Best Schenectady County Grants for Nonprofits in New York

Consumer Assistance for New York State of Health: Navigator Program

The New York State Department of Health (herein referred to as the Department), Office of Health Insurance Programs, Division of Eligibility and Marketplace Integration, Bureau of Consumer Assistance and Training, announces the availability of $32,000,000 annually for the Consumer Assistance for NY State of Health: Navigator Program (Program).

The Program provides in-person and telephone health insurance application and enrollment assistance which is culturally competent, linguistically appropriate and disability accessible. The Program is designed to reduce barriers in accessing insurance by providing in-person assistance in community-based locations frequented by target populations, at times that are convenient to potential health insurance enrollees, including evenings and weekends.

Telephone application and enrollment assistance is also available at the convenience of the Applicant or enrollee. Navigators will also assist small businesses in enrolling in the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP), allowing them to access tax credits. As a result of this Request for Applications (RFA), approximately $32,000,000 will be available per year for a period of five (5) years for the delivery of Navigator Program services.

The goal is to have at least two Grantees providing Navigator Program services in every county in New York State, as well as funds for Federally Recognized Tribes and Urban Indian Organizations.

Contractors for Implementation and Evaluation of Healthy Native Babies Project (HNBP) Materials

The CDC Foundation is re-releasing this RFP to allow for additional applicants to partner with us in this work. The CDC Foundation invites proposals from Tribes, Tribal Serving Organizations (TSOs), and Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) [T/TSOs/UIOs] to implement and evaluate the updated Healthy Native Babies Project (HNBP) materials within their service areas. This initiative aims to strengthen culturally relevant infant safe sleep education, increase community awareness, and support Native families in reducing -sleep related- infant deaths. Selected T/TSOs/UIOs will adapt, disseminate, and assess the use of HNBP materials in ways that reflect the cultural, linguistic, and community-specific needs of the Native populations they serve. This project is a rapid turnaround project to support

T/TSOs/UIOs in:

• Implementing HNBP materials in clinical, community, and family setting.
• Training staff and community partners.
• Evaluating reach, effectiveness, and community feedback.
• Identifying barriers, facilitators, lessons learned, and best practices for future replication.

Funding Amount:

• Up to $100,000

Performance Period:

• May 18, 2026 to September 29, 2026

 Advancing Markets for Producers Grants

ALB has received a USDA AMP (Advancing Markets for Producers) grant, and we’re excited to invite sheep producers to be part of this opportunity to help grow the US sheep industry. This grant will integrate new technology and sustainable management strategies to boost productivity, open new markets, and strengthen opportunities for the next generation of producers.

Producer Program

The project will provide an opportunity for 150 sheep producers to identify production inefficiencies and to develop conservation plans. Producers will also modify management plans through technology implementation to mitigate emissions and improve their overall productivity. Enrolled producers will work with a Technical Service Provider (TSP) to establish operational plans, implement recommended changes and organize farm data to identify best management practices for productivity improvements. 

Enrollment Benefits

Producers enrolled in the program will be paid up to $23,000 to develop and implement improved sheep and land stewardship management plans. Additional enrollment benefits:

• Technical Service Provider
• Electronic livestock identification system
• Soil sampling
• NSIP ultrasound and genetic consulting services

The Transport Phenomena (TP) program, supported by the National Science Foundation, aims to advance fundamental research in the transport of mass, momentum, energy, and species across various scales. This initiative focuses on innovative methodologies that enhance our understanding of single- and multiphase systems, thermodynamic processes, and combustion dynamics. By integrating theoretical, experimental, and computational approaches, TP seeks to connect microscale phenomena with broader engineering applications, ultimately contributing to national priorities in energy, biotechnology, and environmental sustainability.

The Chemical Process Systems (CPS) program, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), focuses on advancing research in chemical and biochemical processes to enhance efficiency, sustainability, and resilience. It aims to support innovative technologies across various sectors, including manufacturing and energy. By exploring areas such as catalysis, electrochemical systems, and advanced separations, CPS seeks to improve processes and materials in critical domains like bioprocessing and nuclear fuel cycles, while fostering partnerships to drive discovery and innovation.

The Engineering Biological and Biomedical Systems (EBBS) program, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), aims to advance our understanding of biological systems and improve human health through innovative engineering solutions. It supports research that combines mechanistic insights with experimental techniques to develop novel biomedical technologies, enhance biomanufacturing processes, and explore therapeutic applications. Projects focusing on engineering principles for biological responses and rehabilitation are encouraged, while drug design and clinical trials are outside the program's scope.

The Engineering Environmental Resiliency (EER) program, funded by the National Science Foundation, promotes innovative research focused on resource and energy conservation while enhancing environmental protection. By advancing technologies in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and sustainable manufacturing, EER aims to create resilient U.S. manufacturing systems. Key areas of interest include waste reduction, life cycle assessments, and the interaction of nanomaterials with biological systems, all contributing to a sustainable future.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is committed to transforming health in our lifetime and to paving the way to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right. To achieve that vision, RWJF supports health equity research that “increases opportunities for everyone to live the healthiest life possible, no matter who we are, where we live, or how much money we make.” Achieving health equity requires identifying solutions to the historical and contemporary root causes of inequities.

From Insight to Action: Health Equity Research that Meets This Moment

Purpose

The current challenging political environment underscores the value of timely, credible research that is grounded in real‑world conditions—the type of research that has propelled the progress toward health equity our society has made. That is why RWJF is launching this CFP as part of a new research funding program, Health Equity Research for Action (HERA). HERA will support community-rooted, action-oriented health equity research that reflects lived realities and responds to immediate and long-term needs. The research will help maintain access to evidence, support accountability, and inform efforts to build more equitable systems. HERA is being developed and will be administered by three national coordinating centers (NCCs) based at the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, and the Morehouse School of Medicine.

RWJF and the NCCs are interested in research that identifies the root causes of structural discrimination, challenges harmful narratives that undermine individual and community health and wellbeing, and disrupts growing mis- and disinformation. While HERA is still in its early stages, we are hoping this first CFP will sustain and advance health equity research during this critical time, while generating insights that can help shape HERA’s future funding priorities and strategies. Proposals submitted under this first CFP must include research that is conducted in equitable community partnership; focuses on at least one of RWJF’s seven Prioritized Systems; informs systems change; and leads to actionable solutions.

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) intends to issue a Broad Pragmatic Studies (BPS) PCORI Funding Announcement (PFA) on Aug. 4, 2026, seeking to fund high-impact, patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) projects. This preannouncement provides potential applicants additional time to identify collaborators; obtain patient and stakeholder input on potential studies; and develop responsive, high-quality applications. 

Patient-centered CER compares at least two available health treatments, services or care delivery strategies. PCORI seeks proposals that compare clinical interventions (e.g., pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments, screening and diagnostic approaches) and healthcare delivery system interventions (e.g., workforce, technologies, healthcare service delivery designs) to evaluate potential benefits and harms of different treatment and care delivery options, thus generating evidence that empowers patients, caregivers and the broader healthcare community with information to make informed choices that reflect their needs and preferences. 

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) intends to release an Implementation of Findings From PCORI's Research Investments PCORI Funding Announcement (PFA) on Aug. 4, 2026, seeking to fund implementation projects that promote the uptake of peer-reviewed findings from specific PCORI-funded patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) in the context of the body of related evidence. This PFA is an open competition opportunity for principal investigators to propose implementation projects that move evidence toward practical use in improving health care and health outcomes. Applicants may propose projects with budgets up to $1.8 million in total direct costs.

PCORI seeks to fund implementation projects that incorporate active, multicomponent strategies that will lead to uptake and integration of evidence generated by PCORI-funded research in practice settings. Implementation should target specific end users with a clear interest in — and ability to benefit from — the evidence. Proposed implementation projects will adapt findings as needed to facilitate uptake in the proposed settings and accomplish scale-up to reach larger numbers and/or scale-out to reach broader populations and settings. Applicants must demonstrate commitment and buy-in — including from leadership as well as frontline staff critical to the success of the project — from proposed implementation sites across multiple health systems, such that they provide a supportive context and infrastructure for undertaking the proposed project. In addition, projects should involve regional and national stakeholder organizations positioned to extend uptake in broader venues.  

Applications must be guided by an established conceptual model or framework and, where possible, by evidence regarding effective strategies for implementing evidence-based practices and interventions. Additionally, applications must include a rigorous evaluation plan that documents the successful execution of the implementation approach and the impact of the project on health care and health outcomes as feasible and appropriate within the project scope.

JFS–David Rubenstein Memorial Scholarship

The JFS–David Rubenstein Memorial Scholarship, established by Dr. Robert Rubenstein and Marie Raftery, honors the memory of Dr. Robert’s son, David. The program provides financial support to students from San Diego’s Jewish community pursuing college or vocational education, and encourages them to cultivate intellectual curiosity, reflect on Jewish values, and give back to their community.

Scholarships of up to $10,000 will be awarded based on academic achievement, community involvement, and financial need.

Students are eligible to receive up to a total of four (4) years of JFS-David Rubenstein Memorial Scholarship funding, and the funding years do not have to be consecutive. Scholarships are made on a year-to-year basis and are not automatically renewed. Scholarship recipients must submit a new application and the required documentation in compliance with the application deadlines, stated herein, for each year that they seek funding.

Scholarship funds will be sent directly to the academic institution the student is attending solely for use toward qualifying academic expenses, including tuition, school-provided housing, books, school fees, or required academic supplies/equipment. Should the recipient not matriculate college by the date listed in the award, he or she agrees to forfeit the scholarship award.

John Callahan Memorial Fund

John changed people’s lives wherever he went. From his time at Corvallis High School in the soccer program, to his time at Winco, to his co-workers at Hewlett-Packard – he knew no strangers and always had time for a friendly hello. He was a wonderful husband, son, and loving father and made everyone happier when he was around. The John Callahan Memorial Scholarship is a soccer scholarship established at the Benton Community Foundation by his family and friends to honor his legacy and as a way to continue helping youth in the Corvallis community.

Jim Kohl "Give Me A Chance" Scholarship Fund

Most college scholarships these days are given to students who have excelled in their studies throughout their high school years, or whose need is so great that college might not be possible without the help of generous private donors. But what about the “late bloomers”—those students who realize the value of education, or find their own particular interests, too late to maintain an enviable grade point average? Thanks to Jim Kohl, late bloomers in the Monroe Rural Fire Protection District have a chance at financial assistance in furthering their education.

The fund benefits students of Monroe High School who may have been underachievers in their freshman or sophomore years, which would exclude them from many other scholarship opportunities. The intent is that these students will be given the encouragement to continue their studies and become productive, contributing members of the community.

The scholarship is administered by the Monroe Rural Fire Protection District. A committee of volunteers from the areas of Alpine, Bellfountain, Irish Bend, and Monroe review the applications and interview all applicants individually. The scholarship is awarded to senior students to attend the college or university of their choice.

Kids' Chance of Pennsylvania Scholarship

The mission of Kids’ Chance of Pennsylvania, Inc. (Kids’ Chance of PA) is to provide scholarship grants for college and vocational education to children of Pennsylvania workers who have been killed or seriously injured in a work-related accident resulting in financial need.

The hardships created by the death or serious disability of a parent often include financial ones, making it difficult for deserving young people to pursue their educational dreams. That's where we come in - helping those dreams become a reality!

We are dedicated to supporting the higher education of the children of seriously injured or killed Pennsylvania workers. Since our inception in 1997, we have provided over 1,150 scholarships totaling more than $3.2 million to deserving students! If you are one of these children, we encourage you to take the time to fill out this application. Additionally, if you receive a KCPA scholarship, you may be eligible to receive supplemental grant money through an agreement with the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency/Pathways to Higher Education (PHEAA/PATH) Program

Scholarships are awarded on an annual basis and must be reapplied for each year. 

About

Mission, Vision & Values

To enhance our community through philanthropy.

We aspire to co-create diverse, meaningful and innovative charitable giving that yields an exponential positive impact within local communities and beyond.

Masonic Lodge Scholarship

About the fund

These funds are focused on providing scholarships to students and historically underserved youth in Benton County, thereby encouraging them to complete their education at a public institution.

About

Mission, Vision & Values

To enhance our community through philanthropy.

We aspire to co-create diverse, meaningful and innovative charitable giving that yields an exponential positive impact within local communities and beyond.

Coopey Boys’ Memorial Fund

About the fund

The Coopey Boys, Raymond Peter and Lauritz Martin, were born with hemophilia, a genetic disorder that impairs the body’s ability to make blood clots. Sadly, they both died at an early age. The Coopey Boys’ Memorial Fund benefits Corvallis students who suffer from a physical handicap or serious chronic health problem.

About

Mission, Vision & Values

To enhance our community through philanthropy.

We aspire to co-create diverse, meaningful and innovative charitable giving that yields an exponential positive impact within local communities and beyond.

Dale & Thomasina Trout Memorial Fund

About the fund

The Trout Scholarship is awarded to Benton County high school graduates who have excelled in academics and school activities or athletics.

About

Mission, Vision & Values

To enhance our community through philanthropy.

We aspire to co-create diverse, meaningful and innovative charitable giving that yields an exponential positive impact within local communities and beyond.

David Bruce Belcher Fund

About the fund

The David Bruce Belcher Scholarship Fund was established for the training of professionals in nursing, special education, and therapy (physical, speech and occupational) as a legacy of David Bruce Belcher and the caregivers who comforted him. This fund reflects David’s rare spirit and bright love in its support of those who seek to advance their nurturing skills in nursing, therapy, and special education.

Ethan’s Coffee Fund Scholarship aims to support graduating seniors from Benton County pursuing degrees in STEM or philosophy, who demonstrate a minimum GPA of 3.5 and financial need. This fund honors Ethan Daley's passion for learning, encouraging students to share their unique interests and humor. Examples of suitable candidates include those with diverse experiences and a zest for life, as the scholarship seeks to foster creativity and community engagement among aspiring scholars.

The Centers of Excellence in Healthcare Quality and Safety program aims to establish a collaborative network of healthcare systems and public health partners to enhance patient and healthcare worker safety. This initiative focuses on improving the quality and resilience of U.S. healthcare delivery across various settings, including hospitals and outpatient facilities. By fostering partnerships, the program seeks to effectively detect, respond to, and prevent safety threats, ensuring a higher standard of care and safety for all.

The Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency Service Coordinator (ROSS-SC) Program for Fiscal Year 2026 aims to empower residents of Public and Indian Housing by addressing barriers to economic self-sufficiency. Through grant funding from HUD, Service Coordinators assess individual needs, linking residents to educational, professional, and health resources. This support enables participants to achieve financial stability and independence, facilitating their journey towards self-sufficiency and enhancing their quality of life.

About

ASAE Research Foundation exists to advance the development of current and next-generation association professionals through scholarships and awards, and by providing relevant resources that all of us can use.

ASAE Research Foundation Mission

The ASAE Research Foundation transforms the association community through research, scholarships, and practical tools critical to our profession.

Sal Martino Foresight Award

The Sal Martino Foresight Award recognizes trailblazers who foster a culture of foresight in their organization.

Summary

The Sal Martino Foresight Award recognizes trailblazers who demonstrate exceptional creativity in fostering a culture of foresight, embedding foresight into their organizational strategy and operations, and effectively utilizing ASAE’s ForesightWorks and other futures-focused materials.

Award Details

The Sal Martino Foresight Award honors a visionary organization and its leaders who push boundaries, challenge conventional thinking, and pioneer groundbreaking use of foresight to build resilience and prepare for the future. This prestigious award recognizes trailblazers who demonstrate exceptional creativity in fostering a culture of foresight, embedding foresight into their organizational strategy and operations and effectively utilize foresight and other future-focused materials.

Each year, one organization will receive a cash award of up to $7,000 to advance the awardee’s foresight efforts. Awardees receive acknowledgement during an ASAE Research Foundation signature event, as well as participation in an ASAE Research Foundation webinar, logo recognition on the ASAE Research Foundation website, a formal press release citing the awardee’s foresight achievements, and a featured case study or article on the awardee’s foresight implementation efforts.

New Investigator Award in Spinal Cord Injury Research (Round 1)

Approximately 1,100 New York residents suffer a traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) each year, joining the estimated six million people in the United States who are living with paralysis and othereffects of SCI. The personal and economic costs to these persons, their families and to society are immense. Since 1998, the New York State Spinal Cord Injury Research Board (SCIRB) advises the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Extramural Grants Administration (EGA) regarding research focused on cures for SCI and SCI-induced paralysis.

The SCIRB’s mission and goal is to:

• Seek major advances toward a cure and not simply incremental research gains or incremental improvements for SCI patients
• Support research that tests novel hypotheses and/or advances innovative research approaches that could move the field of SCI research significantly toward discovering a cure for SCI.

Purpose of the Funds

The SCIRB wishes to stimulate the growth of SCI research and to accelerate the pace with which basic (preclinical) findings are translated into clinical benefits for spinal cord-injured persons. In addition, SCIRB wishes to fill fundamental gaps in knowledge that are barriers to scientific advances in SCI research. The goal is to expend $8.5 million for SCI research every State fiscal year.

The Request for Applications (RFA) supports investigators new to the field of SCI research at different stages of career development. This award enables such investigators to compete for funding separately from investigators with established programs of SCI research. The intent of this initiative is to increase the pool of outstanding basic and clinical researchers actively studying SCI in New York State and thereby accelerate our progress toward the goals of the SCIRB mission. As such, The New Investigator Award aligns with the central goals of the SCIRB mission. Previous experience in SCI research is allowed, but not required. However, applications naming a Principal Investigator (PI) with limited background in SCI research are strongly encouraged to include collaboration with investigators who are experiences in SCI research and/or possess other relevant expertise to strengthen the application. 

Our Mission

KidsGardening creates opportunities for kids to play, learn, and grow through gardening, engaging their natural curiosity and wonder.

We want every child to experience the unique transformation that occurs when they spend time caring for a garden, be it outside, in a classroom, or in a cup on the kitchen windowsill. Since 1982, KidsGardening has served as a premier support provider for youth garden programs nationwide.

We support educators and families with grant funding, original educational resources, inspiration, and community to get more kids learning through the garden.

Growing the Future Intergenerational Garden Grant

In celebration of Miracle-Gro’s 75th anniversary, Miracle-Gro and KidsGardening are partnering to fund 75 intergenerational youth garden grants in 2026.

Intergenerational gardens provide opportunities for older gardeners to pass along traditions, knowledge, and skills to the next generation or share the experience of developing skills if new to gardening. In turn, young people bring their curiosity, wonder, and contagious enthusiasm for learning and life, exciting everyone involved in the growing process.

The 2026 Growing the Future Intergenerational Garden Grant is designed to support gardens that intentionally bring children and older adults together through shared gardening experiences.

Funding Priorities

The selection of winners is prioritized based on demonstrated need and program impact. KidsGardening considers a variety of factors when determining needs, including:

• Socioeconomic & Sociodemographic Factors: How does the program exist within or engage a community that has been systematically denied resources, whether physical assets and money or representative leadership and community services? Organizations affected by multiple socioeconomic and sociodemographic factors are given priority.

• Program Funding and Support: Does an organization have access to consistent, substantial monetary support or prior grant funding? Or are pre-existing resources (financial or otherwise) limited? Organizations experiencing the latter are given priority.

• Impact: Will grant funding dramatically expand learning opportunities for program participants? Does the intended impact reflect the needs of the community? Organizations working with more than 50 youth will be given priority.

Award Packages

Grantees will receive:

• A $500 cash award check
• A $250 coupon to purchase essential gardening supplies from ScottsMiracleGro.com

In 2020, GradGuard founded College Life Protected, LLC as a social purpose entity that supports programs, research, professional development, and best practices in higher education that promote greater confidence in the value of higher education as a public good. 

College Life Protected invites the higher education community to apply for grants that are consistent with our mission.

Promoting Financial Literacy

College Life Protected recognizes that that financial literacy is a critical skill for student success, impacting everything from academic persistence to long-term financial well-being. That’s why we are committed to funding programs and initiatives that equip students with the knowledge and resources they need to make informed financial decisions.

By supporting programs that enhance financial education, we aim to empower students to navigate college costs, manage personal finances, and build a strong financial future.

Ending Epidemics Education, Training and Technical Assistance Services

The intent of this Request for Applications is to support a comprehensive statewide training initiative to strengthen the capacity of local public health agencies, hospitals, community-based organizations, healthcare providers, peer workers, educators, and other partners to improve outcomes for the AIDS Institute’s strategic health priorities. The goal is to reduce health inequities by implementing training and education interventions, such as in-person or virtual trainings, conferences, seminars, digital learning tools, and capacity building initiatives that will prepare providers with the knowledge and skills to mount an effective response to the syndemics of HIV, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections, and substance use disorders. Building upon a foundation of health equity, other priorities for training include the health concerns of the LGBTQAI+ population, the concerns of persons living with HIV across the lifespan (noting the diversity in needs depending on age-related concerns), as well as training around legal and policy initiatives for these syndemic health issues and populations at risk. 

Ending Epidemics in New York State

In June 2014, NYS announced a three-point plan to end the AIDS epidemic in NYS.12 This plan provided a roadmap to significantly reduce HIV infections to a historic low by the end of 2020, with the goal of achieving the first ever decrease in HIV prevalence. The plan also aimed to improve the  health of all HIV positive New Yorkers and was the first jurisdictional effort of its kind in the U.S.

The three points highlighted in the plan are:

• Identify persons with HIV who remain undiagnosed and get them linked to care;
• Link and retain persons diagnosed with HIV in health care to maximize viral suppression;
• Increase access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for persons who are HIV negative.

New York State has been laying groundwork for ending the AIDS epidemic since the disease emerged in the early 1980s. New York State’s response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic has involved the development of comprehensive service delivery systems that evolved over time in sync with the evolution of AIDS from a terminal illness to a manageable chronic disease. This strategy enabled the state to implement new technologies as they were introduced, including new treatments, new diagnostic tests and, more recently, PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis). Due to the historic and robust State response over the last 36 years, New York State has bent the curve on the HIV epidemic, reversing the decades-long increase in the number of people in New York State that are diagnosed with HIV. 

Available Funding

Up to $3,094,000 annually in New York State and HRI funding is available to support programs funded through this RFA (total of $15,470,000 in New York State and HRI funding for five (5) years). 

Farmer First Regenerative Pilot Program

Regenerative Agriculture is a conservation management approach that emphasizes natural resources through improved soil health, water management, and natural vitality for the productivity and prosperity of American agriculture and communities.

In December 2025, NRCS launched the NRCS Regenerative Pilot Program, a farmer first, outcomes-based approach to conservation designed to return the agency to its core mission – helping people help the land. NRCS is investing $700 million to specifically support regenerative agriculture, including:

• $400 million through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP); and
• $300 million through the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

This pilot program addresses whole-farm resource concerns through support for voluntary regenerative agriculture conservation plans. It also puts American farmers first as a part of the solution to Make American Healthy Again (MAHA) by supporting access to American-grown whole foods, critical to addressing the chronic disease crisis nationwide.

For too long, divided and highly specific funding pools have unintentionally encouraged isolated, practice-by-practice conservation, rather than holistic management. By integrating bundled regenerative practices into single applications, closing program loopholes, and recognizing outcomes, NRCS will deliver lasting benefits for farmers, natural resources, and the American consumer.

Emphasizing regenerative agriculture builds upon NRCS’s 90 years of existing conservation work by restoring land health, improving long-term productivity, and ensuring American grown production for the future. 

The contract length will be a minimum of 5 years.