Best Santa Clara County Grants for Nonprofits in California

Youth-serving 501(c)(3) public charities in Santa Clara County, California can seek up to US $10,000 to “maximize the potential of youth” through programs such as mentoring, leadership, STEM/STEAM, and related services. With a mission to empower young people, Frieda C Fox Family Foundation prioritizes organizations under $10 million in annual budget that provide direct services to children and youth.

Santa Clara County, California organizations and community groups running water conservation, flood protection, or environmental stewardship projects can access funding through Santa Clara Valley Water District’s Mini-Grant Program, with awards up to US $10,000. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, public agencies, schools, for-profits, and individuals, as long as projects provide free public access or significant public benefit.

Environmental and conservation organizations in Santa Clara County, California working on land acquisition, conservation easements, or stewardship projects may be eligible for conservation support from the Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation. Funding focuses on preserving Bay Area biodiversity, ecosystem services, and nature-based recreation through science-based planning and conservation finance across the 10-county region.

Destination: Home

Destination: Home is a public-private partnership ending homelessness in Silicon Valley.

Our goal is to END homelessness in our community and we’re committed to advancing solutions that will deliver true systemic change. 

Through our collective impact model, we convene and collaborate with stakeholders across our community to advance strategies that address the root causes of homelessness and help ensure that all our neighbors have a stable home. We embrace a data-driven and human approach to our work – advocating for policies, incubating new ideas and programs, and investing in strategies that reduce and prevent homelessness in our community.

Sponsorship

As part of our commitment to support other nonprofits, we accept sponsorship requests on an ongoing basis from organizations whose mission and work align with our mission to prevent and end homelessness in Silicon Valley. 

Requests will be reviewed on a rolling basis. You can generally expect to receive a response within 2-3 business days. Payments typically take an additional 10-14 business days to process. 

Destination Home Sv Co Silicon Valley Community Foundation

Destination: Home is a public-private partnership ending homelessness in Silicon Valley. Our goal is to END homelessness in our community and we’re committed to advancing solutions that will deliver true systemic change. 

Through our collective impact model, we convene and collaborate with stakeholders across our community to advance strategies that address the root causes of homelessness and help ensure that all our neighbors have a stable home. We embrace a data-driven and human approach to our work – advocating for policies, incubating new ideas and programs, and investing in strategies that reduce and prevent homelessness in our community.

WiFi Equity and Access Program

Destination: Home is interested in supporting equitable unlimited access to high-quality internet for people who are participating in the Santa Clara County Supportive Housing System, are extremely low-income, and need access to allow for MyConnectSV use. If your 501(c)(3) organization has a Permanent Supportive Housing, Transitional Housing, Shelter, or Service Center located in Santa Clara County where you are interested in partnering to bring free wifi access to your residents and guests so they can connect to MyConnectSV, we'd love to hear about it. 

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations serving low-income youth with education, workforce, cultural, or environmental programs in Santa Clara County, California (including as far south as Palo Alto) may be eligible for funding. Focused on youth success, Kimball Foundation invites programs in college access, workplace training, arts education, and environmental education that provide sustained, high-quality support.

Santa Clara County, California arts nonprofits and fiscally sponsored projects can receive project support to deliver arts experiences for historically marginalized communities. Grants from Silicon Valley Creates help fund performances, exhibitions, classes, and related programming that serve defined underserved audiences and employ primarily local artists. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3)s with at least three years of county arts programming.

LGBTQ-primary 501(c)(3) nonprofits and fiscally sponsored programs in Santa Clara County, California can receive US $25,000 - US $30,000 to support local LGBTQ services, advocacy, and community work. Horizons Foundation’s Community Issues Funding Program favors general operating support across advocacy and civil rights, arts and culture, community building and leadership, and health and human services in the Bay Area.

Who We Are

Our goal is to END homelessness in our community and we’re committed to advancing solutions that will deliver true systemic change. 

Through our collective impact model, we convene and collaborate with stakeholders across our community to advance strategies that address the root causes of homelessness and help ensure that all our neighbors have a stable home. We embrace a data-driven and human approach to our work – advocating for policies, incubating new ideas and programs, and investing in strategies that reduce and prevent homelessness in our community.

By working together, we can ensure that homelessness is rare, brief and non-recurring – and create a safer, stronger, more vibrant community for us all.

TECHquity Fund Program

Destination: Home launched the TECHquity Fund in 2022 to meet the technology-related needs of service providers and people seeking assistance throughout the homelessness service sector in Santa Clara County. These needs were identified and documented with an assessment by our partners at Homebase.

The purpose of the TECHquity Fund is to remove barriers to service and housing-related support by providing technology access to those on their path to housing stability and to the Santa Clara County Supportive Housing system. With the launch of MyConnectSV, a first of its kind technology solution, Santa Clara County made a deeper commitment to shifting power to service-engaged individuals by enabling transparent and direct access to their service journey. 

Destination: Home is dedicated to increasing access to MyConnectSV through the TECHquity Fund to support the unique technology needs of Santa Clara County-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations serving Extremely Low Income (ELI) individuals. Understanding how critical WiFi infrastructure is in connecting people to services, we are also interested in supporting WiFi installation projects at housing, shelter and other service sites throughout the Supportive Housing System.

Nonprofit organizations and public schools in Santa Clara County, California offering STEM education for underrepresented youth, hunger relief, environmental preservation, or veterans programs can seek community grant support. Western Digital Foundation funds qualified 501(c)(3) organizations and schools serving local communities where the company operates, including Santa Clara County.

With a mission to strengthen communities, Applied Materials Foundation provides Santa Clara County, California nonprofits and public educational institutions with funding for K–12 education, arts and culture, civic engagement, and environmental education programs. Eligible 501(c)(3)s serving local neighborhoods where the company operates can propose innovative, collaborative projects that reach underserved youth and address critical community needs.

Students pursuing environmentally focused careers at four-year colleges and universities in Santa Clara County, California and nearby counties can receive scholarship support for their studies. Grants from Community Foundation Santa Cruz County help undergraduates and graduates with innovative ideas for fostering a more compatible human relationship with natural ecosystems.

Nonprofit organizations and public agencies in Santa Clara County, California can seek project-based support for community, education, health, environmental, arts, and social service programs. Grants from Teichert Foundation help eligible counties with US $3,000 - US $7,500 awards that favor specific projects addressing underlying community needs and demonstrating strong local engagement and sustainability.

Nonprofit organizations in Santa Clara County, California can seek funding for community-based peacebuilding programs that use the arts or mindful education. Grants from Peaceful World Foundation help support initiatives like visual or performing arts for social change, or mindfulness and well-being education, with awards ranging from US $5,000 - US $15,000.

Small and mid-size dance, theater, and multidisciplinary arts nonprofits in Santa Clara County, California can apply for Kenneth Rainin Foundation’s New & Experimental Works grants, awarding US $5,000 - US $30,000. Funding supports visionary projects, with at least half of each grant directed to artist fees and project expenses, and the remainder unrestricted to the organization.

Santa Clara County, California arts and culture nonprofits focused on racial justice and community-based solutions can access funding through Silicon Valley Community Foundation for general operating support. Eligible 501(c)(3) organizations or fiscally sponsored projects must serve San Mateo and/or Santa Clara counties and have annual budgets under $3 million, with preference for smaller organizations.

With a mission to strengthen communities, Silicon Valley Community Foundation provides Santa Clara County, California environmental and racial justice nonprofits and public agencies with general operating support to build community power and shape environmental policy. Eligible 501(c)(3) organizations and fiscally sponsored projects under $3 million that serve Santa Clara and/or San Mateo counties may apply, with preference for smaller budgets.

Grants from Silicon Valley Community Foundation help Santa Clara County, California faith-based and community organizations support underserved neighborhoods and build community leadership around housing and immigration issues. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, fiscally sponsored projects, public agencies, and collaborations serving San Mateo and/or Santa Clara counties, with operating budgets under $3 million and inclusive, non-discriminatory practices.

Grants from Silicon Valley Community Foundation help Santa Clara County, California health-focused nonprofits and public agencies cover general operating support for equity-driven, community-based health programs. Eligible 501(c)(3) organizations and fiscally sponsored projects with budgets under $3 million must serve San Mateo and/or Santa Clara counties and prioritize racial justice and community-led solutions to address health disparities.

Nonprofits, fiscally sponsored projects, public agencies, and collaborations focused on racial justice and community-led solutions in Santa Clara County, California can seek general operating support for movement- and power-building work. Grants from Silicon Valley Community Foundation help organizations under $3 million budgets advance civic engagement, policy advocacy, voter engagement, and base-building that increases civic participation and addresses systemic disparities.

Small 501(c)(3) arts and culture nonprofits in Santa Clara County, California can receive unrestricted operating support to sustain accessible performances, exhibitions, and community programming. With a mission to strengthen local arts and cultural ecosystems, Silicon Valley Creates provides general operating grants for organizations demonstrating equity, inclusion, artistic vibrancy, and long-term community engagement.

Nonprofits, schools, and public agencies in Santa Clara County, California can fund educational projects on safe drinking water, conservation, flood risk, and environmental stewardship with grants of US $10,001 - US $150,000. With a mission to protect local water resources, Santa Clara Valley Water District supports curriculum, classroom activities, field trips, videos, and other community learning efforts.

Public agencies, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, water districts, special districts, and educational institutions in Santa Clara County, California can apply for Santa Clara Valley Water District planning grants; awards US $10,001 - US $150,000 for water and environmental project planning. Funding supports feasibility studies, environmental planning, research, and design for projects benefiting county residents.

Nonprofit organizations, public agencies, schools, and other public or not-for-profit entities in Santa Clara County, California can apply for Santa Clara Valley Water District’s stewardship grants, awarding US $10,001 - US $150,000 for water and watershed stewardship projects. Funding supports safe, clean drinking water, water conservation, environmental stewardship, and flood risk reduction through smaller-scale implementation, education, planning, and community engagement activities, with a 15% match required.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations serving children and youth affected by abuse or neglect in Santa Clara County, California can seek program, general operating, or capital support, with awards of US $10,000 - US $50,000. Focused on child welfare services, the In-N-Out Burgers Foundation prioritizes foster care, prevention, court advocacy, homelessness, domestic violence, and therapeutic programs in its restaurant communities.

Nonprofit arts organizations, individual artists, and creative small businesses in Santa Clara County, California can apply for $3,000 - $10,000 to create and present culturally relevant work, engage residents, and activate public spaces in Gilroy. Grants from Silicon Valley Creates support community culture, public art, and arts participation projects serving Gilroy residents.

Santa Clara County 501(c)(3) nonprofits, schools, and public entities addressing basic human needs, homelessness, food insecurity, senior services, abuse, or racial justice can access funding through San Jose Mercury News Wish Book Fund. Grants support existing or new programs, capacity-building, or time-limited projects that create meaningful local impact and provide compelling stories for the annual holiday fundraising campaign.