Best Worcester Grants for Nonprofits in Massachusetts

The Runschke Family Scholarship, established by Gernot and Anne Runschke, supports students from Northwest Ottawa County pursuing vocational or trades programs. It aims to empower local youth by easing educational costs, while emphasizing community involvement and academic potential. Financial need is not a primary consideration, allowing a diverse range of applicants to qualify. This scholarship reflects the Runschke family's commitment to enhancing education and workforce development in their community.

The Ray and Sue Barrett Scholarship, offered by the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation, supports high school seniors in the Tri-Cities pursuing higher education in law, criminal justice, mental health, social work, or psychology. Established in honor of Ray and Sue Barrett, who valued education and mental health, this scholarship considers financial need and requires a minimum 2.5 GPA. Applicants must submit transcripts and relevant documents to qualify.

The P.E.O. Chapter DS Scholarship supports female students from the Tri-Cities area pursuing higher education. Established by the P.E.O. Sisterhood in 2005, it emphasizes academic achievement, financial need, and community involvement. Eligible candidates include graduating high school seniors and non-traditional students. The scholarship prioritizes applicants with a minimum GPA of 2.5 and those intending to attend Cottey College. The application process is straightforward, allowing candidates to apply for multiple scholarships with one submission.

The Paul J. Laninga Memorial Scholarship, established by Tamara Laninga in memory of her husband, supports graduating seniors from Northwest Ottawa County pursuing careers in accounting or business. This competitive scholarship prioritizes students demonstrating financial need and academic excellence, while encouraging applications from those planning to attend public universities. It aims to honor Paul's zest for life and create positive opportunities for future leaders in business.

The Pat and John MacTavish Fund, established in 2007 by John Mac Tavish in memory of his wife Pat, provides scholarships aimed at encouraging young women to pursue higher education in the hard sciences. Awarded by the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation, scholarships are competitive and based on criteria such as financial need and academic achievement. Applicants from Northern Ottawa County or specific school districts are eligible. The fund emphasizes the importance of education in fields such as math, chemistry, and computer science.

The North Ottawa Hospital Auxiliary Fund Scholarship, supported by the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation, offers financial assistance to students pursuing medical and healthcare-related degrees. Established in memory of Marjorie Hren Blohm, this scholarship prioritizes applicants from the Tri-Cities area who demonstrate financial need and academic achievement. Applicants must be at least second-year college students accepted into a relevant program, ensuring that qualified candidates receive the support they need to succeed in their educational pursuits.

The Michael Herman Scholarship, established by the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation, honors a talented young soccer player who passed away tragically at 15. This scholarship is awarded to graduating high school seniors from the Tri-Cities area who have played soccer and wish to continue participating in college-level soccer. Financial need is not a priority, and all eligible students are encouraged to apply for this opportunity to further their education while pursuing their passion for sports.

The Melissa Skiera Myers Scholarship, managed by the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation, supports female students pursuing degrees in math, science, and business. Funded by Melissa Skiera Myers to alleviate educational financial burdens, this scholarship prioritizes first-generation college students and those overcoming challenges. Applicants need to submit transcripts and specific documents. With a competitive selection process, the fund aims to empower Tri-Cities women, including adult learners, to achieve their academic goals without the weight of student debt.

Ann Query Scholarship

Graduating senior who attends public, private, or home school and resides in the Zeeland Public School District area (student does not have to attend Zeeland Public Schools to be eligible)

The Mary E. Wilsberg Scholarship, established in 1988 by Mary E. Wilsberg, supports Grand Haven or Spring Lake High School graduates pursuing graduate education, including PhD programs. The scholarship emphasizes academic excellence and community service, requiring a minimum GPA of 3.0. Financial need is not a priority for applicants, who must demonstrate involvement in their school and community. This scholarship simplifies the application process by allowing candidates to apply for multiple foundation scholarships with a single submission.

Alice O. Rydell Interior Design Scholarship

Graduating senior or graduating early college student who attends public, private, or home school in the primary service area of the Community Foundation.

The Marv VandenBosch Scholarship, established by Sandra VandenBosch and her children in memory of Marv VandenBosch, supports Tri-Cities students pursuing careers in criminal justice or law enforcement. This scholarship considers financial need and requires applicants to have a minimum GPA of 2.5. The Grand Haven Area Community Foundation administers the scholarship through a competitive process, ensuring that each applicant is thoroughly reviewed to promote academic achievement and community involvement.

The Marvin R. and Pearl E. Patterson Family Fund Scholarship, offered by the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation, supports students aspiring to study graphic or fine arts, as well as those interested in environmental sciences. Open to high school graduates from the Tri-Cities area, this scholarship considers leadership, community involvement, and academic achievements, although financial need is not a requirement. Applicants must provide transcripts and relevant documents to qualify for this opportunity.

The Marjorie M. Hendricks Environmental Education Scholarship, offered by the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation, supports Tri-Cities area residents pursuing a degree in environmental science. Established in memory of Marjorie Hendricks, a dedicated environmentalist, this scholarship prioritizes students with financial need and those attending GVSU or Aquinas College. Applicants must submit academic transcripts and other required documents to be considered for this competitive award, which honors Marjorie's significant contributions to environmental conservation.

The Marion A. and Ruth K. Sherwood Family Scholarship Fund supports current college students from the Tri-Cities area, promoting academic achievement and community involvement. Funded by the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation, this scholarship emphasizes financial need and aims to assist students in continuing their education. Applicants must submit transcripts and additional documentation to demonstrate eligibility. This initiative reflects the Sherwoods' commitment to fostering educational opportunities and community betterment.

The Lynne Sherwood Scholarship, offered by the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation, aims to support local youth in achieving their educational aspirations. This competitive scholarship considers various factors including financial need and academic achievement. Applicants must reside in West Michigan and submit necessary documents such as transcripts and the Student Aid Report. Lynne Sherwood's legacy as a community leader and educator continues to inspire future generations through this scholarship opportunity.

Transportation Research and Policy

Arnold Ventures (AV) is a philanthropy dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans through evidence-based solutions that maximize opportunity and minimize injustice.

The Infrastructure team has been investing in efforts to build better, faster, and lower-cost infrastructure with a focus on housing, energy, and transportation. For transportation, we are investing in policymaking and research that tackles the inefficiencies that make U.S. transportation infrastructure so difficult and expensive to build. 

Purpose

Transportation policy represents an avenue for improving the systems moving people, goods, and services. The Infrastructure team is seeking proposals evaluating the effectiveness and/or benefits of existing transportation or transportation-adjacent policies on outcomes for communities in the United States.

Eligible Projects and Topic Areas of Interest

This Request for Proposals (RFP) aims to bolster the knowledge base of potentially effective policies, programs, and interventions by funding efforts that align with key AV Infrastructure policy areas.

AV is primarily focused on traditional surface transportation — road and public transit — but is open to proposals in aviation, maritime, passenger and freight rail, trucking, and more.

We seek proposals for: 1) research, expanded data sets, or analysis; 2) administrative or legislative policy reforms at the federal, state, or local level; or 3) models of effective implementation including proposals for implementing agencies to partner with researchers or program evaluators to conduct baseline and post-intervention research on implementation effectiveness that will advance the knowledge base and provide illustrative examples within, but not limited to, the following topic areas:

• Transportation Capital Investment Reform. Evaluating how capital funding is prioritized and selected at the federal, state, or regional level, including discretionary grant programs and formula-based funding. What reforms could ensure projects deliver higher public returns?

• Cost Estimation, Oversight, and Accountability. Why do major transportation projects frequently exceed budgets and timelines, and how can we identify strategies to improve transparency, cost realism, and performance oversight?

• Access in Mobility Outcomes. Measuring how current transportation investments affect access to jobs, services, and economic opportunities for workers and families, and what policy changes could improve access.

• Performance-Based Project Selection. How can public agencies shift from current, politically driven allocations to datadriven, performance-based decision-making on capital project selections?

• Institutional Barriers to Reform. What organizational, legal, or procedural hurdles prevent DOTs and MPOs from adopting better practices (e.g., outcome-based planning, integrated land use/transportation policy)?

• Permitting and Permit Reform. How do current local, state, and federal permitting practices affect project cost, quality, timeline, and other concerns?

• Intergovernmental Dynamics. How do federal, state, and local funding structures and requirements enable or constrain effective transportation investment? What governance structures would improve outcomes when it comes to transportation planning and project delivery?

• Data Sets and Root Causes of High Delivery Costs. Expanded data sets on unit costs and/or research illuminating the root causes of why transportation and transit projects cost so much and take so long to deliver. What policy and practice changes could manage project delivery risks and improve the likelihood that projects will be delivered on s chedule and on budget?

• Domestic Content. How do Buy America and domestic content requirements affect the cost, speed, innovation, and effectiveness of transportation infrastructure projects?

• Procurement Process. How do current procurement practices affect project cost, quality, innovation, and accountability — and what policy and regulatory reforms could improve outcomes?

• Other. AV also welcomes innovative proposals on other transportation issues that align with our mission.

These research, policy development, and implementation proposals can be relevant to federal surface transportation reauthorization legislation or federal administrative changes; state reforms to Departments of Transportation; and/or local-level reforms relevant either to regional transportation agencies, transit agencies, or municipal governments.

NAFC Open Grant/Product Donation Applications

The National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) is the only nonprofit 501c(3) organization whose mission is solely focused on the issues and needs of the medically underserved throughout the nation and the more than 1,400 Free and Charitable Clinics that serve them. The NAFC has earned the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar and a 4-Star rating from Charity Navigator. Founded in 2001 and headquartered near Washington, D.C., the NAFC is working to ensure that the medically underserved have access to affordable quality healthcare and strives to be a national voice promoting quality healthcare for all. For more information about the NAFC, including how to become a member, please visit https://www.nafcclinics.org.

NAFC Patient Care Fund

The NAFC Patient Care Fund supports direct patient services that expand immediate access to care. This funding is designed to help NAFC members meet urgent patient needs by supporting clinical supplies, expanded services, contracted providers, transportation assistance, medication access, and other direct care resources.

David Wiersema Memorial Scholarship

Graduating home school senior or graduating high school or early college student from one of the following high schools: Black River, Hamilton, Holland Christian, Holland High School, Saugatuck, West Ottawa, Zeeland East, or Zeeland West.

Cathy Geerlings Indomitable Spirit Scholarship

Graduating senior or graduating early college student with substantial work history or record of volunteering who attends public, private, or home school in the primary service area of the Community Foundation; or a current college student with substantial work history or record of volunteering whose permanent address lies within the primary service area of the Community Foundation; or a currently employed worker from the greater Holland/Zeeland area, employed 20 or more hours per week, in human resources, manufacturing, skilled trades, semi-skilled trades, or other production-related areas with a greater Holland/Zeeland area company including temporary staffing agencies.

Scholarships

Grand Haven Area Community Foundation scholarships are awarded competitively based on criteria set by donors. These criteria could include financial need, the school the applicant is attending, academic achievement, as well as personal or career goals. The Community Foundation has a rigorous internal selection process for each scholarship decision, and each applicant is reviewed in depth, and considered thoroughly.

Our scholarship program is simple. You are able to apply once for all foundation scholarships you may be eligible for. Once your application is submitted, you will be eligible for all those for which you meet the requirement.

Zenko Family Fund 

This fund was established in 1990 by Margaret L. Zenko as a means to assist individuals to help themselves become productive members of our community. Her husband, Edward, was a graduate of Pigeon Creek School and a self-educated engineer who started Progressive Engineering, which made parts for airplanes during World War II. They both had a keen interest in the Grand Haven Lighthouse and Pier and in retirement, Edward's energy was funneled into getting the lights installed on the catwalk. The Zenko Family Fund continues to give scholarships to deserving local students who show through their work ethic that education is important.

Agnes Zuverink-Norman Nursing Scholarship

Graduating senior or graduating early college student from one of the following high schools: Black River, Holland Christian, Holland High School, West Ottawa, Zeeland East, or Zeeland West.

Carolyn L. Ballard & Beverly J. Schoch Scholarship

Graduating senior from a high school within the Community Foundation’s primary service area.

The Women's Club of Grand Haven Grant, established in 2001, offers scholarships to non-traditional students from the Tri-Cities seeking further education. Funded through community efforts such as an annual Used Book Sale, this grant prioritizes financial need and is open to applicants residing in Northern Ottawa County or those who graduated from local school districts. Preference is given to female applicants aged 21 and older, supporting educational advancement for those whose academic journeys have been interrupted.

Charles and Beatrice Kulier Scholarship

Graduating senior or graduating early college student who attends public, private, or home school in the primary service area of the Community Foundation

Brooks Family First Generation Scholarship

Graduating senior or graduating early college student from one of the following high schools: Black River, Holland High School, West Ottawa, Zeeland East, or Zeeland West.

Bill and Maria Hoekstra Dental Scholarship

Graduating senior, graduating early college student, or current college student who permanently resides and attended high school, including home school, within the Foundation’s greater service area, including Fennville, Hamilton, Hudsonville, Saugatuck, and CTC students from any district.