Best Civil Rights Grants in Wisconsin

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Wisconsin can seek US $5,000 - US $30,000 for safety, workforce development, community vitality, or environmental sustainability projects that primarily benefit communities served by Union Pacific. With a mission to strengthen local communities, Union Pacific Foundation provides program-specific support, not general operations, to initiatives demonstrating clear need, impact, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Wisconsin focused on community organizing for civil, human, and immigrant rights can receive approximately US $12,000 in general support from the Abelard Foundation. Funding supports local, progressive social change efforts that build grassroots leadership and empower low-income, disenfranchised, and marginalized communities east of the Mississippi River.

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 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.

Nonprofit fair housing enforcement organizations in Wisconsin can seek US $250,000 - US $500,000 to investigate and enforce fair housing laws, including through testing and related activities. With a mission to prevent discriminatory housing practices, US HUD: Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity supports civil rights work through its Fair Housing Initiatives Program Private Enforcement Initiative.

U.S. 501(c)(3) public charities or fiscally sponsored projects rooted in BAMEMSA communities and movements can seek up to US $25,000 in general operating support for civil and human rights work. Grants from Proteus Fund help Wisconsin civil rights organizations build community power, advance immigrant and refugee rights, expand nonpartisan civic engagement, and challenge harmful national security frameworks.

Wisconsin law students committed to civil rights and civil liberties can access funding through the Judge William Wayne Justice Endowed Presidential Scholarship in Law, awarding up to US $3,000 to a third-year student. Administered by the William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law, it recognizes scholastic merit, leadership, and dedication to public interest lawyering.

Nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations in Wisconsin working on civil rights or related community services can seek multi-year support for philanthropic programs. Focused on broadly charitable initiatives across the U.S., Adient Foundation invites proposals from soundly managed groups whose work promotes equity, inclusion, and stronger communities, including civil rights advocacy and education efforts.

Nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations in Wisconsin can seek funding for charitable programs, including civil rights, community services, education, health, and cultural initiatives. Focused on broadly philanthropic causes, Adient Foundation awards one-time grants, with past recipients required to reapply each year through the standard application process for potential renewals.

Researchers studying civil rights and community-led development in Latin America or the Caribbean can receive US $20,000 for twelve months of rigorous, field-based work. Grants from Social Science Research Council support projects on social inclusion, violence prevention, migration, and related issues; Wisconsin-based scholars are eligible if they meet citizenship and degree requirements.

Wisconsin civil rights and social justice nonprofits can access funding through the Looking Out Foundation to support LGBTQIA2S+ rights, displaced and immigrant communities, and expanded mental health resources. 501(c)(3) public charities working on humanitarian, arts, youth, women’s, food insecurity, or unhoused services may receive US $5,000 - US $25,000 project grants.

Civil rights and justice-focused 501(c)(3) nonprofits providing local community care in Wisconsin, particularly in Milwaukee County, can seek US $5,000 - US $20,000 in generally unrestricted support from the Flowers for Dreams Foundation. Grants prioritize small organizations uplifting disadvantaged communities, advancing equity, civic engagement, and standing against racism, discrimination, and injustice.

Emerging women, woman-identifying, non-binary, and two-spirited leaders of color in greater Chicago nonprofits can apply for the Cultivate leadership program, a one-year cohort focused on social, economic, and racial justice. Current or recent grantees of Crossroads Fund and partner foundations working on civil rights and related issues in Wisconsin-adjacent counties may be eligible.

Wisconsin civil rights and criminal justice reform nonprofits can access rapid-response funding through Circle for Justice Innovations to address urgent events and threats. Grants up to US $7,500 support grassroots, directly impacted–led organizations opposing criminalization and incarceration, protecting protest and mutual aid, and advancing restorative justice, healing, and cross-community solidarity, including groups focused on reentry and correctional systems.

501(c)(3) public charities offering civil rights and liberty education programs in Wisconsin’s greater Chicago-area counties may apply for Brinson Foundation grants. Funding supports initiatives that teach liberty, citizenship, free enterprise, and related civic principles, particularly for motivated students and adults engaged in education and STEM-focused programming.

Organizations and individuals advancing civil discourse, civility, and social or economic justice in Wisconsin can seek up to US $1,000 to support related conversations, research, and educational work. GriffinHarte Foundation supports civil rights projects that explore identity, feminism, equity, and civic engagement, including alternative pedagogies and scholarship on communication and justice.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations working on civil rights and government accountability in Wisconsin can access funding through the Herb Block Foundation’s Defending Basic Freedoms Grant. Grants of US $5,000 - US $25,000 support efforts to safeguard Bill of Rights freedoms, combat discrimination and prejudice, and address contemporary societal issues; funding is available nationwide.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations working on civil rights and related civic or educational initiatives in Wisconsin and nationwide can seek project funding from the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. Grants from Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation help civil rights organizations advance constitutional principles, individual liberties, informed citizenship, and strong civil society institutions; letters of inquiry are accepted year-round.

Nonprofit schools, parks departments, community organizations, and amateur leagues supporting girls’ sports can receive funding for coaching, equipment, uniforms, transportation, facilities, and related activities. Women’s Sports Foundation supports civil-rights-focused sports and athletics programs nationwide that primarily serve Black, African-American, Hispanic, and Native American girls ages 11–18, which may benefit Wisconsin organizations advancing equity through sport.

Organizations and individuals improving civil or criminal justice systems in Wisconsin can receive recognition and US $15,000 awards for proven, innovative accomplishments. Grants from Foundation for Improvement of Justice help advance legal reform, crime prevention, child protection, victim services, and other justice-related efforts across the U.S.; nominations are accepted year-round from all 50 states and D.C.

Nonprofit or aspiring 501(c)(3) local news organizations serving communities in Wisconsin can apply for American Journalism Project support to build sustainable business and revenue capacity. Funding focuses on independent, public-service digital newsrooms committed to free access, diversity, equity, inclusion, and meeting local information needs, which may include civil rights and human and civil rights coverage.

The CRSJ Racial Justice in Education Grant, administered by the National Education Association, aims to enhance racial equity within education by funding initiatives that promote awareness, leadership development, and solidarity among diverse racial groups. Grants typically range from $10,000 to $75,000, supporting projects that address racism and foster equitable policies in educational settings, thereby accelerating efforts towards social justice.

The Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day Mini-Grant supports events that honor civil rights activist Ruby Bridges by encouraging students to walk to school and engage in discussions about activism, anti-racism, and anti-bullying. Grants of $500 or $1000 are available based on the number of students reached. This initiative aims to inspire positive changes within communities and promote meaningful dialogue among young people about social justice issues.

The Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund, established in 1992, supports charitable organizations that enhance society, focusing on democracy and civil liberties. The fund prioritizes projects that ensure equal citizen participation in the democratic process and protect civil liberties, especially those implemented nationally or across multiple states. It operates by invitation only and emphasizes flexible, informed grantmaking to qualified projects that align with its mission and values.

The Puffin Foundation's Environmental Artistic Activism Grant Program supports artists addressing environmental issues through diverse artistic genres such as film, music, and theater. Grants, typically around $1,750, fund projects that prioritize sustainability and innovative solutions to the climate crisis. Eligible applicants include U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and current DACA recipients. The foundation emphasizes projects that avoid contributing to environmental harm while fostering artistic expression and community engagement.

The Impact Fund provides recoverable grants to legal services nonprofits and small law firms working on social, environmental, and economic justice issues. With over $10 million awarded since 1992, the fund supports impactful litigation addressing systemic injustices. Grants range from $10,000 to $50,000 and prioritize cases directly involving affected communities. Recipients must repay the grant amount with interest if they recover fees or costs, ensuring sustainability for future funding.

The Wolcott Family Foundation focuses on funding grassroots organizations that drive social change and environmental stewardship. They prioritize support for projects that empower communities, strengthen civil liberties, and address ecological challenges. Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations in Colorado classified under section 501(c)(3), with grants awarded for one year. The foundation values projects emphasizing environmental preservation and community involvement aimed at tackling societal issues.