Local Diversity Equity and Inclusion Grants

The Level Up LB: Extreme Small Business Makeover and Grant Program aims to propel small businesses towards success and sustainability. This initiative offers entrepreneurs a unique opportunity to connect with essential support resources and participate in a 12-week series of comprehensive workshops aimed at crafting new business and marketing plans. Upon completion of the program, participants become eligible to apply for $10k grants, empowering them to expand their business capacity and enhance resilience. 25 businesses will be selected to participate in this program and receive grant awards upon completion. 10 additional businesses will be selected to participate in the workshop series only, and may be eligible for grant awards if funds become available. Program selection and awards will be determined by a selection committee based on the following criteria: • Representation of businesses across all parts of the city with priority for businesses located in low-to-moderate income areas • Representation of businesses across multiple sectors • Business readiness and potential impact of program participation This application will close on May 21st at 5pm. No late applications will be accepted. Applicants will be notified of selection decisions in late June. For assistance with this application, please contact BizCare at 562-570-4249 or [email protected].

This grant provides funding for organizations to establish and manage temporary severe weather shelters in Grants Pass, Oregon, ensuring safety and support for unhoused residents during extreme weather conditions.

The Tourism and Cultural Investment Grant Program, offered by the City of Spokane, is designed to significantly enhance the city's tourism and cultural environment. The program's core mission is to promote cultural diversity, support various forms of cultural investment, and foster new opportunities for tourism and cultural enrichment within Spokane. This directly aligns with a broader objective of enriching the community and attracting visitors through vibrant cultural and recreational offerings. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are organizations, including non-profit, for-profit, and public agencies, that are actively involved in projects, programs, events, and facilities promoting tourism and cultural investment. The impact goals are centered on creating a more diverse and appealing cultural landscape, drawing more tourists, and ultimately boosting the local economy and quality of life for residents. The program prioritizes projects that contribute to cultural activities such as sports, arts, street/park festivals, film, culinary events, and music. This broad scope ensures that a wide array of cultural expressions can receive support, reflecting a strategic focus on comprehensive cultural development. The emphasis is on initiatives that can tangibly demonstrate their capacity to enhance Spokane's appeal as a cultural and tourist destination. Expected outcomes include an increase in diverse cultural events and attractions, a rise in tourism figures, and greater engagement from both residents and visitors in cultural activities. Measurable results would likely involve tracking the number and type of projects funded, attendance at cultural events, and economic indicators related to tourism. The City of Spokane's strategic priorities, as evidenced by this grant, involve leveraging cultural and tourism assets for community development and economic growth. The underlying theory of change appears to be that by strategically investing in cultural and tourism initiatives, the city can create a self-reinforcing cycle of cultural vibrancy, increased visitor numbers, and economic prosperity. By supporting a diverse range of cultural endeavors, the program aims to build a more dynamic and attractive city, thereby achieving its overarching goals of cultural enrichment and economic development. These grants, ranging from $5,000 to $10,000, serve as catalytic investments to achieve these broader strategic objectives.

The City of Marfa is offering Historic Restoration and Preservation Grants, funded by the Hotel Occupancy Tax, to organizations that promote tourism and the hotel industry through projects enhancing historical restoration and preservation, with priority given to those generating overnight visitors and events held at specific local venues.

This funding opportunity is designed for nonprofit organizations in Worcester to develop projects that address the opioid overdose crisis through prevention, harm reduction, treatment access, and recovery support, with a focus on underserved populations.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in Frederick County to address critical community needs such as housing insecurity, public health, quality of life initiatives, and cultural enrichment through the arts.

The purpose of the Rowan Chamber’s Small Business Assistance Grant pilot program is to strengthen and grow established businesses within the City of Salisbury. By making these grants available, the Chamber is fulfilling its mission of driving economic stability, diversity, and growth in our community. Accessibility to funding contributes to the strength and effectiveness of the entrepreneurial ecosystem which in turn supports and nurtures small businesses. The Chamber recognizes the value of entrepreneurism/small businesses who bring innovation, quality of life, jobs, and investment to the community. Businesses who receive funding through this program will be those who bring innovation and therefore have a unique competitive edge. They must be good corporate citizens and are encouraged to support their employees and other locally owned businesses. Applicants are not required to be Rowan Chamber investors (members) in order to participate. Since the funding is coming from the City of Salisbury, applicants must operate their business within the City of Salisbury limits. Since there are already a number of downtown business grants, this small business grant is designed to focus on priority corridors outside of downtown, for example: West End, South Main St. & West Innes St. Small business grant overview: Businesses located in City of Salisbury limits with 10 or fewer employees (or full time equivalent). They must be a legal entity and registered with the NC Secretary of State and have appropriate permits to operate. They must submit a quality business plan (FREE assistance available from RCCC Small Business Center) Grant funds may be used for a fixed asset utilized for the business or permanent improvements to physical space (examples: manufacturing equipment, lawnmower, vacuum cleaner, building signage, lighting, awnings, flooring) Grant funds may NOT be used for ongoing operational expenses (examples: rent, utilities, salaries, financing debt, inventory, memberships, legal fees) Grant requests may range from $5,000 – $10,000.

The City of Bellingham is offering a grant for parties capable of producing a special or unique public experience, referred to as a “signature event.” This grant aims to foster artistic and cultural impact within the local community and among visitors, celebrating Bellingham’s indoor food, restaurant, arts, and culture scene. While the specific foundation mission or strategic priorities are not explicitly stated as a separate entity, the City of Bellingham's Tourism Commission acts as the guiding body with clearly defined goals that serve a similar purpose, aligning with the broader civic objective of enhancing the city's appeal and economic vitality through tourism and cultural enrichment. The target beneficiaries include the local community of Bellingham, visitors (with an emphasis on Canadian tourists), and historically marginalized communities such as BIPOC and LGBTQIA+. The impact goals are multi-faceted, aiming to create meaningful artistic and cultural experiences, celebrate local culinary and arts scenes, promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, attract significant tourism (particularly overnight stays), generate secondary economic benefits, and foster a positive long-lasting impression of Bellingham/Whatcom County. The program also seeks to integrate new and emerging talent, ensuring a dynamic and evolving cultural landscape. The program prioritizes events that provide a unique and distinctive Pacific Northwest experience, avoiding replication of events found in larger cities like Seattle. A strong focus is placed on walkability, highlighting the food and restaurant scene, and incorporating local businesses, history, attractions, and environmental stewardship. Crucially, the program aims for the signature events to become self-sustaining within a few years, minimizing the long-term reliance on City funding. This reflects a strategic priority to seed initiatives that can ultimately thrive independently, contributing to the city's cultural and economic fabric for the long term. Expected outcomes include a measurable increase in tourism, particularly from Canadian visitors, and a higher likelihood of overnight stays. The events are anticipated to generate numerous secondary economic benefits for local businesses. Success will also be measured by the artistic and cultural impact on the community, the level of diversity and inclusivity achieved, and the creation of a lasting positive impression of Bellingham. The long-term goal is for these events to become financially self-sufficient after three years, demonstrating a successful launch and sustainable operation, thereby contributing to the City's broader tourism and economic development objectives. Funding is committed for up to three years to provide seed money. Up to $100,000 is available for the first year, with approximately $70,000 for each of the following two years, for one or more signature events. Eligible expenses cover marketing and operational costs. Marketing activities include advertising, publicizing, and distributing information to attract tourists, as well as developing tourism expansion strategies. Operational expenses encompass typical event management costs such as supplies, equipment rentals, and venue fees. This financial structure supports the strategic objective of launching a new event and fostering its growth towards self-sustainability within the initial three-year period.

The 2025 Sharing Prince George Grants, announced by The Greater Washington Community Foundation, aim to support high-impact nonprofits serving Prince George’s County’s most vulnerable residents. This initiative aligns with the Community Foundation’s broader 10-year strategic plan, which is centered on addressing urgent community needs, advancing economic justice, and ultimately closing the racial/ethnic wealth gap. The fund prides itself on supporting organizations that have effectively responded to community needs, working in partnership toward a shared vision for a more equitable, just, and thriving Prince George’s County, directly reflecting the foundation's mission. The target beneficiaries are the low-income and most vulnerable residents of Prince George’s County. The grant program seeks to achieve significant impact by enabling people to chart pathways out of poverty and empowering them with the financial and social capital needed to build wealth. The ultimate goal is to enhance the health and stability of the entire community by mitigating the effects of the racial/ethnic wealth gap, fostering economic justice, and ensuring basic needs are met. The grant-making priorities for this year are threefold. First, economic mobility resources are prioritized, including access to higher education, training, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. Second, the program focuses on individual and community wealth-building opportunities to help residents weather crises and pursue their dreams. Third, basic needs for low-income neighbors are addressed, encompassing access to health and mental health resources, food security, affordable housing, childcare, education, and interventions that facilitate a transition from crisis to recovery. For the FY25 cycle, Sharing Prince George’s will award up to ten one-time grants, each up to $50,000. These grants provide flexible general operating support, allowing nonprofits to allocate resources where they are most needed to advance their missions within Prince George’s County. Regional organizations receiving grants will have their funds specifically earmarked for efforts within the county, ensuring the direct impact on the intended beneficiaries and contributing to the foundation's strategic objective of fostering a more equitable and stable community.

The James S. McDonnell Foundation (JSMF) is offering grants to support innovative, sustainable, and scalable approaches to wealth building and preservation within specific priority communities and groups. This initiative aligns with JSMF's broader mission to foster human well-being by addressing systemic economic disparities and promoting long-term financial stability. The foundation's strategic framework emphasizes helping individuals and communities build and protect wealth, demonstrating a clear theory of change that by increasing access to financial resources and strengthening community capacity, economic resilience can be significantly improved. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are low and moderate-income individuals and families, as well as Black and historically marginalized groups, including immigrants, residing in the City of St. Louis and North St. Louis County. The impact goals are centered on increasing the number of individuals and families served by financial products, services, or practices, and ultimately increasing and preserving wealth for these target populations. This focus is directly tied to the foundation's strategic priority of addressing wealth disparities in disinvested communities. Successful proposals are expected to align with one or more of three core tactics. Tactic A focuses on increasing access to low-cost, low-barrier financial products and services that drive asset attainment, growth, and preservation. Tactic B aims to build the capacity of community-based organizations and financial institutions to support wealth building and preservation efforts. Tactic C prioritizes attracting new investment capital to disinvested communities within the designated geographic areas. These tactics serve as the foundational elements of JSMF's theory of change, postulating that a multi-pronged approach encompassing access, capacity, and investment is essential for sustainable wealth creation. The program anticipates several expected outcomes and measurable results. These include the development of new loan products for homeownership, providing private equity access for companies owned by people of color, adjusting financial products to support small and diverse-owned businesses, creating investment products that increase ownership in financial markets, supporting employee ownership business models, and implementing systemic changes to credit building. The grants, ranging from $450,000 to $900,000, will be awarded for one to three years, with awards totaling $1.8 million. Proposals will be evaluated based on the innovation, scalability, and sustainability of the proposed approach, and their alignment with JSMF’s mission and guiding principles, ensuring that funded projects have the potential for significant and lasting impact.

This program provides financial assistance to Lansing businesses for improving the exterior appearance and structural integrity of their buildings, enhancing the overall streetscape and inviting more customers.

This funding opportunity supports grassroots initiatives, nonprofits, and small businesses in Tompkins County that focus on promoting racial and social equity within historically underserved communities.

This grant provides funding for innovative arts and culture projects that address community challenges and enhance the vibrancy of New Bedford, Massachusetts, benefiting its residents, visitors, and businesses.

The Accelerating Community Connections grant, funded by the Washington State Department of Commerce's Community Reinvestment Project (CRP), is a community-designed initiative to invest $200 million into communities across Washington State that have been disproportionately harmed by the historical design and enforcement of criminal laws and penalties for drug possession, often referred to as the “war on drugs.” The Spokane Workforce Council (SWC) is seeking proposals from organizations to increase access to workforce system resources, specifically the EcSA program and Career Accelerator Incentives, for historically marginalized groups. This grant aligns with a mission to rectify historical injustices and foster stronger relationships between communities and workforce development resources. The primary target beneficiaries for this grant are Black, tribal, and Latine communities in Spokane County. The program specifically seeks to serve organizations that are "By-and-For," meaning they are part of, rooted in, and defined by the identity of these communities, with leadership and staff from these populations. The impact goals are to increase access to workforce system resources, provide more culturally specific services, and enhance cultural competence within the workforce system. The grant prioritizes organizations that build trust, advocate, respond, and solve problems specific to these communities, and have a proven track record as change agents and providers of community services. The grant focuses on several key areas, including increasing access to the EcSA program and Career Accelerator Incentives for the target populations. It also emphasizes fostering stronger relationships, incorporating the "voice of the customer" in program design, and providing services that are culturally specific and competent. The strategic priority is to work with "By-and-For" organizations to ensure that the services are delivered in a way that is relevant, effective, and builds trust within the communities most affected by historical injustices related to the "war on drugs." This approach is rooted in a theory of change that by empowering and funding community-led organizations, the program can more effectively address systemic inequities and provide meaningful support. Expected outcomes include a measurable increase in the participation of Black, tribal, and Latine individuals in workforce system resources, improved access to employment opportunities, and enhanced career mobility. The program also aims to strengthen community ties, increase the cultural competence of the workforce system, and ensure that program designs are inclusive and responsive to the needs of the target populations. Organizations can apply for up to $30,000, and funding can be broadly used for personnel, occupancy, outreach, travel, training, supplies, and direct client costs like support services to remove barriers. Reimbursement contracts require organizations to incur costs and submit monthly invoices.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations and event organizers in Cattaraugus County to create tourism-driven events and attractions that encourage visitors to explore the area.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for community events that engage youth aged 12-24 in Knoxville, promoting social connections and well-being through meaningful participation.

This funding opportunity is designed to support non-profit organizations in Fayetteville that provide essential services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless, focusing on emergency shelter, street outreach, and housing stability.

The Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health seeks to increase access to healthcare and promote early detection and prevention of health issues across all counties in Idaho. This grant program is aligned with the foundation's mission by focusing on key areas such as behavioral and mental health, general healthcare access, and healthcare access specifically for seniors. The foundation aims to support projects that directly address these health challenges within the state, ensuring that their funding contributes to a healthier Idaho. The program targets several vulnerable populations, including seniors, underserved and underrepresented communities, veterans, and youth. The impact goals are centered around improving health equity, supporting the expansion of programs and services through capital and material expenditures, and fostering growth opportunities for these initiatives. By focusing on these specific groups and types of support, the foundation intends to create a tangible and positive impact on the health outcomes of Idaho residents who need it most. Funding priorities include addressing health equity, which aligns with the goal of reaching underserved populations. The foundation also prioritizes supporting capital and material expenditures, indicating a strategic focus on strengthening the infrastructure and resources of qualifying organizations. Furthermore, promoting growth opportunities for programs and services demonstrates a commitment to sustainable, long-term improvements in healthcare access and delivery. While specific measurable results are not explicitly detailed in terms of quantifiable outcomes, the foundation's theory of change suggests that by increasing access to healthcare, promoting early detection and prevention, and supporting the growth of effective programs, there will be a resultant improvement in the overall health and well-being of Idahoans. The emphasis on funding projects that target specific health issues and populations implies an expectation of reduced health disparities and enhanced health service availability.

Promote and embrace diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility through action, education, and guidance; foster an understanding that includes, accepts, respects and appreciates each individual member of our community by:  providing information, education, and communication that facilitates understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility and celebrates and respects individual differences;  recommending to the Mayor and City Council opportunities to promote programs related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and providing guidance to ensure an accessible, safe, welcoming, and inclusive government and community; and  supporting, challenging, and guiding government and the community to eliminate and prevent all forms of discrimination. Purpose of Grants Program To harness the power and enthusiasm of the local community and partner with local groups, agencies, organizations or individuals by providing funding to help make possible community programs, events and/or activities that engage, educate or involve the Edmonds community in ways that promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Grant Monies Available Individual grant awards may not exceed $500. Grants Program Timeline Awards are for programs from January through June 2024. Applications are due by 4:30pm, Friday, May 24, 2024. Eligible Projects Programs, events or activities that engage the greater Edmonds community and promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Examples of such projects are: • Speakers • Films • Discussion groups • Readings • Performance • Community gatherings • Installations Funds may be used for the promotion and/or production of the project but may not be used for salaries; permanent capital acquisitions; or food, drink, prizes or other giveaways. Eligibility Criteria • Projects must fulfill one of the stated “Purposes of the Grants Program” • Projects must be located or take place within the City of Edmonds or directly engage the Edmonds community (if located beyond the City limits) • Projects must not duplicate or supplant existing programs, events or activities • While official nonprofit status is not required, grant recipients may not be for-profit entities • Applicants must demonstrate how any grant monies will leverage other cash or in-kind contributions • Projects must be completed within six months upon approval of grant award • Recipients must include acknowledgement of funding from the Edmonds DEIA Commission, including use of its logo, on all printed or e-materials Application Submittal Submit a hard-copy or PDF of the application form and any supporting materials to Megan Luttrell, 121 5th Avenue North, Edmonds, WA 98020 or by email to: [email protected]. Questions regarding the process may also be sent to the same email. Submission due by: 4:30pm, Friday, May 24, 2024.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to non-profit organizations and municipalities in Salem County, New Jersey, for special arts projects, general operating expenses, or technical assistance to enhance local arts initiatives.