Best Private Grants for Nonprofits

The Northwest Horticultural Society offers grants to support horticultural education in the Pacific Northwest. With a total budget of $15,000 for 2024, grants typically range from $1,000 to $6,000. Eligible projects must demonstrate clear outcomes within 12 months and benefit community engagement and environmental restoration. Priority is given to organizations west of the Cascades in Washington State. Applications are currently being accepted, encouraging local initiatives that promote horticultural beauty and biodiversity.

The Education Support Professional of the Year award recognizes outstanding contributions by education support professionals in Minnesota. Annually, Education Minnesota honors an individual who exemplifies dedication and excellence in their role. Nominations for the 2025-26 award are now open, inviting submissions from colleagues and community members. The recipient will receive a $1,200 honorarium, a choice of technology, and an expense-paid trip to a national conference, celebrating their impactful work within the educational community.

The Minnesota Teacher of the Year Award honors outstanding educators who inspire students and elevate the teaching profession. Nominations for 2026 are now open, inviting communities to recognize exceptional teachers who embody dedication and excellence. The award will be presented on May 3, 2026, at the Saint Paul RiverCentre. This prestigious recognition not only celebrates local talent but also positions the winner as Minnesota’s representative for the National Teacher of the Year.

The Heather Hinkle Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund, established by the Amarillo Area Foundation, supports college students from the Texas Panhandle who have faced significant health challenges. Eligible applicants must have completed a quarter of their degree, maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0, and have received a cancer diagnosis before turning 18. This scholarship aims to empower students pursuing further education in the medical field, fostering resilience and academic success in the community.

The National Board Certified Teachers Scholarship, funded by the Education Minnesota Foundation, aims to support K-12 educators pursuing National Board Certification. Each year, eligible Education Minnesota members can receive scholarships up to $1,000 to cover assessment fees. This initiative particularly encourages first-time applicants while also allowing those maintaining certification to apply. Scholarships are awarded annually, and recipients must provide proof of payment for the certification process to access their funds.

About SCAF

The Stanwood-Camano Area Foundation strengthens our community by empowering nonprofits, fostering community involvement, and providing educational opportunities through collaboration and giving.

We live, work, and give within the Stanwood-Camano community. We intimately understand its evolving needs, from supporting local school programs to helping the newest grassroots nonprofits get established.

Stanwood-Camano Area Foundation: Capital Grants

SCAF believes that strategic investments in capital projects are a benefit to the community as a whole, and align with our mission in multiple ways.

Available Funds

Capital grant funding requests of $5,000 - $100,000 will be considered.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) offers Grants for Arts Projects (GAP) to support diverse arts initiatives that enhance public engagement and education. These grants aim to improve community well-being through the arts and are open to all organizations, regardless of size or location. Applicants are encouraged to align their projects with NEA funding priorities, fostering creativity across various disciplines such as music, theater, and visual arts.

About

THE DOAN FOUNDATION is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to uplifting the overlooked—underserved youth, emerging creatives, and grassroots cultural organizations. Through scholarships, artist grants, and cultural sponsorships, we provide access, resources, and recognition to those too often unseen. By investing in creativity as a force for healing, identity, and community, we ensure that the arts remain vital, visible, and accessible across Southern California.

Roots & Resilience Artist Grant

This grant provides artists or arts & culture organizations from Southern California with $1,000 each to bring impactful projects to life – projects that address social issues, mental health, uplift underrepresented voices, and inspire healing and connection within communities. By investing in these creatives, The Doan Foundation aims to preserve powerful stories, strengthen cultural understanding, and drive change.

The Roots & Resilience Artist Grant Program reflects our commitment to empowering artists as changemakers, using their craft to inspire and unite us all.

Together, we’re building a brighter future through the transformative power of art.

The A. Lindsay and Olive B. O'Connor Foundation offers grants under $5,000 to improve quality of life in rural Delaware County, NY. Eligible applicants include municipalities and 501(c)(3) organizations, focusing on projects that directly benefit the community. The foundation supports a variety of initiatives, including health, education, arts, and environmental preservation. Notably, it requires a $1 match for each dollar requested and imposes a three-year waiting period for reapplicants.

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.

Cultural Districts

An initiative to allow communities to create state-sponsored cultural districts to stimulate new arts and cultural activity and attract creative businesses.

Cultural District Investment Grant Program

Funding to Massachusetts cities and towns to encourage the development and success of their state-designated Cultural Districts.

Use of Funds

Funding must be allocated in support of Cultural District activities and goals and at the direction of the entity’s management team. In accordance with these requirements, funding expenditures will be unrestricted.

We encourage projects or programs that institute a practice of access, equity, or inclusion and are in alignment with your Cultural District’s audience and mission.

Funding must be spent or encumbered within the current fiscal year ending on June 30, 2027.

Examples of possible expenditures include, but are not limited to:

• Marketing and promotion of district activities
• Capacity building opportunities to fund operational support and infrastructure and professional development costs to district management entity
• Artist or vendor fees, including any interventions and/or supplies and materials
• The development and/or implementation of creative community placemaking/placekeeping, or public art, projects or initiatives
• Membership fees to local and regional partnering organizations such as Regional Tourism Councils, Chambers of Commerce, Local Cable Access organizations, etc.
• A collaborative cultural policy or strategic planning process
• A community-engaged and informed data collection strategy and/or report

Award Amount & Funding Period

Grant awards will be in the amount of $15,000. There is no match requirement.

This is a one-year grant for Fiscal Year 2027, ending on June 30, 2027.

Contracts will be issued to the municipality, or the designee, as instructed by the municipality. The municipality must return the contract before funds will be disbursed. Read more about the contracting process.

Cultivating Healthy Communities – Arts, Health, and Well-Being in Rural Communities Grant

Washington’s rural communities often face limited resources to launch projects that foster belonging, social connection, civic participation, community cohesion, and overall well-being. ArtsWA’s Cultivating Healthy Communities – Arts, Health, and Well-Being in Rural Communities program aims to strengthen arts and cultural initiatives that build social connections and a sense of belonging while supporting the health and well-being of individuals and communities across rural Washington.

Grounded in research demonstrating that participation in the arts can reduce stress, anxiety, and social isolation, improve mental health outcomes, and enhance quality of life, the program recognizes the arts as a powerful, evidence-based tool for healing, stability, and community vitality. Through collaboration with trusted community partners and social infrastructures—including arts and culture nonprofits, libraries, parks and green spaces, community centers, and museums—the grant seeks to create meaningful opportunities that connect people and strengthen rural communities.

• Projects must be collaborative between cultural organizations, the community, and at least one other organization or service provider.
• Projects can span all creative disciplines and must be fully accessible by the public.
• Organizations that received funding during the FY26 pilot phase of the Cultivating Healthy Communities – Arts, Health, and Well-Being in Rural Communities will be prioritized.
• Communities with a strong agriculture-based economy and generational agricultural and food processing workers will be prioritized.
• ArtsWA supports projects offering in-person, participatory activities. Online activities that alleviate isolation and loneliness, especially among older adults, are also welcome if structured collaboratively with a service provider experienced with the community you seek to engage.

Funding Amounts

Grant amounts may vary depending on the available funds and number of eligible projects and applications received.

Grants: $3,000 – $5,000 

This is a reimbursement grant. Payments are made after funds are spent, and after expense documentation and invoice forms have been submitted to and approved by ArtsWA.

The Local History Grants for Collections Care and Access provide funding up to $700 for historical societies in Wisconsin to enhance their collections management and preservation efforts. Eligible organizations must be affiliated with the Wisconsin Historical Society and meet specific tax-exempt criteria. This mini-grant program encourages projects focused on archival supplies, digitization equipment, and conservation supplies, ensuring that historical collections are preserved for future generations.

The Hurricane Katrina 20th Anniversary Disaster Preparedness Grants, funded by the ASPCA, offer up to $500,000 to enhance disaster preparedness for animals in high-risk coastal areas of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Grants between $20,000 and $50,000 will be awarded to eligible non-profit organizations and municipal agencies focusing on animal welfare or disaster assistance. This initiative aims to improve the safety and well-being of animals during disasters, reflecting lessons learned from past experiences.

The Stein-Arnold Exploration Fund Grant supports advanced research in the antiquities, historical geography, or early history of ancient civilizations in Asia, particularly India, China, and Iran. Established in memory of Sir Aurel Stein, grants typically do not exceed £3,500, with exceptional cases reaching £5,000. Eligible applicants must be British or Hungarian postdoctoral researchers, and the funding does not apply to postgraduate students. Research should commence only after the award announcement.

The John S. Stiff Governmental Services Scholarship, offered by the Amarillo Area Foundation, supports City of Amarillo employees pursuing a college degree in municipal government. Eligible applicants must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 and complete the Foundation's General Scholarship Application. This scholarship aims to enhance career advancement opportunities within local government, thereby contributing to the overall quality of life in the Texas Panhandle.

Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) Program

​​​​​​​​​​​​​The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is committed to assisting Maryland's local governments and nonprofit organizations build capacity to achieve their community revitalization and economic development goals.

Operating Assistance Grants include funding for Technical Assistance and Main Street Improvement Program Grant.

The Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) program assists local governments and nonprofits with operating costs associated with local housing and community revitalization efforts.

The General Assembly must approve these amounts during the 2027 legislative session before they are final.

Grants funds can be used for operating costs related to administering the Technical Assistance Grant program, including:

• Salaries
• Professional services contracts
• Technology costs
• Other related administrative expenses

Funding details

• The maximum grant request is $50,000.
• A funding match is not required.
• All projects or activities should be completed within one year.
• Capital project costs are not supported through TAG. Other DHCD programs do support capital costs, such as State Revitalization Programs​.

Colorado Energy Office

The Colorado Energy Office (CEO) develops programs and promotes energy policies to fight climate change, improve air quality, and save Coloradans money. CEO plays a central role in building an equitable, clean energy economy. We advance a clean energy agenda, provide funding and technical assistance, and ensure the benefits of the clean energy transition are shared statewide. 

Promoting equity and environmental justice in Colorado is the core of our work. We strive to ensure innovation in energy generation, the built environment, land use, and transportation benefits marginalized and disproportionately impacted communities across the state.

Charge Ahead Colorado Standard Grant

The Charge Ahead Colorado grant program supports electric vehicle (EV) adoption in Colorado by offering funding for EV charging to serve communities and EV drivers across the state. Charge Ahead Colorado offers State funding for community-based level 2 (L2) and direct current fast-charging (DCFC) EV charging stations with prioritized investments in disproportionately impacted communities and enhanced incentives for eligible qualifying entities. 

The Standard application is intended for larger or more complex projects, including applications requesting more than $50,000, projects requesting more than six Level 2 ports or 24 charging outlets, and all projects involving DC fast chargers. Level 2 and outlet projects should generally become operational within 12 to 18 months, while projects containing DC fast chargers should be completed within 18 to 24 months.

The Waldon H. and Adele Orr Charitable Trust Grant focuses on supporting health, human services, and religious purposes in Brazos County, Texas. Established in 1996, the trust aims to aid organizations that qualify as exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Grants are exclusively available for initiatives that enhance the well-being of the community, demonstrating a commitment to charitable causes within the specified geographical limits.

The Joseph E. and Marjorie B. Jones Foundation is a private philanthropic organization committed to enhancing life quality in the greater Washington, D.C. area. The foundation focuses on human services, healthcare, and educational initiatives, believing in the inherent dignity of all individuals. It supports projects that foster community trust and partnership while avoiding funding for basic research, scholarships, or sectarian activities. The foundation aims to inspire and uplift communities through strategic partnerships.

The Region One Athletic Fund for Projects Grant aims to enhance students' athletic experiences within the Region One School District. It supports diverse initiatives like coaching, training programs, equipment purchases, and facility improvements, ensuring students achieve their highest physical potential. Applications are welcomed from all community members to sustain and elevate the athletic program, fostering values such as sportsmanship and teamwork. This grant is crucial for projects beyond typical funding, promoting a comprehensive athletic education.

The Dover Foundation, established in 1944 by Jack and Charles Dover, focuses on enhancing community lives through support for faith-based, educational, and human service organizations. This private family foundation prioritizes grants to nonprofits in Cleveland County, having awarded millions to local causes since its inception. With values centered on education, community service, and integrity, the foundation is committed to making a meaningful impact and fostering collaboration among residents.

Our Mission

The Community Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life in Greater Kansas City by increasing charitable giving, educating and connecting donors to community needs they care about, and leading on critical community issues.

Scholarships

We offer hundreds of different scholarships for students in and around Kansas City.

Frederic S. Lee Heterodox Economics Scholarship Fund

The purpose of the Fund shall be to provide scholarships for tuition and fees, up to three classes per semester, for doctoral heterodox economics students.

The fund will not provide scholarship aid for dissertation credit hours or for credit hours that are not directly relevant for the completion of the doctoral program’s course work.

Scholarships will be awarded prior to the fall and spring semesters on an annual basis.

Scholarships are not automatically renewed; however, previous recipients may reapply.

Texas Education Agency

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) 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. TEA helps deliver education to more than 5 million students under the leadership of the commissioner of education. The TEA operational costs are supported by both state and federal funds.

The Texas Education Agency administers federal and state grant awards to its subgrantees to carry out a program. Such entities include primarily school systems (referred to as local educational agencies [LEAs] in statutes), including independent school districts and charter schools; education service centers (ESCs); and, to a lesser degree, institutions of higher education (IHEs), nonprofit organizations (NPOs), and other statutorily allowable organizations.

Pipeline to Leadership (P2L) Cohort 2 Continuation Grant

Program Description

The primary purpose of the Pipeline to Leadership (P2L) Continuation Grant is to maximize the impact of highly effective teachers in reaching as many students as possible by developing strategic staffing models. Through this grant, school system leaders, including principals, recruit and select highly effective teachers to serve in leadership roles alongside campus and district instructional leaders. Through high-quality, job-embedded professional learning, these teacher leaders develop skills in key instructional leadership practices that help drive peer, beginning, and aspiring teachers’ instructional learning and growth. When highly effective teachers step into these leadership roles, school leaders distribute instructional leadership responsibilities, ensuring all teachers, across years of experience and effectiveness levels, receive differentiated and job-embedded supports to maximize their impact on student learning.

The NLM Grants for Scholarly Works in Biomedicine and Health (G13) program invites applications to support the creation of book-length manuscripts and scholarly works that are vital for U.S. health professionals and scientists. This initiative aims to foster critical reviews and analytical syntheses that enhance understanding of biomedical and public health challenges, ultimately contributing valuable resources for education, research, and clinical practice.

The Ralph E. and Dee Bennett Memorial Scholarship, offered by the Crown Point Community Foundation, supports graduating high school seniors and college students pursuing a degree in Construction Management or Engineering Technology at Purdue Northwest or Purdue Lafayette. Applicants must be full-time students with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and may reapply annually. This scholarship aims to enhance educational opportunities and foster academic success in South Lake County.

The Samuel F. Atkins and Barbara H. Atkins Memorial Fund Grant, managed by the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation, supports projects that assist low-income individuals and address animal welfare. Eligible organizations include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, governmental entities, and tribal governments located in specific counties in Wisconsin and Minnesota. The fund prioritizes projects demonstrating financial need, including emergency services and training programs for the physically disabled. This grant exemplifies the foundation's commitment to enhancing community welfare.