Best Professional Development Grants for Nonprofits

About Us

The Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) is a bureau of the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management.

At the State level MEMA coordinates the mitigation (risk reduction) preparedness, response and recovery from emergencies and disasters such as floods, hurricanes, earthquakes or hazardous materials spills.

MEMA also provides guidance, and assistance to county and local governments, businesses and nonprofit organizations in their efforts to provide protection to citizen and property, and increase resiliency in the face of disaster. The Agency uses strategies such as planning, training, exercise and public education to carry out its mission.

Since 2001, MEMA has been the focal point for the implementation of programs regarding Homeland Security, integrating these concerns into its all-hazard mission.

Maine Nonprofit Security Grant Program

This is a competitive grant program designed to assist nonprofit organizations in enhancing physical security and preparedness capabilities against potential threats or attacks and is separate from the FEMA NSGP. Eligible Activities May Include:

• Physical security enhancements
• Security equipment installation
• Target-hardening projects
• Contracted Security services

The Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation grants support arts and arts education initiatives focused on underserved youth in New York City. Established in 1995, the foundation prioritizes programs that enhance the educational experience through arts engagement for children under 18. Grants are awarded to nonprofit organizations that provide cultural experiences and educational opportunities, ensuring that the arts remain an integral part of the learning process. Note that operational expenses for organizations and individual funding are not covered.

The Kenneth A. Scott Charitable Trust Grants focus on enhancing the quality of life for companion animals and native wildlife. This private foundation supports innovative projects that go beyond basic care, ensuring the well-being of homeless and abused animals. Eligible organizations must have a 501(c)(3) status and be located in specific states, including Ohio and parts of Indiana and Michigan. The Trust emphasizes humane treatment and sustainable funding for animal welfare initiatives.

The Richard I. Gibson TRGS Travel Fund, provided by the Tobacco Root Geological Society, supports travel expenses for students and young professionals to attend the TRGS summer field conference. With a maximum award of $500 per applicant and total funds of $1,000 available each year, it aims to promote research in geosciences. Applicants must attend the conference and present their findings. Awards are based on clarity, relevance, and impact of the research.

The Teacher Time Analysis and Supports Admin Grant, overseen by the Texas Education Agency, aims to enhance the efficiency of teacher time use and resource allocation in public education. This grant supports school systems in conducting inquiries into their educational practices, ultimately benefiting over 5 million students. By providing essential administrative support, the grant facilitates a systematic approach to improving educational outcomes through effective resource management and strategic planning from 2025 to 2028.

The Arts & Science Council's Strategic Investment Grants (SIG) offer up to $50,000 to support established nonprofits in Mecklenburg County focused on arts, science, history, and heritage. These grants aim to enhance organizational capacity through project-based funding, encouraging sustainable growth and collaboration in the community. Eligible 501(c)(3) organizations can apply for funding to strengthen management, improve fundraising, and achieve operational efficiencies between October 1, 2025, and May 1, 2026.

The Creative Current Grant, provided by the City of Tempe, supports nonprofit organizations that enhance the arts in the community. With funding up to $10,000, this grant encourages high-quality, community-driven arts projects. It plays a vital role in fostering cultural growth and inclusivity, helping to strengthen public life and community ties in Tempe. This initiative is essential for sustaining the creative momentum within the city.

The Kronkosky Charitable Foundation Grant for Arts & Culture supports innovative and creative projects that enhance community vibrancy and provide access to essential cultural resources. Focusing on nonprofit organizations in Bandera, Bexar, Comal, and Kendall counties, the foundation funds initiatives in the performing arts, museums, and libraries, while also caring for vulnerable populations. This grant aims to foster artistic expression, cultural engagement, and community well-being.

The Peggy Barber Tribute Grant, offered by the American Library Association, supports libraries facing budget constraints by providing $2,500 to three selected libraries. The 2025-2026 cycle focuses on programming that strengthens community ties through libraries as third spaces, promoting gatherings and connections among individuals. Eligible proposals may include intergenerational gardening programs, play-based activities for adults, or visual arts performances. Applicants must have ALA or ARSL membership and demonstrate how their program will foster community engagement.

The Leroy Lambert Political Action Grants, offered by the Maine Education Association, empower Local Association members to create and execute political action programs in their communities. These grants support initiatives that align with MEA policies, such as aiding the election of pro-education candidates and enhancing member participation in political processes. Through these efforts, the MEA aims to advocate for educators and ensure equitable educational opportunities for all students in Maine.

Arts and Creativity Program

The arts are essential for just, vibrant, and thriving communities. The power of creativity is a force for transformation, creating vitality and amplifying the voices of those who are often unheard.

Arts organizations, artists, creative workers, culture bearers (those who practice, share, and teach cultural traditions and art forms) help us envision and realize a shared future of equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Barr’s Arts + Creativity program seeks to invest in bold ideas and leaders, driving toward a future in which the arts are a living, breathing force, constantly evolving and igniting our collective imagination.

Arts & Creativity Strategies

To achieve our goal of elevating the arts and enabling creative expression to engage and inspire a dynamic, thriving Massachusetts, we pursue three strategies:

• Elevating Arts Leadership
• Cultivating Spaces of Belonging
• Advocating for the Arts

The Designated Legislative (DL) Grants program allows communities and organizations in Alaska to seek funding through their state senators and representatives for capital projects. Funding is appropriated at the legislature's discretion and requires gubernatorial approval. Eligible projects include feasibility studies, construction, building improvements, design, land acquisition, and equipment repairs. For more information, contact your state legislator to initiate the funding process.

The Cleveland Foundation supports the needs, priorities and opportunities identified by communities and residents in Cuyahoga, Lake and Geauga counties, with grantmaking for long-term impact and grantmaking for immediate impact. 

Lake-Geauga Fund

The Lake Geauga Fund, established in 1988 at the Cleveland Foundation, aims to promote community philanthropy and strategic grantmaking to support transformative projects in Lake and Geauga counties.

Impact Areas 

Capital: Focus on new projects that provide a direct benefit to the community. This includes both pre-development and capital needs. 

Capital projects should accomplish one of the following: 

• Strategic and Long-Term Focus: Has a generational impact, not a focus on day-to-day operations.  
• Community Centered: Aim to enhance quality of life or address critical community needs.   
• Sustainability: Incorporate LEED environmental standards. 
• Advances the advantage and competitiveness of the region. 
• The organization demonstrates financial stability and sound operations 

Economic Development: Support for projects and programs that strive to improve economic and workforce conditions in Lake and Geauga Counties for its residents. 

Economic Development projects should accomplish one of the following: 

• Increase the number of individuals qualified for high-demand, high-growth jobs in through training and/or upskilling. 
• Addresses barriers to individuals engaging in work or workforce development.  
• Support growth of small- and mid-sized businesses.  
• Expand resources for entrepreneurs starting new businesses. 

Critical Knowledge and Infrastructure: Support infrastructure and systems needed in order to achieve catalytic community impact. 

Critical Knowledge and Infrastructure projects should accomplish at least one of the following:  

• Improve implementation ability for an organization executing catalytic or transformative projects.  
• Pilot innovative operating structures to promote efficiency, quality, and community-wide impact.  
• New models or unique partnerships that will improve impact. 

The Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) orchestrates the basic research program for the Air Force Research Laboratory, aligning with technical guidance and Air Force needs. It promotes collaboration among Air Force, universities, and industry, ensuring that research effectively transitions to support military capabilities. AFOSR's focus encompasses significant areas of research organized under two scientific departments, enhancing national defense and peacekeeping operations.

The Investment in Parks initiative aims to increase Philadelphia's annual per capita park spending from $86 to $95 by 2035, as reported by the Trust for Public Land's ParkScore. This funding is crucial for enhancing the quality of life for residents and maintaining parks effectively. Currently, Philadelphia's park investment is below the national median, highlighting the need for greater financial commitment to foster community engagement and support for park improvement efforts.

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

The FY 2027 Service Area Competition (SAC) aims to enhance health services in underserved communities across the U.S. by providing grants for comprehensive primary and preventive care. This initiative will support health centers in delivering high-quality services, addressing the needs of populations that face barriers to care. Each funding opportunity will specify service areas available for competition, ensuring effective resource allocation to improve community health outcomes.

The Zimmer Biomet Foundation offers educational grants to support organizations that focus on scientific, clinical, or healthcare education. These grants promote educational programs, independent conferences, and resident education, ensuring that the content remains unbiased and free from influence. Eligible applicants include educational institutions, training hospitals, and medical associations, while requests from individuals or private practices are not supported. By fostering education in healthcare, the foundation aims to improve community well-being and advance medical knowledge.

The FY 2027 Service Area Competition (SAC) aims to enhance health services in underserved communities across the U.S. and its territories. This funding opportunity supports comprehensive preventive and primary health care delivery. Each SAC announcement details service areas available for competition, with potential additional areas announced throughout the year. This initiative is crucial for ensuring continuous access to quality health care for vulnerable populations.

The Wood Family Foundation Grant offers support primarily to organizations in Odessa, Texas, and surrounding Permian Basin areas. Eligible applicants must be IRS-designated 501(c)(3) nonprofits or government municipalities. The foundation prioritizes educational and healthcare initiatives, requiring organizations to secure partial funding before applying. It does not fund individuals or duplicate requests within a fiscal year. Since its inception, the foundation has reinvested over $18 million into community development, focusing on sustainable impact.

The Barbara McDowell and Gerald S. Hartman Foundation Grant supports social justice litigation in the U.S. by providing funding to organizations involved in systemic legal cases. Since 2009, the foundation has awarded over $1.4 million to 49 organizations, enhancing the lives of disadvantaged groups through impactful legal advocacy. The foundation prioritizes cases that align with its focus areas, including children's rights, discrimination, and homelessness, ensuring comprehensive support for societal improvement.

The purpose of the 2026–2027 Legal Framework grant is to support statewide access to high quality technical assistance and training related to the legal framework of special education through the provision and maintenance of an updated, web based platform. The platform is designed to assist stakeholders—including school systems, advocates, and parents—in understanding and applying state and federal special education laws and regulations.

The program promotes consistent interpretation and implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and related state requirements by providing comprehensive, accessible resources that explain the rights of students with disabilities and the obligations of school systems to provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE).

Program goals include increasing educator and administrator knowledge of applicable legal requirements, strengthening local implementation practices, and providing timely, accurate, and reliable guidance to support effective special education decision making statewide.

The Nike Community Impact Fund in Belgium supports local sports clubs and associations that work with vulnerable youth in Antwerp, Limburg, and Flemish Brabant. This employee-led initiative encourages community engagement and aims to foster inclusive, active environments for children. By providing financial assistance, it empowers organizations to drive positive change and make sports accessible to all, enhancing the social fabric of local neighborhoods.

The DSF Charitable Foundation offers health grants to support projects in southwestern Pennsylvania. Grant requests are reviewed three times a year, with initial inquiries recommended to be sent via email by the organization's executive director. The Foundation does not fund individuals or endowments and requires proof of tax-exempt status. Organizations must provide detailed project descriptions along with financial information for consideration, ensuring clarity on the funding purpose.

The NewSchools: Learning Solutions Grant Program aims to empower K-8 students by enhancing their literacy and numeracy skills, crucial for overcoming educational challenges exacerbated by the pandemic. With a focus on innovative learning solutions, the program seeks to fund early-stage ideas that engage students and support educators. By leveraging research and technology, including generative AI, it aims to create equitable educational opportunities, fostering a brighter future for all students.

Texas Education Agency

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is the state agency that oversees primary and secondary public education. It is headed by the commissioner of education. The Texas Education Agency improves outcomes for all public school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems. TEA helps deliver education to more than 5 million students under the leadership of the commissioner of education. The TEA operational costs are supported by both state and federal funds.

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

Pipeline to Leadership (P2L) Cohort 2 Continuation Grant

Program Description

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

Texas Education Agency

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

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

Closed Charter School Records Custodian

Program Description

The purpose of this project is to fulfill the mandate of Texas Education Code (TEC), §12.1052(d), which is that the commissioner of education shall ensure that the records of an open-enrollment charter school that ceases to operate shall be transferred in the manner specified by the commissioner to a custodian designated by the commissioner. The commissioner may designate any appropriate entity to serve as custodian, including the agency, a regional education service center, or a school district. In designating a custodian, the commissioner shall ensure that the transferred records, including student and personnel records, are transferred to a custodian capable of:

•  maintaining the records;
• making the records readily accessible to students, parents, former school employees, and other persons entitled to access; and
• complying with applicable state or federal law restricting access to the records.