Nasdaq Foundation Grant Program

Established in 1994, the Nasdaq Philanthropic Foundation is a private charitable entity connected to Nasdaq, with a mission to increase economic opportunity and expand investor engagement. The Foundation aligns its work with Nasdaq’s broader purpose of empowering communities through enhanced access to capital markets, business resources, and wealth-building tools. It seeks to leverage business, capital, and innovation to create more inclusive economic participation and development. By targeting systemic barriers, the Foundation supports communities that have historically been under-resourced or excluded from mainstream financial and economic systems. The Economic Opportunity Grant Program is a core component of the Foundation’s philanthropic work. This grantmaking initiative supports scalable programs aligned with the Foundation's mission. The funding areas are broad yet strategic, encompassing five key impact zones: regional revitalization and rural wealth building, investor identity, financial literacy and resilience, access to capital, and employee and community ownership. Within these categories, the Foundation prioritizes projects that deliver measurable benefits such as workforce training, entrepreneurial support, community ownership models, investor education, and access to alternative financing in underserved areas. Grants are evaluated based on organizational capacity, the degree of alignment with the Foundation’s goals, and the potential for community impact. The Foundation looks for proposals that are complementary—not duplicative—of efforts by the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center. Evaluation criteria include the organization’s governance model, leadership, financial history, and the feasibility and scalability of the proposed intervention. The proposal must outline measurable short-term objectives that align with the Foundation's priorities and demonstrate how the grant could be leveraged for broader community influence. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status and for-profit consultants or businesses applying on behalf of such nonprofits or fiscal sponsors. While for-profit entities are not eligible on their own, they may serve as intermediaries if the grant is awarded to the tax-exempt sponsor. The Foundation excludes support for entities classified as “disqualified persons” under IRS rules, former recipients who failed to meet past grant terms, and those with conflicts of interest related to Nasdaq or its Foundation. K–12-only financial literacy programs are also generally excluded. There are no strict minimum or maximum grant award amounts, allowing flexibility for applicants to justify budget requests based on project scale and purpose. While one-year grant terms are standard, multi-year commitments may be considered if the applicant demonstrates necessity and impact. Reasonable overhead costs are allowed if clearly specified. Entities may submit multiple proposals without restriction. The submission process begins with an Expression of Interest (EOI), submitted through the GrantsConnect portal. There are two application cycles each year: January and July. For the January 2026 cycle, EOIs are due by February 13, with full proposals for selected applicants due May 1. Applicants are notified of outcomes by June 12. For the July cycle, EOIs are due July 31, with full proposals due October 16 and notifications by November 30. The grant program is recurring on a biannual basis, providing future application opportunities for qualified applicants.

Highlight measurable objectives, avoid duplicating Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center efforts, show community impact and scaling potential