable society.

The ASC Culture Blocks Grant Program supports community-driven cultural experiences in Mecklenburg County, focusing on accessibility to arts, science, and history. It prioritizes proposals from registered 501(c)(3) organizations that engage residents in underserved neighborhoods. The program promotes creativity through workshops, performances, and events, ensuring that local voices shape the activities. Funding is strictly for program-related expenses, aiming for community enrichment without covering operational costs or salaries.

The Surveillance and Case Control Study of Stillbirth and Birth Defects (SUCCSSBD) aims to enhance the quality of birth defects and stillbirth surveillance in the U.S. By modernizing data collection through electronic case reporting, the initiative seeks to improve data quality and timeliness. The study will focus on identifying risk factors for birth defects and stillbirths, addressing a significant public health issue that affects thousands of pregnancies annually. CDC funding will support three key components in this effort.

William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law - The University of Texas School of Law

The William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law was created in 2004 when the law school joined with Judge William Wayne Justice’s former law clerks and many admirers to establish it in his honor. The Justice Center is a comprehensive resource for students, faculty, alumni, and the community.

Since its inception, the Justice Center has steadily expanded its programming and scope. Dedicated to promoting a culture and habit of pro bono service by all students, the Justice Center includes the school-wide Richard and Ginni Mithoff Pro Bono Program. We also regularly undertake special projects that bring together research and pro bono work on topics as varied as real estate titles in the wake of natural disasters, expunging criminal records, and supported decision-making by persons with disabilities.

Baron & Budd Public Interest Summer Fellowships

In the summer of 2026, the Baron & Budd Public Interest Summer Fellowships Program will provide up to 4 fellows with a $8,000 stipend to work for at least 10 weeks under the supervision of an attorney at a qualified sponsoring organization.

The fellowships are supported by generous funding from Baron & Budd, PC.

This named fellowship is awarded through the Summer Public Service Program.