Best Small Grants for Nonprofits in Ohio

The Philip J. Wyatt Award in Analytical Chemistry, established in 1947 and endowed by the Wyatt Family Foundation in 2026, recognizes outstanding contributions to analytical chemistry. Offered by the American Chemical Society, the award includes a $5,000 prize and a certificate, with up to $2,500 for travel expenses to the award presentation meeting. This award supports diversity and inclusion by being available regardless of race, gender, or background, promoting a global community in the field of chemistry.

The Peter Chortek Leadership Award honors Jewish high school students in San Diego who demonstrate outstanding leadership and commitment to community service through tikkun olam. Awardees receive a $9,000 stipend, $540 to set up a Donor Advised Fund, and a professional video showcasing their project. This award encourages students to create or enhance community initiatives, fostering engagement in social justice and service projects.

About AWS

We Move Welding Forward

Founded in 1919, the American Welding Society is a nonprofit organization with a global mission: to advance the science, technology, and application of welding and allied joining and cutting processes worldwide, including brazing, soldering, and thermal spraying.

By fostering knowledge, embracing change, and providing real-world opportunities through scholarships, fellowships, and workforce development, AWS provides the tools to help members succeed—and to inspire future generations of welding professionals.

Outstanding Achievement Awards

The AWS Outstanding Achievement Awards honor exceptional contributions in welding, spanning historical structures, innovative fabrication, safety, and technical advancements across various categories.

Distinguished Welder Award

This award recognizes an individual whose welding skills and experience would earn them the recognition of being an AWS Distinguished Welder.

A complete nomination packet should include information addressing the Definition and candidate's Application Criteria as outlined in the AWS Distinguished Welder Award Nomination Form. The focus of the nomination packet should include specifics of the individual's skills.

The Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust Grant supports education and research in ornamental horticulture, funding projects that enhance public gardens, promote ornamental plants, and support related educational initiatives. Grants typically range up to $20,000, with a maximum of $25,000, focusing on project support rather than general operating expenses. Eligible organizations include 501(c)(3) public charities and similar entities worldwide, while the Trust does not fund individuals or capital campaigns.

The COAD Appalachian Development Fund Grants, offered by the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, aim to enhance the quality of life in Appalachian Ohio through innovative programs. Grants of up to $10,000 are available to nonprofit and public organizations serving the region. Priority is given to projects led by local organizations, promoting community development and addressing specific needs. Past awards include housing coordinators and infrastructure improvements, reflecting a commitment to sustainable growth and support for COAD member agencies.

The Stephen J. White Prize, established by the American Philosophical Association, honors the late Dr. Stephen J. White and is awarded biennially to the best published paper by a junior philosopher. It focuses on themes central to Professor White's work, such as moral responsibility and practical reasoning. The winner receives a $1,000 monetary award and a symposium at an APA divisional meeting, recognizing significant contributions in philosophy.

Outstanding Educator Award (2026-05-01)

Since 1985, the AGC Education and Research Foundation has recognized annually an educator who makes a significant mark in the field of construction education. The Outstanding Educator award is based on a nominee’s academic contribution as well as his/her work with students outside of the classroom and involvement with colleagues in the industry.

The Outstanding Educator receives a $5,000 cash award and may name two students as recipients of $2,500 scholarships for the coming academic year. In addition, the recipient will be invited to the annual AGC convention as a guest of the foundation.

The Outreach Volunteer of the Year Award, presented by the American Chemical Society, recognizes exceptional volunteers from local sections and international chapters who educate the public about chemistry. This award highlights the vital contributions of volunteers to the community and promotes scientific outreach. Awardees receive a certificate and a small gift during events, and their achievements are celebrated at the annual ChemLuminary Awards. This initiative aims to inspire future generations and strengthen the chemistry community.

The National Chemical Technician Award, presented by the American Chemical Society (ACS), recognizes outstanding excellence among chemical technology professionals. Winners receive a $1,000 prize and a plaque at the ACS Spring meeting, with travel expenses covered. This award honors the contributions of technicians, operators, and analysts in advancing the field, promoting professionalism and expertise within the community. Nominees must have five years of relevant employment, though ACS membership is not required.

The Rise for Education Grant Program offers funding for hydroponic classroom gardens that enhance STEM education and nutrition. This initiative encourages hands-on learning, integrating STEM and arts through practical gardening projects. Eligible applicants include schools, homeschooling families, and educational organizations. The program fosters community building and entrepreneurship via activities like Farmer's Markets, while boosting student engagement and developing essential skills. By implementing this program, educators can create an engaging and interactive learning environment year-round.

The CCWH/Berks Graduate Student Fellowship, offered by the Coordinating Council for Women in History, provides a $1000 award to graduate students in U.S. history departments who are completing a dissertation. This fellowship aims to support crucial research stages or the final year of writing. Applicants must be graduate students who have achieved A.B.D. status and may specialize in any history field, ensuring diverse representation in women's history.

The Community Garden Grants aim to strengthen Central Ohio's neighborhoods by providing financial support for the creation and expansion of community gardens and greenspaces. With funding up to $3,000 and in-kind donations, the program focuses on enhancing local food access, education, and the environmental benefits of gardening. Eligible projects must benefit community groups and be completed within a year, helping connect residents to healthier lifestyles and community building opportunities.

The National Institutes of Health is inviting applications for feasibility studies aimed at informing the design of future clinical trials. These studies should demonstrate scientific necessity and may involve mixed methods to assess recruitment, randomization, and intervention delivery. While applications are not currently being solicited, this notice encourages investigators with relevant expertise to prepare for potential collaboration on impactful public health trials.

About Us

Alpha Omega Alpha, founded in 1902, is the national medical honor society. Its mission is: dedicated to the belief that in the profession of medicine we will improve care for all by:

• recognizing high educational achievement;
• honoring gifted teaching;
• encouraging the development of leaders in academia and the community;
• supporting the ideals of humanism; and
• promoting service to others.

Medical Student Service Leadership Project Grant

AΩA is committed to preparing future leaders in medicine and health care. Leadership is about making a positive difference and can be developed through education, observation, experience, and by working with leader mentors. Service learning provides excellent opportunities for students to develop as servant leaders. Only one team from each school may be nominated.The Grant

The grant is a $9,000, two-year grant – $5,000 the first year, and $4,000 the second year. The grant will be paid to the sponsoring institution. 

The Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Grant Program, funded by Wild Ones, supports projects that foster an appreciation for nature through native plants and natural landscapes. Since 1977, it has empowered schools and nature centers to create educational gardens that engage students and volunteers. Eligible projects include pollinator and rain gardens, tallgrass prairies, and sensory playgrounds, all designed to enhance ecological understanding. Funding is specifically for the purchase of native plants and seeds, promoting sustainable community involvement.

About AWS

We Move Welding Forward

Founded in 1919, the American Welding Society is a nonprofit organization with a global mission: to advance the science, technology, and application of welding and allied joining and cutting processes worldwide, including brazing, soldering, and thermal spraying.

By fostering knowledge, embracing change, and providing real-world opportunities through scholarships, fellowships, and workforce development, AWS provides the tools to help members succeed—and to inspire future generations of welding professionals.

Outstanding Achievement Awards

The AWS Outstanding Achievement Awards honor exceptional contributions in welding, spanning historical structures, innovative fabrication, safety, and technical advancements across various categories.

Professor Koichi Masubuchi Award

This award is sponsored by the Center for Ocean Engineering at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The award will be given to one individual who has made significant contributions in the advancement of the science and technology of materials joining through research and development. The individual is to be 40 years old or younger and may live in any part of the world. The recipient need not be a member of AWS.

Complete nomination packets may be submitted for consideration to the AWS Awards Committee and must include an introduction letter of support and a complete resume or CV of the individual's qualifications.

The applicant is requested to indicate his/her birth year in the resume to verify that he/she is 40 years old or younger for the year in which the applicant is nominated.

Complete nominations must be received by the deadline of December 31. The award will be presented at the following year's FABTECH show. Submit your nomination to Wei Zhang at zhang.3978@osu.edu or at nationalawards@aws.org.

The ACS Local Section Innovative Project Grant Program aims to empower local sections of the American Chemical Society to devise and execute innovative projects that enhance community engagement and chemistry literacy. By fostering collaboration and inclusiveness, this program encourages sections to implement new initiatives inspired by successful practices from other groups. The goal is to strengthen member involvement and promote sustainable activities that contribute positively to the community's scientific culture.

Dwight Nicholson Medal for Outreach

This award recognizes the humanitarian aspect of physics and physicists created through public lectures and public media, teaching, research, or science related activities. Recognition consists of a stipend of $3,000, Nicholson medal, and a certificate which includes the citation for which the recipient has been recognized. Up to $1,500 will be available for the recipient's travel expenses to the meeting at which the Medal is presented. It will be presented annually.

The International Chapter Award, presented by the American Chemical Society (ACS), recognizes International Chemical Sciences Chapters (ICSCs) for their annual report submissions. Awards include Outstanding, Commendable, and Honorable distinctions. To be eligible, chapters must submit their reports by February 15, and providing supplemental materials can enhance their chances of receiving an award. This initiative highlights ACS's commitment to fostering global scientific collaboration and excellence in the chemical sciences.

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.

Edward A. Bouchet Award

This award promotes the participation of underrepresented minorities in physics by identifying and recognizing a distinguished minority physicist who has made significant contributions to physics research and the advancement of underrepresented minority scientists. The program will help publicize the lecturer's work and career development to the physics community, especially among minority physics students. The Lectureship consists of a stipend of $5,000 plus support for travel to an APS meeting where the recipient will receive the award and give a presentation. In addition, the lecturer should arrange to give up to three additional talks at academic institutions where the impact of the visit on minority students would be significant. The purpose of these visits would be to deliver technical lectures or lectures about his/her specialty, to visit classrooms when appropriate, to assist the college/university in pre-college outreach efforts where appropriate, and to talk informally with both faculty and students about research and teaching careers in physics. Financial support will also be provided for travel to these lectures. It will be presented annually.

The Limited Competition: Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grant aims to enhance clinical and translational science training by supporting programs that prepare predoctoral and postdoctoral researchers. This initiative, funded by the NIH, focuses on translating scientific discoveries into effective health interventions. Eligible institutions will be invited to apply, and only high-quality applications will be considered for funding, ensuring a robust peer-review process.

The Iber Health Education Scholarship, a program of the Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin, supports graduate students pursuing health-related studies. With scholarships ranging from $500 to $40,000, the foundation aids students in enhancing their educational opportunities. Applicants must be Portage County residents, demonstrating academic excellence, financial need, and community involvement. Special consideration is given to those likely to return to the area post-graduation. This initiative aims to foster future leaders in healthcare.

The Ames Tools Grant, initiated by the National Garden Club, Inc. in partnership with The Ames Companies, provides NGC member clubs the opportunity to select tools valued up to $250 for community gardening projects. Eligible projects must be conducted by NGC clubs between March 1 and September 30, 2025, and may involve collaboration with other organizations. Selection criteria include community impact, member involvement, tool necessity, and project uniqueness.

DICK'S Sporting Goods offers a Sponsorships & Donations Program aimed at supporting youth sports leagues and organizations. They prioritize requests that promote community engagement and character development through sports. Eligible organizations must operate in areas with a DICK'S store and adhere to anti-discrimination policies. The program evaluates requests monthly, with sponsorships up to $25,000 and donations up to $250. Support may include gift certificates or coupons for teams and events, fostering an inclusive sports culture.

The Rapoport Doctoral Dissertation Grants support PhD students conducting innovative research in American political behavior. Funded by the Rapoport Family Foundation, the grants offer up to $15,000 for survey research. Eligible applicants must be enrolled in a doctoral program at an accredited U.S. university and have completed all preliminary requirements. The foundation emphasizes originality and transformative potential in research proposals, aiming to foster diverse approaches to understanding political behavior.

The Burg-Coleman Iowa State 77 ACI Fellowship, offered by the ACI Foundation, supports graduate students pursuing advanced degrees in civil engineering focused on concrete structures or materials. Recipients receive a $10,000 stipend for educational expenses, recognition in Concrete International magazine, and coverage of travel costs for two ACI conventions. Open to international students attending institutions in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico, this fellowship fosters the next generation of leaders in the concrete industry.

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.

James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics

Recognizes outstanding contributions to the field of plasma physics.

The prize consists of $10,000, a certificate citing the contributions made by the recipient, and a travel reimbursement of up to $2,000 to attend the APS Division of Plasma Physics (DPP) meeting. Information on allowable travel expenses appears here.

The recipient will be asked to deliver an invited talk at the DPP meeting and will receive a meeting registration waiver.

The prize will be presented annually.

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