Best Professional Development Grants for Nonprofits

The Alice Huffard Richards Fund provides environmental grants aimed at conserving and stewarding the natural resources of the West Georgia Region. The fund supports 501(c)(3) nonprofits engaged in river monitoring, recycling projects, and community education initiatives. Grants are specifically for projects in Carroll, Haralson, or Heard counties, promoting environmental awareness and community engagement to protect local ecosystems. This initiative empowers individuals to contribute meaningfully to their environment.

The CFGA Extra Wish Grants, offered by the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, aim to support nonprofit organizations in the metro Atlanta area by providing funding for specific needs beyond operating budgets. This initiative connects donors with impactful funding requests, enhancing the daily operations of small to mid-sized organizations. By addressing unique and tangible items, the Extra Wish program fosters equity and prosperity in the region, empowering nonprofits to make a significant difference.

The OPCFHK Conservation Funding program aims to ensure the survival of threatened Asian wildlife, particularly the giant panda and Chinese white dolphin. This initiative encourages innovative conservation projects that deliver measurable results, promote public awareness, and involve local communities. With a focus on endangered species and their habitats, the foundation prioritizes initiatives that align with climate change, marine conservation, and terrestrial wildlife protection, fostering collaboration between local and international researchers.

The Provident Bank Foundation's Empowerment Grant focuses on uplifting marginalized communities by providing flexible funding for initiatives that promote economic self-sufficiency. With grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 over two years, the program supports organizations in education, human services, and workforce development. Eligible applicants must demonstrate meaningful community impact and align with the Foundation's funding priorities, which include promoting quality education, social safety nets, and career development opportunities.

The WDNR Surface Water Grants support organizations in managing surface water through various stages, from planning to implementation. Eligible applicants, including lake associations and conservation organizations, can access funding for education, planning, and management projects aimed at improving water quality and combating invasive species. Key deadlines include May 1 for eligibility inquiries, September 15 for pre-applications, and November 15 for full proposals. These grants reflect the DNR's commitment to sustainable resource management in Wisconsin.

Bristol Myers Squibb is dedicated to enhancing healthcare and advancing scientific knowledge through its Corporate Giving program. By supporting various organizations, BMS aims to improve health equity and access to essential medicines for underserved populations. Their focus includes charitable donations, medical education, and community support initiatives. This commitment reflects BMS's goal to make a positive impact on patients' lives and foster strong communities where their employees work and live.

The NAACP X Society Awards Scholarship

The NAACP x Society Awards Scholarship is one of many funding opportunities available to students through NAACP's Inspire Initiatives. We offer scholarships to outstanding and qualified students pursuing undergraduate degrees. Through the generosity of our donors, we advance efforts to ensure equity in educational opportunity that prepares students for success in school, work, and life.

Scholarship amount: $1,000 to $5,000

This is a non-renewable scholarship opportunity.

The Service Club Alliance Grant, offered by the Midland Lions Club, focuses on addressing critical needs in the Midland community through collaborative efforts of local service clubs. This grant supports various causes including vision, hunger, and humanitarian efforts, ensuring resources are allocated effectively. By streamlining the application process, the Alliance encourages community organizations to seek funding for impactful projects. The Midland Area Community Foundation facilitates this partnership without making grant decisions, empowering local service initiatives.

The SCC Nashville Grant Program, managed by Speedway Children's Charities, supports nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving the lives of children in middle Tennessee. With over $80,000 distributed in 2024, the program prioritizes funding for organizations addressing homelessness, education, and critical health needs. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits focused on children's welfare. The grant process includes a pre-proposal and an invitation-only full proposal, culminating in a celebration at the Annual Night of Joy.

The Medical Research Grants program offers funding of up to $25,000 for Resubmission Grants aimed at enhancing NIH proposals that were previously scored in the top 50% but not funded. These grants support various research areas, including infectious diseases and cancer, and are particularly focused on junior faculty within Rhode Island's academic and hospital institutions. The funding can cover costs such as data gathering and equipment, but not salary support.

The Sustaining Environmental Systems Grant aims to ensure equitable access to healthy land and water for all Minnesotans. The Mortenson Family Foundation supports community-led environmental solutions and multi-year grants to partner organizations. It prioritizes partnerships that focus on sustainability, racial justice, and community engagement, fostering innovative approaches to restore relationships with nature and address climate change impacts. The foundation seeks organizations that can deliver tangible environmental outcomes while empowering historically marginalized communities.

Bell's Brewery Small Grassroots Grants support projects focusing on water stewardship across the Great Lakes watershed. With grant amounts ranging from $500 to $5,000, eligible organizations can apply for funding to improve ecosystem health, enhance public health through better water resource management, and promote resilience against climate-related water risks. This initiative highlights Bell's commitment to environmental stewardship and community support in all 50 states and DC.

The Anna May Family Foundation, established in 1999, aims to support organizations in southern Oregon that assist economically disadvantaged individuals, particularly focusing on children, women, elders, and minorities. The foundation prioritizes grants addressing urgent needs, such as abuse victims, at-risk children, and those requiring emergency services. However, it does not fund individuals, completed projects, or operational costs, ensuring that its contributions are directed towards impactful initiatives in the community.

The William P. Wharton Trust Grant supports projects that align with the vision of its patron, focusing on tangible outcomes. It prioritizes land conservation efforts that protect natural resources over recreational use. The Trust aims to leverage funds for impactful environmental initiatives and encourages collaboration among organizations. Eligible applicants include public charities and governmental units, while grants are limited to direct project costs. Notably, the Trust avoids funding for overhead, construction, and educational programs for youth below college level.

The John K. and Luise V. Hanson Foundation, established in 1970, focuses on enhancing community quality of life in north central Iowa. With over $72 million in assets, the foundation has awarded $64 million to nearly 1,000 organizations, supporting arts, culture, family recreation, and youth education. Their mission emphasizes innovative projects that strengthen families, with a commitment to community engagement and philanthropic ties to the Mayo Clinic, ensuring a lasting positive impact.

The CFNGA Catholic Community Grants support nonprofits, parishes, and Catholic schools within the Archdiocese of Atlanta. These grants are funded through endowments specifically established for grant-giving, with amounts varying by cycle. Non-Catholic organizations can apply if their mission aligns with Catholic teachings. The grants aim to foster a thriving Catholic community by providing necessary resources to serve both current and future generations.

Connecting Community

Together, we bring to life what’s important to you.

Vision

The Fond du Lac Area Foundation will support efforts to enhance the quality of life in the Fond du Lac Area.

Mission

Creating a better community by promoting philanthropy, awarding effective grants, and providing leadership on important community issues … today & forever.

Rural Vitality Grants

The Fond du Lac Area Foundation and Beaver Dam Area Community Foundation are honored to partner with Compeer Financial to support rural vitality in our communities. The Rural Vitality grant cycle focuses on helping communities of less than 10,000 people or rural micropolitans of less than 50,000 people to create and maintain an active, strong, and thriving economy. Fond du Lac and Dodge County nonprofits and schools are eligible to apply, with the City of Fond du Lac and City of Beaver Dam being ineligible due to population.

This granting cycle there is approximately $50,000 available to fulfill grant requests. Requests may be $500 - $25,000.

Rural Vitality Grant applications are only accepted through the Fond du Lac Area Foundation’s online portal.

The Innovative Technology for Harmful Algal Blooms Grant supports local governments and nonprofit organizations in Florida to implement innovative solutions for combating harmful algal blooms. Projects may focus on nutrient reduction, algae removal, or improving monitoring techniques. Key funding considerations include the scalability of technology and its environmental safety. Eligible areas are those with a history of algal blooms and a management action plan in place, ensuring the greatest impact on water quality.

The Andersen Corporate Foundation, established in 1941, aims to enhance lives and strengthen communities where its employees reside. It has contributed over $65 million to various causes, focusing on housing, healthcare, hunger relief, and education. Grants range from $5,000 to $50,000, primarily supporting nonprofit organizations that align with these areas, particularly in communities where Andersen operates, ensuring a lasting impact on local initiatives.

Northern Trust

Guided by our founding principles of service, expertise and integrity, we are passionate experts from around the globe who turn ideas into action to help the world’s most successful individuals, families and institutions achieve their goals.

Since 1889, when our founder Byron Smith built Northern Trust on our enduring principles, we have shown time and again that we exist to serve not only clients, but also the community at large.

Corporate social responsibility and philanthropy are essential elements of our mission and culture. Driven by our strategic focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, community engagement and environmental sustainability, we strive to be socially accountable – to ourselves, our stakeholders and the public.

The Northern Trust Foundation Grants

Increasing access to essential human needs will broaden opportunities for Chicago's young people and support them in fulfilling their potential and achieving long-term financial success. The Northern Trust Foundation is focusing its funding on communities in Chicago's South and West Sides by providing general operating support and program grants that specifically target youth ages 16-24.

Funding Priorities & Objectives

Northern Trust prioritizes the following areas to help low-income youth ages 16-24 on Chicago’s South and West sides.

Food Security: Youth who experience food insecurity are more likely to struggle in school and face both mental and physical health challenges. We prioritize funding for programs that:

• Increase access to, awareness of, and participation in free food distribution programs and services
• Raise awareness of, and increase participation in, state and federal nutrition assistance programs (e.g., SNAP, WIC, Summer Food Service Program, etc.)
• Increase access to affordable, nutritious foods for purchase, particularly within food deserts, and leverage innovative solutions to address the issue of access to food

Affordable Housing: Stable housing can serve as the foundation for a secure future. We prioritize funding to organizations assisting people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness with access to safe and permanent housing through programs that:

• Support youth experiencing homelessness and help navigate and access services available in their local communities with a goal of getting them into permanent housing
• Assist low-income college students by providing supportive services and affordable housing
• Provide temporary or permanent free/affordable housing options for youth; highest priority will be given to programs that focus on moving youth efficiently into permanent housing solutions
• Provide housing-related case management, foster care or other services to youth who are living in unsafe or unstable home environments including LBGTQ+ and youth transitioning out of the foster care system

Educational Excellence: Low-income youth attend and complete college at a much lower rate than their peers. We prioritize funding for programs that support students “to and through” college (including trade schools) and specifically focus on removing barriers for low-income youth that:

• Focus on academic readiness, including college-level coursework during high school, and high school completion with an emphasis on post-secondary school enrollment
• Support post-secondary school persistence, including those that focus on alternatives to remedial coursework
• Assist students through the college search, application and enrollment process, ensuring students ultimately are admitted to, enroll in and attend schools which are a good match and fit for their individual needs
• Provide access to financial aid for low-income youth and/or provide ongoing financial planning and credit building for students and their families, to ensure students complete their post-secondary education

Accessible Healthcare: The transition from child to adult healthcare is a greater challenge for low-income individuals. We prioritize funding to hospitals, healthcare centers and community organizations providing physical or mental healthcare that:

• Provide access to physical or mental healthcare for free or at a sliding scale
• Provide primary and preventative care, including health screenings for young women
• Focus on providing solutions that remove common barriers to care among this population (e.g., telehealth visits, pop-up clinics, after-hours appointments, etc.)
• Raise awareness and provide education of healthcare services and/or Medicaid and assist this population to apply for and access Medicaid

The TX AmeriCorps Planning Grant, managed by OneStar, aims to address Texas's social challenges through national service. Engaging over 3,200 AmeriCorps members across 33 organizations, it focuses on disaster services, economic opportunity, education, environmental stewardship, healthy futures, and support for veterans. This initiative enhances community resilience, improves lives, and fosters civic engagement by directing resources effectively to those in need, contributing to a stronger, more interconnected Texas.

CDBG Construction Grants

Overview

Funding for all Community Development Block Grant programs is provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and administered by the Office of Community and Rural Affairs. The State of Indiana distributes CDBG funds to rural communities to support a range of projects, including infrastructure enhancement, downtown revitalization, improvements to public facilities, and economic development initiatives.

The state CDBG program offers competitive grants to units of local government to support rural areas. Within the CDBG program, there are five types of Construction Grants designed to enhance community resilience and livability:

• Blight Clearance
• Main Street Revitalization
• Public Facilities
• Stormwater Improvements
• Wastewater/Drinking Water

Main Street Revitalization

The Main Street Revitalization Program (MSRP) is designed to empower rural communities in their efforts to build vibrant, sustainable environments and enhance overall quality of life.

Eligible projects include:

• Traffic Control or Pedestrian Safety
• Functional Art
• ADA Improvements
• Sidewalk Rehabilitation or Addition
• Signage or Utility Relocation for Accessibility
• Pavers
• Water Management
• Energy Efficiency (LED Traffic Lights or Signals)
• Alley Activation

To be eligible, applicants must have a designated Indiana Main Street organization that meets one of the following qualifications:

• National Accreditation through the National Main Street Center (NAMS), or
• Indiana Accredited Main Street (IAMS) status with at least three years of active designation
• Be in good standing with the Indiana Mainstreet Program requirements

Grant awards are based on the proposed project cost, as outlined below.

• Projects over $2 million in total project cost may received a grant up to $600,000
• Projects under $2 million in total project cost may received a grant up to $500,000
• A local match of 20% of the total project cost is required for funding consideration.

CDBG funds will be awarded at a rate of $5,000 per project beneficiary.

The Pooled Monitoring Initiative’s Restoration Research Award Program, led by the Chesapeake Bay Trust and various partners, aims to address critical restoration questions hindering watershed restoration efforts. By funding targeted research, the initiative seeks to enhance confidence in project outcomes, optimize restoration techniques, and provide valuable insights for regulatory agencies. This collaborative effort pools resources to tackle pressing research queries and ensure effective monitoring and restoration practices in the Chesapeake Bay area.

The GLCF Century Fund offers $100,000 annually to tax-exempt charitable organizations in Lynchburg and surrounding counties. This grant supports transformational projects that significantly improve nonprofit operations and community services. Eligible applicants must have 501(c)(3) status and demonstrate a commitment to innovative change. The fund aims to enhance various project categories, including arts, education, and environmental initiatives. Organizations can apply every five years, ensuring a continuous opportunity for impactful funding.

The Fund for the Arts' Sustaining Impact Grant supports first-time applicants by providing general operating support to arts organizations that align with community priorities in Greater Louisville. Eligible organizations must have received a Fund for the Arts grant in the last three years. This grant emphasizes community impact, equity, diversity, and sustainable operations, offering funding based on operating revenues, with a maximum of $500,000 for larger organizations.

The Conservation Partners Grant Program, funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, supports private landowners in implementing regenerative agriculture and conservation practices. By awarding competitive grants, the program facilitates technical assistance for developing management plans and best practices, enabling landowners to maximize the ecological benefits of their lands. This initiative is crucial for enhancing fish and wildlife habitats, addressing pressing conservation issues, and promoting sustainable land stewardship across the United States.

The Sustaining Impact Grant from the Fund for the Arts provides essential operating support to arts organizations that enhance community vitality and engagement. Eligible returning applicants, having met prior reporting requirements, can apply via the online portal. The grant focuses on community impact, engagement, and sustainable operations, with funding levels based on annual revenues, ensuring that organizations can continue to thrive and contribute to the arts ecosystem.