Search Through Professional Development Grants for Nonprofits in California in the U.S.

Background

Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation seeks to dramatically improve the lives of underserved communities across the globe by supporting scalable, innovative, and impact-first solutions that leverage existing systems and stakeholders. Our goal is to find social entrepreneurs with dynamic products or services that have a proven ability to positively impact the lives of underserved people, and nurture those organizations at the early stages by providing capacity, capital, and community.

Our application process is designed to be open and accessible, and we accept applications year round from across our priority geographies and sectors. Borrowing from our venture capital legacy, we find exceptional entrepreneurs and provide them with: 

Capacity

• The core of DRK’s model is deep and extensive operational and technical support for each portfolio organization, both through dedicated hands-on Board service and specialist capacity-building resources for fundraising, board and organizational development, leadership, financial support, and scaling strategy,

Capital

• DRK provides up to $300,000 USD in either unrestricted grant funding or investment capital over a three-year period, and

Community

• DRK convenes our portfolio and alumni annually, facilitating connections and community. 

What We Fund

DRK Foundation funds early-stage social impact organizations solving the world’s biggest social and environmental problems using bold, scalable approaches.

What stage of growth does DRK Foundation typically fund?

Early stage: Organizations who are early stage, which we define as post-pilot and pre-scale. This typically means: 

• Your program, product or service is already being used in the market or in the field, 
• You have early indication that your model is having its intended impact on the beneficiary populations,
• Your organization is relatively young (ideally between two and five years old, although we will consider both younger and older organizations).

Venture funding: In the case of for profits, we typically support Seed to Series A organizations, and never lead rounds; we also generally but not exclusively refrain from participating in financings exceeding a $15M USD post-money valuation.  

Brightening Our Communities

Today, Edison International is one of the largest corporate philanthropic contributors in Southern California, we partner with local nonprofits and everyday community heroes to brighten our neighborhoods and build a better tomorrow.

Last year, we contributed $20 million in funding to support programs that help communities in our service area shine bright while tackling tough issues, such as improving air quality and access to clean energy solutions, increasing community resilience and disaster preparedness, advocating for increased diversity, equity & inclusion, and helping kids make a difference in the world by studying science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

More than 90% of our giving helps underserved residents, including diverse ethnic groups, seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, women, LGBTQ+ populations and low-income families.

Grants to Make a Difference

Our grant funding aims to assist members of our communities that are often underserved, such as diverse ethnic groups, seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, women, low-income and LGBTQ+ populations.

Our Giving Priorities

Education

We believe education has the power to change lives, communities, and the world. Education receives the most funding of our focus areas to support educational programs designed to help keep kids engaged in school while opening doors to higher education.

We look for education programs that emphasize science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in middle school, high school, and college levels, including tutoring, scholarships, and college-access programs.

The Environment

Our commitment to protecting the environment began decades ago and is deeply rooted in our company culture and focus to be a clean energy leader for our region and state.

We are uniting with nonprofits that have the passion and expertise to help shift environmental issues impacting our state and the world, such as improving Southern California's air quality, conserving green spaces for future generations, preserving and restoring habitats, and creating healthier communities by increasing access to green jobs and clean energy solutions.

Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness

Natural disasters can strike suddenly, anywhere and at any time. Earthquakes pose a real and ongoing threat, while wildfires have become an urgent problem with devastating consequences for all Californians.

Edison is committed to protecting our communities and helping families be prepared for natural and human-caused disasters. We support programs focused on electrical safety, emergency/disaster preparedness, community resiliency and wildfire safety and mitigation for our most vulnerable community members.

Civic Engagement

We believe that the ability to lead the transformation of the electric power industry toward a clean energy future relies on the diversity of our team and a society that enables all people to thrive.

To reflect our values, we partner with organizations that are deeply rooted in community advocacy and engagement while providing services such as workforce development and career pathway programs, professional and civic engagement leadership, youth mentoring, and capacity building for local nonprofits with an emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion.

The Majestic Realty Foundation

As developers, Majestic Realty Co. builds business parks that serve communities across 13 states. Indeed, this perspective gives our employees unique insight into grassroots community needs. The Majestic Realty Foundation grew out of our realization that community needs were growing rapidly. We saw that great numbers of youth and families were at risk from increasing gang-related violence. We saw that homelessness and hunger impacted more families than ever; plus high school drop-out rates reach epidemic proportions. But we also saw that together, we could make a difference.

In 2002, our company’s longstanding tradition of corporate giving was formalized with the launch of the Majestic Realty Foundation – now the cornerstone of our community investment program. As builders first, we know the value of creating communities of promise, where families and businesses know that their futures are secure and bright. To this end, we have devoted time and resources to build collaborations and provide professional training to help local nonprofits increase their capacities.

Our Mission

Realizing the responsibilities of an industry leader, The Majestic Realty Foundation provides support to our local communities in five key investment areas:

• Youth
• Education
• Family
• Health
• Violence Prevention

Our Vision

To create a legacy and a model for a financially and operationally sustainable foundation that leverages our capabilities to enhance the quality of life in our communities.

Guiding Principles

• Vision
• Leadership
• Passion
• Commitment
• Caring
• Creativity
• Collaboration

Majestic Realty Foundation Fast Facts

• Established in 2002 to move Majestic Realty from passive to active philanthropy
• Our flagship program, the Los Angeles Youth Leadership Council, brings together students from inner city youth centers for leadership training activities
• National organizations are funded across several geographic markets, including Ronald McDonald House, Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCAs and local Children’s Hospitals
• The Foundation links excess inventory from Majestic Realty clients with organizations in need
• “Get on Board” campaign enables Majestic employees to serve on more than 40 charitable boards, strengthening the nonprofit sector in our communities
• Thousands of hours of volunteer service directed to worthy community-based organizations

Active Philanthropy

We embrace the concept of “active philanthropy,” viewing our involvement as much more than just writing checks to grantees. Instead, we look for strategic nonprofit partners in our communities. In addition to our financial contributions, we take leadership roles in local organizations, donate countless hours and recruit the resources of our clients, vendors, brokers and others, to help meet the many needs in our communities.

Building a Brighter Future, One Student at a Time

In Southern California, the Majestic Realty Foundation’s commitment to active philanthropy is clearly demonstrated through its flagship program, the Los Angeles Youth Leadership Council (LAYLC). As a leadership and teambuilding collaborative, LAYLC brings together 80 high school student leaders from 43 separate LA schools. Each attends one of six inner-city youth centers: the Bresee Foundation, El Centro del Pueblo, Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA), Para Los Niños, Salesian Boys & Girls Club and The Salvation Army Red Shield Center. Through monthly meetings and enrichment activities, the LAYLC empowers students from Los Angeles’ most challenged neighborhoods to develop and apply leadership skills through participation in an annual camp, college tours and forums with high-profile guest speakers. Additionally, students receive training in public speaking, economic literacy and civic affairs.

The Majestic Realty Foundation believes that youth centers have the power to curb youth violence, develop strong leaders and create safe communities.

Driven by a Shared Passion

As a vital part of our corporate culture, the employees of Majestic Realty Co., Majestic Management Co. and Commerce Construction Co., L.P., volunteer thousands of hours for community organizations. Whether taking part in charity walkathons, collecting shoes and sponsoring community-wide days of service, Majestic/Commerce employees have ongoing opportunities to serve those in need, and they never fail to turn out in great numbers. We realize that our team members are our greatest asset. Through the Foundation’s innovative “Get on Board” campaign, Majestic employees freely give their time and talents by serving in leadership positions on nonprofit boards. In fact, currently our employees serve on more than 46 nonprofit boards.

Types of Giving – Restricted or Unrestricted Grants

Restricted- Grants Limited to Specific Program

Unrestricted – General Operating Funds

Challenge Grants – Matching Fund Campaign for Specific Programs

Overview

The Oak Woodlands Conservation Program offers landowners, conservation organizations, cities and counties, an opportunity to obtain funding for projects designed to conserve and restore California's oak woodlands. While the Program is statewide in nature, it provides opportunities to address oak woodland issues on a regional priority basis.

The Program is designed to help local efforts achieve oak woodland protection. More importantly, this Program provides a mechanism to bring ranchers and conservationists together in a manner that allows both to achieve that which is so valued - sustainable ranch and farming operations and healthy oak woodlands.

Eligible Easement Acquisition, Restoration or Long-Term Agreement Projects

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 1363, the Act requires that no less than 80 percent of the funds be used for the following type of projects:

Grants for the purchase of oak woodland easements.

The holder of the conservation easement shall ensure, on an annual basis that the conservation easement conditions have been met for that year. To facilitate this annual review, a Baseline Condition Report shall be prepared that identifies the biological resources that are present on the property and covered under the conservation easement. The Act requires that priority be given to projects designed to protect oak woodlands in perpetuity with conservation easements.

Grants for restoration or enhancement projects.

Project proposals must contain an appropriate management plan that describes the restoration effort and the management practices that will be used to ensure the restoration or enhancement effort achieves the goals of the landowner and the goals of the project.

Grant for long-term leases.

Projects are designed to protect oak woodlands for purposes of open space, viewshed, wildlife habitat or alternative grazing opportunities. Such leases must be managed according to a management plan prepared to meet the goals stated in the long-term lease or project agreement. 

Grants for cost-sharing incentive payments. 

Projects designed to achieve conservation objectives and the landowner is willing to enter into long-term agreements. Such agreements shall include management practices that benefit the goals of the landowner and the oak woodlands. The length of the long-term agreement will be dependent upon the nature of the project, the goals of the landowner and benefits to the oak woodlands. Typical long-term agreements could run 15, to 45-years. Cost-share incentive payments could include, but are not necessarily limited to the following:

• Compensation for not cutting trees for firewood.
• Long-term payment to keep the land in open space, managed according to a plan designed to benefit the landowner and the oak woodlands.
• Reimbursement for conservation improvements such as fencing, solar panels, grazing cages to protect young oak saplings, alternative water sources, tree planting and tree maintenance.
• Compensation for alternative grazing practices such as up-front payments to defer grazing on restoration areas.
• Areas would be managed according to a plan designed to benefit the goals of the landowner and the restoration of the oak woodlands.

Applicants are encouraged to seek input from the local Fish and Game Biologist or other resource professionals when developing proposals that request funding for conservation easements, development of management plans or long-term agreements.

Eligible Public Education, Outreach and Technical Assistance Projects

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 1363, the Act allows for 20 percent of the funds to be used for the following type of projects:

• Grants for public education and outreach by local governments, park and open space districts, resource conservation districts and nonprofit organizations.
• Assistance to local government entities, park and open space districts, resource conservation districts and nonprofit organization for the development and implementation of oak conservation elements in local general plans.
• Technical Assistance.

The Community Foundation for Monterey County (CFMC) embraces a countywide vision of Healthy, Safe and Vibrant communities. The CFMC’s grant programs focus on the people and places of Monterey County, California, highlighting impact and seeking measurable results. CFMC’s Organizational Development (OD) Grants can help organizations make progress in addressing unique, non-recurring management or leadership situations or to significantly strengthen their internal functioning and therefore ability to advance their mission.

Grant Awards

Organizational Development (OD) Grants support focused, strategic projects that strengthen a nonprofit’s ability to be resilient now and in the future.

Through a boost from an Organizational Development (OD) grant, Monterey County nonprofits can make progress on unique, non-recurring management or leadership situations.

Recent Examples of Successful Projects:

An established organization significantly grew volunteer and donor engagement by investing in CRM (Customer Relationship Management) improvements and staff training to implement the new system. Upgrading from manual to automated systems resulted in organizational efficiencies that allowed more time to accomplish its mission.

A growing organization with a history of community impact designed a comprehensive project with a professional consultant to guide its staff and board through a founder’s leadership transition. The consultant mentored incoming leaders and facilitated a program of transition for continuity and institutional knowledge.

An emerging organization received funding for a consultant to facilitate its first-ever strategic planning process. The board identified five priority areas and created work groups around them. As a result, members felt energized and more connected to each other and the mission and vision of the organization.

Characteristics- Proposals meet eligibility requirements and

• Demonstrate a vision for organizational growth.
• Clearly describe what will be different about the organization as a result of the capacity building project and how success will be measured.
• Include realistic budgets that demonstrate comprehensive support for the project’s success.
• Detail a plan that makes sense with the necessary financial and human resources for implementation.
• Leaders take an active role and are guided by assessment, feedback, learning and improvement.

We have strong partnerships with nonprofit organizations across the country that are working to advance economic mobility and social progress in low- and moderate-income communities. Our focus areas include basic needs like food and housing, workforce development and education, and community development. In addition to our philanthropic investments, we also encourage our employees to make a difference by offering robust employee giving and volunteering programs, including the opportunity to direct funds to organizations they support through volunteer efforts, and a matching gifts program that doubles their individual giving to causes they care about. Last year, we invested $350 million in the communities we serve, and employees contributed more than 1 million volunteer hours and directed $65 million through individual giving and matching gifts to support nonprofits.Through our regional U.S. sponsorships, we support the economic, social and cultural life of the places we live and work. We provide an extensive program of arts and sports sponsorships to help maintain vibrant, healthy communities.Sponsorships supporting communitiesBank of America welcomes your sponsorship proposal for opportunities that make our communities a better place to live and work. We are particularly interested in providing support to address needs vital to the health of our communities through a focus on:

• preserving neighborhoods;
• educating the workforce for 21st century jobs;
• addressing critical needs such as hunger and emergency shelter;
• arts and culture;
• the environment; and
• diversity and inclusion programs.

Grants are made at the Foundation’s discretion based on our current funding strategies focused on housing, jobs and hunger. 

Our Mission

The Tony Robbins Foundation is a nonprofit organization created to empower individuals and organizations to make a significant difference in the quality of life of people often forgotten.

We’re dedicated to creating positive changes in the lives of youth, seniors, the hungry, homeless and the imprisoned population, all who need a boost envisioning a happier and deeply satisfying way of life. Our passionate staff, generous donors and caring group of international volunteers provide the vision, inspiration, and resources needed to empower these important members of our society.

Grants

Dedicated to meeting challenges within the global community, creating solutions and taking action, The Tony Robbins Foundation provides monetary donations to various organizations around the world. Funding requests are evaluated on an ongoing basis. We look for organizations that align with our mission to empower individuals and organizations to make a significant difference in the quality of life of those often forgotten.

The Quick Grant program supports artists and arts organizations' financial resilience through professional development support.

The Quick Grant program awards professional development funds to San Francisco and San José nonprofit arts organization staff and California artists, creatives, cultural practitioners, and cultural producers to enroll in workshops, attend conferences, and work with consultants, coaches, and mentors in order to build administrative capacity, hone business skills, and strengthen the financial resilience of an organization, artistic practice, or area of cultural production.

Awards

Artists, creatives, cultural practitioners, and cultural producers meeting eligibility requirements may receive one award, per CCI fiscal year, of up to $600 to participate in approved professional development activities.

Nonprofit arts organization staff members, including board and key volunteers, meeting eligibility requirements may receive one award, per CCI fiscal year, of up to $600 to participate in approved professional development activities. Up to two individual staff members may receive funding per organization per CCI fiscal year

Background

The Santa Barbara Foundation believes that every child deserves safe and quality child care and education. The quality of child care is important as it directly impacts a child’s development, including the ability to learn and to build healthy relationships.

The demand for child care services exceeds the supply of available spots. This has led to an increased need for child care providers. However, if providers are unable to staff their centers adequately, they must limit the number of children they can care for, to assure compliance and quality, resulting in higher prices for the available spots. The limited supply of child care services can drive up costs for parents, who can find themselves spending over a third of their household income.

To increase organizational capacity amongst nonprofit child care providers and meet the critical needs of our communities’ youngest members, the Santa Barbara Foundation is offering a grants program in support of quality early care and education programs and the services that support and enable their success. This year’s grant cycle will support the Foundation’s Build Up Santa Barbara County Child Care Initiative by focusing funds on child care sector resiliency efforts that strengthen the childcare system in the County of Santa Barbara.

Child Care

The Santa Barbara Foundation offers Child Care grants of up to $15,000 to increase capacity among nonprofit child care providers in Santa Barbara County to meet the critical needs of young children and set the stage for lifelong learning success. This year’s grant will also focus on supporting providers in leadership and professional development, family engagement, and strategies that promote equitable access to quality child care. Grants will be awarded to nonprofit child care providers serving children 0-5 years of age.

Focus

The Santa Barbara Foundation’s intent in offering this funding is to support and strengthen child care providers (for children between birth and five years of age) and the integral direct service providers that support them. The proposal must address one or more of the following areas:

Childcare Workforce Pathway and Skill Development

• Increase the number of qualified infant and toddler workforce professionals in the County. Strategies may include:
  • developing or participating in coaching and mentoring programs to enhance skills;
  • increasing the number of staff seeking infant/toddler qualifications who enroll in Early Childhood Education units;
  • collaborating with other service providers or child care organizations (i.e., SBCEO Child Care Planning Council, Children’s Resource and Referral of SBC, etc.);

Supportive Organizational Business Model

• Building a supporting organizational climate may include:
  • through leadership professional development, facilitate the creation of new, licensed infant and toddler childcare spaces in Santa Barbara County.
  • increasing the ability to interpret data for goal setting for future program direction;
  • participating in technical assistance program that will support with facility grant applications, help in seuring lease or purchase agreements for operators, provide facility design recommendations, and help in navigating the planning and development system. participating in a sustainable technical assistance model that integrates business sustainability best practices;
  • assuring the successful day to day operation of a center; and
  • advocating for teachers.

Family Engagement

• Strategies should be cognizant of incorporating a family’s composition, language, and culture into their approach of collaborating with them. Applicants should clearly indentify a proven family engagement strategy to build relationships between themselves and families to maximize a child’s success. Strategies may include:
  • promoting partnerships with families;
  • fostering family leadership; and
  • building support and opportunities for families to foster their engagement in their child’s development and education.

Building Content Specific Areas of Leadership

• Strategies may include the following:
  • promoting fair and equitable access to child care opportunities;
  • systems thinking;
  • effective strategies for working with English language learners (ELL’s); and
  • working with special populations including special needs, homeless and foster children, or addressing other evident emerging needs.

Priorities

Priority will be given to organizations that:

• Increase Child Care Workforce Pathway and Skill Development; support career paths for early care and education professionals, foster leadership and ongoing professional development opportunities, and other strategies that will attract and retain high-quality educators;
• Foster an organizational business model to retain and support Child Care Workforce;
• Support child health, nutrition, and social-emotional well-being in a language-rich learning environment that respects diversity;
• Demonstrate adoption of, or progress toward the use of, best practices for parent engagement, such as Standard 7: Families in NAEYC Program Standards and/or the Protective Factors Framework;
• Demonstrate participation in, or a plan toward participating in, the Santa Barbara County’s Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) and/or the NAEYC Accreditation process; and
• Demonstrate engagement and or alignment with community-wide child development goals, i.e. CAPC, Child Care Planning Council, etc.

Please see FAQs for additional guidelines.

Battlefield Preservation Fund

Grants from the Battlefield Preservation Fund will serve as a catalyst to stimulate efforts to preserve battlefields, viewsheds, and related historic structures and to leverage fund-raising activities.

Eligible Activities

National Trust Preservation Fund grants are awarded for planning activities and education efforts focused on preservation. Grant funds can be used to launch new initiatives or to provide additional support to on-going efforts.

Planning

Supporting existing staff (nonprofit applicants only) or obtaining professional expertise in areas such as architecture, archaeology, engineering, preservation planning, land-use planning, and law. Eligible planning activities include, but are not limited to:

• Hiring a preservation architect or landscape architect, or funding existing staff with expertise in these areas, to produce a historic structure report or historic landscape master plan.
• Hiring a preservation planner, or funding existing staff with expertise in this area, to produce design guidelines for a historic district.
• Hiring a real estate development consultant, or funding existing staff with expertise in this area, to produce an economic feasibility study for the reuse of a threatened structure.
• Sponsoring a community forum to develop a shared vision for the future of a historic neighborhood.
• Organizational capacity building activities such as hiring fundraising consultants, conducting board training, etc.

Education and Outreach

Support for preservation education activities aimed at the public. The National Trust is particularly interested in programs aimed at reaching new audiences. Funding will be provided to projects that employ innovative techniques and formats aimed at introducing new audiences to the preservation movement, whether that be through education programming or conference sessions.

Guidelines

Grants from National Trust Preservation Funds (NTPF) are intended to encourage preservation at the local level by supporting on-going preservation work and by providing seed money for preservation projects. These grants help stimulate public discussion, enable local groups to gain the technical expertise needed for preservation projects, introduce the public to preservation concepts and techniques, and encourage financial participation by the private sector.

A small grant at the right time can go a long way and is often the catalyst that inspires a community to take action on a preservation project. Grants generally start at $2,500 and range up to $5,000. The selection process is very competitive.

Eligible Activities

National Trust Preservation Fund grants are awarded for planning activities and education efforts focused on preservation. Grant funds can be used to launch new initiatives or to provide additional support to on-going efforts.

Planning: Supporting existing staff (nonprofit applicants only) or obtaining professional expertise in areas such as architecture, archaeology, engineering, preservation planning, land-use planning, and law. Eligible planning activities include, but are not limited to:

• Hiring a preservation architect or landscape architect, or funding existing staff with expertise in these areas, to produce a historic structure report or historic landscape master plan.
• Hiring a preservation planner, or funding existing staff with expertise in this area, to produce design guidelines for a historic district.
• Hiring a real estate development consultant, or funding existing staff with expertise in this area, to produce an economic feasibility study for the reuse of a threatened structure.
• Sponsoring a community forum to develop a shared vision for the future of a historic neighborhood.
• Organizational capacity building activities such as hiring fundraising consultants, conducting board training, etc.

Education and Outreach: Support for preservation education activities aimed at the public. The National Trust is particularly interested in programs aimed at reaching new audiences. Funding will be provided to projects that employ innovative techniques and formats aimed at introducing new audiences to the preservation movement, whether that be through education programming or conference sessions.

Investing in Our Communities

At Bank of Marin:

• We believe that doing our part to build a stronger community for all is essential to our collective success
• We strive to support nonprofits that foster community and economic vitality, equitable access to educational resources and an enriched quality of life.
• We commit to being a collaborative community partner through focused leadership, volunteerism, giving and financial education.

Since opening our doors in 1990, the Bank and its employees have donated millions of dollars, served on hundreds of nonprofit boards/committees and volunteered thousands of hours to local philanthropic endeavors.

Each year, Bank of Marin donates at least 1% of pre-tax profit to positively impact the communities we serve. We have been named a “Top Corporate Philanthropist in the Bay Area” by the San Francisco Business Times since 2003, and was recognized as a community leader as a recipient of the North Bay Business Journal’s Corporate Philanthropy award from its inception in 2014 until the award program was retired in 2020.

Grant Funding Priorities

Social & Economic Vitality:

Foster a thriving economy and community by supporting efforts to meet basic needs.

Organization and programs related to:

• Basic needs and social safety net programs,
• economic development,
• affordable housing, and
• small business support, especially BIPOC and women-owned business.

Education

Enable youth and adults to gain the skills to thrive personally and professionally.

Organization and programs related to:

• youth and professional development programs,
• access gaps in education (especially S.T.E.A.M. education) and professional development, and
• youth mentorship, college preparedness and academic success.

Enrichment & Wellness

Enhance quality of life and provide access to health and wellness programs.

Organization and programs related to:

• access to arts and cultural experiences,
• animal rescue and animal-human therapy,
• disability programs, and
• environment and sustainability.

Grant Opportunities

Ability Central makes grants to improve communication and information access for people who are Deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent. Since 2010, Ability Central has provided more than $12.5 million in support of 200+ projects, serving more than 555,000 people with disabilities.

We value our grantees as partners and provide practical support in addition to our funding. We encourage the input, collaboration, and knowledge exchange of our partners through regular communication and grantee meetings. Additionally, we uplift and highlight the impact of our grantee partners throughout our digital presence, at conferences, in our newsletter, and in our annual impact report. We also require grantees to participate in at least one in-person grantee gathering during the year of their grant award, and another one the following year, to share ideas, needs, and lessons with other grantees.

Our 2024 funding cycle for Communication Access projects encourages leadership development projects, healthcare training projects, and innovation and digital accessibility improvement for people with communication disabilities. We award our major grants on an annual basis. 

Communication Access Grants

Innovation and digital accessibility projects.

Our major funding encourages the implementation of innovative technologies, services, and solutions benefiting people with disabilities.

Ability Central defines innovation as the development of a new concept into a valuable solution that expands access for people with disabilities when applied and scaled. We encourage innovation with the potential to impact people far beyond the initial study or pilot participants.

Digital accessibility makes it easier for people with communication disabilities to access information, communicate effectively, engage in app-based programs, and participate fully in the digital world.

Developing and training healthcare professionals in strategies and tools that improve access to care for people with communication disabilities.

We are looking for projects to develop, train, and implement resources and programmatic models for people with disabilities who communicate and access information via methods such as braille, screen readers, American Sign Language (ASL), tactile interpreters, co-navigators, and/or Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).

This project is intended to train and equip healthcare professionals and healthcare systems with the knowledge, accessible resources, and multi-modal communication partner strategies to improve culturally responsive care for patients with communication disabilities and their care teams. These projects should be replicable and include people with disabilities in the planning, training, and implementation.

Career and leadership development projects for people with communication disabilities.

We are seeking strong, scalable, and replicable projects that provide supportive and fairly-compensated career training opportunities for people with communication disabilities.

Georgia-Pacific Foundation

Established in 1958, the Georgia-Pacific Foundation sets aside resources to improve life in the communities where we operate. We’ve worked with thousands of outstanding community-based programs, service projects and disaster relief efforts, focusing our investment in four areas we believe make the most impact:

• education,
• environment,
• enrichment and
• entrepreneurship.

Investment Priorities

• Aligns with GP’s mission and values
• Aligns with GP’s Four Focus Areas of giving: Education, Environment, Enrichment of Community and Entrepreneurship
• Serves communities where GP has manufacturing facilities
• Creates value by contributing to and positively impacting long term well-being and sustainability of GP communities

The Lawrence Foundation is a private family foundation focused on making grants to support environmental, human services and other causes.

The Lawrence Foundation was established in mid-2000. We make both program and operating grants and do not have any geographical restrictions on our grants. Nonprofit organizations that qualify for public charity status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or other similar organizations are eligible for grants from The Lawrence Foundation.  

Grant Amount and Types

Grants typically range between $5,000 - $10,000. In some limited cases we may make larger grants, but that is typically after we have gotten to know your organization over a period of time. We also generally don’t make multi-year grants, although we may fund the same organization on a year by year basis over a period of years.

General operating or program/project grant requests within our areas of interests are accepted. In general, regardless of whether a grant request is for general operating or program/project expenses, all of our grants will be issued as unrestricted grants.

Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation Grant

The Foundation will consider requests to support museums, cultural and performing arts programs; schools and hospitals; educational, skills-training and other programs for youth, seniors, and persons with disabilities; environmental and wildlife protection activities; and other community-based organizations and programs.

Legal Services Program

The BFF Legal Services Program originated from a query about the role of and definition of “safety net” organizations. Following the financial crisis of 2007-2008, the founders of BFF began to explore the various different types of non-profits that were called to action to help those most impacted by the Great Recession. Alongside medical clinics, food banks and shelters, legal services representatives worked tirelessly to help their clients.  

From this origin, BFF began to explore the role of legal services both as a “safety net provider” and as a poverty alleviation tool. Based on a metric created by the Robin Hood Foundation and on impact report submitted by over a dozen different types of organizations, it became apparent to us that legal aid is, dollar for dollar, more effective than all other anti-poverty interventions. Time and time again when we read the Social Return on Investment reports (SROIs) from our grantees, we are both amazed and impressed with their outcomes.

I & R Grants

Our I & R Grants target projects and programs that are both innovative and replicable. We support these grants to allow legal services leaders to test new models that have the potential to help their individual organizations and when replicated, to help their peer organizations. 

This includes, but is not limited to, new strategy-focused projects designed to enhance the effectiveness of an organization to answer questions posed by either the organization or by the legal services sector.

Sector Supporting Grants

"": Organizations that do not generally provide direct legal services programs, but provide technical assistance and substantive back-up to the direct services programs. They provide support service to legal services offices in the following areas: training, technical assistance, research and advocacy. Examples include: 

• Support Centers
• Think Tanks
• Design Labs 
• Impact Litigation

: In an effort to support the legal services sector and ensure a strong and consistent pipeline of new legal services staff, we support grants that focus on recruitment & retention of legal services professionals. Examples of such grants include:

• Public Services Loan Forgiveness Programs
• Loan Assistance Repayment Programs
• Fellowships
• Staff Well-Being

: We fund advocacy work that supports to the legal service sector. 

Welcoming Immigrants at America’s Public Libraries

Library Innovation Lab provides an intensive professional development experience for public library professionals who want to better meet the lifelong learning needs of immigrant communities through innovative cultural programs. Each year, ten librarians participate in the cohort learning program. Meetings are conducted virtually.

Over the course of one year, with support from experienced mentors and peers, the cohort learns more about the immigrants in their communities. They design new events to engage these communities through public humanities programs while gaining skills in project management, collaborative program design, and sustainable community partnerships.

Each cohort member’s library receives a grant of up to $6,000 to support program costs.

About the Motorola Solutions Foundation

At Motorola Solutions, we are good citizens by design. Our work makes a difference in the critical moments that shape lives, businesses and the world, but our contributions don’t end there. The Motorola Solutions Foundation acts as the charitable and philanthropic arm of Motorola Solutions and focuses on giving back to the community through strategic grants, employee volunteerism and other community investment initiatives. The Foundation is one of the many ways in which the company lives out its purpose to help people be their best in the moments that matter.

Grant Program Focus

The Motorola Solutions Foundation, which has donated $100 million over the past 10 years, aims to partner with organizations that are creating safer cities and thriving communities, and prioritizes underrepresented and/or underserved populations, including people of color and women, within the three focus areas below:

• Technology and engineering education
• First responder programming
• Blended first responder programming and technology/engineering education programs

Overarching Priorities

• Reach people of color, women and other underrepresented and/or underserved populations within our focus areas
• Leverage robust partnerships with other nonprofit organizations and institutions
• Support organizations that exhibit strong financial health
• Support organizations with data-driven evaluation methods, including quantifiable metrics

Focus Areas

First Responder Programming

• Provide leadership development and training opportunities for underrepresented first responders, including people of color and women
• Provide mental wellness and stress management trainings for first responders and their families
• Provide wellness and scholarship support to families of fallen first responders
• Prepare youth and young adults for careers in public safety through outreach, scholarship and educational programs
• Offer safety preparedness and response training to schools, adults, students and first responders
• Lead safety and disaster preparedness trainings for the public

Technology & Engineering Education

• Engage students in innovative, hands-on technology and engineering activities, such as design, coding and robotics
• Provide vocational skills, scholarships, certifications and workforce placement opportunities in engineering, information technology and data science
• Equip teachers with the skills and training necessary to enhance instruction in technology and engineering
• Prioritize school-aged students ages 8-18, college/university students and young adults

What does this program do?

This program is designed to provide technical assistance and training for small rural businesses. Small means that the business has fewer than 50 new workers and less than $1 million in gross revenue.

What is an eligible area?

Rural Business Development Grant money must be used for projects that benefit rural areas or towns outside the urbanized periphery of any city with a population of 50,000 or more. Check eligible areas. 

What kind of funding is available?

There is no maximum grant amount; however, smaller requests are given higher priority. There is no cost sharing requirement. There are two types of RBDG projects, Opportunity grants and Enterprise grants.

• Opportunity type grants are limited to up to 10 percent of the total Rural Business Development Grant annual funding.
• Enterprise type grants must be used on projects to benefit small and emerging businesses in rural areas as specified in the grant application.

How may Enterprise type funds be used?

Enterprise grants must be used on projects to benefit small and emerging businesses in rural areas as specified in the grant application. Uses may include:

• Training and technical assistance, such as project planning, business counseling and training, market research, feasibility studies, professional or/technical reports, or producer service improvements.
• Acquisition or development of land, easements, or rights of way; construction, conversion, renovation of buildings; plants, machinery, equipment, access for streets and roads; parking areas and utilities.
• Pollution control and abatement.
• The capitalization of revolving loan funds, including funds that will make loans for start-ups and working capital.
• Rural distance learning for job training and advancement for adult students.
• Rural transportation improvement.
• Community economic development.
• Technology-based economic development.
• Feasibility studies and business plans.
• Leadership and entrepreneur training.
• Rural business incubators.
• Long-term business strategic planning.

How may Opportunity type funds be used?

• Community economic development.
• Technology-based economic development.
• Feasibility studies and business plans.
• Leadership and entrepreneur training.
• Rural business incubators.
• Long-term business strategic planning.

Community Arts Grants

The City of Carlsbad Cultural Arts Division serves to encourage, develop and facilitate an enriched environment of artistic, creative and cultural activity in Carlsbad and the North San Diego County region. As a component of many services and activities, the city manages funding programs to provide financial support to organizations, schools and individuals for various projects through a competitive application and review process. 

Guidelines

The City of Carlsbad Cultural Arts Office serves to encourage, develop and facilitate an enriched environment of artistic, creative and cultural activity in the City of Carlsbad and the North San Diego County region. The Cultural Arts Office manages funding programs to provide financial support to organizations, schools and individuals for various projects through a competitive application and review process. These projects benefit the community through an array of activities for schools, artists and organizations. The Community Arts Grants program was identified for continued and increasing support by the Carlsbad City Council through the 2018 Arts & Culture Master Plan.

The City of Carlsbad’s Community Arts Grants program supports quality arts and cultural programming that promotes the representation and participation of diverse groups of individuals, including and not limited to people of differing abilities, class, generations, ethnicities and races, gender identities, religious or spiritual beliefs, sexual orientations, or veteran status.

Our mission supports the following values:

• Provide inclusive opportunities for arts & culture experiences for Carlsbad students and residents reducing/eliminating barriers for participation.
• Provide arts education and lifelong learning opportunities for all ages.
• Support local and regional arts organizations as an important component of the economy and quality of life in Carlsbad and North San Diego County.
• Support arts education in schools and through affiliated organizations.
• Develop and support organizational strength and capacity of Carlsbad arts organizations.
• Encourage new and emerging artists, arts organizations and programs in Carlsbad, CA.
• Celebrate Carlsbad as an exciting, vibrant and creative destination for residents and visitors alike.
• Acknowledge indigenous land and cultural awareness in the Carlsbad community.

Applications were accepted in three categories:

• Arts organizations: arts projects
• Emerging arts organizations
• Educational institutions or affiliated groups 

Community Arts Grants

The City of Carlsbad Cultural Arts Division serves to encourage, develop and facilitate an enriched environment of artistic, creative and cultural activity in Carlsbad and the North San Diego County region. As a component of many services and activities, the city manages funding programs to provide financial support to organizations, schools and individuals for various projects through a competitive application and review process. 

Guidelines

The City of Carlsbad Cultural Arts Office serves to encourage, develop and facilitate an enriched environment of artistic, creative and cultural activity in the City of Carlsbad and the North San Diego County region. The Cultural Arts Office manages funding programs to provide financial support to organizations, schools and individuals for various projects through a competitive application and review process. These projects benefit the community through an array of activities for schools, artists and organizations. The Community Arts Grants program was identified for continued and increasing support by the Carlsbad City Council through the 2018 Arts & Culture Master Plan.

The City of Carlsbad’s Community Arts Grants program supports quality arts and cultural programming that promotes the representation and participation of diverse groups of individuals, including and not limited to people of differing abilities, class, generations, ethnicities and races, gender identities, religious or spiritual beliefs, sexual orientations, or veteran status.

Our mission supports the following values:

• Provide inclusive opportunities for arts & culture experiences for Carlsbad students and residents reducing/eliminating barriers for participation.
• Provide arts education and lifelong learning opportunities for all ages.
• Support local and regional arts organizations as an important component of the economy and quality of life in Carlsbad and North San Diego County.
• Support arts education in schools and through affiliated organizations.
• Develop and support organizational strength and capacity of Carlsbad arts organizations.
• Encourage new and emerging artists, arts organizations and programs in Carlsbad, CA.
• Celebrate Carlsbad as an exciting, vibrant and creative destination for residents and visitors alike.
• Acknowledge indigenous land and cultural awareness in the Carlsbad community.

Applications were accepted in three categories:

• Arts organizations: arts projects
• Emerging arts organizations
• Educational institutions or affiliated groups 

Community Arts Grants

The City of Carlsbad Cultural Arts Division serves to encourage, develop and facilitate an enriched environment of artistic, creative and cultural activity in Carlsbad and the North San Diego County region. As a component of many services and activities, the city manages funding programs to provide financial support to organizations, schools and individuals for various projects through a competitive application and review process. 

Guidelines

The City of Carlsbad Cultural Arts Office serves to encourage, develop and facilitate an enriched environment of artistic, creative and cultural activity in the City of Carlsbad and the North San Diego County region. The Cultural Arts Office manages funding programs to provide financial support to organizations, schools and individuals for various projects through a competitive application and review process. These projects benefit the community through an array of activities for schools, artists and organizations. The Community Arts Grants program was identified for continued and increasing support by the Carlsbad City Council through the 2018 Arts & Culture Master Plan.

The City of Carlsbad’s Community Arts Grants program supports quality arts and cultural programming that promotes the representation and participation of diverse groups of individuals, including and not limited to people of differing abilities, class, generations, ethnicities and races, gender identities, religious or spiritual beliefs, sexual orientations, or veteran status.

Our mission supports the following values:

• Provide inclusive opportunities for arts & culture experiences for Carlsbad students and residents reducing/eliminating barriers for participation.
• Provide arts education and lifelong learning opportunities for all ages.
• Support local and regional arts organizations as an important component of the economy and quality of life in Carlsbad and North San Diego County.
• Support arts education in schools and through affiliated organizations.
• Develop and support organizational strength and capacity of Carlsbad arts organizations.
• Encourage new and emerging artists, arts organizations and programs in Carlsbad, CA.
• Celebrate Carlsbad as an exciting, vibrant and creative destination for residents and visitors alike.
• Acknowledge indigenous land and cultural awareness in the Carlsbad community.

Applications were accepted in three categories:

• Arts organizations: arts projects
• Emerging arts organizations
• Educational institutions or affiliated groups 

2025 AANHPI Grant Guidelines: Supporting Well-Being for AANHPI Youth for San Diego

About the AANHPI Fund

Comprising 16.2% of San Diego County’s total population, the region’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community is one of the largest and most diverse in the U.S. However, these individuals are often treated as a monolith or a group of people who are thought to be the same, which masks the disparities in health, education, income and social inclusion that exist across different AANHPI subgroups.

In 2024, San Diego Foundation (SDF) launched the AANHPI Fund with a $2.5 million endowment from the SDF Board of Governors. The AANHPI Fund celebrates the diversity of the AANHPI community and works with donors and community leaders to invest directly in solutions that address the challenges faced by AANHPI communities.

Background

In 2024, the new State of San Diego AANHPI Report commissioned by SDF revealed significant disparities in outcomes across AANHPI communities and highlighted a critical need to support the well-being of AANHPI youth ages 15-24.

The report found that suicide is the leading cause of death for AANHPI individuals ages 15-24 in California and that 30 percent of AANHPI community members reported difficulties accessing health services due to financial cost, lack of awareness about available options, limited insurance coverage and limited English proficiency. The report also highlighted a critical need for AANHPI mental health professionals who can offer culturally and linguistically appropriate care. For many AANHPI individuals, the absence of services available in native languages and the shortage of mental health providers with expertise in first-generation or immigrant care further deepens the gap in accessing appropriate mental and behavioral health support.

Funding Opportunity

The award amount for this grant cycle is expected to total $500,000. Eligible organizations may request a maximum of $50,000 per proposal. 

Goal

This grant supports projects and programs focused on well-being for AANHPI youth and young adults, ages 15-24, while providing and destigmatizing access to mental and behavioral health services utilizing culturally responsive and trauma-informed practices.

Strategies

The AANHPI Fund 2025 grant cycle aims to support projects that employ one or more of the following key strategies:

•

Provide trauma-informed, culturally relevant programs and interventions for AANHPI youth and young people, ages 15-24, to support mental health and well-being. 

•

Provide opportunities for AANHPI youth and young people, ages 15-24, to build and maintain connections with community elders in a supportive and culturally relevant environment.

•

Provide opportunities for AANHPI youth and young people, ages 15-24, to access culturally relevant mentorship and leadership development opportunities that reinforce belonging and well-being.

•

Conduct outreach and education to reduce the stigma of mental health in the community and ensure AANHPI youth and young people are knowledgeable and have access to high-quality, affordable and culturally responsive mental and behavioral health support.

Statewide & Regional Networks

The Statewide and Regional Networks (SRN) program contributes to the health and vitality of the creative workforce in California by creating a resilient network of arts service organizations and artists. Applicants must be arts services organizations with statewide or regional reach.

An arts service organization is defined as a nonprofit or fiscally sponsored organization that furthers the interests of artists, creators, and culture bearers. They also provide programs and services that are substantially focused on enhancing the capacity of individual artists and/or arts and culture organizations. They have as a core purpose the provision of services that assist or promote arts and culture. Together these organizations form unified networks at state and regional levels, working to ensure that the arts and culture sector across California continues to thrive. An arts service organization shall operate a network.

Networks are associations or groups of individuals or organizations with common interests, visions or organizational missions that work together to strengthen the collective group. Arts Networks develop professional services for the broad array of individuals and organizations engaged in diverse fields of art (paraphrased from Americans for the Arts Public Art Network definition).

Program Goals

This grant supports the well-being of California’s cultural vitality by creating resilient and diverse networks of arts service organizations and artists. Grantees will be required to accomplish the following within the grant activity period:

• Arts service organizations must provide practical services for artists, creators, culture bearers, and/or arts and cultural organizations.
• Constituent representation must be active, ongoing, effective, and relevant statewide or regional reach.
• Programs and/or services must provide engagement and access throughout all counties and/or municipalities identified within the statewide or regional network.

Samueli Foundation

Our vision is well-being for all.

Our mission is to make Orange County, California a thriving mosaic of community well-being. We support and unite catalytic forces whose innovations yield a high quality of life for everyone.

Breakaway Fund

A breakaway is one of the most electrifying moments in hockey. It’s a turning point, the moment. when a player or individual charges ahead, unimpeded, nothing but opportunity between them and the goal. With the Breakaway Fund, we’re bringing that same momentum of possibility to our local community.

This fund provides unrestricted, easy-to-access capital that helps you and your team barrel past the usual obstacles, giving you the best possible advantage for achieving your goals. No red tape. No onerous applications. Just the support you need, when you need it most.

Grant Categories

According to our Orange County Nonprofit Needs Assessment, nonprofits serving Orange County face significant challenges in securing unrestricted funds to support staffing and leadership development, enhance their infrastructure, and engage in meaningful inter-organizational collaboration. The Breakaway Fund will provide one year grant awards of $50,000-$100,000 for projects in the following categories:

• Talent and Leadership
  • Every professional hockey team invests in coaches, trainers, nutritionists and other people who help their players thrive. Why should nonprofit organizations go without the same types of support? We will consider requests that cover investments in human capital to improve employee recruitment, professional development, organizational culture, and retention other than personnel salaries.
  • Examples include:
    • Professional development classes, executive coaching, and conference registration fees
    • Employee perks or discounts (lunches)
• Systems and "Stuff"
  • Hockey players rely on having abundant equipment including skates, sticks, pads, helmets, and mouth guards. Their coaches use sophisticated technology to assess game play and plan team logistics. Nonprofits also need to purchase new equipment to support their missions. We will consider requests that cover capital expenses or physical assets that improve your organization’s ability to deliver its mission.
  • Examples include:
    • Technology upgrades (hardware or software)
    • Facility or equipment upgrades
• Expertise
  • Behind every great team are experts that help with complex legal issues, human resources, financial planning, and other work that requires specific contracted expertise. We will consider requests that cover third party technical assistance to augment your current team with the right experts at the right time.
  • Examples include:
    • Specialized legal support
    • Accounting assistance
• "Season Ticket"
  • Not everything you dream of fits into neat boxes. If you have a unique funding request that falls outside of the above categories, please describe your request and we will consider it.

Selection Criteria

Eligible projects will be selected for funding based on the following criteria:

• Organization:
  • The organization helps to advance well-being and opportunity for all individuals and families living in Orange County
• Project:
  • The proposed activities are realistic and feasible and will enable the organization to better deliver its mission
• Funding:
  • “Right resources” for the project (would allow the organization to cover 100% of the requested expense)

Community Partnership Award

The Mutual of America Foundation Community Partnership Award recognizes outstanding nonprofit organizations in the United States that have shown exemplary leadership by facilitating partnerships with public, private or social sector leaders who are working together as equal partners, not as donors and recipients, to build a cohesive community that serves as a model for collaborating with others for the greater good.

Each year, the Mutual of America Foundation sponsors a national competition in which hundreds of organizations demonstrate the value of their partnership to the communities they serve, their ability to be replicated by others and their capacity to stimulate new approaches to addressing significant social issues.

Six organizations are selected by an independent committee to receive the Community Partnership Award.

• The Thomas J. Moran Award is given to the national award-winning program and includes $100,000 and a documentary video about the program.
• The Frances R. Hesselbein Award is given to a partnership that is addressing social challenges in more than one community, or which demonstrates the potential to be replicated in other communities. This recipient receives $75,000.
• Four other organizations are named Honorable Mention recipients for their programs, and each receives $50,000.

Since its inception in 1996, the Community Partnership Award has recognized 262 partnerships from cities and towns across America. Like so many of our clients working in the nonprofit community, Mutual of America is dedicated to having a direct, positive impact on society.