Best Social Justice Grants in Nebraska

Nebraska nonprofits seeking capital funding for facilities or major equipment tied to public education, human services, or social justice can explore this opportunity. With a mission to improve child and family welfare, The Sherwood Foundation provides invitation-only capital grants for land acquisition, new construction, renovations, and significant long-term asset purchases across Nebraska.

Nebraska nonprofit organizations running programs in public education, human services, or social justice can receive program-specific funding through The Sherwood Foundation’s invitation-only Program Grants. These restricted grants support defined initiatives that improve child and family welfare and help make Nebraska a better place to live, work, learn, and play.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations working on voter education, mobilization, and election integrity can seek support for year-round civic engagement efforts in the U.S., including Nebraska. Focused on democracy and civic participation, Park Foundation invites groups addressing racial, environmental, and economic injustice through on-the-ground organizing and protection of voting rights to apply.

Youth leaders ages 13–23 in Nebraska running kindness-centered social justice or community projects can apply for Riley's Way Foundation’s Call for Kindness Fellowship, with startup grants up to US $5,000. Projects must be youth-led and U.S.-based; applicants partner with or operate as a 501(c)(3) to receive and manage funds.

U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofits or fiscally sponsored projects with national or broad multi-region reach working on empathy-building programs can access funding through Acton Family Giving, including groups serving Nebraska. The Empathy Building Initiative supports work in areas like social justice, storytelling, animal connection, and social-emotional development for organizations aligned with its mission and priorities.

Doctoral students at U.S. institutions conducting social science dissertation research on social justice, inequality, immigration, work, or related topics in the U.S., including those with projects connected to Nebraska, can apply for support up to US $15,000. Nebraska social justice researchers can access funding through Russell Sage Foundation to cover data collection, preparation, analysis, and writing costs.

Focused on social science research, early-career faculty studying social justice and inequality in the U.S., including those in Nebraska, can apply for US $35,000 - US $50,000 project support from the Russell Sage Foundation. Projects must address economic mobility, access to opportunity, or related systemic inequities and prioritize diverse, underrepresented scholars.

Nebraska schools, local governments, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits can access funding through Safe Routes to School National Parternship to host Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day events. Grants of US $500 - US $1,000 support student-centered activities that promote activism, anti-racism, anti-bullying, and walking or rolling to school, with priority for first-time and secondary school celebrations.

U.S.-based 501(c)(3) organizations working on education or social justice may be eligible for support that can benefit Nebraska communities. Baskin Family Foundation supports forward-thinking programs in these areas nationwide, so Nebraska social justice and human rights nonprofits with innovative initiatives may find a strong funding fit here.

Focused on graduate study in social justice and related fields, this scholarship invites Kauai residents pursuing master’s or doctoral degrees in social justice, public or human service, education, or health to apply. Though administered by Hawai'i Community Foundation, Nebraska students would not be eligible unless they are Hawaii and Kauai residents meeting all criteria.

Education unions and affiliates advancing racial justice in schools, including those in Nebraska, can apply for National Education Association Staff Organization’s CRSJ Racial Justice in Education Grant to support awareness, capacity-building, and action projects. Grants range from US $5,000 - US $75,000 for initiatives that center racial equity, leadership of people of color, and organizational transformation.

Nebraska education-focused organizations and NEA affiliates working on K–12 student achievement and racial justice in education can seek funding to build community partnerships and advocacy efforts. With a mission to strengthen union-led community engagement, National Education Association Staff Organization supports initiatives that mobilize community leaders, expand parent involvement, and advance social justice for students of color.

State Aspiring Educators organizations and campus chapters in Nebraska can apply for National Education Association Staff Organization’s CREATE grants, awarding up to US $2,000 for projects that strengthen AE programs and partnerships. Funding can support educator quality, community engagement, political action, or social justice initiatives that build culturally responsive aspiring educators.

Education unions and NEA affiliates in Nebraska can seek funding to design and implement student-centered bargaining and advocacy initiatives. National Education Association awards up to US $50,000 to support efforts like transparent collective bargaining, community engagement, and campaigns for safe, equitable schools, improved educator working conditions, and stronger mental health and education equity supports.

Recent humanities or interpretive social science PhDs authorized to work in the U.S., including Nebraska-based scholars, can receive more than US $142,000 to work with nonprofits on social justice projects through the ACLS Leading Edge Fellowships. American Council of Learned Societies places fellows in substantive roles using their research, communication, and project management skills over a 24‑month term.

Nebraska social justice and human rights nonprofits can access funding through American Electric Power Foundation to advance equity, basic needs, and STEM education initiatives. Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) public charities or qualifying public entities within AEP’s multistate service territory or with regional or national reach that benefit the broader public.

Nebraska social justice and legal services nonprofits can access funding through the Indigo Oak Fund’s Equal Justice Under the Law program to support fairness in the justice system, rehabilitation, and anti-recidivism efforts. Organizations advancing 7th Amendment protections, civic engagement, or education for future attorneys and social justice workers may also be considered, with primary funding in Colorado and the Bay Area but occasional support elsewhere.

Nebraska 501(c)(3) nonprofits and fiscally sponsored groups with budgets under $500,000 can access training and up to US $4,000 for organizational growth and fundraising capacity. Mockingbird Incubator supports an eight-week cohort program for emerging leaders, including social justice and human rights organizations, combining live workshops, fundraising support, and a chance at additional seed funding.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations advancing social justice and human rights in Nebraska can access funding through the B.W. Bastian Foundation for general operating support, specific projects, advocacy, and capacity building. Grants typically range from US $100 - US $15,000, with priority for groups that explicitly affirm equality, including for the gay and lesbian community.

Researchers studying community-led development and social justice in Latin America and the Caribbean can receive US $20,000 fellowships to conduct rigorous, field-based research. Social Science Research Council and the Inter-American Foundation support projects on issues like economic opportunity, migration, violence prevention, and inclusion; Nebraska-based scholars working in the region may be eligible.

The Transformative Organizing Grants, funded by the Arch Community Fund, aim to bolster grassroots movements advocating for systemic change. These grants, ranging from $15,000 to $25,000, prioritize organizations with 501(c)(3) status and an annual budget under $1 million. The focus is on empowering community leadership through anti-capitalist solutions, promoting intersectionality, and addressing immediate needs while fostering long-term structural change. Eligible groups are encouraged to apply for support in their transformative organizing efforts.

Proteus Fund

Proteus Fund partners with foundations, individual donors, activists, and other allies to work strategically towards racial, gender, queer, and disability justice and an inclusive, fully-representative democracy. We curate an ecosystem of mutually reinforcing, aligned donor collaboratives and fiscally sponsored projects that deploy a creative array of strategies and tactics to further this vision.

RISE Together Fund: Small Grants

Call For Application

RISE Together Fund (RTF), an initiative of Proteus Fund, is announcing an open call for inquiries for our 2026 Small Grants Fund for U.S. public charity organizations or fiscally sponsored projects of such organizations, that support Black, African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim and South Asian (BAMEMSA) communities.

As part of RTF’s commitment to prioritizing the needs and sustainability of the fields we collectively support, RTF will provide organizations with general operating grants to allow for organizational flexibility when possible. 

About RTF's Small Grants Fund

BAMEMSA movements have a strong history of organizing and collaboration, and are well poised with the knowledge, learning and experience to build an inclusive, multiracial democratic future and respond to the current unconstitutional threats facing the country. Through this fund, RTF aims to resource community power building organizations that use a multiplicity of approaches to create change rooted in the strength and leadership of BAMEMSA movements.

RTF supports groups that build community power, strengthen movement bases, defend civil and human rights including freedom of protest, speech, religion, and association, end the criminalization and surveillance of our communities, and respond to the rise in xenophobia, Islamophobia, and hate. RTF values groups that are intersectional in their approach and have or are developing sustainable long-term strategies to support BAMEMSA communities and movements.

Priority Issue Areas

• Protecting and advancing the rights of immigrant and refugee BAMEMSA communities by responding to harmful policies and practices, and strengthening community-led advocacy at the local, state, or federal level.

• Mobilizing BAMEMSA communities for nonpartisan civic engagement and election protection by increasing nonpartisan voter participation, combating voter suppression, and building sustained civic infrastructure ahead of, during, and between elections.

• Advocating for U.S. policy changes that end violence in Gaza and the West Bank by elevating Palestinian voices, influencing public discourse, and engaging in advocacy that shifts U.S. political, diplomatic, or funding decisions.

• Challenging harmful national security frameworks and their impacts on BAMEMSA communities by documenting, exposing, and organizing against surveillance, Islamophobia, and policies rooted in the War on Terror, particularly in the context of 9/11’s 25-year legacy.

• Responding to emerging opportunities and threats affecting BAMESMA communities such as influencing policy developments, addressing civic issues in the U.S., or developing narratives to change public discourse. This includes work addressing weaponizing issues around bodily autonomy and LGBTQ+ identity to fracture movements and communities.

Priority Strategies

RTF values organizations that take an intersectional approach and are intentionally building long-term community power. We prioritize support for groups that strengthen movement ecosystems, deepen their base, and defend the rights of BAMEMSA communities through the following strategies:

• Convening, Collaboration, and Movement Coordination: Bringing together organizations, leaders, and coalitions to align shared goals, coordinate strategies to advance shared visions, and reduce fragmentation across the field. This includes facilitating strategic convenings, developing platforms for collaboration, building cross-issue or cross-regional partnerships, developing shared agendas or issue campaigns, and strengthening trust and alignment among movement actors.
• Community Power-Building, Base Building, Civic Engagement, and Organizing: Expanding and activating a grassroots base within BAMEMSA communities to drive collective action and policy change. This includes community leadership development, public education campaigns, community organizing, nonpartisan voter engagement and election protection, and ongoing nonpartisan civic participation efforts that build sustained community power.
• Legal and Policy Advocacy Infrastructure: Advancing legal strategies and policy advocacy that expand and protect the rights of BAMEMSA communities. This includes impact litigation, legal advocacy, know-your-rights efforts, policy development, and advocacy at a local, state, or federal level.
• Communications and Narrative Strategy: Shaping public discourse and advancing narratives that reflect the experiences, dignity, and demands of BAMEMSA communities. This includes developing messaging strategies, producing and amplifying media, countering harmful or divisive narratives (including those targeting immigrants, religious minorities, LGBTQ+ communities, and reproductive rights), and increasing the voice share of BAMEMSA community members.
• Bolstering Movement Infrastructure: Strengthening the internal capacity and long-term sustainability of organizations and the broader movement ecosystem. This includes organizations supporting leadership development and pipelines, data and technology infrastructure, security and safety, and other core functions that enable groups to operate effectively and respond to evolving challenges.

Limited funding may be available for requests above $25,000.

Seattle Foundation

Seattle Foundation is an agent of change, igniting powerful, rewarding philanthropy to make Greater Seattle a stronger, more vibrant community for all.

At Seattle Foundation, we believe that community is more than a place. It’s the shared understanding that our joy and well-being are tied to one another. Every day we work with nonprofits, philanthropists, and partners like you to strengthen community by igniting powerful philanthropy and advancing long-term solutions. Because it takes all of us to create a joyful region where every person can thrive.

Theresa Earenfight Scholarship

The purpose of the Theresa Earenfight Scholarship is to support undergrad or graduate students who are passionate about the intersection of social justice and animal welfare within a historical context. Applicants should be studying history, in particular how history intersects with animal activism, animal rights, animal liberation, and other related topics. Preference will be given to students with strong financial need, students of color and those from historically marginalized communities, and/or students who may face barriers to receiving other scholarships. This is a $10,000 annual scholarship renewable through the completion of the student’s degree, assuming the student continues to meet the eligibility criteria. The scholarship may be applied to tuition and fees, or other academic expenses payable to the college or university.

Deb & John Quirk Memorial Scholarship

The Hastings Community Foundation is excited to announce the creation of the Deb and John Quirk Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship will provide a $10,000 annual scholarship and is renewable for a total award of up to $40,000. One scholarship will be awarded each year. This scholarship is only available to graduating seniors from Hastings High, Adams Central, or Hastings Catholic Schools. Applicants must be focused on impacting social justice through their education and future employment, as illustrated through an essay submitted to the scholarship committee.

The Leadership through Scholarship Fellowship is a yearlong program designed for early-career and mid-career faculty to enhance their scholarly writing and leadership skills. Participants will receive mentorship and training to develop personalized career roadmaps, navigate challenges, and create impactful research questions. The fellowship, costing $1200, also offers limited scholarships thanks to generous donations. It equips fellows with vital skills for academic advancement, promoting their potential for leadership roles in their institutions.

Leadership through Scholarship Fellowship

The yearlong Leadership through Scholarship Fellowship offers training and mentorship for early-career and mid-career faculty with a focus on developing scholarly writing skills for academic advancement and leadership.

Mid-Career Fellows

Mid-career fellows will benefit from tailored mentorship and guidance to reach the next milestone in their careers, including:

• Receive 1:1 mentorship specific to their challenges or roadblocks to promotion or leadership
• Participate in a detailed CV review to determine edits for promotion
• Work as a group with mentor faculty on challenges in scholarship to move forward with stuck projects
• Learn how to navigate mid-career leadership challenges

The tuition cost for fellows is $1200. A limited number of scholarships are available to cover the fellowship tuition due to a generous gift from Drs Marjorie Bowman and Robert Choplin.

Benefits of the Fellowship

Duane Roberts Scholarship

The Duane Roberts Scholarship was established in memory of Duane Roberts, a Kalamazoo Public Schools graduate, community activist, and KPS Board of Education member, to provide scholarship support to KPS minority students.

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

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