Best Private Grants for Nonprofits

Texas Education Agency

The Texas Education Agency is the state agency that oversees primary and secondary public education. It is headed by the commissioner of education. The Texas Education Agency improves outcomes for all public school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems.

The Division of Governance Interventions supports TEA’s mission and vision by providing exceptional leadership, guidance, and support to school system leadership teams and governing boards. The division collaborates with external field support agents appointed by the TEA Commissioner of Education to build sustainable systems aligned to core TEA initiatives, so that the school system thrives after the release of agency intervention. 

Title I Parent and Family Engagement Initiative

Program Description

The purpose of this program is to provide support to School Systems and ESCs by providing access to best practice resources and strategies to improve student achievement.

The JGE Outstanding Reviewer Award, presented by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers, recognizes exceptional reviewers for their quality and quantity of contributions to the Journal of Geoscience Education. Eligible nominators include JGE authors and Editorial Board members, who must describe the nominee's outstanding peer-review contributions. This prestigious award aims to honor those who enhance the journal's integrity and effectiveness in geoscience education.

The JGE Outstanding Paper Award, presented by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers, recognizes exceptional contributions to geoscience education. Nominations are open to JGE readers, authors, and Editorial Board members, and must include a discussion of how the nominated paper enhances student learning, advances the discipline, or demonstrates significant societal impact. This prestigious award has been celebrating excellence in education since 1938.

Texas Education Agency

The Texas Education Agency is the state agency that oversees primary and secondary public education. It is headed by the commissioner of education. The Texas Education Agency improves outcomes for all public school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems.

The Division of Governance Interventions supports TEA’s mission and vision by providing exceptional leadership, guidance, and support to school system leadership teams and governing boards. The division collaborates with external field support agents appointed by the TEA Commissioner of Education to build sustainable systems aligned to core TEA initiatives, so that the school system thrives after the release of agency intervention. 

2026-2027 Statewide ESSA Title I, Part A, Capacity Building Initiative

Program Description

The purpose of the Title I, Part A Capacity Building Initiative is to work cooperatively with the Federal Program Compliance Division and Department of Grant Compliance and Administration to develop and provide resources to ESCs and LEAs statewide to assist in implementing Title I, Part A; Title I, Part D; and Title I Private Nonprofit School (PNP) Equitable Services programs to increase the opportunity for all students in meeting the State’s content, student performance standards, and grant fiscal rules, regulations, and requirements.

Paul and Deanna Virciglio Scholarship

Paul Virciglio, along with his wife, Deanna, has established the Paul & Deanna Virciglio Education Fund, which will be used to award scholarships to students pursuing graduate studies in math or science.

“I noted the dramatic structural changes taking place in the business world as we prepared for the new information society. There’s a demand for higher-skilled employees, which places an emphasis on education, especially in math and science,” said Paul Virciglio.

The 2026-2027 ESC Fellows - Texas Mentorship Training Grant, provided by the Texas Education Agency, aims to enhance mentorship programs for pre- and early-service teachers. This grant allows Education Service Centers to fund mentorship fellow positions which will undergo comprehensive training to effectively deliver the Texas Mentorship Training. This initiative supports sustainable educational practices and ensures quality mentorship, ultimately improving outcomes for school systems in Texas.

The Community Development Block Grant Disaster Response Program in Illinois provides vital funding to assist communities facing urgent threats to public health and safety due to disasters. Grants, capped at $250,000, support initiatives that benefit low-to-moderate income individuals or address significant community needs. Administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the program emphasizes enhancing economic development, improving infrastructure, and ensuring safe living conditions for all residents.

Texas Education Agency

The Texas Education Agency is the state agency that oversees primary and secondary public education. It is headed by the commissioner of education. The Texas Education Agency improves outcomes for all public school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems.

The Division of Governance Interventions supports TEA’s mission and vision by providing exceptional leadership, guidance, and support to school system leadership teams and governing boards. The division collaborates with external field support agents appointed by the TEA Commissioner of Education to build sustainable systems aligned to core TEA initiatives, so that the school system thrives after the release of agency intervention. 

2026-2027 Effective Advising Framework Implementation Year 1

Program Description

The Effective Advising Framework (EAF) supports the development and implementation of an individual student planning system within the context of a comprehensive school counseling program. The EAF also aims to foster innovation and promotion of promising and proven career and technical education (CTE) programs, which may include nontraditional fields. This includes the development, implementation, and adoption of career pathways aligned to high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand careers and industries.

This grant project supports school districts who successfully completed all the requirements of the EAF planning process through the 2025-2026 Effective Advising Planning Grant. Districts will be supported by an Effective Advising Framework Coach (EAF Coach) at the ESC who will monitor, support, and coach the district through effective advising implementation aligned to the essential actions and key practices of the Effective Advising Framework. The intended outcome of this program is to improve the district’s individual student planning system and to measure the impact of individual student planning when implemented with fidelity.  

The PA Local Share Account (LSA) – Monroe County Grant, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, allocates 2% of gross terminal revenues from licensed gaming facilities to support community and economic development projects in Monroe County and its neighboring areas. This initiative aims to enhance local well-being and mitigate the impacts of gaming activities, fostering growth and resilience in the region.

The L. Ray Vahue Scholarship, offered by the Amarillo Area Foundation, supports City of Amarillo employees and their families. This scholarship allows recipients to apply annually, ensuring continued educational support. The foundation aims to enhance the quality of life for residents of the Texas Panhandle by addressing educational needs. Eligible applicants must complete the foundation's General Scholarship Application and maintain enrollment requirements, fostering academic success within the community.

The Raibrook Foundation, celebrating 25 years of service, supports local non-profits in Door County to enhance community life through projects in education, history, and recreation. Founded in 1990 by a local philanthropist, the Foundation aims to preserve the area's natural beauty and cultural heritage. It prioritizes projects that foster community impact and acts as a partner in development. Nonprofit organizations, particularly those serving Nasewaupee, Sevastopol, and Sturgeon Bay, are encouraged to apply for funding.

The Fulton County Arts & Culture Grant offers funding from $1,000 to $50,000 to nonprofit organizations and artists in Fulton County for arts programming in 2026. This initiative aims to enhance access to diverse arts experiences for residents, fostering community growth and economic development. Eligible applicants include cultural nonprofits, public schools, and municipalities. The program supports ongoing public arts activities, ensuring a vibrant cultural landscape in Fulton County.

The NIH is set to release a funding opportunity for pragmatic and implementation trials aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of interventions in real-world healthcare settings. This initiative encourages collaborations across various health systems to assess the effectiveness and feasibility of interventions. By focusing on commonly encountered conditions in everyday clinical care, the trials aim to provide actionable insights for patients, clinicians, and policymakers. Interested investigators are encouraged to start developing their project proposals.

The Avista Foundation supports non-profit organizations in eastern Washington, northern Idaho, southern Oregon, and Montana, focusing on education, vulnerable populations, and community vitality. Grants are available for 501(c)(3) organizations, civic groups, and schools addressing local needs. Ineligible requests include those for religious or political activities and funding for individuals. This funding cycle emphasizes projects that foster economic and cultural growth in the communities served by Avista Utilities and Alaska Electric Light and Power Co.

The Ralph Franzen Charitable Foundation Grant supports faith-based organizations that provide social services, with a focus on Evangelical Christian groups in Illinois. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with an annual budget of at least $1 million. The foundation does not accept applications from individuals, ensuring that funding is directed towards established charitable entities. This grant aims to enhance the impact of social services within the community.

The Slemp Foundation Charitable Grants aim to enhance the welfare, education, and health of residents in Lee and Wise Counties, Virginia. Established by Congressman Campbell Bascom Slemp, the foundation supports charitable initiatives, including the preservation of local heritage sites like the Janie Slemp Newman Museum and the Slemp Cemetery. Eligible applicants must hold a 501(c) tax-exempt status and focus on projects that benefit the community.

The Association of Information Technology Professionals Scholarship, offered by the Amarillo Area Foundation, supports residents of the Texas Panhandle who intend to pursue studies in Computer Information Systems or Computer Science at West Texas A&M University or Amarillo College. Applicants must complete a general scholarship application and meet specific eligibility criteria, ensuring they are enrolled full-time and maintain a minimum GPA. This scholarship aims to enhance educational opportunities and improve community outcomes.

Central Kentucky Community Foundation (CKCF) Scholarships 

We have been awarding scholarships for over 60 years to local students through the generosity of people like you who want to make educational opportunities available to more students. We are the largest awarder of scholarship funds in the region. In 2025, CKCF awarded 170 scholarships totaling over $373,000 to 126 local students. Just as education is critical to achieving community and economic development, scholarships are essential to further education. Scholarships expand our youth’s opportunities for educational advancement. This educational access facilitates life dreams and career options that lead to financial independence.

We work with donors who desire to make these opportunities available to people, students who can benefit from both the financial investment and personal empowerment from a scholarship award, and colleges and universities to streamline the process for both the donor and student.

Dr. Chandler Park and Du Sun Watts Family Healthcare Scholarship

An essay describing why you would like to become a physician is requirement

New York Public Library 

The New York Public Library has been an essential provider of free books, information, ideas, and education for all New Yorkers for more than 125 years. Founded in 1895, NYPL is the nation’s largest public library system, featuring 92 locations across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, including our world-renowned research centers at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Together with our circulating branches, including the all-new Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL), the Library provides an extraordinary richness of resources and opportunities available to all.

Kate Medina Fellowship for Literary Narrative Nonfiction

The New York Public Library and Random House Publishing Group are pleased to offer the Kate Medina Fellowship for Literary Narrative Nonfiction to support writers whose projects engage meaningfully with collections accessible onsite at the Library’s flagship Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. Projects requiring access to original materials including manuscripts, archives, books, photographs, prints, maps, newspapers, and journals will be given preference, but all worthy projects will be considered.

Established with the generous support of Kate Medina and Random House Publishing Group, the fellowship promotes originality and excellence in nonfiction works that combine strong storytelling, reportorial precision, artistic writing, and depth of research into important subjects and ideas. The selected fellow will receive a stipend of $30,000 to support four continuous months of research to be taken between September 1, 2026 - March 15, 2027.

Fellows at The New York Public Library have sustained access to the Library’s world-class collections and space to work in one of the shared study rooms of the Vartan Gregorian Center for Research in the Humanities. The Library will provide opportunities to connect with our expert librarians, subject specialists, and curators for consultation or guidance and to engage with NYPL’s broader scholarly community. As part of the Library’s commitment to expanding knowledge in the humanities more broadly, and to provide Fellows with public platforms for their scholarship and research, each Fellow will be expected to give a presentation on their work at the Schwarzman Building and to provide a blog post for the research channel of the NYPL blog. 

Project Proposal

Successful project proposals will include a thorough explanation of how in-person access to collections accessible at The New York Public Library is essential to the progress and completion of the project. Proposals should also include:

• Abstract of the project's major themes, questions, and arguments
• Significance of the project
• Project plan, including a timeline of your work with the Library's collections during the fellowship term and a desired start date
• Expected project outcomes including existing book contractual obligations, if any
• Personal statement detailing the impact this fellowship would have on your project and/or career as well as the likelihood of successfully completing your project without this fellowship

Creative Capacity Grant

A grant is a form of financial assistance. The State of Arizona sets aside a certain amount of money to invest in projects that have strong potential for public benefit.

Through Creative Capacity Grants (CCGs) the State provides general operating support to nonprofit organizations whose primary mission is to produce, present, teach, or serve the arts.

CCGs are available to organizations of all sizes, but application requirements vary.

Who is it for?

Organizations may apply for Creative Capacity Grants, levels 1-5, if they…

• are based in Arizona,
• are incorporated as a nonprofit organization* with tax-exempt status, or are a unit of municipal or tribal government,
• have a primary mission to produce, present, teach, or serve the arts,
• have an annual budget of at least $4,000 and up to $399.999, and
• will incur eligible expenses during the funding period (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027).

* Unincorporated organizations that are otherwise eligible and whose annual budget is below $200,000 may apply through a nonprofit fiscal sponsor.

The Alaska Community Foundation

The Alaska Community Foundation connects people who care to the causes that make a difference and matter most to them. We encourage and nurture philanthropy through building and managing permanent endowments, convening stakeholders, working with partners to strengthen Alaskan communities, and providing donors with flexible giving options that are strategic to their philanthropic objectives.

Scholarships at ACF

Each year, more than 60 scholarships are available to Alaska students—and it all starts with one simple application. With one login and one application, you’ll be considered for every scholarship you may be eligible for. Whether you’re taking your first step toward college, training for a career, or continuing your education, these scholarships are here to help carry you forward, backed by donors who believe in Alaska’s students and the futures they’re building. 

ConocoPhillips Alaska Process Tech Scholarship

The ConocoPhillips Alaska Process Tech Scholarship is designed to expand access to high‑quality technical education and build a strong, diverse pipeline of future Process Technology operators from Alaska. Its purpose is to support graduating Alaska high school seniors who want to pursue the 2-year Process Tech degree at the University of Alaska.

Each year, the ConocoPhillips Alaska Process Tech Scholarship will award four $15,000 scholarships to students enrolling in UA’s Process Technology program. The scholarship is paid over two years ($7,500 per year), with continued support as long as students remain enrolled. This investment reflects ConocoPhillips Alaska’s long-term commitment to helping Alaskans build meaningful, in-demand careers and strengthening the state’s future workforce

The Service Club of Manatee County Grant Program is dedicated to improving the lives of underprivileged children in Manatee County, Florida. This organization raises funds through donations and their annual 'Boots & Bling' Gala. In 2024, they distributed $165,000 to 35 agencies focused on providing essential services such as food, shelter, and education to local children. Only programs specifically benefiting children aged 0-17 are eligible for funding, excluding administrative costs.

Socrates Foundation Grant

The acorn in the Socrates Foundation logo symbolizes the Board’s vision for investing seed money in projects with growth potential, in projects showing strength/sustainability resulting from innovative, wise planning. That vision birthed the purpose of the Foundation: to fund grants primarily for seed money for capital appropriations that are used for education or humanitarian purposes.

• One-time capital funding projects
• Projects with matching gift programs in their plans
• Proposals dealing with development of new intellectual skills
• Youth projects
• Projects in education or health
• Projects being completed over 1-2 years (depending upon project addressed)
• Innovative ideas that can be sustained following initial funding
• Projects between $5,000 and $50,000
• Projects supporting small non-profit organizations in Wyoming

The New York Foundation Core Grants support community organizing, grassroots advocacy, and movement-building efforts in New York City. Grants of $47,500 per year are available for up to three years for established groups and five years for emerging ones. In addition to funding, grantees gain access to capacity-building resources, including legal services, workshops, and small responsive grants. The foundation prioritizes organizations led by marginalized communities and those addressing systemic injustices.

The James H. Shea Award, presented annually by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT), recognizes outstanding contributions in writing and editing Earth science materials aimed at the public and educators. Established in 1991, this prestigious award honors the legacy of James H. Shea, a dedicated advocate for quality geoscience education. Nominations require a detailed letter outlining the nominee's exceptional contributions, reinforcing NAGT's commitment to fostering excellence in Earth science education.

The Rec for All Support, Engagement, and Events (See) Grant offers a $10,000 funding opportunity aimed at promoting inclusive recreational activities for youth. This grant, provided by the DC Department of Parks and Recreation, supports events, tournaments, and travel for athletic competitions, ensuring accessibility for all participants, regardless of their background or ability. The initiative reflects a commitment to enhancing community wellness and fostering engagement through diverse recreational opportunities.

The Teaching Artist Roster connects professional artists and arts educators with schools and community organizations, fostering the integration of the arts into educational settings. Through mini-grants from the Mississippi Arts Commission, these artists can conduct workshops, presentations, and residencies. The program aims to enhance arts learning opportunities, align with educational standards, and support ongoing arts education, thereby enriching the cultural landscape of Mississippi.