Best Human Rights Grants in Virgin Islands

Doctoral students at U.S. institutions conducting dissertation research on social justice, human rights, inequality, work, or immigration issues in the U.S., including the Virgin Islands, can apply for Russell Sage Foundation’s Dissertation Research Grants, which provide up to US $15,000. Grants support data collection, preparation, analysis, and writing for projects in the foundation’s priority social science areas.

Grassroots social justice and human rights organizations in the Virgin Islands, U.S. and nearby regions can apply for approximately US $5,000 from the Peace Development Fund to support community organizing and movement-building work. With a mission to advance equitable, community-rooted systemic change, the fund prioritizes groups shifting power, dismantling oppression, and creating democratic, sustainable structures.

Virgin Islands animal welfare nonprofits and 501(c)(3)-equivalent organizations can seek project funding to improve humane treatment of domestic pets, wildlife, and farm animals. Cold Noses Foundation supports special projects such as rehoming, non-lethal alternatives to euthanasia, veterinary care for needy families, and humane education, for organizations with annual income under $200,000.

Barbara McDowell Social Justice Center Inc.

The Barbara McDowell Social Justice Center litigates, educates, advocates, and provides grants to nonprofits to eradicate social injustices. 

We pursue litigation through our own efforts as well as funding others in the following fifteen issue areas: Access to Benefits, Children’s Rights, Disability Rights, Discrimination, Domestic Violence, Due Process, Environmental Justice, Healthcare, Homelessness, Housing, Native American Rights, Prisoners’ Rights, Refugee and Immigration Rights, Voting Rights, and Veterans’ Rights.

Barbara McDowell Social Justice Center Grant

We make grants to organizations that undertake systemic social justice litigation across fifteen issue areas. The Center funds litigation matters that are consistent with our namesake Barbara McDowell’s past legal efforts and her beliefs regarding social justice.

Applications must be for a specific social justice legal case, including the filing of an appeal. Grant funds are to be used only for attorney time charges and litigation expenses related to the specific case for which an organization is applying to be funded. 

The AJ Muste Foundation's Rapid Response Grants support U.S.-based organizations engaged in grassroots activism for social justice. These grants, up to $5,000, are aimed at addressing immediate needs of groups fighting for equality and liberation. The funding is designed for unexpected opportunities and emergencies, promoting powerful organizing efforts. The foundation prioritizes groups lacking traditional funding sources and those focused on systemic change rather than individual support.

The HRE USA 2025 Edmonds Summer Fellowship honors the legacy of Kirby Edmonds by offering young leaders hands-on experience in human rights education. This fellowship provides mentorship and learning opportunities to engage youth in creating human rights-friendly schools and communities. Supported by the Dorothy Cotton Institute, it aims to nurture future leaders committed to human rights advocacy. Eligible candidates must be 18 or older, reside in the U.S., and commit to 100 hours of work between June and August 2025.

The Alexandra Hallock Capacity Building Grant for Small Nonprofits, established in 2024, honors the legacy of Alexandra Hallock by supporting small nonprofits focused on human rights, women's empowerment, and LGBTQ+ causes. This grant offers a one-time $20,000 unrestricted funding along with pro-bono capacity building support. It aims to strengthen organizational infrastructure and governance, ensuring impactful community engagement. Eligible organizations must be 501(c)3 nonprofits with revenue under $400,000, operating for at least one year, and based in the U.S.

The Park Foundation Grants for Civic Participation aim to enhance democracy through active civic engagement. Focused on mobilizing voters and protecting their rights, this program supports grassroots organizations addressing social injustices. By fostering year-round involvement rather than just election-focused efforts, the foundation seeks to empower communities and ensure robust participation in the democratic process, ultimately contributing to a more equitable society.

The Call for Kindness Grant, offered by Riley's Way Foundation, empowers young leaders aged 13-23 to launch impactful social projects focused on kindness and community connection. With grants up to $5,000, recipients receive essential mentorship, coaching, and community support. This initiative has already benefited over 3,500 youth nationwide, promoting values of empathy and social change. Applicants can pursue projects in diverse areas, including environmental justice, ensuring a broad impact in their communities.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations or fiscally sponsored projects with national or broad multi-region reach working on social justice and human rights may be eligible for empathy-building support, including storytelling, animal connection, and related programs. Focused on empathy-building, Acton Family Giving invites aligned U.S. organizations to introduce their work for potential future consideration.

Early-career social science faculty researching U.S. economic mobility, inequality, and related human rights issues can receive US $35,000 - US $50,000 for one-year projects, including scholars based in the Virgin Islands. Russell Sage Foundation’s Sheldon Danziger Pipeline Grants prioritize underrepresented researchers and work on structural barriers in education, labor markets, criminal justice, immigration, and civic participation.

Schools, local governments, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits can apply for US $500 - US $1,000 to host Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day events that promote activism, anti-racism, and anti-bullying. Focused on youth civil rights education, Safe Routes to School National Parternship invites Virgin Islands human rights organizations to support walk, bike, or roll-to-school activities and dialogue.

U.S.-based 501(c)(3) organizations working on education or social justice can apply for the Baskin Family Foundation’s flexible program support. This national funder backs forward-thinking initiatives, and groups in the Virgin Islands advancing human rights within these priorities may be eligible to seek funding.

Kauai graduate students pursuing degrees in social justice, public or human service, education, or health can apply for the Inspired to Serve Scholarship Fund from Hawai'i Community Foundation. Eligible applicants must be Hawaii and Kauai residents, full-time master’s or doctoral students, demonstrate financial need, and may plan careers that advance human rights and social justice, including in the Virgin Islands.

State and local education affiliates in the Virgin Islands advancing racial justice in K–12 education can apply for National Education Association Staff Organization’s CRSJ Racial Justice in Education Grant, with awards of US $5,000 - US $75,000. Funding supports awareness, capacity-building, and action projects that explicitly address racial equity, leadership of people of color, and organizational transformation.

Nonprofit and education-focused organizations working to advance K–12 educational equity and racial justice in the Virgin Islands can access funding via the National Education Association Staff Organization’s CAPE grants. These grants support initiatives that boost student achievement for students of color, deepen social justice activism, and strengthen parent and community engagement partnerships.

Student-led aspiring educator groups working on social justice and human rights in the Virgin Islands can seek CREATE grants to strengthen their programs and partnerships. Focused on educator quality, community engagement, political action, and social justice, National Education Association Staff Organization offers up to US $2,000, with three application cycles each year.

Recent humanities or interpretive social science PhDs authorized to work in the U.S. can receive multi-year fellowship support to work with social justice–oriented nonprofits, including those in the Virgin Islands. Focused on human rights and social justice, American Council of Learned Societies places fellows in substantive roles using advanced research, communication, and project management skills.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) public charities and eligible public entities working on social justice, human rights, basic needs, or STEM education, including those serving the Virgin Islands, may be eligible for national support. Grants from American Electric Power Foundation help organizations advance equity, address hunger and housing, and provide educational and community programs within or benefiting AEP’s service areas or customers.

Nonprofit organizations advancing social justice and human rights in the Virgin Islands can look to the Indigo Oak Fund’s Equal Justice Under the Law program for support of legal fairness, rehabilitation, and anti-recidivism efforts. With a mission to recognize and advance individual potential, the Indigo Oak Fund also backs civic engagement and education for future attorneys and social justice advocates.

Virgin Islands social justice and human rights nonprofits with U.S.-incorporated 501(c)(3) status or fiscal sponsorship and budgets under $500,000 can access funding and capacity-building through the Mockingbird Incubator Nonprofit Incubator Program. Participants receive an eight-week management and fundraising cohort, full tuition scholarships, and may apply for up to US $4,000 in grant funds after completion.

Nonprofit organizations promoting social justice and human rights can request US $100 - US $15,000 for general operating support, programs, advocacy, or capacity building, primarily in the Intermountain West and nationally in the U.S. Focused on equality, the B.W. Bastian Foundation invites groups, including those serving Virgin Islands communities, that explicitly affirm LGBTQIA+ inclusion to enquire before applying.

Resist.

In 1967, Resist emerged out of the resistance to the Vietnam War and evolved to support the visionary frontline groups that are resisting, re-imagining, and transforming their communities for a more just and liberated world.

Resist is a foundation that supports people’s movements for justice and liberation. We redistribute resources back to frontline communities at the forefront of change while amplifying their stories of building a better world.

Our grant-making: Throughout this history, Resist has provided critical early funding to some of the most influential progressive organizations in the U.S. In total, Resist has granted more than $12 million to over 6,000 dedicated groups across the United States.

Urgent Action Fund

The 2026 Urgent Action Fund resources organizations with urgent projects or requests that include, but are not limited to, events, direct actions, accessibility, and mutual aid. Applications will open on the last Monday and close the following Friday of each month until cap has been reached. Projects that reflect escalated resistance, campaigns, events, projects or programmatic work will be prioritized.

About NIF

Advancing Equality for All Israelis

The New Israel Fund (NIF) helps Israel live up to its founders’ vision of a society that ensures complete equality to all its inhabitants. Our aim is to advance liberal democracy, including freedom of speech and minority rights, and to fight the inequality, injustice and extremism that diminish Israel.

From Israel’s first rape crisis centers, to fighting discrimination, NIF-funded organizations have driven positive social change and furthered justice and equality. NIF has provided over $350 million to more than 950 organizations since our inception in 1979.

Naomi Chazan Global Activism Fellowship

Want to travel to Israel/Palestine while advancing equality, democracy, and peace for all?

The New Israel Fund’s Naomi Chazan Global Activism Fellowship offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to visit Israel/Palestine, meet frontline Israeli and Palestinian activists, and learn about issues of war, peace, and inequality by seeing the reality on the ground. 

Fellows will visit Israel/Palestine on November 3-10, 2026.

This trip is a great opportunity to learn alongside peers and friends (ages 21 – 35). NIF is based on the simple idea that those of us who share a commitment to Israel/Palestine and to progressive values can join together to work for equality, freedom, and human rights. You will join a cohort of participants from the U.S. and Canada building relationships across borders to be sustained for years to come.

Following the trip, participants are expected to organize at least two NIF events in their home communities, with support from NIF staff. These events could look like a report-back highlighting the participants’ learnings from the trip, educational programs featuring NIF grantees/partners, or something else entirely that is tailored to the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual needs of the fellow’s communities.

The program is subsidized by generous donors in the NIF community. All “on-the-ground” costs—your hotel accommodation and almost all meals—will be covered by NIF. Participants are responsible for purchasing their own airfare and travel/health insurance. If the cost of airfare is a barrier for you, please apply anyway. Limited airfare subsidies may be available.

The Baugh Foundation supports progressive, inclusive, nonprofit organizations that reflect the love of Christ by providing assistance to those in need, enriching the lives of children and youth, keeping faith communities informed and engaged, and guarding the wall of separation between church and state.We welcome applications from progressive, faith-based organizations. At this time, the vast majority of our funding goes to progressive Baptist organizations or initiatives, and organizations that work to guard the separation of church and state. We believe that a free church in a free state is dependent upon a functioning democracy.Funding Priorities: 

• Social justice and advocacy
• Progressive faith-based journalism
• Meeting basic human needs
• Progressive faith-based post-secondary education
• Inclusivity initiatives
• Arts and enrichment

The Amy Adina Schulman Memorial Fund

The Amy Adina Schulman Memorial Fund is a Princeton, New Jersey-based endowment fund providing grants to individuals, young adults who volunteer or intern for progressive social action projects or programs in an area of their interest and commitment. The Amy Adina Fund also sponsors a lecture each year on a relevant and timely topic related to its educational mission.

The Amy Adina Schulman Memorial Fund was started in 1987 one year after Amy Adina, 20, died suddenly while a student and activist at Rutgers University. It is a realization of her family and her communities’ desire to celebrate her life, to fulfill her dreams and her potential. Since its inception, almost 1,500 grants have been awarded for work in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and the United States—nearly $1,000,000 in total. The Amy Adina Schulman Memorial Fund is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

About Our Grants

Small grants (depending on length of service), are awarded to as many applicants as possible rather than giving larger amounts to fewer individuals. The number of awards has grown each year thanks to annual contributions as well as to gifts sent to the Fund to honor special occasions and life cycle events.

The Richard L and Freda K Flerlage Foundation

Our Mission

Working to empower underserved populations through small grants in support of literacy, healthcare, reduction of poverty, and the promotion of social and environmental justice.

We are a small family foundation, when possible we aim to support organizations with relatively small operating funds where our small grants will have their greatest possible impact.

Our average grant is $3,800.