Private Environment Grants

The Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF) offers the Environmental Sustainability Grant Program to support and enhance the environmental sustainability of the Greater Cincinnati region. This aligns with GCF's mission to increase accessibility and quality of greenspaces, conservation, horticulture, and nature education, with a strong emphasis on inclusivity for historically marginalized groups. The program aims to address environmental disparities and promote equitable access to nature's benefits. The primary beneficiaries of this program are organizations whose efforts are based in the Greater Cincinnati region, specifically within the counties of Hamilton, Butler, Warren, and Clermont in Ohio; Boone, Kenton, and Campbell in Kentucky; and Dearborn in Indiana. The program targets historically marginalized groups by prioritizing requests that connect them to the benefits of nature, including fresh food access and nature education, particularly for children and youth. The overarching impact goal is to foster a more environmentally sustainable and equitable region. The program prioritizes proposals that develop solutions with a racial equity lens, recognizing that environmental issues often disproportionately affect marginalized communities. Key focus areas include beautifying, creating, conserving, and restoring greenspaces, with a preference for those benefiting historically marginalized groups. Additionally, the program seeks to connect these groups to nature's benefits through various initiatives, such as increased fresh food access and nature education programming. Collaboration between well-aligned organizations is highly favored, as is an asset-based approach to the work. Expected outcomes include expanded or strengthened existing programs, successful capital improvements, the launch of new initiatives, and enhanced organizational capacity among grantee organizations. Proposals are expected to articulate clear and measurable outcomes, demonstrating how their efforts will contribute to the program's goals. While specific measurable results are not explicitly detailed beyond the general intent to increase accessibility and quality of greenspaces and nature education, the emphasis on "clear and measurable outcomes" suggests a commitment to tracking the tangible impact of funded projects. The foundation's strategic priorities are evident in its preference for organizations demonstrating partnerships, community alignment, insights from past results, and an asset-based approach, all contributing to a theory of change that values collaborative, data-informed, and community-centric environmental solutions with a strong equity focus.

This grant provides unrestricted funding to nonprofits in Washington state that are focused on advancing equity in healthcare, climate and agricultural justice, and education, particularly for marginalized communities.

About the Fund The Dane G. Hansen Foundation of Logan, KS, partners with the Greater Salina Community Foundation (GSCF) and the Greater Northwest Kansas Community Foundation (GNWKCF) to help improve the quality of life for communities in 26 counties of Northwest Kansas. GSCF and 11 of its affiliate foundations are allocated funding for grants to distribute to 14 counties for charitable projects through a competitive application process. What do the funds support? Grants will be awarded to projects or programs that address the following areas: Education: Enhances the learning environment and expands opportunities for students. Provides increased self-reliance on personal life skills and workforce capability. Health Care: Ensures access to quality health services and promotes healthy life practices. Community Social Services & Security: Enhance access to social services needed for individuals of special needs and supports systems to provide community disaster relief and general community emergencies. Conservation & Environment: Support efforts to improve and maintain high air and water quality, appreciation for our natural environment and enhances economic and social benefits of outdoor resources. Arts & Culture: Provide cultural and artistic opportunities to enhance the quality of life for local residents and to encourage tourism and the exchange of ideas. Community Beautification: Support efforts to improve and maintain public spaces to enhance community pride and encourage socialization among residents. Preference will be given to applications that include community involvement and volunteerism. Grants may not be awarded to: reduce or replace regular budgetary needs for programs or projects that are tax-supported support endowment or operational expenses Grant renewed every year. Grant Spring annual opening/ closing deadline: March 15th to May 15th

This grant provides funding to South Carolina municipalities, litter control organizations, and community groups for litter removal projects, especially in areas that are challenging for volunteers to access safely.

This grant provides funding and support to organizations worldwide that use artificial intelligence to create job opportunities, enhance workforce development, and promote climate resilience.

This grant provides funding to organizations working to improve environmental justice and community resilience in underserved areas of Arizona, California, Nevada, and Hawaii by addressing issues like air quality, water contamination, and public health disparities.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for nonprofit organizations and churches in Lewis County, New York, to preserve and restore historically significant buildings while maintaining their original character.

This program provides financial assistance to disadvantaged communities in Illinois for planting trees in public spaces, promoting biodiversity and sustainable urban forestry.

The Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA) is offering Undergraduate Student Artist Grants through its Artists 360 program, made possible by the Walton Family Foundation. This initiative is designed to provide practice-based grant funding to undergraduate student artists across all disciplines who are attending post-secondary institutions in specific Arkansas counties: Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Sebastian, and Washington. The core mission of Artists 360, and by extension this grant, aligns with energizing and elevating student artists in the greater Northwest Arkansas region, fostering their creative development and career advancement. The target beneficiaries for this grant are undergraduate student artists aged 18 or older, enrolled for the 2024-2025 school year in an accredited post-secondary institution within the designated Arkansas counties. This includes part-time or full-time students, regardless of their major, as long as they create work in any artistic discipline (e.g., dance, film, literary, music, theatre, visual art). The program specifically excludes those who have previously received an Artists 360 Student Grant or certain other M-AAA grants. The impact goals are to support individual artists' creative practices and career advancement, addressing their self-identified challenges and desired futures within the arts. The program prioritizes artists who demonstrate a well-developed creative practice, a deep commitment to their work, and a clear motivation to evolve. Review criteria focus on "Artistry," assessing the quality of work and process, and "Impact of Funding on Practice," requiring artists to articulate how the $2,500 grant will specifically benefit their careers. A key focus is also on achieving a "Balanced Cohort," ensuring a broad representation of perspectives, disciplines, and experiences among grant recipients. The expected outcome of the Artists 360 Undergraduate Student Artist Grants is the direct support and advancement of student artists' creative endeavors in Northwest Arkansas. While specific measurable results beyond the allocation of $2,500 grants per artist are not explicitly detailed, the program's emphasis on identifying the impact of funding on an artist's practice implies a focus on qualitative outcomes related to artistic growth and career trajectory. The Walton Family Foundation's support underscores a strategic priority to invest in regional artistic talent and cultural development, contributing to a vibrant arts ecosystem through direct funding to emerging artists.

This grant provides financial support to schools, nonprofits, and municipal entities in Poultney and nearby communities for projects that enhance educational opportunities, family services, and community sustainability.

Con Edison seeks proposals for social justice grants that empower disadvantaged and historically marginalized communities to address climate resiliency in New York City and Westchester. The program supports actionable initiatives created with and for communities most impacted by extreme heat, severe weather, and flooding. Priority is given to organizations and partnerships with strong histories of community organizing around justice issues, leadership that reflects community demographics, deep engagement with residents, and clear policy and advocacy goals. Programs may include education on environmental burdens, skills based trainings on preparedness and advocacy, community convenings to plan for climate impacts, and projects that elevate community perspectives for decision makers. Projects must serve beneficiaries within the service territory and in designated disadvantaged communities. Total seed funding of up to 1,000,000 dollars will support programs beginning in July 2024. Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) organizations; in collaborative projects a designated 501(c)(3) must serve as fiscal agent. Programs must be located within priority communities and demonstrate meaningful community impact. Applications are due May 3, 2024. Grant duration is not stated. Additional information is available from Con Edison.

This funding opportunity supports non-profit organizations in Rush County, Indiana, to implement projects that enhance local parks and recreational facilities, benefiting the community and addressing current needs.

The GrowBoston grant program offers a total of $15,000 to nonprofit organizations to support outreach and community-building events related to urban agriculture. The primary goal of this grant is to engage Boston residents more deeply in existing urban agricultural resources and broader urban agriculture activities. These events must be open to the public and focus on activities such as gardening, farming, food forest stewardship, beekeeping, henkeeping, and the consumption of locally-produced food. This initiative aligns with a mission to foster community engagement and education around sustainable food practices within urban environments, directly contributing to local food production and awareness. The target beneficiaries are Boston residents, with a particular focus on engaging them in various aspects of urban food production. The impact goals include increasing public participation in urban agriculture, enhancing community connection to local food systems, and promoting a greater understanding of sustainable living practices. The program prioritizes events that are planned for spring or summer 2024 and are specifically focused on Boston-based food production or urban agriculture. Examples of eligible events include garden-opening events, farm or food forest "open houses," and farmers market opening days, as long as they highlight urban agriculture. The expected outcomes of this grant program are a more engaged and informed Boston populace regarding urban agriculture. Measurable results could include the number of events hosted, the total attendance at these events, and the diversity of urban agriculture topics covered. While educational components are not mandatory, their inclusion would further support the program's objectives. The overarching strategic priority is to strengthen Boston's urban food ecosystem by encouraging community participation and utilizing existing resources effectively. The theory of change behind this grant program is that by funding accessible, public events focused on urban agriculture, GrowBoston can increase residents' engagement and knowledge, leading to a more robust and sustainable local food system. By supporting community-building initiatives, the program aims to cultivate a sense of collective responsibility and participation in urban food production. Allowable uses of funding include event supplies, food, non-alcoholic beverages, entertainment, and outreach materials, with up to 10% for indirect/administrative costs. This ensures that the grants directly facilitate event execution and community outreach, reinforcing the program's core objectives.

This funding opportunity supports collaborative research between Israeli and American scientists to advance sustainable aquaculture and desert farming practices, enhancing food security and ecological conservation.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations, schools, and government units in Muscatine County, Iowa, to support projects that improve community quality of life through measurable outcomes and collaboration.

This grant provides funding to researchers and innovators focused on advancing human habitation in space, supporting projects related to life-support systems, habitat construction, space medicine, and psychological aspects of long-duration isolation.

The Grist Fellowship Program is a paid opportunity aimed at early-career journalists passionate about environmental issues. This program offers participants the chance to gain hands-on experience in a fast-paced national news environment while building expertise in climate and environmental journalism. Fellows work full-time for one year, honing essential skills and engaging with leading thinkers in sustainability and climate science. The fellowship positions participants for successful careers in media, with alumni securing roles at prestigious outlets such as The Atlantic, Politico, The Verge, and others. For the 2025–2026 cycle, applications are open until January 21, 2025. Grist is offering fellowships in three specialized areas: Climate News, Climate Solutions, and Indigenous Affairs. Each fellowship includes specific training and responsibilities, and additional details about the roles, compensation, and application process can be accessed on the Grist website. The program runs from May 2025 to April 2026. Fellows gain invaluable training and real-world journalism experience, developing their ability to report on complex environmental issues and contribute meaningfully to the public conversation about sustainability and climate solutions.

This grant provides financial support for grassroots community development projects worldwide, prioritizing initiatives led by Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and current volunteers with ties to Northern California.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations that serve children and youth in Orleans Parish, Louisiana, helping cover operational costs and encouraging collaborative efforts among multiple organizations.

This funding opportunity supports U.S.-based nonprofit organizations, universities, and government entities in developing innovative solutions to overcome barriers to implementing Natural Climate Solutions for climate mitigation.