Arkansas Income Security and Social Services Grants

This grant provides funding to states and territories to develop a coordinated early childhood education system that integrates various programs, including Head Start, to improve access and efficiency for families with children from birth to age five.

Grant Name: Regional Touring Program Grants Donor: Mid-America Arts Alliance Location: Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas Grant Type: Grant Deadline: Ongoing Grant Size: Up to $5,000 Details: The Regional Touring Program grants by Mid-America Arts Alliance support presenting organizations in showcasing the work of artists from within the M-AAA region. Presenters can receive up to 50% of the artist's fee for booking an artist listed on a state touring roster and up to 25% for booking an artist from the region not listed on a touring roster. Rural presenters may receive an additional 10% of the artist's fee. Projects must engage regional audiences through exposure, interaction, and outreach engagement. Eligible projects must feature in-region artists from outside the presenter's home state and include public-facing events between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024. The grant does not cover indirect project costs or expenses associated with benefits or fundraiser events. Eligibility Criteria: Applicant organizations must be tax-exempt non-profit organizations or federally recognized tribal communities incorporated in one or more states in the M-AAA region. They must have a valid EIN and UEI ID and commit to M-AAA's Grantee Assurance of Compliance and Federal Suspension and Disbarment Policy. Organizations may submit a maximum of three applications per fiscal year. For more information, visit M-AAA's website.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Head Start (OHS) announces the availability of approximately $9 million to be competitively awarded for the purpose of expanding access to high-quality, comprehensive services to low income American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) infants and toddlers and their families through Early Head Start-Child Care (EHS-CC) Partnerships, or through the expansion of Early Head Start services. ACF solicits applications from public entities, including states, or private non-profit organizations, including community-based or faith-based organizations, or for-profit agencies that meet eligibility for applying as stated in section 42 U.S.C. 9840A of the Head Start Act. Interested applicants may email [email protected] for additional information.OHS encourages interested applicants to visit https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant. This webpage provides information on applying for grants, registering and applying through Grants.gov, submitting an application, and understanding the grant review process.

The Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation's Community Grant opportunity is designed to provide statewide support to communities and nonprofit organizations throughout Arkansas. Its primary mission alignment is to focus on oral health education and services, specifically targeting underserved and uninsured Arkansas residents. This grant program is a direct reflection of the foundation's strategic priority to increase access to oral health care, particularly through community partnerships that fund preventative services and/or treatment. The target beneficiaries of these grants include underserved individuals of all ages, ethnicities, genders, and socio-economic statuses in Arkansas. The overarching impact goal is to improve oral health outcomes by increasing access to dental care and promoting good oral health practices. The program supports transactional projects and services that aim to achieve this goal, aligning with the foundation's theory of change that by funding preventative services and treatment, health disparities can be reduced and overall community well-being enhanced. The grant program has two main focus areas: Prevention and Treatment. Under Prevention, the grants aim to provide preventive and basic oral healthcare needs for the community. Under Treatment, the focus is on treating at-risk or low-income populations with existing oral health conditions. The grant-making focus specifically supports projects centered on increasing access to both treatment and preventative care, as well as services that promote good oral health practices. Expected outcomes include providing oral health treatment, education, and disease prevention services; increasing access to oral health services for underserved Arkansans; and promoting collaboration across a wide range of health providers in the state. While measurable results are not explicitly detailed in terms of specific metrics, the prioritization of grant requests incorporating a clear oral health focus, a detailed project plan, active collaboration, inclusion of diverse groups, referral protocols, wrap-around support, and the initiation of oral health programs in underserved counties all point to an emphasis on tangible, community-level impact. Community Grants range from $2,500 up to $40,000 per organization, and funds can be used for programmatic, operational, capital needs, and dental clinic expenses.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is offering the 2024 Monarch Butterfly and Pollinators Conservation Fund (Pollinator Fund) to advance pollinator conservation. The core mission of this fund is to protect, conserve, and increase habitat for the monarch butterfly and other native insect pollinators. This aligns with NFWF’s broader Monarch Butterfly Business Plan, indicating a strategic, long-term commitment to these species. The fund aims to support both technical assistance for private working lands and direct habitat improvement projects. The target beneficiaries of this grant program include monarch butterflies and other at-risk native insect pollinator species, such as the rusty patched bumble bee, Franklin’s bumble bee, Karner blue butterfly, Dakota skipper, Poweshiek skipperling, and Mitchell’s satyr. The program also indirectly benefits private landowners, farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners, especially those in Historically Underserved and Special Emphasis categories, by providing resources and incentives for conservation practices on their lands. The overall impact goal is to significantly enhance the quality, quantity, and connectivity of pollinator habitat across eligible states. The Pollinator Fund has two main categories of focus. The first is Technical Assistance for Private Working Lands, which prioritizes increasing voluntary engagement of private landowners in conservation practices through staff resources and targeted outreach for Farm Bill programs like CSP and EQIP. The second category, Habitat Improvement, focuses on on-the-ground restoration and enhancement of pollinator habitat, emphasizing regionally appropriate milkweed and diverse native nectar plants, as well as increasing the supply of native seeds and seedlings. These priorities align with NFWF's strategic goal of fostering sustainable ecosystems through direct habitat restoration and incentivizing private land stewardship. Expected outcomes and measurable results are central to this program. All proposals must demonstrate how they will directly and measurably contribute to the Pollinator Fund's goals, specifically by providing the number of acres restored or enhanced. A minimum of 100 acres in California or 500 acres in all other eligible states must be restored or enhanced. Historically, successful projects have averaged 2,120 acres, indicating a substantial scale for expected impact. The program's theory of change posits that by providing financial assistance and technical support, and by focusing on key geographical areas and species, NFWF can effectively reverse declines in monarch and other native pollinator populations, thereby contributing to broader ecosystem health and biodiversity. The total funding of up to $5.1 million in 2024, contributed by a diverse group of partners, underscores the collaborative and impactful nature of this strategic initiative.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations that deliver high-quality early childhood education and family services to low-income children and families across multiple states in the U.S.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations that provide stable housing and empower low- and moderate-income communities, focusing on vulnerable populations such as working families, youth, seniors, and veterans.

This funding opportunity supports Arkansas-based nonprofit organizations focused on projects that promote agricultural and rural community development.

This program provides funding to local organizations in Arkansas to help reduce poverty and support low-income individuals through services like employment, education, housing, nutrition, and health.

The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) is offering up to $10.3 million through the Grid Enhancement Grant program, leveraging federal funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This initiative aims to enhance and modernize America's power grid, particularly in Arkansas, by strengthening its resilience against natural disasters and reducing the impact of electric outages. The program is aligned with a broader mission to improve the reliability of the electric grid, protect against outages, and support economic development through grid infrastructure improvements. The primary target beneficiaries of this grant are the residents of Arkansas, especially those in communities more susceptible or vulnerable to electric power outages. The impact goals are to increase grid resilience, reduce the frequency and duration of sustained interruptions, and decrease the number of customers affected by all-hazard events. The program also seeks to encourage investments into the state’s grid workforce, thereby supporting the development of a skilled workforce responsible for these enhancement projects. The DFA's priorities and focuses for this grant are clearly outlined through three main objectives: increasing the reliability of the Arkansas electric grid, achieving whole community impact, and supporting the development of the state’s grid workforce. These objectives aim to reduce outages, ensure benefits reach vulnerable communities, and foster professional and workforce development opportunities for grid enhancement. Expected outcomes include a more resilient electric grid, fewer and less impactful electric outages, and a stronger, more skilled workforce to manage and maintain grid infrastructure. Measurable results would involve a reduction in outage frequency and duration, particularly for high-impact customers, and an increase in the number of trained and retained individuals in the state's grid workforce. The program's strategic priorities are to deliver direct benefits to Arkansans, increase grid resilience, protect against outages during natural disasters, and encourage investments into the state’s grid workforce. This aligns with a theory of change that by investing in adaptive protection, advanced modeling, hardening infrastructure, and workforce development, Arkansas can create a more robust and reliable electric grid that better serves its communities and fosters economic stability.

UpStart Thrift Store will award competitive grants of up to $5,000 to small business owners in Washington County. The UpStart Thrift Store team will work with the Startup Junkie Foundation leadership to select the awardees based on the merits of their application. If your startup or small business could benefit from such a grant, fill out the application at the link below. Please don't apply unless your business is physically located in Washington County, Arkansas. The grant awards starting at $500 are provided by the sales proceeds derived from efforts of an all volunteer non-profit thrift store called Upstart Thrift that is a program of the 501c3, Startup Junkie Foundation. The intent is to provide a hand up to deserving small businesses in Washington County, Arkansas. Applicants will only be eligible for one award per calendar year. Applications will be reviewed quarterly. The top three candidates will be contacted to conduct a brief interview. Candidates who do not receive a grant are still eligible for funds via Kiva NWA and free consulting from Startup Junkie.

The Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI) is offering its 2024 Infrastructure Grant Program, which aligns with its mission to support the viability and sustainability of historically underserved farmers and ranchers. This program aims to foster projects that enhance farm viability, create new markets for local agricultural products and services, develop innovative uses for existing farm infrastructure, add value to farm products through processing, packaging, or marketing, and optimize the use of on-farm and natural resources. Additionally, the grant supports cultural and heritage projects dedicated to preserving and continuing specific agrarian traditions, reflecting RAFI's broader commitment to a resilient and equitable food system. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are historically underserved farmers and ranchers, as defined by NRCS, who are in at least their fourth full growing season and have operated their current farm for at least two years. The program specifically targets "livelihood" farmers and ranchers who depend on agriculture for their financial support or are pursuing a long-term career in farming. Eligibility extends to individual farmer owners/co-owners or farm cooperatives, provided at least 50% of the cooperative members meet the individual eligibility criteria. The grants range from $1,000 to $10,000 and are available to farms located in specific states: AL, AR, DC, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, SC, TN, or VA. Funding priorities are given to proposals demonstrating a high expected impact on farm viability and sustainability, strong project feasibility, and comprehensive planning, including a clear plan, detailed budget, timeline, and all necessary supporting documentation. RAFI also prioritizes farmers who derive a significant portion of their household income from farm operations, individuals with financial need, or those located in economically disadvantaged areas. Projects that tangibly benefit the surrounding community and farms utilizing agroecological and/or ancestral farming practices are also highly favored, reflecting RAFI's strategic priorities for holistic agricultural development and community engagement. The expected outcomes of the Infrastructure Grant Program include increased farm viability and sustainability for historically underserved farmers, the establishment of new and diversified markets for local products, and the preservation of valuable agricultural traditions. Through these grants, RAFI aims to support projects that lead to concrete improvements in farm infrastructure, expanded income streams for farmers, and a stronger connection between agricultural practices and community well-being. By focusing on these outcomes, RAFI reinforces its theory of change, which posits that targeted financial support and capacity building for underserved farmers will lead to a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable agricultural landscape.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Head Start (OHS) announces the availability of approximately $102 million to be competitively awarded for the purpose of expanding access to high-quality, comprehensive services to low-income infants, toddlers, and their families through Early Head Start-Child Care (EHS-CC) Partnerships, or through the expansion of Head Start services and/or Early Head Start services. ACF solicits applications from public entities, including states, or private non-profit organizations, including community-based or faith-based organizations, or for-profit agencies that meet eligibility for applying as stated in section 42 U.S.C. 9840A of the Head Start Act. Interested applicants may email [email protected] for additional information.OHS encourages interested applicants to visit https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant. This webpage provides information on applying for grants, registering and applying through Grants.gov, submitting an application, and understanding the grant review process.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Pulaski, Lonoke, and Saline Counties that deliver programs focused on youth opportunities, financial security, and healthy communities for individuals and families living below the ALICE threshold or the Federal Poverty Line.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Faulkner, Conway, Perry, and Van Buren counties to enhance community programs focused on education, financial stability, health, and resilience for underserved populations.