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Best Private Grants for Nonprofits

Explore private grants for nonprofits funding programs in education, health, community development, and the arts.

32,000+

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$9.00B

Total funding

$6K

Median grant

32,000+ grants
$9.00B total
$6K median

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32,423 Results based on applied filters

Ronald F. Shepard Memorial Scholarship

Kalamazoo Community Foundation
Private
United States
Unspecified amount

Ronald F. Shepard Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship was established to provide financial assistance to students pursuing an undergraduate degree in engineering who exhibit the following characteristics for which “Shep” is so fondly remembered: a relentless curiosity, a spirit of collaboration, a drive for innovation, and a commitment to learning, creating and growing alongside others. Additional application materials are required for this scholarship.

Education - Higher Education Engineering

Samuel Shepherd Civil Rights Scholarship

Educational Foundation of Lake County
Private
Lake County, Florida
Unspecified amount
The Samuel Shepherd Civil Rights Scholarship, offered by the Educational Foundation of Lake County, aims to empower minority students, especially African-Americans, to pursue law degrees. Established in 1987, the foundation supports educational initiatives and provides scholarships based on merit and financial need. Annually, scholarships ranging from $500 to $20,000 are awarded to graduating seniors in Lake County, with a unique requirement for recipients to maintain a 2.7 GPA for continued funding.
Education - Higher Education Law

Community Energy Management Program

Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)
State/Local Government
Michigan
Up to US $25,000
The Community Energy Management Program, administered by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), provides matching grants to local governments and tribes for energy management improvements. This initiative aims to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy implementation, aligning with Michigan's climate goals. Eligible projects include energy audits, efficiency upgrades, and community engagement efforts, with a total funding pool of $300,000 and a maximum award of $25,000 per applicant.
Renewable/Sustainable Energy Energy Energy Efficiency & Conservation

Rising Star of the Bar Award

Johnson County Bar Association
Private
Johnson County, Kansas
Unspecified amount

About JoCo Bar

The Johnson County Bar Association has served the legal community since 1938. Through leadership, member services, professional development, and community engagement, JoCo Bar supports attorneys, judges, and legal professionals throughout Johnson County.

Johnson County Bar Annual Awards

Each year, JoCo Bar recognizes outstanding service, professionalism, leadership, and dedication within our legal community.

Rising Star of the Bar Award

This award recognizes a JoCo Bar young lawyer who has provided meritorious service to the legal profession, the community, or JoCo Bar.

Law Legal Services

NEH Postdoctoral Fellowship in Poetics

Emory University
Private
Georgia (US state)
More than US $62,000

Emory University’s Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry

Emory University’s Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry (FCHI) supports ambitious research on culture, history, and society. We house a community of scholars working on individual and collaborative projects, and we design programming for the university and the broader community.

At the core of our activities is a set of residential research fellowships. Each year, we select faculty and advanced graduate students from Emory University, and postdoctoral fellows from around the world, to devote uninterrupted time to research and writing on large-scale projects. They meet weekly to share their work in progress—sometimes with invited guests from other universities—and to discuss important themes and issues in the humanities. We also provide mentorship and community for acohort of talented undergraduate students writing honors theses on humanistic topics.

NEH Postdoctoral Fellowship in Poetics

Description

The Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry is pleased to open applications for our NEH Postdoctoral Fellowship in Poetics. This longstanding fellowship reflects the importance of Emory’s Raymond Danowski Poetry Library, part of the Stuart A. Rose Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Book Library, as a center for research in poetry. We are especially eager to support research projects which make use of Emory University's archival holdings in poetry.

We invite applications from scholars who are eager to be part of a community engaged in interdisciplinary conversations around our theme of Humanities Plural. (See below.) Research projects do not need to address the theme directly, but applicants should briefly address how the project relates to significant methodological, theoretical, or conceptual issues in the humanities. (For example, a project in an established scholarly tradition could make a case for the importance of carrying that tradition forward within the current humanities landscape; a project in an emerging area of scholarship could share some thoughts about interdisciplinarity or new methods.)

The Fox Center will appoint one NEH Postdoctoral Fellow in Poetics for the academic year. The appointment will be for one year with the possibility of renewal for one additional year. The fellowship includes a stipend of $62,000, a research budget of $2,000, and a one-time additional payment of $2,000 to defray the costs associated with moving to Atlanta. Fellows are eligible for a wide range of competitive benefits, including dental and vision care, and are required to be in residence for the term of the fellowship.

All postdoctoral fellows participate in a weekly interdisciplinary seminar, presenting their research at one of these meetings, and teach one undergraduate class in their area of expertise in the College of Arts and Sciences. If invited to continue for a second year, fellows will have additional teaching responsibilities and will receive teaching mentorship from Emory faculty in a relevant discipline.

Humanities Plural

At a moment when fields such as "history of the humanities" and "humanities theory" are coming into view, and as hybrid formations such as digital humanities, health humanities, and public humanities are taking humanities scholarship into new academic and extra-academic spaces, we seek to expand our horizons for thinking about the humanities as they have existed or are unfolding in our current moment. The questions we hope to address in our shared discussions and programming include: What are the contexts, across time and space, where humanistic learning occurs and matters (e.g., formal or informal academic settings, places of worship, prisons, online spaces, museums)? Where is humanistic scholarship enlisted into serving other systems of knowledge and value (e.g., medical schools, think tanks, revolutionary movements, corporate boardrooms), and what sorts of work is it asked to do there? Which communities have forged programs or practices of humanistic learning without having access to formal or elite institutional structures? What are the distinct methods, epistemologies, aesthetics, and/or values that take shape in these sites? What gave rise to "theory," where and why has it taken root, and what is its future? And how do or should "the humanities" function in hybrid formations, for example in digital humanities, environmental humanities, or health humanities?

If for any reason a Fellow’s circumstances change and the grantee is unable to use the Fellowship during the academic year for which it was granted, the Fellowship will be forfeited.

If the project involves human subjects, approval from the proper Emory Institutional Review Board Committee (IRB) is requiredbefore Fellowship funding can be released. For more information, please refer to this website: https://www.irb.emory.edu.

Poetry Humanities & Social Science

Justinian Award for Lifetime Achievement & Professional Excellence

Johnson County Bar Association
Private
Johnson County, Kansas
Unspecified amount

About JoCo Bar

The Johnson County Bar Association has served the legal community since 1938. Through leadership, member services, professional development, and community engagement, JoCo Bar supports attorneys, judges, and legal professionals throughout Johnson County.

Johnson County Bar Annual Awards

Each year, JoCo Bar recognizes outstanding service, professionalism, leadership, and dedication within our legal community.

Justinian Award for Lifetime Achievement & Professional Excellence

The recipient will have made a significant legal impact within the community, demonstrated exemplary ethical standards, and consistently shown integrity, warmth, friendliness, and camaraderie.

Law Legal Services

Engineering (ENG): Electrical, Communications, and Computing Systems (ECCS) (363613)

National Science Foundation (NSF)
Federal Government
American Samoa, Guam +4 more
Unspecified amount
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Engineering (ENG) fosters groundbreaking research in electrical, communications, and computing systems through programs like Electronic, Photonic, Magnetic, and Quantum Devices (EPMQD) and Circuits and Systems for Communications and Sensing (CSCS). These initiatives emphasize innovative foundational research, particularly in power and energy systems, while being open to transformative ideas without immediate commercial outcomes. Funding availability will shape the portfolios of ECCS awards.
Electrical Engineering Computer Science & Engineering Engineering

Fujieki Family Foundation Scholarship Fund

Hawai'i Community Foundation
Private
United States
Unspecified amount
The Fujieki Family Foundation Scholarship Fund supports graduates of Hawaii public high schools, established in 2018. Eligible applicants must be Hawaii residents with financial need, maintain a minimum GPA of 2.7, and plan to attend an accredited college or university in the U.S. Preference is given to those pursuing an AAS degree. This scholarship empowers local youth by providing essential financial support for their higher education.
Science Academic Scholarship Programs

MJF Special Project Grants

Montana Justice Foundation
Private
Montana
Unspecified amount
The MJF Special Project Grants aim to fund innovative projects that address specific legal needs in Montana. With over $8 million awarded, these grants support nonprofits that enhance access to justice, legal education, and pro bono services. Eligible projects include establishing legal aid clinics, advocating for low-income rights, and increasing public understanding of legal processes. Priority is given to initiatives that promise sustainable impacts in under-served communities, fostering a fairer legal landscape for all Montanans.
Law Legal Services

McCasland Foundation Grant

McCasland Foundation
Private
Louisiana, Oklahoma
Unspecified amount
The McCasland Foundation, founded in 1950 by T.H. McCasland, focuses on giving back to the community, primarily in Oklahoma. With assets exceeding $35 million, it supports education, cultural organizations, and community projects, emphasizing special initiatives in public schools and universities. The foundation is now also considering grant requests from Louisiana. Its mission reflects a long-standing commitment to enhancing local opportunities and fostering generosity through targeted funding.
Art & Culture Education Community Services

Como Charitable Foundation Grants

Como Charitable Foundation Inc
Private
United States
Unspecified amount
The Como Charitable Foundation Grants support various programs in human services and education, prioritizing organizations with proven community service records. Funding is available for projects that demonstrate genuine need and a solid fundraising plan. While operating support is a lower priority, proposals are reviewed year-round. The Foundation particularly favors projects benefiting Franklin Parish and surrounding areas, with a focus on capital projects and human resource improvements that promise broad public benefits.
Education Human & Social Services Community Services

Foundation of the Federal Bar Association: Community Outreach Grant

Foundation Of The Federal Bar Association
Private
United States
Up to US $10,000

Foundation of the Federal Bar Association

The Foundation of the Federal Bar Association provides the best way for practitioners to give back to the Federal legal community. Chartered by Congress in 1954, the Foundation serves people in communities across the United States through its generous grants, scholarships, and programming.

Our Mission: The Foundation’s mission is to:

  • Promote and support legal research and education;
  • Advance the science of jurisprudence;
  • Facilitate the administration of justice;
  • Foster improvements in the practice of Federal law

Foundation Grants

Foundation grants support community service projects and civics programs which comply with the Foundation’s mission to promote and support legal research and education; advance the science of jurisprudence; facilitate the administration of justice; and foster improvements in the practice of Federal law.

Community Outreach Grant

The Community Outreach Grants Program is designed to support projects and initiatives that provide legal services in local communities. Through targeted funding, the program empowers FBA chapters, sections, divisions, national standing committees (FBA entity) and other organizations to develop and support projects that make a lasting impact on their communities.

Applicants may only receive one (1) Foundation grant per year.

Legal Services Law

General Fund Local Contribution

City of Suffolk Virginia
State/Local Government
Suffolk City, Virginia
Unspecified amount
The City of Suffolk is inviting nonprofit organizations and established boards to apply for funding through the General Fund Local Contributions as part of the FY 2025-2026 budget. Eligible applicants must be charitable institutions providing services to Suffolk citizens and meet specific criteria, ensuring that funding supports community development effectively.
Community Development & Revitalization Community Services Human & Social Services

JCBA Pro Bono Award

Johnson County Bar Association
Private
Johnson County, Kansas
Unspecified amount

About JoCo Bar

The Johnson County Bar Association has served the legal community since 1938. Through leadership, member services, professional development, and community engagement, JoCo Bar supports attorneys, judges, and legal professionals throughout Johnson County.

Johnson County Bar Annual Awards

Each year, JoCo Bar recognizes outstanding service, professionalism, leadership, and dedication within our legal community.

Pro Bono Award

The award recognizes extraordinary contributions of time, resources, and talent to pro bono efforts.

Law Legal Services

Recordings at Risk Grant

Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR)
Private
American Samoa, Guam +4 more
US $10,000 - US $50,000
The Recordings at Risk Grant, administered by CLIR, supports the preservation of rare audio and audiovisual media of scholarly value through digital reformatting. With funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the program aims to award $6.75 million across twelve competitions, offering grants between $10,000 and $50,000. It encourages U.S. nonprofit institutions to preserve vulnerable media, helping them to develop strategies for effective digital reformatting and promoting best preservation practices.
Historical Records & Archives

Fall Grant Opportunities: Youth- Jim Tompkins Endowment

Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation
Private
Grand Traverse County, Michigan
US $2,500 - US $10,000
The Jim Tompkins Endowment, established by the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation in 2018, aims to support youth in Traverse City through grants for programs and projects. This initiative is part of a broader mission to enhance community welfare across various sectors, including education and health services. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded over $69 million in grants, fostering lasting impacts for local youth and the community.
Youth Services

MJF Program Grants

Montana Justice Foundation
Private
Montana
Unspecified amount
The MJF Program Grants, awarded by the Montana Justice Foundation, have provided over $8 million to nonprofit organizations in Montana. These grants support legal services for vulnerable populations, enhancing access to justice and legal education. They prioritize organizations aiding low-income Montanans, helping them navigate legal challenges and improve their quality of life. The foundation emphasizes the importance of effective legal representation and alternative dispute resolution to foster community well-being and self-sufficiency.
Legal Services

Responsive Grants: Nurture Healthy Minds - Adult Recovery Grants

The Colorado Health Foundation
Private
Colorado
Unspecified amount

Funding Overview

Our responsive grants program is designed for you to propose your best ideas to achieve impact within one or more of our focus areas. The program is intended to respond to an urgent community need; address emerging opportunities; test innovative approaches or breakthrough ideas; or implement proven programs. At each funding deadline (Feb. 15, June 15, Oct. 15), we will identify specific objectives for our responsive grants program, which may change from deadline to deadline. Grant funding is highly competitive across all objectives open for the responsive grants program in a funding cycle. Organizations that apply for funding in the responsive grants program for this funding cycle will have to compete across the following objectives: Adult Recovery Supports, Caregiver Resources, Food Program Efficiency, Food Program Participation and Housing Financial Assistance.

Adult Recovery

Focus Area: Advance Health and Well-Being

The Colorado Health Foundation believes recovery is possible for those experiencing mental health and substance use issues.

We envision a Colorado where adults on their recovery journeys can access culturally responsive and linguistically appropriate recovery services close to their homes.

Why It Matters

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines recovery as “a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.”

Additional services beyond clinical treatments and traditional substance use interventions are useful for beginning and maintaining the process of recovery. Nonclinical, evidence-based supports and tools, including peer-support groups, employment services and more, help bring recovery closer. These services are most effective when they align with a person’s background, culture and values.

Mental and behavioral health conditions affect Coloradans across socioeconomic levels and ethnicities. However, barriers to accessing recovery-related services persist for certain groups of Coloradans. Obstacles include a shortage of available services, especially those tailored to Coloradans of color, concerns about affordability, and stigma associated with mental health services.

Addiction & Substance Use Disorders

CNYCF: Madison County Rural Poverty Fund

Central New York Community Foundation Inc
Private
Madison County, New York
Unspecified amount
The Madison County Rural Poverty Fund, managed by the Central New York Community Foundation, aims to address poverty in Madison County, where 10% of residents lived below the federal poverty line in 2018. This fund supports 501(c)(3) nonprofits and organizations serving local communities through capital and program grants, promoting innovative solutions to enhance the quality of life and tackle critical issues related to poverty.
Poverty Alleviation & Services

Alabama Rural Health Transformation Program - Simulation Training Initiative

Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs
State/Local Government
Alabama
Unspecified amount

Alabama Rural Health Transformation Program - Simulation Training Initiative

Funding is intended to support the implementation of Simulation Training Initiative projects that advance program goals related to workforce development, access to care, and improved healthcare quality. Depending on the proposed project, funding may support activities such as the development and expansion  of specialty-based simulation training programs, acquisition of simulation equipment, and implementation of training environments designed to improve provider skills and readiness in rural areas.

All funding under this opportunity is expected to be distributed through a competitive subaward process. Selected applicants will be treated as subrecipients and will be required to comply with all applicable federal, state, and programmatic requirements associated with the award. 

Funding Availability

ADECA anticipates making approximately $1,000,000 available under this NOFO, consistent with the CMS-approved Simulation Training Initiative budget. ADECA intends to make awards under the strategy category described in Section I. The number, size, and distribution of awards will depend on application quality, applicant readiness, geographic distribution, and other factors identified in this NOFO. 

Medical Education & Professional Training

MAF Community Grant

Multnomah Athletic Foundation
Private
Clackamas County, Oregon, Multnomah County, Oregon +1 more
US $7,500 - US $10,000
The Multnomah Athletic Foundation offers community grants aimed at promoting athletic participation among youth, particularly those from underserved communities. By prioritizing access and opportunities, the foundation seeks to enhance confidence and character in young athletes. The funding is unrestricted, encouraging innovative projects that foster sustainable growth in nonprofit organizations. Emphasizing transparency and collaboration, the foundation aims to create equitable outcomes for all participants in the Portland metropolitan area.
Sports & Athletics

27-3786-01 Illinois Cycle Rider Safety Training Program

Illinois Department of Transportation
State/Local Government
Illinois
Unspecified amount

27-3786-01 Illinois Cycle Rider Safety Training Program

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT or “Department”) is seeking Cycle Rider Safety Training Course Providers (“Providers”) to administer Cycle Rider Safety Training Courses to individuals interested in taking a motorcycle safety course. The Cycle Rider Safety Training Program (CRSTP or “Program”) began in 1976 through Public Act 82-649. Since its inception and through partnerships with grantees, the program has trained over 400,000 students in Illinois.

To aid in reducing fatalities and serious injuries on Illinois roads, the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Safety Programs and Engineering (BSPE) administers the CRSTP. Through grantees, the CRSTP offers various levels of motorcycle safety training courses for Illinois residents to reduce motorcycle crashes. Motorcycle users are vulnerable road users and providing training to the community is essential to saving lives. As a benefit, students that pass Entry- or Intermediate-level training will be eligible to receive a course completion card that waives the motorcycle licensing test requirement when presented at the Illinois Secretary of State.

Motorcycle training is a vital component in IDOT’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) ; it focuses on the reduction of motorcyclists’ vulnerabilities while riding. Course content includes how to choose proper safety gear and improve riding techniques. These strategies can help reduce motorcyclist fatalities on Illinois roadways.

The goal of this program is to provide motorcycle training to current and potential motorcycle riders of all skill and experience levels. Courses are available to Illinois residents 16 or older who hold a valid automobile or motorcycle driver’s license. Residents younger than 18 must have written consent from a legal guardian. Program courses shall address safe motorcycling principles, enhancing the knowledge and skills of riders from novice to advanced.

Opportunity Funding

  • $6,000,000.00
Automotive Safety

City of Lawrenceburg Youth Grant

Dearborn Community Foundation Inc
Private
Dearborn County, Indiana
Up to US $8,000

About Us

The Dearborn Community Foundation, Inc., (DCF) is a community foundation, tax-exempt public charity that enables individuals, families, businesses and organizations to fulfill their charitable wishes. DCF builds and safeguards endowments for the community through contributions large and small. The endowment contributions are permanently invested to produce earnings so that these charitable funds make a difference in our community now and forever.

DCF grants support the needs/interests of the Dearborn County community in the fields of community service, social service, education, health, environment and the arts. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the Foundation was able to award grants to non-profit organizations and scholarships to students in our community.

Established in December 1997, members of our community have been turning to DCF, for nearly 20 years now to make their philanthropic dreams come true. The Foundation’s No. 1 job is to carry out the wishes of its donors in perpetuity. That’s exactly what the Foundation does in administering a total of more than 130 endowed and non-endowed funds.

DCF shares your love for its community and is here to help donors achieve charitable wishes. Please visit our Donors page to see how we can help you fulfill your philanthropic goals.

City of Lawrenceburg Youth Grant Program

Serving all Youth within Dearborn County

Maximum grant awards are $8,000 per organization per calendar year.

An advisory committee made up of representatives of the following organizations will advise the Dearborn Community Foundation on grant recommendations among grant applications submitted for consideration:

  • Lawrenceburg Babe Ruth Baseball
  • Lawrenceburg Community Center
  • Lawrenceburg/Greendale Soccer Club
  • Dearborn County 4-H
  • Lawrenceburg Pee Wee Football
  • Lawrenceburg Lions Club
  • Citizens Against Substance Abuse (CASA).
Youth Services

Special Education Consolidated Grant Application (Federal)

Texas Education Agency
State/Local Government
Texas
Unspecified amount

Special Education Consolidated Grant Application (Federal)

IDEA-B Formula provides supplemental resources to help school systems ensure that eligible students (ages 3 through 21) with disabilities are provided with a free appropriate public education as required by federal statute. 

IDEA-B Preschool: provides supplemental resources to help school systems ensure that eligible students (ages 3 through 5) with disabilities are provided with a free appropriate public education as required by federal statute.

IDEA-B Discretionary Deaf helps ensure that eligible students (ages 3 through 21) with disabilities are provided with a free appropriate public education as required by federal statute.

  • The grants in the Special Education Consolidated Grant Application (Federal) provide financial assistance to school systems to help them ensure that:
  • They identify and provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to students with disabilities who are eligible for special education and related services.
  • They protect the rights of students with disabilities and the rights of their parents3
  • They design individualized education programs (IEPs) that meet the needs of students with disabilities and prepare those students for further education, employment, and independent living.
Special Needs Education

Ruth Schooler Memorial Adult Scholarship

Coshocton Foundation
Private
Muskingum County, Ohio
US $1,000

Ruth Schooler Memorial Adult ScholarshipScholarship grants will be awarded to adults (minimum age of 21) who are residents of the area in and around the Village of Frazeyburg, Ohio, who desire education and training for career or advancement in a career in business, nonprofit organizations or government as an executive, administrative or personal assistant; executive secretary, business or office manager, operations manager, chief of staff, clerical assistance, operations manager, information manager or similar position.

Eligibility

In order to qualify, applicants must meet the following criteria and submit the following:

  • Complete application form
  • Proposed curriculum and plan of study in one or a combined of two or more education institutions and degree(s) sough if any;
  • Career plan, including objectives, description of positions(s) sought;
  • Evidence of a commitment, intention and abilities to complete the chose course of study and succeed in the planned career and; information about financial needs, if any.

Business Education

Carolina Foundation for Jewish Seniors Grants

Carolina Foundation for Jewish Seniors
Private
North Carolina, South Carolina
Up to US $50,000
The Carolina Foundation for Jewish Seniors (CFJS) enhances the lives of Jewish seniors in the Carolinas by funding organizations that provide essential services and programs. In 2022, it supported 50 initiatives across 19 nonprofits, addressing health, wellness, and community engagement. CFJS prioritizes collaboration, measurable outcomes, and innovative solutions to combat social isolation among Jewish seniors, making it a unique and dedicated resource for improving their quality of life.
Senior Services

The Genetics Society: Junior Scientist Conference Grant Award (Scheme B)

The Genetics Society UK
Association/Society
United Kingdom
Up to £750
The Genetics Society offers Junior Scientist Conference Grants to support PhD students and postdoctoral members in attending genetics conferences. Established in 1919, the Society promotes genetic research and understanding. Grants cover travel, accommodation, and registration costs for eligible members. The program includes three streams: participation in Genetics Society events, non-Society meetings, and virtual conferences. A focus on presenting research through posters or talks is essential, ensuring members contribute to the field's advancement.
Genetics & Genomics

Private Grants for Nonprofits Highlights

Private grants for nonprofits provide funding from foundations, corporations, and individual donors to support programs and operations. The following grants empower organizations to achieve their missions, scale their impact, and address critical community needs effectively.


Search Instrumentl's Private Grants Database


Discover 8,000+ funding opportunities for nonprofits, with $3.34B available. Instrumentl connects nonprofits to tailored grants from private funders, offering tools for tracking deadlines, customized searches, and insights to maximize impact.

Grant Insights : Private Grants for Nonprofits

Grant Availability

How common are grants in this category?

Quite common — grants in this category are more prevalent than in others.

8,000+ Private grants for nonprofits grants for nonprofits in the United States, from private foundations to corporations seeking to fund grants for nonprofits.

3,000+ Private grants for nonprofits over $25K in average grant size

3,000+ Private grants for nonprofits over $50K in average grant size

1,000+ Private grants for nonprofits supporting general operating expenses

7,000+ Private grants for nonprofits supporting programs / projects

2,000+ Grants on Instrumentl focused on Community Services

600+ Grants on Instrumentl focused on Poverty Alleviation & Services

Grant Deadline Distribution

Over the past year, when are grant deadlines typically due for Private grants for Nonprofits?

Most grants are due in the first quarter.

Q1
29.7%
Q2
24.7%
Q3
23.5%
Q4
22.1%

Typical Funding Amounts

What's the typical grant amount funded for Private Grants for Nonprofits?

Grants are most commonly $32,500.

$0 $0 Min.
$32,500 $32.5 K Median
$633,837 $633.8 K Average
$188,250,000 $188.3 M Max.

Frequently asked questions

Nonprofits working in education, healthcare, arts, social services, and the environment may be eligible for private grants. To be considered, organizations need to align with the mission and values of the donor or foundation offering the grant. Funders look for nonprofits that have strong evidence of making a positive impact on their communities and match their values.

Based on Instrumentl’s live grant database for private grants, grant deadlines are most common in Q1, accounting for 29.7% of all submission dates. The slowest period for new grant opportunities in this category falls in Q4, making it a less competitive time for preparation and strategic planning.

The goal of private grants is for individual donors and foundations to support nonprofits who align with their goals. Some grants support specific projects, while others provide general operating funds to help organizations maintain stability and grow. Funders want to back creative projects with positive impact, ensuring their long-term success.

Funding for private grants varies widely, with award amounts ranging from a minimum of $0 to a maximum of $188,250,000. Based on Instrumentl’s data, the median grant amount for this category is $32,500, while the average grant awarded is $633,837. Understanding these funding trends can help nonprofits set realistic expectations when applying.

Private grants usually come from independent foundations, family foundations, corporate foundations, and individual donors. Well-known funders include the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and Walton Family Foundation, which support a wide range of causes. Some private grants come from smaller, locally focused foundations. Individual donors, including wealthy philanthropists, also fund private grants to causes they are passionate about.

To improve the chances of being awarded private grants, nonprofits should:

  • Research funders carefully – Get to know private funders by learning about their mission, past grant recipients, and funding priorities.
  • Be clear about your goals and expected results – Outline measurable outcomes, how the funds will be used, and what you hope to achieve. Having a history of success can also make your application more convincing.
  • Show financial responsibility – Prove you have good money management and a plan for long-term financial sustainability beyond the grant.
  • Build connections – Meet with grantmakers through networking events, email introductions, or funder Q&As.

Want to improve your private grant prospecting strategy? Master the process with our guide to private grant research.

Instrumentl simplifies the process of applying for private grants by offering an intuitive platform that helps nonprofits discover relevant funding opportunities, track deadlines, and analyze funder-giving patterns. The platform's automated alerts ensure users never miss a deadline, while detailed funder insights help organizations tailor their applications to align with grantor priorities.

Streamline your grant management process with our workflow automation tools.