Best Wisconsin Grants for Nonprofits

Wisconsin 501(c)(3) nonprofits and eligible governmental units working on community betterment, basic human needs, health, or the arts can seek project support through the Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation Charitable Grant. Grants from Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation assist organizations providing services in Wisconsin and other operating states, excluding operational costs and several ineligible activities.

The Small Business Development Grant (SBDG) in Wisconsin aims to enhance local economies by providing financial support to small business development organizations. With awards ranging from $50,000 to $250,000, the program targets local and regional Economic Development Organizations, municipalities, tribal governments, and counties to foster innovative support for small businesses. This initiative addresses the ongoing challenge of accessing capital, encouraging diverse and rural business growth while ensuring community involvement in program development.

The George F. Moss Foundation Grant supports charitable organizations in the greater Milwaukee area. Established in memory of George French Moss, who dedicated his life to business and philanthropy, the foundation emphasizes local impact. It seeks to fund initiatives that enhance community welfare, reflecting Mr. Moss's lifelong commitment to charitable endeavors. This grant is ideal for organizations aiming to make a significant difference in the lives of Milwaukee residents, ensuring his legacy continues through meaningful contributions.

The James M. Cox Foundation Grant offers support to nonprofit organizations focused on conservation, early childhood education, family empowerment, and health. Organizations must be 501(c)(3) tax-exempt and located in areas where Cox Enterprises operates. Grant applications are accepted year-round, with deadlines before Trustee meetings. Preference is given to organizations with a history of local engagement. This foundation embodies the philanthropic spirit of its founder, James M. Cox, by giving back to the community.

The Bank of America Charitable Foundation focuses on supporting organizations that empower communities through basic needs, income creation, and stable housing. By investing in health and job opportunities, they aim to enhance economic mobility for low- and moderate-income families. Their partnerships target vulnerable populations, ensuring equitable access to resources that foster community vitality and resilience. This initiative emphasizes the importance of stable housing as a foundation for personal and communal growth.

The Hickory Fund Grant aims to enhance the quality of life for individuals with disabilities in Wisconsin and South Carolina. Funding supports capital campaigns, new programs, general operating support, and social entrepreneurship. Grants under $5,000 require a Letter of Inquiry, while larger grants require both a Letter of Inquiry and a full application. Notably, funds are not allocated for endowments, individual grants, lobbying, scholarships, or medical research.

The Community Impact Grant Level One: Engage aims to enhance health equity in Wisconsin by supporting community partnerships that address social determinants of health. Open to Wisconsin-based organizations with less than $1 million in annual expenses, grants of up to $250,000 are available for three years. The program fosters collaboration among community leaders and aims to evaluate the impact of initiatives addressing health inequities, ensuring sustainable improvements in health outcomes for diverse populations.

The Battlefield Preservation Fund Grant aims to support initiatives that preserve battlefields and related historic sites. This funding encourages planning and educational efforts, particularly those that engage new audiences in preservation activities. Eligible applicants include public agencies and nonprofits in specified states. Grants can be used for staff support, consultant fees, and educational materials. Applicants must provide a one-to-one match for funding, ensuring strong community involvement in preservation efforts.

PFund Foundation supports LGBTQ+ communities in the Upper Midwest by providing event sponsorship funding for various gatherings, including fundraisers and pride festivals. Organizations eligible for funding must align with the foundation's mission, serve LGBTQ+ individuals, and be registered as 501c3 nonprofit entities. Events must be located within the foundation's service area and be scheduled at least 60 days in advance. This initiative aims to foster community engagement and support.

Wisconsin nonprofits, schools, and government agencies improving community health and well-being can access funding through Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation’s Thriving Community Impact Fund. Grants of US $2,500 - US $49,999 support programs addressing physical, mental, and social health, poverty and economic stability, and neighborhood or built-environment improvements within its Western Wisconsin service region.

The National Sea Grant Law Center is inviting proposals for the Coastal Resilience Program to research laws and policies addressing coastal resilience challenges such as sea level rise and flooding. With a funding cap of $150,000 over two years, this initiative aims to assess the effectiveness of existing policies and promote informed decision-making in coastal management. Up to two projects will be selected for funding, supporting innovative solutions to enhance community resilience against environmental threats.

The overall goal of the WWCT is to offset lost wetland functions on a watershed scale. The program provides a streamlined compensatory mitigation process as the Department takes on the legal responsibility for mitigation from permittees when credits are purchased, which satisfies the permittees’ mitigation requirements. By combining the required mitigation from many smaller wetland impacts within a service area into collective mitigation at larger sites, the WWCT can achieve ecological value and functional lift on a greater scale. The program strives to fund high quality, successful wetland restoration projects. Projects may be completed on any lands in the state of Wisconsin with the requirement that all project sites must be protected by a conservation easement or comparable legal instrument and remain as a mitigation site in perpetuity.

Arbor Rising Grant, established in 2010, is a NYC-based nonprofit providing unrestricted multi-year funding and capacity-building support to nonprofits focused on alleviating poverty. The grant process occurs every three years, with the next round in 2025 being invitation-only. Eligible organizations must demonstrate high potential and effective leadership, typically operating on a modest budget. Arbor Rising prioritizes applicants from the NYC metro area while expanding to cover the lower 48 US states.

The Kohler Foundation Grant focuses on preserving art environments and cultural heritage in Wisconsin and beyond. Grants up to $10,000 support innovative projects by tax-exempt public charities and institutions. With a preference for Sheboygan County, the Foundation encourages STEAM initiatives and programs enhancing access to the arts. Recent preservation efforts include notable sites like the Garden of Eden sculpture park and Pasaquan. The Foundation believes in impactful investments that foster lasting community benefits.

Increase Tenant and Homeowner Environmental Health Literacy Mini-Grant (WI)

The Wisconsin Site Evaluation Program at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services is offering mini-grants of up to $15,000 each to help community-based organizations (CBOs) implement new, innovative, expanded, or enhanced interventions to increase tenant and homeowner environmental health literacy. We are seeking applications from CBOs interested in addressing environmental health hazards and their impact on housing. Health equity and environmental justice are priorities, and should be at the center of the project planning and implementation.

The awarded organizations will build upon existing relationships they have with communities and will use or adapt strategies to meet the unique identified needs of each community.

Potential Projects

Projects must address one or multiple housing-related environmental health hazards that impact the community the organization works with. Examples of eligible projects to improve tenant and homeowner environmental health literacy may include:

• Host workshops and create educational materials on topics like lead poisoning prevention, mold remediation, and radon testing. Provide practical demonstrations of fixes and maintenance.
• Train youth to conduct peer education sessions and participate in community workshops.
• Implement programs that provide funds or volunteer labor for essential home repairs and improvements.
• Engage residents in activities, such as surveys and focus groups, to gather data on environmental health issues and needs. Use findings to inform targeted interventions and policy recommendations.

Funding

$8,000 - $15,000

The St. Croix Valley Foundation serves six counties bordering the St. Croix River through local partnerships and place-based philanthropy. We serve:

• Minnesota: Chisago County, Washington County
• Wisconsin: Burnett County, Pierce County, Polk County, St. Croix County

Since our founding in 1995, we’ve:

• Grown to 500+ charitable funds and $100M+ in assets
• Facilitated $100M+ in grants and scholarships, including $5.8 million in 2024
• Partnered with local community affiliates led by volunteers who help guide grantmaking, grow local endowments, and connect donors to opportunities close to home.

Humane Organization Grant Program 

Mission

To enhance the quality of life of shelter/ rescue animals and to increase their chances for adoption. 

The St. Croix Valley Foundation (SCVF) Humane Organization grant program funded by the Compassionate Animal Fund, is accepting applications (invitation only) from Managed Open Admission humane organizations located in the upper Midwest. The grants, ranging up to $3,000, can cover items on your “wish list” including food, supplies, infrastructure needs, and veterinary cost. 

Funding Criteria

Grants are intended to provide funds for items such as food, supplies, medicine, spay/neuter programs (for in-house animals to aid in adoption) newsletters, or other needs and/or programs that most benefit the humane organization.

​We understand that shelters may differ in the services or alternatives they offer during the waiting period prior to intake. If your facility is at capacity, you must provide a clear statement outlining how emergency surrenders and stray animals are handled, including the procedures your organization follows to operate as an Open Admission shelter.  

The Brownfields Grant Program in Wisconsin aims to revitalize contaminated industrial or commercial sites, promoting economic growth and community development. This initiative supports applicants with funds for environmental assessments and remediation efforts, turning neglected properties into viable spaces for redevelopment. Eligible candidates must provide recent environmental reports and demonstrate the inability of the responsible party to pay for cleanup. By facilitating the transformation of these brownfields, the program enhances local economies and community welfare.

The AmeriCorps State Competitive Program Grant in Wisconsin empowers organizations to engage AmeriCorps members in addressing critical community needs through service and volunteering. It focuses on enhancing community resilience by funding direct service and capacity-building activities. Priority is given to organizations serving marginalized populations and those focused on youth mental health, veterans' support, environmental stewardship, and reducing community polarization. This initiative fosters civic engagement and strengthens local communities across Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Department of Justice

​​​​​The Wisconsin Department of Justice (Wisconsin DOJ) is led by the attorney general, a constitutional officer who is elected by partisan ballot to a four-year term. Public safety is the core of Wisconsin DOJ's mission. The main duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Providing legal advice and representation for the State of Wisconsin
• Investigating crimes that are statewide in nature, importance, or influence
• Providing technical assistance and training to law enforcement officers and prosecutors
• Assisting victims of crime in exercising their rights and accessing services
• Providing forensic analysis of evidence in criminal cases
• Promoting safe school environment​s​

Sexual Assault Victim Services (SAVS) Grant Program

Program Goal

The goal of the SAVS Grant Program is to develop, expand, enhance, and/or support comprehensive sexual assault victim services so they are available to victims of sexual assault regardless of where they reside in Wisconsin. 

Core Services

The SAVS legislation provides a brief list of services that award recipients must provide or propose to provide, and statistical information that OCVS is mandated to collect from grantees. Statistical information reflects the core services.

• 24 Hour Crisis Response
• Personal Advocacy
• Systems Advocacy
• Information and Referral
• Support Groups
• Accessible Services
• Community Outreach and Prevention Education

The Mutual Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance Grants in Wisconsin provide essential funding for organizations to assist low-income families in constructing their own homes. This program empowers groups of very-low- and low-income individuals to work together, significantly reducing housing costs through shared labor. Eligible applicants include government non-profits and federally-recognized tribes, while ineligible costs include hiring contractors and purchasing materials. This initiative fosters community engagement and self-sufficiency in rural areas.

The WAB Creation and Presentation Grant provides vital support to established nonprofit arts organizations in Wisconsin that create or present significant arts programming. This grant emphasizes community impact and artistic quality, requiring applicants to demonstrate a history of consistent artistic activities and community engagement. Eligible organizations must be incorporated in Wisconsin, hold 501(c)(3) status, and provide a dollar-for-dollar match of funding. This multi-year grant program facilitates ongoing artistic development while ensuring accountability.

The State Shelter Subsidy Grant (SSSG) program assists individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness by providing grants to local agencies in Wisconsin that provide emergency shelter and supportive services. Emergency shelter programs applying for this grant must have a need for additional funding due to the renovation/expansion of an existing shelter facility, the development of an existing building into a shelter facility, the expansion (or development) of shelter services, or the inability of a shelter program to obtain adequate funding to continue providing their existing level of service.

The SSSG program provides operation funds to emergency shelter and motel voucher programs that have additional funding needs due to:

• Renovation/expansion of an existing emergency shelter facility
• Development of an existing building into an emergency shelter facility
• Expansion (or development) of emergency shelter services
• Inability of an emergency shelter program to obtain adequate funding to continue to provide an existing level of service 

The Patricia Ann Emberg Charitable Trust Grant provides funding for educational programs in northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. Established in 2014, it focuses on supporting tax-exempt nonprofit and governmental vocational, technical, and trade school programs. The trust aims to enhance workforce development in key industries such as forestry and aircraft maintenance. Applications are accepted year-round, with a deadline of May 5 for consideration in the annual grant meeting.

The Aquatic Invasive Species Control Research & Demonstration program, supported by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, aims to enhance water quality and protect ecosystems through collaborative initiatives. By providing cost-sharing funding for various activities, this program empowers eligible applicants, including local governments and educational institutions, to engage in effective water management practices. The initiative emphasizes sustainable stewardship of surface water resources, fostering partnerships to ensure long-term ecological health and community resilience in Wisconsin.

The Little Rapids Corporation Egan Family Foundation Grant, established in 1986, supports charitable initiatives in communities where the company operates. The foundation emphasizes philanthropy in education, health and human services, youth development, and the arts. It seeks to fund projects that benefit many individuals over extended periods, with a preference for causes located in Northeast Wisconsin. This commitment reflects the family-owned structure's dedication to community enhancement and long-lasting positive impact.

Associated Bank Community Grants focus on enhancing the well-being of communities through charitable donations. Allocating 1% of annual pretax profits, the bank supports programs benefiting low- to moderate-income individuals and families. Philanthropic priorities include affordable housing, small business development, workforce development, sustainability, and racial/social equity. The bank collaborates with nonprofit organizations that align with its values, ensuring meaningful contributions to community growth and improvement.

About

The Wisconsin Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is a statewide network supporting entrepreneurs and business owners through no-cost, confidential consulting and business education. Our regional expertise is available across a dozen locations statewide.

The Wisconsin SBDC is one of four programs at the Office of Business & Entrepreneurship (OBE), which provides specialized resources and helps clients craft personalized plans to grow their businesses. OBE is part of the world-class Universities of Wisconsin. 

We are a nationally accredited member of America’s SBDC, the most comprehensive small business assistance network in the United States.

WI Entrepreneurial Training Program 

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation is partnering to offer Entrepreneurial Training Program reimbursement of up to 75% of the $1,000 course fee. The course is designed to help early-stage startups vet their ideas and learn how to develop an investment-ready business plan. Grant recipients must comply with requirements that include meeting attendance standards and completing a business plan within six months of starting the program.