Best Operating Grants for Nonprofits

Economic Development Grants

Montana’s CDBG Economic Development Program is designed to stimulate economic development activity by assisting Montana’s private sector to create or retain jobs for LMI Montanans. Specifically, this includes individuals earning less than 80% of the area median income.

The program can assist businesses by awarding grants to local governments and making fixed-rate financing available to those businesses at low interest rates. In addition, the program can offer payment deferrals, lower first-year payments, and interest-only payments.

Businesses work with local governments to apply to the program, and the local government then loans to an eligible business or grants to a nonprofit. CDBG-ED funds are intended to be used in situations where a funding gap exists and alternative sources of public and private financing are not adequate.

The focus of the program is to support the creation or retention of full-time permanent jobs for Montanans. Loan amounts are based on the number of employees a business will retain or the number of new positions to be created. Loan terms are determined according to the use of funds and the businesses financial position. The business must ensure that at least 51% of the jobs are made available to, or held by, individuals earning less than 80% of the area median income.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Mini-Grant aims to empower Indiana organizations to lead impactful service projects honoring Dr. King's legacy. Grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 are available to support initiatives that address community needs and promote equity through volunteerism. Eligible projects should build local connections and enhance the capacity of service programs. This initiative encourages community engagement and fosters a deeper understanding of national service.

The Field Hall Foundation Small Grants program supports not-for-profits and local governments in Dutchess, Putnam, and Westchester Counties, NY, aiming to enhance the lives of older adults and caregivers. Grants are awarded three times a year through a Letter of Inquiry process. Focus areas include food insecurity, home-based care, and transportation. Priority is given to new projects addressing basic needs, with eligibility criteria including a $1 million budget and a commitment to direct services.

The Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest NJ offers Israel Restricted Grants aimed at supporting specific community needs. These one-year grants focus on initiatives such as aiding Israeli individuals with developmental disabilities, promoting cultural engagement in Ofakim and Merchavim, providing resettlement assistance for Olim, and offering scholarships for Ethiopian Jews in Israel. With a preference for partnership communities, this initiative honors legacy donors through Restricted Endowment Funds.

The George R. Tiller, M.D. Memorial Fund for the Advancement of Women’s Health supports Kansas nonprofits focused on reproductive health. The Fund aims to empower women through comprehensive health services and compassionate support. Grants are available for medical education, testing, research, and social programs that enhance women’s reproductive health. Eligible organizations must be IRS 501(c)(3) certified and in good standing with state regulations, ensuring funds reach those in need.

The Rasmuson Foundation, established in 1955, aims to empower Alaskans through program-related investments (PRIs). These financial tools, which include loans and equity investments, support charitable projects in housing, economic development, and nonprofit facilities. By increasing access to credit for nonprofits and community developers, the Foundation fosters homeownership, entrepreneurship, and community stability, while avoiding high-risk ventures that stray from its charitable mission.

The Aflac Charitable Fund Competitive Grant supports local nonprofit organizations in South Carolina, focusing on health and education. Priority is given to programs aiding pediatric cancer patients and their families, as well as life skills initiatives. Organizations must comply with state regulations and can only submit one application per cycle. Previous applicants can reapply in future cycles, but declined applications do not carry over automatically. This initiative is managed by the Central Carolina Community Foundation.

The Community Partnership Grants program by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation supports Louisiana's arts community by providing funding for music and arts education, cultural events, and new artistic works. Established in 1979, the program has distributed over $15 million to local nonprofits, schools, and artists, fostering job opportunities for Louisiana-based performers at public festivals and cultural events. Grants up to $7,500 are available to eligible organizations to further the Foundation’s mission.

The Measurement and Evaluation Graduate Student Award, offered by SHAPE America, aims to support graduate students specializing in psychomotor measurement and evaluation. This scholarship assists with professional expenses, ensuring candidates can focus on their studies. Eligible applicants must be current SHAPE America members and pursuing relevant master's or doctoral degrees. The award prioritizes those who have completed their first year of study, promoting excellence in health and physical education across the U.S.

Substance Use Disorder Residential Bed Expansion

Many adult substance use residential treatment programs in Connecticut (CT) are funded by CT Medicaid, which covers the treatment and room and board costs for individuals enrolled in Medicaid, through the CT 1115 substance use disorder (SUD) demonstration that started in March 2022. The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) provides contract dollars to many of these Medicaid-funded programs to serve individuals who are uninsured. DMHAS is soliciting proposals to add additional beds to existing substance use residential treatment programs or add new substance use residential treatment programs. These beds/programs would be jointly funded by CT Medicaid and DMHAS as described above. The specific American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) levels of care being expanded via this RFP are 3.5 and 3.1. There is particular interest in expanding services for women and those providing trauma and gender bestpractices.

RFP Purpose. To expand the number of beds in the Clinically Managed HighIntensity Residential Treatment services (ASAM Level 3.5) and Clinically Managed Low-Intensity Residential Treatment services (ASAM Level 3.1) levels of care in Connecticut.

Mission

The mission of Yolo Community Foundation is to inspire and support giving and to provide philanthropic leadership in our community. Yolo Community Foundation (YCF) promotes philanthropy by serving as a public foundation through which:

• community members pursue their own charitable goals;
• local nonprofits benefit from YCF programs and events; and
• youth learn the meaning of community involvement and service. As a community foundation, we lead the campaign to create a county-wide culture of service and giving.

Wide Wide World Fund

The Wide Wide World Fund was established by Maggie Burns and Roy Bellhorn to support nonprofits in advancing their missions and to help students pursue higher education. Upon their passing in 2024, Maggie and Roy ensured that their legacy would continue by creating a fund dedicated to supporting youth in Winters, CA.

The Sacramento Region Community Foundation (the Foundation), in partnership with Yolo Community Foundation, is proud to announce the Wide Wide World Grant. The purpose of the Wide Wide World is to promote educational and cultural enrichment for students in Winters schools that will open a wider world to them.

We will consider proposals in two categories (though we may choose to fund proposals in only one category, depending on the strength of the proposals): Programmatic Applications and Capacity Building Applications.

• The committee would entertain proposals with amounts above the caps for these two categories for truly transformational initiatives.
• Organizations may submit more than one application, but we do not expect to fund more than one application per organization.

Capacity Building Funding

Organizations applying for capacity building funding must be based in Winters and must focus specifically on educational and cultural enrichment for students in Winters schools.

The Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF) leads land conservation efforts in Virginia, safeguarding over 850,000 acres across 111 counties. The VA Preservation Trust Fund Grant, established in 1997, supports various projects aimed at protecting open spaces for agriculture, forestry, and recreation. With approximately $1.8 million available this round and no strict funding cap, VOF encourages applications for acquisitions, easements, and other initiatives that enhance environmental quality and community resources.

The NTCF Toolbox Grants support Tarrant County-based nonprofits by providing capacity building resources focused on fundraising and strategic planning. These transformative grants aim to enhance organizational stability and effectiveness in serving vulnerable communities facing poverty, poor health, and educational challenges. Eligible nonprofits must be 501(c)(3) organizations with a minimum operating budget of $50,000 and demonstrate impact in areas like education and housing. Note: An LOI is required before full proposal submission.

Together Women Rise supports transformative initiatives for women and girls in low-income countries. By funding organizations that empower these communities, the program demonstrates a commitment to social and economic equity. Each month, a featured grant highlights impactful projects, promoting awareness and engagement. The program aligns with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, particularly emphasizing gender equality. With grants ranging from $35,000 to $50,000 over two years, Together Women Rise invests in sustainable change and community development.

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education provides leadership, oversight, funding, support, and accountability for the Commonwealth's approximately 400 school districts that educate close to 1 million public school children each year. We also oversees programs that serve 20,000 adult learners each year.

McKinney Vento Homeless Education and 21st Century Community Learning Centers — Family Engagement / Playful Learning Enhancement Grant

Purpose

The purpose of this federal targeted grant is to provide funding for districts to:

• Strengthen, enhance, and sustain effective and innovative family engagement strategies to improve students' attendance, academic engagement, social emotional well-being, and sense of belonging by developing family-school partnerships through the Family Institute for Student Success (FISS) model; and/or
• Support the Department's vision for deeper learning by building the collective capacity of districts, schools, and organizations to embed and sustain principles of playful learning into 21st CCLC out of school time programming for students in grades K–3.

Priorities

For applicants for FISS:

• Develop and implement culturally and linguistically responsive family engagement practices.
• Build staff capacity and create sustainable family engagement systems at the district and program level.
• Utilize the FISS curriculum to support improvements in attendance, literacy, social and emotional learning (SEL), and engagement practices.

For applicants for Playful Learning units:

• Provide participating educators, schools, and programs the opportunity to enhance and expand current practices and/or try new approaches to learning in which students are actively collaborating and engaging in playful learning that is coherently aligned to the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.
• Contribute to the 21st CCLC Learning Library through the development of playful learning units aligned to the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.

Funding

• For FISS implementation planning: Approximately $150,000 is available. Eligible applicants may apply for up to a total of $20,000.
• For developing playful learning units: Approximately $100,000 is available. Eligible applicants may apply for up to a total of $8,000/site

Fund Use

For planning and implementation of Family Institute for Student SuccessFISS, funds may be used to:

• Provide stipends for FISS facilitators and recruiters, and 21st CCLC staff supporting FISS delivery and coordination.
• Develop multilingual outreach and communication, including translation, interpretation, and culturally responsive recruitment materials.
• Develop an implementation plan for family workshops and FISS modules aligned to early literacy, attendance, SEL, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) enrichment, and student agency skills.
• Develop evaluation, data collection, and family participation monitoring to support continuous improvement and outcome tracking.
• Develop FISS program materials and supplies needed for facilitation, family learning activities, and home-school partnership tools.
• Develop and coordinate strategies to reduce barriers to school attendance and engagement for students experiencing homelessness students and students participating in 21st CCLC programs.
• In collaboration with the DESE-selected professional development vendor, provide and engage in professional development and ongoing coaching for district staff to develop a plan and ensure the successful implementation, and long-term sustainability of FISS.

For developing playful learning units, funds may be used to support stipends for educators to develop and implement playful learning, participate in trainings, team planning time, curriculum development, supplies and materials.

Division of Early Childhood

The Department of Human Services Division of Early Childhood (DEC) was established as a standalone IDHS division in 2021 to help strengthen and centralize the state's existing child care, home visiting, and early intervention programs, as well as operationalize and create administrative capacity to establish sustainable infrastructure needs in order to streamline services.

Working hand-in-hand with local communities throughout Illinois, the Division of Early Childhood provides low-income, working families with access to quality, affordable child care; administers community-based prevention and intervention programs; and helps all children between the ages of birth to three with disabilities or delays, to learn and grow.

480-50-3708 Migrant and Seasonal Head Start

Description

Scope of Work

Provide a full-day, comprehensive Head Start child development program to children, ages six weeks to six years, from migrant and seasonal farm-worker families. Program includes early childhood education, school readiness, developmental assessment, mental health screening, field trips, project work, immunizations, nutritious meal service and medical and dental examinations, completion of dental and medical treatment for children who need it, social-service referrals and transportation services.

Announcement Type: Renewal

The Aquatic Invasive Plant Control, Prevention and Research Grant, offered by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, supports initiatives aimed at managing and researching state-listed invasive aquatic plants. Grants are available for local lake associations, municipalities, and higher education institutions to enhance efforts in controlling and preventing the spread of these harmful species, which threaten the state's waterbodies. Applications are due by September 15 for control grants and November 30 for prevention and research grants.

The Congenital Sucrase-Isomaltase Deficiency Fund, managed by the HealthWell Foundation, aims to alleviate financial burdens for underinsured patients suffering from this genetic disorder. By providing assistance with prescription drugs and treatment costs, the fund ensures that vital medications are accessible, allowing patients to manage their condition effectively. In 2024, the Foundation is expected to award over $1.2 billion in grants, showcasing its commitment to enhancing healthcare access for those in need.

Community Care Centers of Excellence (INFR8) 

The Community Care Centers of Excellence (CCCE) is a funding program by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) that aims to expand access to innovative clinical trials and regenerative medicine treatments throughout designated counties in Northern California.

CCCEs will enhance patient access to regenerative medicine treatments by:

• Expanding the geographic reach of centers capable of conducting clinical trials and delivering approved therapies, and
• Developing a skilled workforce to support the delivery of regenerative medicine treatments and ensure broad accessibility to California patients.

This initiative addresses a key mandate of the California Stem Cell Research, Treatments, and Cures Initiative of 2020 (Proposition 14), emphasizing the importance of providing access to clinical trials and approved therapies resulting from CIRM-funded research.

Award Details

• Maximum Award Amount $9,000,000
• Maximum Award Duration Five years

The Kei Lin Foundation Grant, established in 2012 by Margaret Tsai, honors her mother, Kei Lin. This grant supports charitable organizations that provide essential services such as housing, food, and medical assistance to senior citizens and veterans. Priority is given to tax-exempt organizations under 501(c)(3) status. Applicants must adhere to specific guidelines and provide regular reports on fund usage to ensure transparency and accountability in their operations.

The Bernice Ash Memorial Award honors the legacy of a retail music visionary by providing a $5,000 grant to mid-career professionals employed by NAMM member companies. This award aims to support emerging leaders in the music industry through professional development opportunities and a one-year mentorship with NAMM Young Professionals. Eligible applicants must have at least five years of experience and agree to use the funds for professional training, enhancing their leadership skills and career growth.

The Merrimack County Savings Bank Foundation, established in 1997 with a $1 million endowment, focuses on improving community life in its service areas in New Hampshire. It allocates 5% of its endowment annually to support non-profit organizations, particularly in civic, arts, social services, and health sectors. The Foundation prioritizes local needs and considers requests from 501(c)(3) organizations, while excluding individuals and lobbying entities from funding.

The Wellness Within Reach initiative aims to bring high-quality, face-to-face healthcare directly to rural South Carolina communities through mobile units, crisis response teams, and community-based care sites This grant opportunity seeks proposals from eligible organizations to strengthen South Carolina’s mobile crisis response and expand community care sites.

The Farmers’ Market Resiliency Grant Program, funded by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, offers $500,000 to enhance food system resiliency through farmers' markets. This initiative supports projects that improve infrastructure, online capabilities, marketing, and delivery services for farmers' markets across the state. Larger entities are encouraged to provide sub-grants to local farmers' markets, ensuring a collaborative approach to economic development in their regions.

The Employment Development Department released an SFP for the Campesino de California Outreach Grant – Radio Media Program for PY 23-24. This SFP makes available up to $100,000 in funding for the development and implementation of radio talk shows aimed at reaching domestic and foreign Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers (MSFW) and their families to inform them about workforce programs and other community services available to them.

The primary goal of this grant is to develop and deliver 16 semi-monthly, 30-minute hosted radio shows and record in video format for the MSFW population in Spanish. Additionally, the grantee must use complementing online and social media outlets to publicize the radio talk show and communicate additional information as necessary to enhance existing outreach channels to support the outreach efforts by government, community-based organizations, and partners serving MSFWs in rural and hard to reach communities.

The Wild Felid Legacy Scholarship, established by the Wild Felid Research and Management Association in 2009, supports graduate students researching wild felids in the Western Hemisphere. It awards one to three scholarships ranging from $1200 to $1500, based on financial need and research impact. To date, 38 scholarships totaling over $44,000 have been awarded in memory of dedicated biologists who contributed to wildlife conservation. Recipients are recognized in the WFA's newsletter, the Wild Felid Monitor.

The Arnold F. Keller Jr. Grant, offered by the Capitol Hill Community Foundation, provides a single $25,000 grant annually to support new initiatives or the expansion of existing projects that benefit the Capitol Hill community. Since 1989, the Foundation has invested over $6.6 million into local projects, emphasizing community engagement and support for vulnerable populations. This grant aims to enhance community well-being through innovative programs and initiatives.