Grants for Individuals - Social Advocacy

This funding opportunity supports U.S.-based organizations in exploring groundbreaking aerospace concepts that could transform NASA's missions or create new ones through innovative technological advancements.

This grant provides financial support for arts projects that enhance the well-being of military service members, veterans, and their families through creative engagement and art-making experiences.

The Fund for Community Reparations for Autistic People of Color's Interdependence, Survival, and Empowerment is offering a grant opportunity for autistic people of color. The fund aims to provide direct support, mutual aid, and reparations to this community. The fund is based in the United States but has a global reach. The fund practices redistributive justice and mutual aid by returning and sharing money directly with autistic people of color. They offer microgrants for survival, organizing, leisure, and pleasure to Black, Brown, Native, Asian, and mixed-race individuals in the autistic community. The fund is committed to Disability Justice principles, including leadership by those most impacted, intersectionality, anti-capitalist politics, cross-movement solidarity, interdependence, collective access, and collective liberation. They are focused on ending extractive economies and building sustainable generative economies. The fund is specifically for autistic people of color and not for parents, caregivers, or family members. However, in some cases, applications from parents or caregivers on behalf of autistic people of color may be approved. The fund prioritizes applications that emphasize the autistic person's individual wants, needs, desires, preferences, choices, and interests. They may approve applications for therapy if it is desired by the autistic child, but they do not approve applications for ABA therapy. Applications for household help or necessities like rent and bills are also considered, especially if there are multiple autistic children in the family. However, requests for personal respite for parents or caregivers are not eligible. For more information and to apply, visit the Autistic People of Color Fund website.

This fellowship provides $5,000 to support research on anti-Black racial injustice and structural racism in Indiana, encouraging scholars to explore the historical and contemporary experiences of Black Hoosiers and their responses to systemic racism.

This funding opportunity provides $1,000 to artists and activists for new projects that creatively address systemic racism and mass incarceration, with a focus on collaboration with those directly affected by these issues.

This program provides funding to Shaker Heights residents and community groups for projects that promote inclusivity, cultural celebration, and social engagement to strengthen community connections.

This grant provides funding for early-career researchers to explore the economic impacts of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, supporting innovative studies on prevention, treatment, and care for affected individuals.

The Berkeley FILM Foundation (BFF) has launched its inaugural short fiction film grant program, designed to support narrative short film projects through pre-production, production, post-production, and distribution stages. This initiative aligns directly with BFF's mission to foster creative, thoughtful, and innovative storytelling, particularly films with strong themes of social or environmental justice. The foundation aims to empower filmmakers who can use the medium to address critical societal issues, thereby contributing to a more just and aware community. The target beneficiaries of this grant program are individual filmmakers—specifically directors, co-directors, producers, or co-producers—who are at least 18 years of age and reside or work in specific Bay Area cities: Berkeley, Emeryville, Albany, El Cerrito, Richmond, Oakland, or Alameda. Organizations are not eligible to apply. The impact goals are to support the creation of high-quality short fiction films that embody the organization's commitment to social justice and inspire other funding bodies to support creative projects. The program prioritizes short, fiction films (40 minutes or less) that demonstrate originality, imagination, and technical skill. A significant focus is placed on narratives that explore social or environmental justice themes, reflecting the foundation's strategic priority to leverage film as a tool for advocacy and community engagement. The grants are divided into two tiers: General Grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000, and the prestigious Saul Zaentz Awards, offering two separate $25,000 grants for films that most powerfully embody the foundation's mission. Expected outcomes include the successful completion and distribution of impactful narrative short films that raise awareness and stimulate dialogue around social and environmental issues. Measurable results will be determined by the number of films funded, their artistic merit, their alignment with social justice themes, and their potential to inspire further funding and public engagement. The foundation's theory of change posits that by investing in filmmakers who produce compelling, socially conscious narratives, they can contribute to cultural enrichment and foster positive societal change.

This grant provides financial support to individuals and organizations engaged in international service work to address humanitarian, medical, educational, and social challenges worldwide.

Program Summary • The Grantee shall deliver mental health services to individuals who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing or DeafBlind by utilizing a culturally affirmative approach. This approach will adhere to the Americans with Disabilities Act. The culturally affirmative approach shall serve these populations in an individualized manner and shall provide any level of outpatient mental health service delivered by staff who directly provide such in the individual's language and communication mode. Additionally, these staff will exhibit a distinct knowledge base, specialized clinical skills, and specialized cultural linguistic skills. The service delivery may also include staff who exhibit a knowledge base in serving these minority populations and utilize reasonable accommodations for the individual's language needs and communication modes. The Grantee's staff providing mental health services may include case managers, therapists, counselors, and/or psychiatrists. The Grantee shall communicate in an accessible manner, by utilizing Video Phones, TTYs, licensed sign language interpreters and/or other reasonable accommodations according to the individual's needs. Funding Priorities or Focus Areas • IDHS is working to counteract systemic racism and inequity, and to prioritize and maximize diversity throughout its service provision process. This work involves addressing existing institutionalized inequities, aiming to create transformation, and operationalizing equity and racial justice. It also focuses on the creation of a culture of inclusivity for all regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or ability. Project Description • The Grantee must deliver mental health services to individuals who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing or DeafBlind by utilizing a culturally affirmative approach. This approach will adhere to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Each of these minority populations have unique cultural and linguistic needs, which are not exclusively homogeneous. Therefore, the culturally affirmative approach must serve these populations in an individualized manner. An individual who is Deaf, Hard of Hearing or DeafBlind, that is served by this grant funding, may reside or be originally from any county in Illinois. The cultural affirmative service delivery must provide any level of outpatient mental health service delivered by staff who directly provide such in the individual’s language and communication mode. Additionally, these staff will exhibit a distinct knowledge base, specialized clinical skills, and specialized cultural linguistic skills. The service delivery may also include staff who exhibit a knowledge base in serving these minority populations, and utilize reasonable accommodations for the individual’s language needs and communication modes. The Grantee’s staff providing mental health services may include, but are not limited to: case managers, therapists, counselors, and/or psychiatrists. The Grantee must communicate in an accessible manner, by utilizing Video Phones, TTYs, licensed sign language interpreters and/or other reasonable accommodations according to the individual’s needs. There are community networks across the state of Illinois that serve as a separate referral source for these populations. In these networks, information is communicated on how and where to access these services that are delivered in a cultural affirmative approach. The Grantee must serve as an embedded entity of these community networks as it relates to their cultural affirmative service delivery of mental health services. The Grantee’s staff will outreach, collaborate, and network across various service systems to effectively address these challenges. As part of this, the Grantee will assist individuals served in addressing the complex language, cultural, clinical, and administrative challenges when navigating the various service systems and their associated processes. Most often, these systems’ information is not readily accessible in the population’s native language and communication mode. Specifically, the Grantee’s staff will assist individuals in identifying and linking to other applicable providers, how to access their services, and/or apply for applicable benefits. Additionally, there is an absence of any evidence-based mental health treatment developed for or evaluated for use with these populations. The grantee must adapt evidence-based mental health treatment using an effective and culturally affirmative approach. This must include but is not limited to: consideration of the individual’s culture, community, beliefs, thinking and learning style, communication mode(s), and language needs. This funding is designated to support costs associated with cultural affirmative service delivery approach; the necessary outreach, networking, and collaboration necessary as an embedded entity providing for these populations; adaptation of evidence-based mental health treatment; and paying for licensed sign language interpreter services. The mental health services provided are billed to Healthcare and Family Services’ Illinois Medicaid as well as any of their associated Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs). Therefore, the Grantee must also have certification as (Comprehensive) Community Mental Health Center (CMHC), as defined in Part 132, Subparts B and C.

The Pulitzer Center is offering the Truth Decay Grant Initiative for journalists and newsrooms interested in addressing science misinformation, science denial, and the spread of pseudoscience. The initiative aims to expose those responsible for spreading misinformation and support journalists in developing innovative responses to combat mistruths. They are particularly interested in proposals that explore the reasons behind the spread of scientific misinformation, the challenges of reporting on science in today's media landscape, the creators and beneficiaries of misinformation, and unique perspectives on pseudoscience and misinformation in society. The initiative is open to U.S. residents and journalists worldwide, and they encourage applications from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. The grants do not cover expenses such as books, feature-length films, staff salaries, equipment purchases, general expenses, start-up funding, routine breaking news coverage, advocacy/marketing campaigns, or data projects solely for academic research. For more information, visit the Pulitzer Center website.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for small-scale public diplomacy projects that strengthen the relationship between the United States and Gabon, targeting nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and individuals focused on entrepreneurship, English language development, and cultural preservation.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for U.S. and foreign organizations to implement projects that promote economic development, cultural exchange, and stability in Libya, with a focus on collaboration between the U.S. and Libya.

This grant provides financial support to arts and cultural organizations, individual artists, and local schools in Rowan County to enhance access to arts and cultural opportunities.

This funding opportunity supports community-driven projects that promote local engagement and environmental awareness through volunteer and grassroots initiatives.

This grant provides funding for journalists and media producers in North America to create nonfiction content that explores the various forms of love and its impact on society, aiming to promote understanding and connection in the face of division and loneliness.

This grant recognizes and rewards U.S.-based journalists who excel in impactful public policy reporting, focusing on human-centered narratives that promote accountability and transparency in governance.

This funding opportunity supports U.S. and Canadian organizations in creating public diplomacy projects that foster mutual understanding and cooperation between the two countries, focusing on shared interests like innovation, security, and cultural exchange.

This grant provides funding to Boston residents and community groups to host neighborhood block parties that foster community engagement and connection during the summer.

This funding opportunity supports small and mid-sized organizations and individual artists in San Francisco who are connected to historically marginalized communities, helping them sustain their work and remain in the city.