Diversity Equity and Inclusion Grants

This program provides $5,000 grants to BIPOC LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and small business owners in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area to support their business growth through funding, education, and networking opportunities.

The Neighborhood Empowerment Grant, offered by Kansas City, Missouri, is a program designed to foster community engagement, enhance neighborhood identity, and improve public safety and overall quality of life. The program aims to reduce violent and other crime, spur neighborhood investment and development, and address code violations through Association and resident-led projects. While the text doesn't explicitly state a "foundation" in the traditional sense, the city's strategic priority is clearly aligned with empowering local neighborhoods to address their unique challenges and build stronger, safer communities from within. This grant serves as a direct mechanism for the city to achieve its broader goals of urban improvement and resident well-being. The primary target beneficiaries of this grant are not-for-profit Neighborhood Associations registered with the City of Kansas City and the State of Missouri, or those partnering with registered associations. The impact goals are comprehensive, aiming to improve resident health and safety, enhance dignity, support aging in place, and address other necessary quality of life repairs. By empowering these associations, the program seeks to create a ripple effect, positively impacting all residents within the participating neighborhoods. The grant prioritizes several key areas to achieve its objectives. These include promoting active participation and involvement of residents through community engagement, celebrating unique neighborhood identities, enhancing community safety through public safety strategies, facilitating necessary repairs and upgrades for quality of life enhancements, reducing violence and other crimes, encouraging internal and external neighborhood investment, and implementing measures to reduce code violations. These focus areas collectively form a strategic approach to holistic neighborhood development and improvement. Expected outcomes and measurable results include a reduction in violent and other crime, increased neighborhood investment and development, a decrease in code violations, and an overall improvement in residents' health, safety, and well-being. The program's theory of change posits that by empowering local associations and residents to lead projects focused on these priority areas, communities will experience enhanced value through stronger partnerships, leading to increased strength and stability. The grant aims to facilitate positive interactions and outcomes, fostering resident collaboration and improving messaging within the neighborhoods. The current round of funding offers $400K for local projects, with a maximum of $20K per applicant, indicating a commitment to supporting numerous community-led initiatives.

This grant provides funding to non-profit organizations in Philadelphia that support the care and education of underprivileged children, with specific allocations for those assisting children of Jewish and Gentile parents.

The Storefront Improvement Program (SIP) is a discretionary reimbursement grant established by the City of Soldotna in 2012. Its primary goal is to revitalize commercial areas within Soldotna by stimulating private investment, fostering economic growth, and enhancing the overall visual appeal and vitality of the city's commercial districts. This program aligns with the City's long-range plan, Envision Soldotna 2030, specifically addressing goals such as promoting downtown development, encouraging redevelopment in key areas like the river and major highways, supporting diverse local businesses for a healthy economy, and improving the streetscape along major routes. The SIP targets property owners and business lessees within Soldotna’s commercial areas, with the aim of boosting traffic, increasing property values, and improving the city's aesthetic. The program prioritizes exterior improvements to business facades visible from the street, including elements like storefronts, windows, exterior lighting, canopies, awnings, painting, masonry work, permanent landscaping, decorative signs, and accessibility improvements. The emphasis is on transformative changes, and projects incorporating multiple elements receive greater weight during the competitive application process. Expected outcomes include a more vibrant and attractive commercial landscape, increased foot traffic for local businesses, and an uplift in property values. By sharing the cost of beautification, the program seeks to empower local business owners to invest in their properties, contributing to a more prosperous local economy. While routine upkeep, maintenance, or required updates (e.g., signage due to change in ownership) are not eligible, the program encourages proactive improvements that enhance the architectural character and functionality of commercial buildings. Measurable results could include an increase in the number of beautified storefronts, a rise in new business openings or expansions in commercial areas, and potentially an increase in sales tax revenue for the city. The program's theory of change posits that by directly incentivizing aesthetic and functional improvements to business exteriors, the city can create a more inviting environment that attracts both residents and visitors, thereby stimulating economic activity and supporting the long-term health of its commercial sectors. The competitive application process ensures that funding is directed towards high-impact projects that best align with the program's objectives.

The Initiative Foundation offers grants to nonprofits and local government units, focusing on program or capacity-building support, projects that advance diversity, equity, and inclusion, and strategies to address workforce shortages. This aligns with the Foundation's mission to serve its 14-county region in Minnesota and Native nations of the Leech Lake and Mille Lacs Bands of Ojibwe, by fostering community and economic development. The grants are intended to be strategic investments, not ongoing support, with individual grants seldom exceeding $7,500. The grants target 501(c)(3) nonprofits, school districts, or local government units serving specific counties and Native nations within the Initiative Foundation's geographic service area. The impact goals are to strengthen communities by addressing urgent needs, particularly in low-income communities, promote behavioral change towards diversity, equity, and inclusion, and develop community-based solutions for regional workforce shortages, leading to family-sustaining wages. The Foundation prioritizes projects that demonstrably contribute to these outcomes. Priority consideration is given to proposals focusing on capacity-building support for nonprofits, especially those addressing urgent needs or low-income communities, including business planning, fund development, training, or pilot programming. Other key focuses include cost-share for projects creating behavioral change related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and advancement of community-based strategies to tackle regional workforce shortages in sectors with family-sustaining wages. Support for early-stage feasibility or pilot projects by local and regional community and economic development entities is also a priority. Expected outcomes include strengthened organizational capacity for nonprofits, measurable progress in diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and tangible reductions in regional workforce shortages. While specific measurable results are not detailed in the provided text, the emphasis on "behavioral change" and "community-based strategies" implies a desire for demonstrable and sustainable impact. The Foundation's strategic priorities are clearly laid out in the priority areas, indicating a theory of change that by investing in these key areas, they can foster stronger, more equitable, and economically resilient communities. Ineligible expenses include grants to individuals and businesses, expenses incurred before grant receipt, capital expenses, projects not directly benefiting residents in the service area, replacement of government funding, religious activities, lobbying, school curriculum development or athletic programs, and out-of-state travel. Healthcare, arts, and historic preservation are not focus areas for discretionary grants, and potential applicants in these areas are encouraged to consult with staff before applying.

The Devices Grants program, supported by the KC Digital Inclusion Fund (DIF), aims to bridge the digital divide by providing essential devices like computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. This initiative directly aligns with the DIF's broader mission to advance a systemic strategy for digital equity, fill programmatic gaps, attract new funding, and strengthen Kansas City’s competitiveness for state and federal dollars. The program emphasizes supporting user interface devices to overcome technology barriers, rather than focusing on connectivity infrastructure or data plans. The target beneficiaries for this grant are individuals in need within the 9-county Greater Kansas City region, encompassing Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte, and Ray counties in Missouri, and Johnson, Leavenworth, Miami, and Wyandotte counties in Kansas. The program specifically targets populations with limited access to technology and digital resources, aiming to empower them to access the internet and enhance their digital literacy. The impact goals include increasing access to technology for underserved communities, improving digital literacy, and fostering better internet connectivity solutions. The funding priorities for Devices Grants are centered around projects that provide access to technology, offer digital literacy training, and implement internet connectivity solutions. Priority is given to projects that are aligned with a specific program, rather than just an organization or population, and that help outcome-oriented direct-service organizations fulfill their mission by overcoming technology barriers. The core focus area is "Access to Network." Eligible applicants are direct-serving 501(c)(3) public charities, educational or governmental entities serving people in need within the specified 9-county region. While the grant size ranges from $10,000 to $100,000, the available funding is up to $75,000 with an award range of $1,000 to $20,000. The grant period is up to 6 months, with all projects expected to be completed by March 31, 2025. Grantees are notified of award status via email around August 26, 2024. The expected outcomes are that recipient organizations will be better equipped to serve their communities by providing necessary devices, ultimately leading to increased digital inclusion and improved access to digital resources for vulnerable populations.

The Art Project program, administered by the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council (ARAC), is a targeted funding mechanism that provides grants up to $5,000 to eligible organizations for meaningful arts activities. The program is specifically designed to foster artistic creation, performance, exhibition, and publication, as well as the presentation of arts events, often through collaborations with other entities or individuals. While a formal mission statement for ARAC is not detailed, the program's explicit focus on "relevant, meaningful arts activities with value to the community" clearly aligns with a foundational philanthropic goal of enriching the local culture and enhancing overall community well-being through supporting local artistic expression. The program's target beneficiaries include a specific set of organizations that are vital to the community's infrastructure: state-registered and federally recognized non-profit organizations, accredited schools, tribal governments, and units of government. Both individual artists and arts organizations are eligible to apply. Geographically, the beneficiaries must be primarily based in one of seven specific Minnesota counties—Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, or St. Louis County (outside Duluth)—or within the four Tribal Nations of Bois Forte, Fond du Lac, Grand Portage, or Leech Lake (within Itasca County). All Duluth organizations are eligible regardless of budget size, while organizations outside Duluth must have had prior year arts operating expenses of $40,000 or more; smaller groups are directed to a complementary program. The overarching impact goal is to support the arts landscape of this defined region by ensuring resources reach established organizations and communities. The strategic focus of the grant prioritizes activities that directly involve the creation, performance, exhibition, or publication of new artistic works. Funds are flexible and can cover essential supporting infrastructure, including art supplies, administrative and volunteer costs, and advertising, marketing, and promotional materials. To ensure the funds primarily support artistic output, purchases for equipment or technology are permitted only if they are integral to the artistic project and constitute less than 25 percent of the total request. This emphasis on direct artistic output and supporting necessary operational and promotional expenses ensures the grants have a tangible impact on the regional arts community. The expected outcomes and measurable results revolve around fostering a more vibrant cultural environment by increasing access to and participation in arts activities within the designated service area. Though not explicitly quantified, the ARAC's theory of change is inferred to be that by strategically funding projects which create new artistic works, present public arts events, and support the operational needs of qualifying arts organizations, they will successfully stimulate cultural engagement. The strategic distribution of resources is managed by key funding limitations, including the maximum grant of $5,000 and an overall cap of $25,000 per organization per fiscal year across all ARAC programs, which ensures broad distribution and support for a diverse range of projects and organizations. Furthermore, the requirement that projects must begin within six months helps ensure timely implementation and community benefit from the funded activities.

Projects should address one or more of the following Creative Youth Development program goals: Provide social-emotional creative experiences in safe, healthy and appropriate learning environments. Foster creative abilities of youth through culturally and linguistically responsive arts learning. Support arts programs that seek to activate youth voices, narratives, and perspectives. Utilize cultural assets of the local community to support positive self-identification and respect for diverse cultures. Empower youth through the preservation, revitalization, and/or reclamation of cultural practices. Cultivate the development of transferable life skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, leadership, and collaboration.

This funding opportunity supports Connecticut-based nonprofit organizations, municipalities, and recognized tribes in executing humanities projects that enhance public understanding of history, culture, and society, particularly in relation to the 250th anniversary of the United States.

This funding opportunity supports Connecticut-based nonprofit organizations, municipalities, and recognized tribes in planning humanities-focused projects that promote diverse perspectives and community engagement.

Gener8tor is accepting applications for its gBETA Wyoming Accelerator Program, a free seven-week program offering coaching, mentorship, and resources to early-stage companies based in Wyoming, aimed at fostering growth and investor readiness.

The California Fire Foundation (CFF) grant program is designed to actively address wildfire preparedness and prevention needs across California. This aligns directly with the foundation's mission to protect and enhance public safety, as well as the safety of California's firefighters and other first responders. By supporting projects in these critical areas, CFF aims to mitigate the growing threat of wildfires and safeguard communities throughout the state. The program seeks to fund initiatives that contribute to a more resilient California in the face of climate-caused disasters. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are California-based fire departments, firefighter associations, federally-recognized tribes, and local nonprofit organizations. Indirectly, the grant aims to benefit communities across California, with a specific focus on under-resourced communities at heightened risk and/or socially vulnerable populations. This includes low-income/impoverished individuals, minority status groups, those with limited English proficiency, people with disabilities, and seniors/older adults. The overarching impact goal is to reduce wildfire risk, enhance community safety, and support those most vulnerable to the effects of climate-caused wildfires and other disasters. The grant program prioritizes several key focus areas. These include vegetation mitigation and fuels reduction efforts, which directly address the physical conditions that contribute to wildfire spread. Additionally, the program supports education, planning, and community outreach campaigns to raise awareness and foster preparedness among residents. Finally, funding is available for the purchase of personal protective equipment or specialized firefighting equipment, directly enhancing the capabilities of first responders. In this cycle, a strong emphasis is placed on projects serving under-resourced communities and socially vulnerable populations in areas of heightened fire risk. Expected outcomes include a measurable reduction in wildfire occurrences and severity in funded project areas, an increase in community preparedness and awareness, and improved safety and operational effectiveness for fire departments and first responders. While specific measurable results are not explicitly detailed beyond the qualitative impact, the focus on tangible actions like fuels reduction and equipment purchases implies a direct and observable improvement in wildfire resilience. The CFF's strategic priority is to support proactive measures that prevent disasters and protect the most vulnerable, reflecting a theory of change that early intervention and targeted support lead to safer, more resilient communities. The grant period for projects is typically 12 months, encouraging timely completion and demonstrable impact.

This grant program, offered by the Minnesota Department of Education, aims to support the Minnesota's LSTA Five-Year Plan (2023-2027) by funding projects that align with Goals A, B, and C. The overarching mission is to reduce barriers to access, promote equity, showcase libraries' contributions to the community, and empower Minnesota's library workforce. This aligns with the state's broader strategic priorities of closing racial and economic achievement gaps and supporting the goals of the World's Best Workforce, as highlighted in Goal C. The target beneficiaries of this grant are legally established public libraries, library cooperatives or consortia, libraries in Minnesota’s public schools or public colleges and universities, and special libraries operated by Minnesota registered 501(c)(3) organizations. The impact goals are centered around increasing collective impact through coalition building (Goal A), reimagining access through partnerships (Goal B), and changing the narrative to better showcase libraries' vital contributions to thriving communities (Goal C). The program prioritizes and focuses on new projects that can serve as models or pilots. However, it also considers new phases of existing projects or ongoing projects that reach new audiences, incorporate new methods, or significantly expand their reach. Collaboration and partnerships with community-based organizations are highly encouraged, reflecting a strategic priority to leverage collective efforts for greater impact, though not a strict requirement for application. Expected outcomes and measurable results are tied to the achievement of the LSTA Five-Year Plan's goals, particularly in areas like reducing access barriers and promoting equity. While specific metrics are not detailed in the provided text, the focus on "changing the narrative" and "increasing collective impact" suggests qualitative and quantitative improvements in community engagement, library service utilization, and workforce development. The grant period from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025, provides a timeframe for achieving these outcomes, with grant awards ranging from $10,000 to $75,000 to support these initiatives.

The Community Climate Collaborative Energy Efficiency Grants program offers funding to small businesses for upgrades aimed at improving energy efficiency. This includes enhancements to appliances, lighting, and heating/cooling systems. The program's core objective is to facilitate emissions reductions and generate financial savings for businesses through strategic capital investments. While not explicitly stating the "foundation's strategic priorities and theory of change" in a separate section, the program's focus on emissions reduction directly aligns with a broader mission of combating climate change, which is implicitly the strategic priority of an organization named "Community Climate Collaborative." The target beneficiaries of this grant program are small businesses operating within the City of Charlottesville or Albemarle County, Virginia. Specifically, eligible businesses must hold a business license in one of these locations and qualify as a Microbusiness according to Virginia SBSD criteria, meaning they have 25 employees or fewer. The program also prioritizes Woman- or Minority-owned Businesses, as defined by Virginia SBSD criteria, and encourages SWaM certification or equivalent documentation. This focused approach aims to empower local, smaller enterprises in their transition to more sustainable operations. The program's priorities and focuses are squarely on tangible energy efficiency upgrades that yield demonstrable savings in energy usage and/or a reduction in emissions. This indicates a results-oriented approach where the proposed upgrades must show a clear environmental benefit and potentially economic advantage for the grantee. The maximum grant amount of $2,000 per project highlights an emphasis on supporting numerous smaller-scale, impactful interventions rather than fewer large-scale projects, making the grants accessible to a wider range of microbusinesses. The expected outcomes and measurable results of these grants include both environmental and economic benefits. On the environmental front, the primary outcome is the reduction of emissions, contributing to local climate goals. Economically, businesses are expected to achieve financial savings due to decreased energy consumption. The requirement for proposed upgrades to have "demonstrable savings of energy usage and/or reduction of emissions" signifies a commitment to measurable impact, ensuring that the allocated funds lead to verifiable improvements. The program's design implicitly supports a theory of change where targeted financial assistance for energy efficiency upgrades directly leads to reduced environmental impact and improved economic resilience for small businesses in the local community.

The Butler Accelerator for Education & Workforce Innovation, powered by gener8tor, is a program designed to support startups across the United States that are poised to transform how individuals learn and work. This initiative aligns with gener8tor's mission to identify and cultivate innovative solutions for systemic change in education and workforce development, with a particular emphasis on post-secondary education and the future of work. The program seeks to address complex challenges in these areas by engaging with founders who reflect the diverse communities impacted. Each selected company receives a $100,000 investment and 12 weeks of intensive, mentorship-based programming, networking opportunities, and introductions to potential customers, all aimed at building and growing their businesses. The target beneficiaries of this accelerator are startups, particularly those led by marginalized founders from underrepresented groups, who are focused on making systemic change. The program specifically encourages applications from teams working on solutions for post-secondary education, equity in access, the future of work, and workforce training innovations. The overarching impact goal is to drive significant and scalable economic impact through these startups, ultimately transforming stagnant industries, methods, and processes through technology. Gener8tor's strategic priorities include supporting passionate and dedicated founders who bring diverse experiences to the challenges of education and workforce technology. The program prioritizes startups that demonstrate a clear focus on systemic change at various levels, including school, institution, corporate, government, and community. They actively seek founders who are eager to embrace technology as a means to innovate. Key areas of focus include education, equity in access, the future of work, and workforce training innovations. The theory of change behind this accelerator posits that by investing in and providing intensive support to high-potential startups led by diverse founders, they can accelerate the development and implementation of solutions that create more equitable access to education and prepare individuals for the evolving demands of the future workforce. Expected outcomes include the growth and scaling of participating businesses, leading to increased adoption of their innovative solutions. Measurable results would encompass the number of startups supported, the amount of additional investment secured by these companies, job creation, and the broader impact of their solutions on education and workforce outcomes. Gener8tor's expertise in sales, marketing, go-to-market strategies, and fundraising is leveraged to select startups primed for growth, ensuring that their network, resources, and expertise can significantly scale the impact of these businesses.

The Ulster County Food Security and Resilience Grant Program, a collaborative effort between Ulster County and the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, aims to address food insecurity within Ulster County, New York. This program aligns with the findings of the Ulster County Food Security and Access Network (UCFSAN) Report, indicating a shared commitment to improving food access and resilience in the region. The Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley acts as the donor, facilitating the distribution of funds to eligible organizations. The grant program targets tax-exempt organizations, including faith-based organizations, that are either located in or provide services to Ulster County. These organizations must have operated as a nonprofit for at least one year with 501(c)(3) status or have an established fiscal sponsorship. The primary beneficiaries are individuals and communities within Ulster County experiencing food insecurity, particularly in critical geographic areas with limited provider access. The overarching impact goal is to enhance food security and resilience across the county. Funding priorities and focuses include proposals that effectively address food insecurity, leverage existing resources, expand emergency food services, and increase the capacity to collect, store, distribute, and provide food to those in need through equipment or personnel. A key focus is also on ensuring the sustainability of organizations working on food insecurity and supporting those operating in underserved areas. The grant program seeks to support "change-oriented" programs that address root causes rather than just immediate needs, aligning with a strategic approach to long-term community impact. Expected outcomes include a measurable reduction in food insecurity, improved access to emergency food services, increased capacity within food assistance organizations, and enhanced sustainability for these providers. The review criteria emphasize the quality of the program/project, the organization's capacity and stability, the clarity and realism of the budget, and the potential for significant impact and measurable results. Organizations are expected to have viable evaluation plans to demonstrate the likelihood of successfully measuring their impact, ensuring accountability and effective resource utilization.

The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines offers Leadership Grants, ranging from $100,000 to $500,000, to initiatives that aim to strengthen the community through equity-centered strategies and collaboration with diverse stakeholders, focusing on improving the quality of life in Greater Des Moines.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is offering grants through its relaunched Materials Management grants program, now named the Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine Grants Program. This initiative aims to support statewide efforts in reducing the environmental and human health impacts of materials throughout their entire life cycle. The program's core mission is to build local capacity and foster community-driven solutions that address the environmental, social, and health consequences arising from the production, consumption, use, and disposal of materials. This aligns with a broader strategic goal of promoting sustainable consumption and material use, creating environmental and health benefits, and inspiring innovative projects. The program primarily targets a diverse range of eligible applicants, including local governments, nonprofit organizations (501(c)3 or 501(c)4 status) or fiscally sponsored organizations, organizations created by an Oregon public entity, Tribal nations, public schools, public universities, community colleges, and small businesses of 50 people or less. The impact goals are centered on empowering community action to reach environmental solutions, advancing equity, and ensuring environmental justice by providing resources to historically underserved and underrepresented communities across Oregon. The program seeks to fund projects that offer promising solutions to reduce material impacts, ultimately aiming for a more sustainable future. For the 2024 grant cycle, the program's annual funding area is specifically focused on waste prevention. This priority reflects an environmentally centered approach to reduce the consumption of natural resources and the generation of waste before items become trash or pollution. Waste prevention activities encompass changes in product design, reduced usage, extended product life, or repair. Examples of eligible activities include farmers markets purchasing reusable dishes, establishing or expanding community tool libraries, small businesses adopting new technologies to reduce plastic labels, and stores investing in bulk storage for low-waste products. Eligible activities also include education and outreach, training, research, program/policy development, and workforce development. The expected outcomes and measurable results of the Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine Grants Program include a tangible reduction in the environmental and human health impacts of materials. This will be measured by the successful implementation of innovative projects and programs that embody waste prevention principles. The program anticipates creating environmental and health benefits through more sustainable consumption and material use practices. Furthermore, it aims to advance equity and environmental justice by ensuring resources reach communities that have historically been underserved, fostering localized solutions and building capacity within these communities. The total funding available for the 2024 grant cycle is up to $1,000,000, with individual grant awards ranging from a minimum of $25,000 to a maximum of $125,000, providing significant resources for impactful initiatives.

The General Operating Support (GOS) Grants, offered by the Illinois Arts Council Agency (IACA), aim to bolster established not-for-profit organizations that deliver arts programming to their communities. This initiative directly aligns with the IACA's mission to support and strengthen the arts in Illinois. The grant provides financial assistance ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 for activities occurring between November 1, 2024, and August 31, 2025. Eligible entities include registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organizations, branches of government, charitable trusts, institutions of higher education, religious organizations, and school affiliate organizations, all of whom must be in good standing with the state and meet specific operational and application criteria. The primary beneficiaries of this grant are not-for-profit arts organizations and, by extension, the diverse communities they serve across all counties in Illinois. The IACA's strategic priorities for this initiative are deeply rooted in equity and outreach. The program specifically focuses on under-resourced communities, including rural areas, high-poverty regions, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) groups, and individuals with disabilities. This targeted approach seeks to ensure that state support reaches a broader and more equitable demographic of Illinois communities. The initiative's core aims include analyzing the demographic distribution of past awards, engaging constituents for feedback on their needs and experiences, identifying areas for improvement in the IACA's funding approach regarding equity, and recommending actionable steps to achieve greater grant-making equity. These objectives are designed to build an evidence base that can be used to advocate for the resources necessary to expand state support to a wider array of Illinois communities. Expected outcomes and measurable results revolve around a more equitable distribution of arts funding and increased access to arts programming for under-resourced communities. The IACA anticipates that by addressing equity strengths and weaknesses and implementing recommended actions, they will successfully reach more diverse communities. Allowable expenses cover a wide range of operational costs, from artist fees and salaries to facilities, supplies, technology, marketing, and general administrative overhead, ensuring that organizations can effectively implement their programs and achieve their community impact goals.

This grant provides funding for the rehabilitation of historic properties in small rural communities along the Erie Canal in New York, aiming to enhance local tourism and economic development.