Private Science and Technology Grants

The Community Waste Reduction Grant (CWRG) is a competitive program offered by the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) in Franklin County, Ohio. Its primary mission is to fund innovative projects that significantly reduce waste and/or increase the diversion of recoverable materials from the Franklin County Sanitary Landfill. This aligns with SWACO's broader objective of promoting sustainable waste management practices within central Ohio. The program targets local governmental or non-profit organizations, including cities, townships, villages, parks, K-12 schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, and churches, that serve the unique waste reduction and material diversion needs of central Ohio. The impact goal is to assist these organizations in building sustainable programs, projects, and services that address these needs, ultimately benefiting the community and the environment by reducing landfill dependence. Projects should prioritize addressing specific waste reduction, diversion, recycling, and composting needs within Central Ohio, emphasizing partnership building and collaboration. A key focus is on leveraging the waste stream for community and economic benefit. Funding is available for infrastructure, and outreach and education activities that promote reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting. Applications that implement reduction and diversion processes and systems, alongside outreach and education, are strongly encouraged. Expected outcomes include establishing, improving, or expanding waste reduction, reuse, recycling, composting, or food donation activities within SWACO's jurisdiction. Grantees are required to document and measure the impact of their project's activities, with projects needing to be completed by December 31, 2025, and a final report submitted. While specific strategic priorities and a formal theory of change from a "foundation" are not explicitly detailed, SWACO's role as the donor suggests its strategic priority is the overall reduction of waste and increased material diversion in Franklin County, achieved through community-led initiatives and measurable results.

This grant provides $2 million over two years to research teams focused on developing innovative methods for the early detection and diagnosis of hard-to-treat cancers with low survival rates.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and community groups in Washington, DC, to create Family Success Centers that help vulnerable families improve their economic stability and access essential resources in underserved neighborhoods.

The Pamlico County Community Foundation Grant Program invites applications from qualified charitable organizations serving the local community. This program aligns with the foundation's mission to address diverse local needs through community grantmaking. The grants aim to support a broad range of purposes, ensuring that the foundation effectively serves the Pamlico County area by funding initiatives that meet critical community requirements. Target beneficiaries for this program include individuals and groups served by eligible organizations focused on human services, education, youth development, health, food/nutrition, and arts, among other areas. The impact goals are centered on fostering community well-being and development. While specific measurable results are not detailed in the provided information, the program's broad scope suggests an aim to achieve positive community-wide changes across various sectors, improving the quality of life for residents of Pamlico County. The program prioritizes a wide array of community needs, making it flexible and responsive to the evolving challenges faced by the local population. The foundation's strategic priorities are evident in its support for organizations that can demonstrate a clear benefit to the community-at-large. This includes a commitment to inclusivity, as organizations must offer programs and services without discrimination based on age, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, physical ability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or religious belief. The foundation's theory of change appears to be rooted in empowering local charitable organizations, governments, and fire/rescue departments to implement programs that directly address community needs. By providing funding, the Pamlico County Community Foundation acts as a catalyst for positive change, relying on the expertise of its grantees to deliver impactful services and programs. This approach aims to create a ripple effect, where targeted investments lead to significant improvements in key areas of community life.

The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo County is offering grants to individuals seeking self-sufficiency and requiring transitional assistance to overcome short-term or one-time barriers. This program aligns with the foundation's mission, established through a testamentary gift by former Mayor Ron Dunin and his wife Helen, to assist those attempting to help themselves, echoing their own experiences as immigrants who received crucial support. The Dunins' goal was to give back to the community and help San Luis Obispo County residents in need, a sentiment deeply embedded in the foundation's strategic priorities and theory of change, which centers on empowering individuals to achieve independence through timely, targeted support. The target beneficiaries are individuals striving for self-sufficiency in San Luis Obispo County who face a temporary obstacle. The impact goals are to provide "a leg up" through one-time assistance that removes significant barriers to self-sufficiency. The program focuses on individuals who have demonstrated initiative in helping themselves and aims to fill gaps in existing support networks, rather than supplanting other funding or addressing ongoing needs. Expected outcomes include a measurable reduction in specific barriers to self-sufficiency for as many individuals/families as possible, with sufficient support provided to ensure effective barrier removal. Funding priorities include one-time assistance that creates a substantial difference in removing hurdles to self-sufficiency, targeted at those actively trying to improve their circumstances. The foundation prioritizes aid that provides "a leg up" for long-term impact, rather than short-term or ongoing needs. This assistance should benefit as many individuals/families as possible while still being robust enough to overcome the identified barrier. Crucially, the support must fill a gap in the existing support network and not replace other available funding. The foundation's theory of change emphasizes the power of strategic, one-time interventions to catalyze self-sufficiency. By collaborating with organizations that have established relationships with target populations, possess the capacity to administer hardship assistance, and can maximize direct aid while leveraging existing infrastructure, the program aims to achieve a high return on investment. The foundation's strategic priority is to support charitable organizations whose programs directly benefit San Luis Obispo County residents, ensuring that grant funds are efficiently and effectively deployed to foster community well-being and individual empowerment. The maximum grant award is $5,000, with a one-year grant period.

The Community Foundation of Will County (CFWC) is accepting applications for its FY2024 Community Partner Grant Cycle, an initiative central to the foundation's mission of enhancing the quality of life in Will County. This program aligns directly with CFWC's core purpose of supporting not-for-profit organizations that address a broad array of charitable needs within the area, including healthcare, human services, education, and cultural arts. By offering these grants annually, the CFWC demonstrates its commitment to being a responsive and proactive community partner with the local not-for-profit sector, fostering a vibrant and supportive environment for community development. The Community Partner Grants specifically target not-for-profit organizations operating within Will County, Illinois. The impact goals of this program are to address critical community needs, foster collaborative partnerships, and build the organizational capacity of the non-profit sector. While the CFWC does not provide general funding for daily operations, it strategically offers support for essential administrative costs to launch or conduct specific projects. This approach ensures that funding directly contributes to impactful initiatives rather than routine expenses, maximizing the grant's reach and effectiveness. The program prioritizes projects that reflect a strategic collaborative partnership, encouraging not-for-profits to work together to address wider community needs. It also focuses on initiatives that tackle critical issues impacting a significant segment of the community, ensuring that the grants address pervasive challenges. A key focus is also on building the organizational capacity of non-profits, enabling them to operate more effectively and efficiently in their vital work. This strategic emphasis helps strengthen the entire non-profit ecosystem in Will County. Expected outcomes include the successful implementation of projects that address identified community needs, the formation of stronger collaborative networks among local non-profits, and an increase in the overall effectiveness and efficiency of participating organizations. While specific measurable results are not detailed in the provided information, the focus on addressing critical needs and building capacity suggests that successful projects would demonstrate tangible improvements in the areas they serve. The CFWC's strategic priorities are rooted in being a community partner that not only responds to existing needs but also proactively supports the growth and development of the non-profit sector. This theory of change suggests that by investing in collaborative, need-based, and capacity-building projects, the foundation can create lasting positive change and significantly enhance the quality of life for residents across Will County.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is offering Ag Research Grants to fund agricultural research projects conducted between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2026, with potential for extension. This program aims to address continued priorities of the agricultural industry within the Commonwealth. The Department’s mission alignment is evident in its focus on scientific studies that improve various aspects of agriculture, from economic impact and farm management to animal health and innovative technologies, ultimately benefiting the state’s agricultural sector and its stakeholders. The target beneficiaries of these grants are researchers and institutions capable of conducting impactful agricultural studies. The program's impact goals are broad, aiming to enhance agricultural sustainability, economic viability, and public well-being within Pennsylvania. Specific goals include mitigating pest infestations, understanding the economic impacts of agricultural practices, improving food security programs, advancing energy efficiency in agriculture, addressing animal health concerns, and fostering innovation in manufacturing and robotic technologies within the sector. The Department's priorities and focuses are diverse, encompassing ongoing multi-year research projects, general agriculture, energy in agriculture, life science, manufacturing, and robotic technology. Within general agriculture, there is interest in food action plans, the impact of food assistance programs (Double Up Food Bucks, Senior Food Nutrition Program, Farmers Market Nutrition Program, TEFAP), surplus food recovery, consumer affairs reporting on food prices, workforce analysis, economic impact studies, urban agriculture capacity and stewardship, land access barriers for BIPOC farmers, and soil testing/remediation. Energy in agriculture focuses on mapping energy generation from agricultural products, reducing greenhouse gases, and Agrivoltaics. In the life science category, the Department seeks to address wildlife crop damage, the impact of Medicare rule changes on fresh food access, One Health initiatives, animal health and productivity, diagnosis of animal diseases, animal welfare, and dairy industry recommendations related to Federal Milk Marketing Order and the PA Milk Board Over-Order Premium, as well as Chronic Wasting Disease strategy development. Manufacturing research is encouraged in areas like food production residual waste, organic processing incentives, biodegradable packaging, pharmaceutical/industrial uses for milk proteins, and conversion of spent mushroom substrate to bio-char. Finally, robotic technology research aims to understand current and future farmer technology use and assess Augmented Reality applications in Pennsylvania's animal and plant industries. The expected outcomes include the development of evidence-based strategies for pest control, improved farm management practices impacting the Chesapeake Bay, enhanced food security through program analysis, validated consumer information, and a better understanding of the agricultural workforce and urban agriculture. In energy, outcomes will include new methods for energy generation, greenhouse gas reduction strategies, and optimized Agrivoltaics implementation. Life science research is expected to lead to improved animal health, productivity, and welfare, as well as informed policy recommendations for the dairy industry and effective strategies for Chronic Wasting Disease. Manufacturing research will contribute to sustainable waste management and innovative product development, while robotics research will drive technological adoption in farming. The Department's strategic priorities are to address critical challenges and opportunities facing Pennsylvania agriculture, leveraging scientific research to achieve measurable results. Their theory of change is that by funding targeted research in these key areas, they can provide actionable insights and innovative solutions that will directly benefit farmers, agricultural businesses, consumers, and the environment. All funding is contingent upon budget appropriations, indicating a commitment to sustained investment in agricultural progress as a core component of the state's economic and environmental health.

This grant provides funding to early-stage companies in the U.S. and Canada that are developing innovative software and AI solutions aimed at combating climate change and promoting sustainability.

The Opportunity Grants by the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, offering up to $10,000 for a 12-month period, are designed to stimulate and support new or existing programs, projects, or capital investments of nonprofit organizations serving Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper Counties in South Carolina, excluding general operating support, religious, political activities, and scholarships among others.

The Sitka Legacy Foundation is offering grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 to tax-exempt organizations in Sitka and on Baranof Island, prioritizing those serving children and youth, for projects in areas such as health, education, outdoors, arts, and community development, to be completed within a year.

This grant provides funding for organizations in Minnesota and Wisconsin to implement impactful water quality improvement projects and promote environmental stewardship within their communities.

This grant provides funding for innovative projects that help communities and ecosystems adapt to and recover from extreme weather events and natural hazards.

This fellowship supports U.S.-based documentary filmmakers working on impactful projects by providing funding, mentorship, and networking opportunities to enhance their storytelling skills.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations and government agencies focused on improving health and well-being for families, particularly children and their caregivers, in Spartanburg County, South Carolina.

This funding opportunity supports researchers conducting in-depth studies on job quality and labor market changes in the U.S., particularly in relation to technology and economic shifts.

The Oregon Community Foundation is offering a grant of $10,000 to $100,000 for projects that enhance economic vitality and workforce development in specified Oregon counties, with priority given to initiatives that improve prosperity, tax base, competitiveness, workforce skills, and image of the region, and can be used for equipment, facility upgrades, start-up costs, and other necessary services.

The Warren County Community Foundation Grant Program is currently accepting applications from qualified charitable organizations that serve the local community. The program aims to address local needs through a broad range of purposes, including human services, education, youth development, health, food/nutrition, and arts. The foundation’s mission aligns with supporting community well-being by funding initiatives that create positive impact across various sectors. Preference will be given to proposals specifically focusing on education or food insecurity, indicating these as key priorities for the WCCF. The community grantmaking funds are designed to meet diverse local needs, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life for Warren County residents. While the text doesn't explicitly state the foundation's strategic priorities or theory of change, the emphasis on local needs and specific focus areas suggests a strategy centered on direct community support and addressing pressing social issues. Target beneficiaries for this grant program are primarily residents of Warren County, North Carolina, served by eligible organizations. These include 501(c)(3) public charities, organizations with fiscal agents, local governments (including public schools), fire and rescue departments, and religious entities engaged in social outreach. The impact goals are to support and strengthen the community by funding programs that provide essential services and opportunities, particularly in areas like education and food security. Expected outcomes include improved access to educational resources, reduced food insecurity, enhanced human services, and increased youth development activities within the community. While specific measurable results are not detailed in the provided text, the foundation's focus areas imply that successful proposals would demonstrate clear objectives and the potential for positive, tangible impacts on the community they serve. Grants typically range from $500 to $1,500, with an overall grant size between $1,000 to $10,000.

The "Grants for Tech" program, an initiative by the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque (CFGD), aims to support nonprofits in the Dubuque area that lack dedicated IT staff. This program aligns with the foundation's mission to strengthen local organizations by enhancing their technological capabilities. By providing funding for technology improvements, training, and services, CFGD seeks to empower these nonprofits to operate more effectively and achieve greater growth within the community. The primary beneficiaries of this grant are 501(c)3 nonprofits, churches, schools, and government organizations within the Dubuque area that do not currently employ IT staff. The program's impact goals are centered on improving the operational efficiency and overall strength of these organizations through technological advancements. A key focus is on addressing the digital divide for smaller nonprofits, ensuring they have access to the necessary tools and knowledge to thrive in an increasingly digital world. The program prioritizes technology assessments through a partnership with the University of Dubuque, which allows nonprofits to identify their specific technological needs. Following assessments, the grant will fund improvements, provide essential training, and cover the costs of various technology services. This comprehensive approach is designed to provide holistic support rather than just one-off funding, ensuring sustainable technological growth and development within the recipient organizations. Expected outcomes include a measurable increase in the operational effectiveness of participating nonprofits, improved delivery of services to their constituents, and a stronger organizational capacity. While specific metrics are not explicitly detailed beyond the "more effective and grow stronger" statement, it can be inferred that these outcomes would be measured through the successful implementation of technology solutions, increased staff proficiency, and ultimately, a greater positive impact on the communities they serve. This grant program reflects the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque's strategic priority of investing in the organizational health and capacity of its local nonprofits. Their theory of change appears to be that by addressing a critical operational need like technology, they can create a ripple effect, leading to more resilient, efficient, and impactful organizations. This, in turn, contributes to a stronger, more vibrant Dubuque community as a whole.

This funding supports Southern nonprofit organizations and government entities in enhancing their artistic programming and professional development through travel and training opportunities.

The Alaska Community Foundation (ACF) is seeking applications for its Kodiak Community Foundation Grants program, targeting charitable organizations and programs within the Kodiak Archipelago Area. This grant opportunity aligns with the ACF's broader mission to support diverse community needs, with a focus on local impact in the Kodiak region. The program aims to address a wide range of needs, ensuring that funding contributes to the well-being and development of the community. The target beneficiaries of these grants are charitable organizations and programs operating in the Kodiak Archipelago. The impact goals are broad, encompassing health and wellness, education, outdoor activities, arts and culture, and community development. The foundation's strategic priority is to empower local initiatives that directly benefit the residents of the Kodiak area, reflecting a theory of change that grassroots efforts are crucial for sustainable community growth. The program prioritizes projects that address a broad spectrum of community needs. While specific outcomes are not rigidly defined beyond these categories, the expectation is that funded projects will contribute to an improved quality of life, enhanced community resources, and increased opportunities for residents in the aforementioned areas. Measurable results would likely be defined by individual grant recipients based on their specific project goals, within the broader framework of the foundation's focus areas. Funding information indicates average awards range from $1,000 to $3,000, with a potential for higher or lower amounts, and grant projects must be completed within one year of the award. The eligibility criteria emphasize support for 501(c)(3) public charitable organizations, faith-based organizations providing social services, federally recognized Tribes or Tribal non-profit organizations, and city or borough governments. This structured approach ensures that resources are directed towards credible and impactful entities capable of delivering on the grant's objectives.