Best Financial Assistance Grants in South Dakota

Every Battle Creek area resident shall have the resources to access post-secondary education and training.

Your dreams matter — and we want to help you achieve them. Whether you’re a graduating high school senior, an adult returning to school, or a graduate student pursuing advanced education, we’re here to support you by opening doors to opportunity.

Beyond tuition, many funds support total cost of attendance — books, fees, equipment, and in some cases childcare or transportation.

Checks are made payable to the educational institution indicated on the follow-up and mailed directly to the educational institution. Checks are typically mailed in early August.

Leland, Dorothea, & Barbara McLain Scholarship Fund

The Leland, Dorothea, & Barbara McLain Scholarship was established by Barbara in honor of her parents who provided a good home and strong upbringing for her. The fund provides a scholarship to graduates and graduating seniors of Battle Creek area public high schools who are pursuing a career in education.

Continental Resources is committed to supporting health initiatives within the communities it operates. Through charitable donations, the company focuses on funding marathons, wellness classes, and research initiatives. Their primary goal is to promote healthy lifestyles and combat diseases. Organizations dedicated to health, education, and industry advocacy are encouraged to apply for support. However, donations are not provided to individuals or organizations outside their operational areas.

About AWS

We Move Welding Forward

Founded in 1919, the American Welding Society is a nonprofit organization with a global mission: to advance the science, technology, and application of welding and allied joining and cutting processes worldwide, including brazing, soldering, and thermal spraying.

By fostering knowledge, embracing change, and providing real-world opportunities through scholarships, fellowships, and workforce development, AWS provides the tools to help members succeed—and to inspire future generations of welding professionals.

Education / Meritorious / Service Awards

The Educational/Meritorious/Service awards recognize individuals who have made notable contributions to the welding industry. From educators who have advanced welding knowledge to those who've exhibited outstanding service, these awards celebrate dedication, expertise, and the advancement of welding as both an art and a science.

Adams Memorial Membership Award

This award, established by the American Welding Society, is given as a means of recognizing educators whose teaching activities are considered to have advanced the knowledge of welding of the undergraduate or postgraduate students in their respective engineering institutions.

Complete nomination packets may be submitted for consideration to the AWS Awards Committee and must include an introduction letter of support and a complete resume or CV of the individual’s qualifications. Send only complete nominations to nationalawards@aws.org by January 1.

About AWS

We Move Welding Forward

Founded in 1919, the American Welding Society is a nonprofit organization with a global mission: to advance the science, technology, and application of welding and allied joining and cutting processes worldwide, including brazing, soldering, and thermal spraying.

By fostering knowledge, embracing change, and providing real-world opportunities through scholarships, fellowships, and workforce development, AWS provides the tools to help members succeed—and to inspire future generations of welding professionals.

Education / Meritorious / Service Awards

The Educational/Meritorious/Service awards recognize individuals who have made notable contributions to the welding industry. From educators who have advanced welding knowledge to those who've exhibited outstanding service, these awards celebrate dedication, expertise, and the advancement of welding as both an art and a science.

Elihu Thomson Resistance Welding Award

This award is administered by the American Welding Society and sponsored by the Resistance Welding Manufacturing Alliance (RWMA). It was established in 1985, during RWMA's 50th anniversary, for initial presentation in 1986 to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the invention of resistance welding. Naming of proposed recipients is the responsibility of RWMA.

It is presented annually to a living individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the technology and application of resistance welding, as evidenced by:

• Invention or production of new resistance welding equipment innovations or technology
• A unique application of resistance welding in a production environment
• A technical paper published in the Welding Journal or any other industry-recognized publication, or
• Other contribution the RWMA Governance Committee deems worthy of recognition

Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley

The Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley is a collection of individual funds and resources given by local citizens to enhance and support the quality of life in the Fox River Valley of Illinois.

We are a tax-exempt public charity that allows individuals, businesses, and non-profit organizations to establish permanent endowments and temporary funds within the confines of one large foundation.

Foundation funds are used to provide grants to non-profit organizations and scholarships to area students. The Foundation also hosts a Youth Engagement in Philanthropy (YEP) program, which helps high school students learn more about philanthropy and empowers them to make a difference in the community.

The Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley serves the City of Aurora, Kane County, and Kendall County within the State of Illinois.

Clemens-Clair Future Educators Scholarship Fund

This scholarship is named for Clemens J. Rosen and Clair J. Hemphill – two fathers who encouraged and paid for their daughters to pursue college educations. Both believed an educated woman had more opportunities and would be better able to take care of herself and her family.

Clemens Rosen (1919-2016) did not finish grade school as he was needed on the farm. However, nobody could beat him in Scrabble. He served in WWII on a B24, was shot down twice and was held in a Nazi POW camp until the end of the war. He then took employment in Peoria, IL, first working for Western Electric and then as a foreman for Caterpillar Tractor Company.

Clair Hemphill (1912-1979) finished high school and was a life-long farmer in Elwood, Illinois. Clair’s father was a farmer as was his grandfather and others before him. Clair’s mother was a teacher until she married. He had a strong belief in women pursuing education and was proud that his daughter did just that.

This scholarship is a $10,000 scholarship, awarding $5,000 for two consecutive years providing that students maintain their enrollment status. 

Scholarships support aspiring college students who hold the promise of tomorrow’s progress.

Together, our competitive grants and scholarships help our region rise thanks to the vision and generosity of our donors.

The Congressman Mark Foley Scholarship for Political Science Education Fund

Must be enrolled in a degree program with a major in Political Science.

About AWS

We Move Welding Forward

Founded in 1919, the American Welding Society is a nonprofit organization with a global mission: to advance the science, technology, and application of welding and allied joining and cutting processes worldwide, including brazing, soldering, and thermal spraying.

By fostering knowledge, embracing change, and providing real-world opportunities through scholarships, fellowships, and workforce development, AWS provides the tools to help members succeed—and to inspire future generations of welding professionals.

Counselor and Fellow Awards

The AWS Counselor and Fellow Awards celebrate members for distinguished organizational leadership and notable contributions to welding science and technology.

Counselor Awards

The American Welding Society, in 1999, established the honor of Counselor of the Society to recognize members for a career of distinguished organizational leadership that has enhanced the image and impact of the welding industry. The first class of Counselors was inducted at the 2001 AWS Show.

Election as a Counselor of the Society is demonstrated as evidenced by:

• Leadership of or within an organization that has made a substantial contribution to the welding industry.
• The individual’s organization shall have shown an ongoing commitment to the industry, as evidenced by support of participation of its employees in industry activities.
• Leadership of or within an organization that has made a substantial contribution to training and vocational education in the welding industry.
  • The individual’s organization shall have shown an ongoing commitment to the industry, as evidenced by support of participation of its employees in industry activities.
  • This recognition is selected by the AWS Counselor Committee based on specific criteria at least 16 months in advance of FABTECH.
  • Nominations must be submitted through the online nomination portal by June 1st.
  • Nominations are reviewed/selected at the fall Counselors Committee meeting, with final approval the following year at the spring Districts Council meeting.

A maximum of 5 Counselors are selected each year, as determined by the Counselors selection committee.

About AWS

We Move Welding Forward

Founded in 1919, the American Welding Society is a nonprofit organization with a global mission: to advance the science, technology, and application of welding and allied joining and cutting processes worldwide, including brazing, soldering, and thermal spraying.

By fostering knowledge, embracing change, and providing real-world opportunities through scholarships, fellowships, and workforce development, AWS provides the tools to help members succeed—and to inspire future generations of welding professionals.

Counselor and Fellow Awards

The AWS Counselor and Fellow Awards celebrate members for distinguished organizational leadership and notable contributions to welding science and technology.

Fellow Awards

The American Welding Society, in 1990, established the honor of Fellow of the Society to recognize members for distinguished contributions to welding science and technology, and for promoting and sustaining the professional stature of the field. The first class of Fellows was inducted at the 1991 AWS Show.

AWS Fellow candidates are expected to have demonstrated impactful contributions through research, teaching, leadership, or service. Election as a Fellow of the Society is based on the outstanding accomplishments and technical impact of the individual. These accomplishments will have advanced the science, technology and application of welding, as evidenced by:

• Sustained service and performance in the advancement of welding science and technology
• Publication of papers, articles, and books, which enhance knowledge of welding
• Innovation and development of welding technology
• Society and Section contributions
• Professional recognition

About AWS

We Move Welding Forward

Founded in 1919, the American Welding Society is a nonprofit organization with a global mission: to advance the science, technology, and application of welding and allied joining and cutting processes worldwide, including brazing, soldering, and thermal spraying.

By fostering knowledge, embracing change, and providing real-world opportunities through scholarships, fellowships, and workforce development, AWS provides the tools to help members succeed—and to inspire future generations of welding professionals.

CWI Lifetime Achievement Award

In 2018, the American Welding Society established the AWS Certified Welding Inspector Lifetime Achievement Award to recognize individual members for a career of distinguished service, leadership, outstanding accomplishments, and innovative contributions towards enhancing the image and technology of welding inspection. Individuals receiving the award may be currently working as a CWI or have worked as one in the past.

• Election as a CWI Lifetime Achievement Award recipient is demonstrated as evidenced by:
• Advancements in the field of welding inspection.
• Mentorship of individuals entering the field of welding inspection.
• Effective application of existing and new inspection technology.
• Evidence of participation in activities directly related to the recruitment, training, education and/or mentorship of individuals entering the field of welding inspection.
• This recognition is selected by the AWS CWI Lifetime Achievement Award Committee based on specific criteria.
• Nominations are reviewed/selected during a fall CWI Lifetime Achievement Award Committee meeting with final approval the following year at the spring Districts Council meeting.
• A maximum of 5 recipients are selected each year, as determined by the selection committee.

About AWS

We Move Welding Forward

Founded in 1919, the American Welding Society is a nonprofit organization with a global mission: to advance the science, technology, and application of welding and allied joining and cutting processes worldwide, including brazing, soldering, and thermal spraying.

By fostering knowledge, embracing change, and providing real-world opportunities through scholarships, fellowships, and workforce development, AWS provides the tools to help members succeed—and to inspire future generations of welding professionals.

AWS Distinguished Member Award

The AWS Distinguished Member Award was created to recognize outstanding service and commitment of AWS Members to the Society and the welding industry.

To qualify for Distinguished Member status, applicants must accrue 35 or more points from at least three of the four categories listed on the application form. These include National AWS Leadership, Local AWS Leadership, Professional Development, and AWS Membership Recruitment. Members are invited to nominate an individual by submitting the completed application form to the Director, Membership.

Award recipients will receive an AWS Distinguished Member Award certificate, suitable for framing, a Distinguished Member lapel pin, and recognition in the Welding Journal, as well as in the AWS Awards Directory. Allow three weeks for delivery.

To request more information, please contact the Director, Membership.

American Society of Civil Engineers 

The American Society of Civil Engineers represents more than 160,000 members of the civil engineering profession in 177 countries. Founded in 1852, ASCE is the nation’s oldest national civil engineering society.

ASCE stands at the forefront of a profession that plans, designs, constructs, and operates society’s economic and social engine – the built environment – while protecting and restoring the natural environment.

G. B. Mann Scholarship

All scholarships are awarded on an equal opportunity basis to current high school senior students who attend school in the Dallas Branch region (Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, Navarro, and Rockwall Counties) and who will be attending an institution of higher learning in the 2026 Fall Semester in pursuit of a degree in Civil Engineering.

About G. B. Mann

The (Dallas) Branch Scholarship Fund was established in the early 90s when David Schnurbusch was the Branch president. In 1993, the Fund received a large boost from George Boley Mann, when he contributed a large sum of his retirement investments to the Fund. Numerous Dallas area high school and college students have benefited from his large and kind endowment. He did not want any publicity for this contribution.

An ASCE Past President and Life Member, Mr. Mann received a degree in Civil Engineering from SMU. During WWII he worked in Ordinance Department at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland. He retired from Texas Department of Transportation after 34 years of service. He was active in ASCE and NSPE. He contributed to the construction of numerous Texas highways. He mentored many young engineers.

American Chemical Society

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a non-profit organization founded in 1876 and chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS is committed to improving all lives through the transforming power of chemistry. Our mission is to advance scientific knowledge, empower a global community, and champion scientific integrity. Our vision is a world built on science.

What We Do

More than 145 years after our founding, we remain a champion for chemistry, its practitioners and our global community of members.

We’re recognized as a leading publisher of authoritative scientific information. Our 80+ peer-reviewed journals are ranked the “most-trusted, most-cited and most-read.”

We empower our members to advance chemistry, elevate their career potential, expand their networks, inspire future generations, collaborate globally and build communities that provide scientific solutions.

We provide broader networks that facilitate connections and open doors in a way no other professional organization can match!

ACS Graduate Student Success Grant

Purpose

To support graduate students (M.S. and Ph.D.), within one year of degree completion, whose education and training were disrupted due to termination or cancellation of research grants. Funding will be given to the Principal Investigator (PI) of the lab. This one-year award, the ACS Graduate Student Success Grant, will enable students to complete their degree programs. The grant seeks to lower the risk of a declining number of U.S.-trained chemists with advanced degrees, thereby preserving the strength and continuity of the scientific community.

Description

The ACS Graduate Student Success Grant provides $25,000 for one year to a faculty member who lost funding after October 1, 2024, that supports one or more graduate students. The award will also connect supported graduate students to ACS career development resources and programming to catalyze their transition into the workforce.

The grant funds will be awarded to exclusively support graduate students (M.S. and Ph.D.) who are within one year of degree completion and in need of funds to ensure degree completion. This grant supports currently enrolled graduate students who conduct research related to the chemical sciences in a department at a U.S.-based institution of higher education. Each institution of higher education can receive a maximum of one ACS Graduate Student Success Grant.

Applicant must provide a signed letter on institutional letterhead from the Vice President of Research (or equivalent), confirming the institution’s support, including the following:

• The PI’s loss of funding due to grant termination or cancellation after October 1, 2024.
• The names, current academic status, and anticipated graduation time of the impacted graduate students.

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development's Community Development Grant Program provides funding between $25,000 and $75,000 to support community-led initiatives aimed at alleviating poverty. Established by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the program emphasizes the dignity of human life and encourages low-income individuals to take an active role in addressing systemic issues. Grants are awarded to organizations that align with Catholic values and demonstrate effective participation of impoverished communities in decision-making processes.

The Limited Competition Small Grant Program for ORIP SERCA K01 Recipients provides funding to early-stage veterinary scientists to enhance their research capabilities and transition to independent investigator status. This initiative addresses challenges faced by these researchers, including reliance on funding from senior investigators. Grants support pilot studies, secondary data analysis, and development of research methodologies, aiming to foster independence within a two-year timeframe without funding clinical trials.

American Chemical Society

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a non-profit organization founded in 1876 and chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS is committed to improving all lives through the transforming power of chemistry. Our mission is to advance scientific knowledge, empower a global community, and champion scientific integrity. Our vision is a world built on science.

What We Do

More than 145 years after our founding, we remain a champion for chemistry, its practitioners and our global community of members.

We’re recognized as a leading publisher of authoritative scientific information. Our 80+ peer-reviewed journals are ranked the “most-trusted, most-cited and most-read.”

We empower our members to advance chemistry, elevate their career potential, expand their networks, inspire future generations, collaborate globally and build communities that provide scientific solutions.

We provide broader networks that facilitate connections and open doors in a way no other professional organization can match!

ACS Catalyst Scholarship

Description

The ACS Catalyst Scholarship is an education initiative designed to support undergraduate students pursuing chemistry or chemistry-related fields. This scholarship offers support to undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need or hardship. This program provides $10,000 in funding, with the possibility of renewal in future years, to help students continue their academic journey.

Must plan to pursue a career in the chemical sciences.

Funding for this scholarship is paid directly to accredited colleges or universities to cover essential educational expenses, such as tuition, fees, and books.

Raymond and Paulette Cox Scholarhsip (Piedmont)

Provides scholarship to a Piedmont graduating senior with a GPA of 3.0-3.00, attending a two- or four-year college or university and majoring in health services or public service.

This funding opportunity from the NIH encourages groundbreaking research to enhance, develop, and preserve animal models and related biological materials for studies impacting human health. The program seeks innovative methodologies that can improve the diagnosis and management of diseases affecting animal use in biomedical research. Projects must demonstrate relevance across multiple NIH Institutes to align with broader research goals, emphasizing diverse body systems and disease categories.

Outstanding Program Award

Recognizing the exceptional programming of AAFP Chapters and Chapter Foundations.

The AAFP Foundation established this award to nationally recognize outstanding philanthropic activities of AAFP Chapters and Chapter Foundations. Each year, one program is selected, and the Award is presented during AAFP FMX at the AAFP Foundation recognition event.

The Outstanding Program Award Recipient will receive up to a $1,000 reimbursement for travel to FMX to accept the award at the AAFP Foundation Donor Recognition dinner.

About Us

Some say natural is the new normal – but at Sprouts, there’s nothing new about natural foods! Back in 2002, we opened our first store in an effort to make natural foods accessible to everyone. Up until then, grocers offering fresh, organic choices were either too expensive to shop or too hard to find. We wanted to be different! No more weaving through a maze of narrow aisles without anyone offering to help. No more ingredient lists featuring 40 unpronounceable chemicals. And most of all, no more spending an entire paycheck for food from the honest effort of a farmer – not a factory.

To us, being different is good!

People thought we were crazy when we wouldn’t sell the country’s top-selling sodas, snacks and candy. But we believed that eating clean and living healthy was more than just a trend. At Sprouts, it’s our passion. And we knew that by focusing on farm-fresh produce and other healthy, affordable items, we could create a grocery experience where you didn’t have to be wealthy to eat healthy!

So think of Sprouts as all of the very best parts of a real farmers market under one roof, open every day of the week. With our commitment to value in every department, and knowledgeable and friendly team members, we’re confident that once you shop Sprouts you’ll think different is good too.

Today we have grown to more than 380 stores with approximately 31,000 team members. It’s these individuals who are the key to our success. They’re the ones who put good at the heart of everything we do at Sprouts … every day, in every community, with every guest.

Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation: Event Sponsorship

Thank you for considering Sprouts to support your organization. We value the opportunity to partner with local nonprofit organizations in the communities where our stores operate and are happy to lend a hand when we can.

Request Guidelines

Every day, Sprouts receives numerous donation and sponsorship requests. Due to the volume of applications we receive, we regret we cannot approve every request.

The Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Project Grant provides a unique opportunity for Early Stage Investigators (ESIs) to pursue innovative research projects without requiring preliminary data. This grant encourages ESIs to explore new directions in their research, distinct from their prior work. Applications must demonstrate how the proposed project aligns with the mission of NIH Institutes and Centers, fostering creativity and new methodologies in scientific inquiry. Notably, clinical trials are not permitted under this funding opportunity.

The FY 2027 Service Area Competition (SAC) funding aims to enhance health services in underserved communities across the U.S. by providing grants for comprehensive preventive and primary health care. The initiative supports health centers in delivering essential services, ensuring that vulnerable populations receive the care they need. Service areas for competition are announced periodically, and additional areas may be added if existing centers are unable to continue their services.

The Association of Legal Writing Directors (ALWD) History Grant is designed to support projects that research, interpret, or celebrate the history of ALWD and its contributions to the legal writing discipline. These grants reflect ALWD’s commitment to preserving the history of ALWD, honoring community contributions, and making ALWD’s history accessible to scholars, teachers, and practitioners into the future.

Types of Fundable Projects

• Oral History & Interview Projects - Projects may include interviews with founders, early leaders, past presidents, award winners, or other members central to ALWD’s history. 
• Archival Preservation & Digitization - A project may include scanning, organizing, and preserving historical materials such as conference programs, newsletters, board minutes, and committee records, accompanied by the creation of searchable digital archives for long-term access.
• Creative Dissemination Projects - Short documentary films, podcasts, interactive digital exhibits, timelines, or “museum-style” digital or physical installations are possible projects.
• Conference Integration  - Projects may include the preparation of history-focused materials for ALWD’s biennial conferences, such as poster sessions, anniversary exhibits, or a temporary “history wall.”
• Publications & Reflections  - Written projects may include essays, case studies, memoir pieces, or historical analyses suitable for publication 

Individual Provider Grants empower medical providers to contribute to communities through medical mission trips. These grants fund nonprofit organizations to assist with program costs. Applications are accepted year-round, but should ideally be submitted 30-60 days prior to the mission for timely processing. The Making a Difference Foundation reviews all applications monthly; however, meeting eligibility does not ensure funding at the requested amount.

The ACTA Apprenticeship Program has been supporting California's cultural traditions for nearly 25 years by providing $5,000 contracts to mentor artists for intensive training of eligible apprentices. This program fosters the continuity of traditional arts through one-on-one mentorship, culminating in public presentations and documentation of the learning process. Eligible applicants must submit a collaborative application, demonstrating commitment and quality in their respective art forms. This initiative not only preserves cultural practices but also enhances community engagement.

The ARS Friends in Research Award, funded by the American Rhinologic Society, offers $25,000 over two years to support innovative research in rhinology. Eligible candidates include members who have completed residency without significant outside funding. The award encourages early and mid-career investigators to explore diverse areas within rhinology. Recipients can publish their findings, with the society retaining first refusal rights for publication. This grant aims to foster career development in the field of rhinology.

The Bergel Institute Fellowship - FS1: Cutting Edge or Pseudoscience? invites individuals to explore the intersection of science and human potential. This immersive program seeks to rigorously analyze over a century of scientific advancement, examining theories from quantum mechanics to consciousness. Through intensive research and mentorship, fellows will develop a comprehensive study that aims to redefine the applications of validated scientific theories, fostering public understanding and contributing to the evolution of human knowledge.

The Hardin County Principal Organization Scholarship, offered by the Central Kentucky Community Foundation, aims to support graduating seniors from Hardin County Schools who plan to pursue a career in education. Applicants must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. This scholarship serves as a stepping stone for future educators, ensuring they have the financial resources to achieve their academic goals and contribute positively to their communities.