Private Capacity Building Grants

The Joni Elaine Templeton Foundation awards grants for religious, charitable, scientific, literary, and educational purposes and for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals. The foundation expresses a preference for organizations serving Austin, Texas, while considering qualified applicants across the state. Program types may include animal related work, community improvement, capacity building, education, human services, and religion related activities. The average grant award has been approximately 5,000 dollars in a cycle. Grants are awarded to qualified 501(c)(3) public charities. Eligible organizations should operate in or serve the Austin community to receive preference. Requests should describe the intended community benefits and alignment with the foundation’s charitable purposes. Applications are due May 1, 2024 via the trustee bank’s process. Grant duration is not stated. Additional information is available from Bank of America as trustee.

This fund provides financial support for nonprofits working on projects that improve the quality of life in rural communities across West-Central Texas.

This program empowers rural high school students to develop leadership skills and make a positive impact in their communities by awarding grants to local nonprofits addressing critical needs.

The Gainesville Community Reinvestment Area (GCRA), a department of the City of Gainesville, offers the "Downtown Event Program" to support event programming within Downtown Gainesville. This initiative aligns with the GCRA's mission to foster community engagement and economic vitality in the downtown area by providing financial assistance to organizations and businesses. The program aims to enrich the cultural landscape and draw visitors to the city center, contributing to the overall strategic plan for downtown development. The primary beneficiaries of this program are not-for-profit organizations and businesses actively planning and executing events within Downtown Gainesville. The impact goal is to facilitate a vibrant event scene that enhances public spaces and provides diverse cultural and recreational opportunities for residents and visitors. The program specifically targets events held on publicly owned spaces such as parks and roads, ensuring accessibility and broad community benefit. Government entities are excluded to focus resources on private organizations and businesses. Key priorities for this grant include events that do not already receive direct financial funding from the City of Gainesville and those that align with the City's goals and core programs. The program prioritizes events that are not predominantly religious or political, and strictly prohibits those that involve discrimination, promote illegal activities, or contain obscene content. Funding can be used for various event-related expenses, including advertising, entertainment, equipment rental, facility rental, and security, with flexibility for other uses deemed in the program's spirit. Expected outcomes include an increase in the number and diversity of events held in Downtown Gainesville, leading to greater community participation and economic stimulation. Measurable results would involve tracking the number of funded events, the types of organizations supported, and potentially attendance figures for these events. The program's success will be evaluated by its ability to create a more dynamic and engaging downtown environment, contributing to the GCRA's broader strategic goal of sustainable urban development. This temporary program acts as a strategic initiative to bridge the gap until a permanent replacement program is established and approved by the City Commission. The maximum allocation for this program is $50,000, demonstrating a focused, short-term investment to maintain momentum in downtown event programming. The grant period is limited to events occurring between June 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, highlighting a deliberate and time-bound approach to achieving immediate impact while a more comprehensive, long-term strategy is developed.

This grant provides $25,000 to U.S.-based small businesses in the professional services sector to improve their operational flexibility and address challenges related to remote work and shipping efficiency.

The Art and Change Grant (ACG), provided by the Leeway Foundation, offers up to $2,500 to fund art for social change projects. This grant aligns with the foundation's mission to support artists and cultural producers who are deeply involved in creating art that positively affects and engages communities and audiences, ensuring that social change is integral to their artistic process and goals. The foundation prioritizes art with a vision and intentional analysis, recognizing it as a powerful tool for societal impact. The target beneficiaries for the ACG are women, trans, and/or gender nonconforming artists and cultural producers who reside in Greater Philadelphia, specifically in Bucks, Camden, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia County, and are at least 18 years old. The grant aims to empower these artists to use their creative practices to foster social change. The impact goals include raising consciousness, altering perspectives on self, society, or culture, creating visions of a more just world, and serving as a strategy for organizing and movement building. The grant prioritizes art that addresses various forms of oppression, such as racism, classism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ageism, and ableism. It also focuses on art that questions mainstream culture and beliefs, shifts perceptions of power and privilege, and values healing justice practices. Expected outcomes include strengthening communities, preserving or reclaiming traditional cultural practices, building a sense of community, and creating spaces for expression. The grant also emphasizes a reciprocal process of teaching and learning, ensuring mutual benefit for both the artist and the community engaged. The Leeway Foundation's strategic priorities are centered on supporting project-based art for social change across any medium, including traditional, nontraditional, multimedia, and experimental forms. Their theory of change posits that by empowering individual artists to create socially engaged art, they can catalyze significant community-wide impact. The foundation aims for measurable results through projects that demonstrate a clear vision for social change and actively engage communities, fostering a more just and equitable world through artistic and cultural practice.

The Greenwood County Community Foundation's Community Impact Grants aim to enrich the lives of residents in Greenwood County by supporting local organizations. These grants, specifically within the Youth and Education category, focus on providing an educational foundation that enables individuals to reach their fullest physical, emotional, and intellectual potential. Eligible projects may include education attainment initiatives, early childhood development and education programs, afterschool and summer programs, and adult education efforts. Grant renewed every year. Grant Annual opening/ closing deadline: February 1st to February 28th

This program provides financial support to Native-led arts and cultural organizations in the U.S. to strengthen their operations and promote Indigenous arts and culture.

The City of Dunedin is currently accepting funding requests for its 2025 Aid to Social/Cultural Non-Profit Organizations program. This grant initiative is designed to support non-profit programs that provide broad benefits to the community and for which other City of Dunedin funding sources are not available. The program's mission aligns with enhancing community well-being by fostering social and cultural initiatives, demonstrating the City's commitment to supporting vital community services and enriching the lives of its residents through diverse programming. The target beneficiaries of this grant are the community as a whole, with a focus on programs from social/cultural non-profit organizations. The impact goal is to address specific community needs through various programs. The City of Dunedin emphasizes the importance of these organizations in contributing to the overall social and cultural landscape, ensuring that funding is directed towards initiatives that have a wide-reaching and positive effect on the population. Priority for funding will be given to programs that clearly demonstrate a benefit to the community as a whole and do not have alternative funding from the City. Organizations must submit a letter detailing the requested funding amount and justification, the specific community needs their programs address, how the funding will be utilized (e.g., personnel, operating, or capital costs), and the performance criteria for measuring community value. This structured approach ensures accountability and strategic allocation of resources. For organizations that received funding in FY 2024, a crucial requirement for eligibility is the submission of documentation illustrating the achievement of their FY 2024 public benefits and performance measures. This demonstrates the City's strategic priority on measurable results and accountability, aligning with a theory of change that effective funding leads to tangible community improvements. The expected outcomes are impactful social and cultural programs that are well-managed and deliver demonstrable value to the community.

The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin's C.D. Besadny Conservation Fund is dedicated to investing in grassroots conservation and education projects throughout Wisconsin. The foundation's mission is to benefit the state's lands, waters, and wildlife, while simultaneously fostering a deeper connection between people and Wisconsin's natural resources. This grant program is aligned with the foundation's broader goal of supporting community-led initiatives that directly impact and preserve the state's environmental heritage. The fund targets a diverse range of beneficiaries, including public charities with 501(c)(3) status, federal, state, or local governmental units, American Indian nations or tribal communities, and accredited educational institutions. The impact goals are centered on creating positive change for Wisconsin's natural resources and its communities. Specifically, the program aims to support projects that protect imperiled natural communities and native species, engage and impact underserved communities while promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in conservation, and build climate resiliency through natural climate solutions or adaptation strategies. The program's priorities are clearly defined to address critical environmental and social needs. Proposals should focus on projects that contribute to the conservation of Wisconsin's most vulnerable natural communities and native plant or wildlife species. Furthermore, a significant emphasis is placed on projects that actively involve and benefit underserved communities, fostering a more inclusive and equitable conservation movement within the state. Finally, the fund prioritizes initiatives that enhance the climate resilience of Wisconsin's natural resources, either through nature-based solutions or strategies for adapting to climate change. All projects supported by the C.D. Besadny Conservation Fund are expected to demonstrate measurable outcomes, ensuring accountability and tangible results. The foundation encourages innovative projects that maximize their impact by leveraging existing resources and forging strategic partnerships. While specific funding ranges from $500 to $2,000, the total project budget may not exceed $10,000, with overhead costs capped at 15% of the grant. A one-to-one match, which can include in-kind support like volunteer hours or donated materials, is a required component of all applications, underscoring the foundation's commitment to community involvement and shared investment in conservation efforts.

This program provides funding to nonprofit organizations in Erie County, Pennsylvania, for collaborative projects that promote community impact in areas like health, education, and economic growth.

Foundation Initiatives are grants awarded to projects that align with the strategic goals of the Legacy Foundation, typically exceeding $500,000. These projects may include large capital grants, emergency funding, or studies to assess healthcare needs in the lower Rio Grande area. Grant renewed every year. Grant Annual Spring opening/closing deadlines: February 15th to May 1st. LOI: March 20th

The Hubbell-Waterman Foundation is actively seeking grant applications from nonprofit organizations operating within Scott County, Iowa, and Rock Island County, Illinois. The foundation's mission is deeply rooted in enhancing community well-being through strategic investments in three key areas: culture and the arts, education, and social welfare. This aligns with their overarching goal of fostering a vibrant, educated, and supportive community by addressing critical needs and enriching local life. Within the realm of culture and the arts, the foundation prioritizes cultivating and supporting both visual and performing arts, investing in landmark cultural institutions, and backing new, innovative programs that contribute to community enrichment. For education, their focus extends to pre-K–12 education, encompassing after-school and summer programs, creative learning initiatives, life skills and career training, environmental education with a sustainability emphasis, and crucial mental health programs for students and their families. Social welfare initiatives are designed to support accessible programs for individuals and families, specifically targeting at-risk and low-income family services, food and nutrition support, housing security, immigrant and refugee community support, and physical and mental health services. The foundation's funding strategies support a variety of grant types to achieve its impact goals. These include capital campaigns and acquisitions for construction and renovations, operational and/or program grants for up to three years following a capital campaign, and multi-year program grants, also not exceeding three years. These program grants may also cover general operating expense reimbursement. The target beneficiaries are primarily nonprofit organizations serving the specified counties, and through these organizations, individuals and families who will benefit from improved access to cultural experiences, educational opportunities, and social support. Expected outcomes include a more culturally vibrant community, improved educational outcomes and access, enhanced life skills, increased environmental awareness, better mental health support for students and families, and stronger social safety nets for vulnerable populations. The foundation's strategic priorities are clearly laid out in its long-term funding priorities and its defined areas of focus. Their theory of change appears to be that by strategically investing in these three core areas through various grant mechanisms, they can catalyze positive, sustainable change within the communities of Scott County, Iowa, and Rock Island County, Illinois, ultimately leading to a more inclusive and thriving society.

This program provides up to $25,000 in professional IT services to mid-sized to large Michigan-based nonprofits, helping them enhance their technology infrastructure and security while aligning their digital strategies with their mission goals.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have established the Hurricane Response Marine Debris Removal Fund. This fund supports projects focused on assessing, removing, and disposing of marine debris in coastal communities affected by hurricanes and other storm events. The initiative aligns with the foundations' broader mission to conserve and restore fish, wildlife, and their habitats, as well as to benefit human communities impacted by natural disasters. The primary target beneficiaries of this grant program are coastal communities in Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico, and South Carolina that were impacted by the 2022 hurricanes Fiona, Ian, Nicole, and Typhoon Merbok. The impact goals are to reduce the effects of marine debris on these communities, protect industries, and prevent further harm to habitats and fish and wildlife populations. The program aims to address both the immediate and long-term consequences of storm-related marine debris. The program prioritizes projects that offer dual benefits, meaning they benefit both human communities and fish and wildlife. Emphasis is placed on projects that are ready for direct clean-up efforts and have already completed marine debris assessments, addressed hazardous materials, and secured necessary permits and disposal logistics. Community engagement and co-design processes that incorporate traditional knowledge are also encouraged to ensure maximum benefits and sustainability. Expected outcomes include a significant reduction in marine debris from coastal habitats and nearshore waters, leading to enhanced ecological integrity and functionality of ecosystems. Measurable results will include the reduction of impacts to properties, community infrastructure, assets of economic and cultural importance, and improved navigational safety. The grant duration is four years, with awards of up to $6 million to achieve these accelerated and comprehensive outcomes for impacted coastal resources and communities.

The Black Equity & Excellence Fund, established by the Central New York Community Foundation, is dedicated to supporting community-based projects that foster self-sufficiency and enhance the physical and economic well-being of the Black community in Central New York. This initiative aligns with the Foundation's broader mission to strengthen race-related matters and promote social and educational growth within the community. By investing in projects that directly address the unique needs and challenges faced by Black residents, the fund aims to create a more equitable and thriving environment, reflecting the Foundation's strategic priority of community development and social justice. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are organizations and projects that explicitly serve the Black community, particularly in Onondaga and Madison counties. The overarching impact goal is to improve the quality of life for Black individuals and families through various interventions. The program aims to empower the Black community by building upon existing capabilities and addressing systemic disparities. This is achieved by focusing on specific interest areas that have been identified as crucial for community advancement and well-being. The fund prioritizes projects within several key focus areas, including Black Creatives, Black Leadership + Advancement, Black LGBTQIA+, Black Mental Wellness, Black Legacy + Generational Wealth, Black Business, Black Maternal Health, Black Civic Engagement, Black Youth + Students, and Black Tech. These areas reflect the Foundation's theory of change, which posits that targeted investments in these sectors will lead to holistic development and greater equity. Projects are encouraged to contribute to dialogue that strengthens race-related matters and supports social and educational growth, indicating a strategic approach to fostering long-term, sustainable change. Expected outcomes include increased self-sufficiency, improved physical and economic conditions, and enhanced community well-being within the Black community. Measurable results are tied to the types of projects funded, with different funding levels supporting various initiatives, from grassroots efforts and pilot programs to the expansion of existing projects and large capital projects. The eligibility criteria, which mandate Black leadership in senior executive positions and at least 51% Black board membership, further ensure that the projects are community-led and responsive to the needs of the Black population, thereby maximizing impact and fostering authentic community empowerment.

This funding opportunity provides €10,000 to small climate-focused organizations worldwide to improve their communication skills and outreach efforts.

This initiative provides funding for nursing education projects that promote accessibility and inclusion for students with disabilities, aiming to create lasting change in clinical learning environments.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Northeast Florida that are facing funding disruptions, specifically those addressing food insecurity, housing instability, and healthcare access for vulnerable communities.

The Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Washington Innovation Fund is a program designed to enhance Washington state's criminal legal system by supporting innovative, sustainable, and data-driven practices. Its overarching goals are to improve community safety, foster collaboration among various sectors, and provide support to victims and individuals involved in the criminal legal system. This aligns with a foundational mission of creating a fair and equitable criminal legal system in Washington that prioritizes these critical areas. The program draws on the Edward Byrne Memorial JAG program, a significant federal source of criminal justice funding, administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), which provides essential resources to state and local jurisdictions for system improvement and community advancement. The target beneficiaries of the JAG Innovation Fund include local governments and private community-based or non-profit agencies that are working to improve the criminal legal system. The program aims to impact community safety directly, enhance support for victims, and strengthen cross-sector collaboration and collective accountability within the system. Ultimately, the expected outcomes include the implementation of more effective and data-informed stewardship of criminal legal system resources, leading to a more just and safer Washington. The JAG Innovation Fund focuses on several key priorities for funding, including organizational or program capacity building, supporting new ideas, projects, or promising practices, enhancing system and community collaborations, and expanding or supplementing existing programs or practices. The program identifies nine specific Purpose Areas to allow for diverse and flexible criminal legal system improvement projects. These areas range from Planning, Evaluation and Technology Improvement to Crime Victim Programming, Support and Advocacy, Community Safety Enhancement, and Corrections, Community Corrections and Re-Entry, among others. Approximately $1,000,000 of JAG funding is dedicated to the Innovation Fund each award cycle, with individual project awards supporting proposals up to $150,000. The funding period for projects is from November 1, 2024, to December 31, 2025. To ensure accountability and community relevance, non-governmental applicants must provide one or more letters of support from a local government unit in the project's jurisdiction, explaining the proposed program's benefits to the local government agency and jurisdiction. This requirement underscores the program's strategic priority of fostering robust community and governmental partnerships as a theory of change for sustainable criminal legal system improvements.