Mississippi Private Grants

This funding program provides financial support to community-based organizations that empower youth aged 12 to 20 through established, youth-led urban greening initiatives focused on social and environmental justice in select states.

The Mississippi Humanities Council offers grants to support projects that engage communities in meaningful dialogue, attract diverse audiences, and are participatory and engaging, applying humanities to everyday life. Grants support public humanities programs, exhibits, planning of larger projects, and the development of original productions in various media. Regular grants : start at $2,500 to $10,000. Regular grants applications are accepted on May 1st and September 1st Grant renewed every year.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and cultural groups in Mississippi to create documentary films that explore and reflect on the state's rich history and culture.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Gulf Research Program (GRP) is inviting proposals for its "Building the Next Generation of STEMM Leaders in the Field of Environmental Justice" initiative. This grant opportunity is designed to support projects that develop and implement programs cultivating future STEMM leaders in Environmental Justice (EJ). The GRP's mission, as evident in this program, aligns with fostering scientific literacy and addressing critical environmental challenges through education and mentorship. The grant aims to raise awareness, expand understanding, and empower young people to apply STEMM disciplines to explore the relationship between environmental hazards and their effects on community health and resilience. The primary beneficiaries of this program are young people in grades 9-12, particularly those from communities affected by environmental inequalities in the United States Gulf of Mexico region. The impact goal is to increase the number of young people in this region who pursue studies and careers in STEMM disciplines within the field of Environmental Justice. The program specifically encourages collaborations with nonprofit or community-based organizations that have a history of working with children and youth, especially underrepresented or underserved populations such as racial/ethnic minorities, tribal youth, LGBTQ+ youth, students with low socio-economic status, children with disabilities, first-generation immigrants, and students from rural or remote areas. The core focus of this funding opportunity is on education and mentorship. Projects should provide youth with opportunities to learn about and apply STEMM principles in examining environmental hazards and their impact on communities. Activities can take place in both formal and informal educational settings, but must target 9th-12th graders and complement formal education standards. The GRP prioritizes proposals that foster the development of scientific and environmental literacy, skills, and competencies crucial for cultivating the next generation of EJ leaders. Expected outcomes include increased awareness and understanding among youth regarding environmental hazards and their effects on communities, as well as enhanced capacity for youth to pursue STEMM studies and/or careers in Environmental Justice. The GRP anticipates a measurable increase in the number of young people in the Gulf of Mexico region engaging with STEMM disciplines related to EJ. This grant operates with a strategic priority of building human capacity and fostering a more equitable and resilient future by empowering youth to address environmental challenges. The theory of change behind this initiative is that by investing in early education and mentorship in STEMM and EJ, the GRP can create a pipeline of informed and capable leaders who will contribute to solving complex environmental issues in vulnerable communities.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in Baldwin County, Alabama, and surrounding areas to support programs that assist people and animals facing hardship, neglect, or abuse.

The LGBTQ Grant Program, managed by the LGBTQ Fund of Mississippi and held at the Community Foundation for Mississippi, aims to support the LGBTQ Mississippian community. Its core mission is to provide resources for planning, research, and general operations that address the critical needs of LGBTQ individuals, enabling them to live safely, openly, and free from alienation, isolation, prejudice, and discrimination. This aligns with the vision, mission, and beliefs defined by the Advisory Board of The LGBTQ Fund of Mississippi, demonstrating a commitment to fostering a more inclusive and accepting environment within the state. The program primarily targets LGBTQ Mississippians across all counties. Special attention is given to communities that have been historically underserved, including but not limited to communities of color, youth, seniors, and persons in rural communities. The program also focuses on intersectional programs that address faith and acceptance, as well as efforts specifically serving transgender and gender non-conforming persons. The overarching impact goal is to create a positive direct impact on Mississippi’s LGBTQ population, ensuring their safety, well-being, and freedom from discrimination. The program prioritizes proposals that demonstrate a clear commitment to addressing the needs of these underserved LGBTQ communities. This includes initiatives that promote acceptance and understanding, particularly at the intersection of faith and LGBTQ identities. Furthermore, a significant focus is placed on supporting programs and services that cater to transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, acknowledging their unique needs and challenges. Expected outcomes and measurable results are implicitly tied to the program's objectives: reducing alienation, isolation, prejudice, and discrimination among LGBTQ Mississippians, and fostering an environment where they can live safely and openly. While specific quantitative metrics are not detailed, the program's success will likely be measured by the positive direct impact on the LGBTQ population, as demonstrated through the reach and effectiveness of the funded projects in addressing their priority needs. The foundation's strategic priorities are centered on supporting initiatives that resonate with the LGBTQ Fund of Mississippi's vision, mission, and beliefs, essentially advocating for the fundamental rights and well-being of the LGBTQ community in Mississippi.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in Mississippi to support projects that improve economic security and health for women and girls, particularly in underserved communities.

The Public Welfare Foundation's Grant Program aims to support community-led, restorative, and racially just approaches to justice in the United States. The focus areas include innovative criminal justice reform in specific states and cities, dismantling structures that have harmed people of color, investing in community-based solutions to reduce mass incarceration, and reframing the narrative around the U.S. criminal justice system through storytelling and journalism.

The Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities is accepting Innovative Quality of Life Grant applications for Fiscal Year 2025 (July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025). Maximum funding amount for each grant is $25,000. MSCDD expects to fund five or more new grants. Deadline for the application is June 5, 2024 at noon. Eligibility and more details are stated in the application. Applications should address one or more of the following expected outcomes from the current state plan: Developing and Strengthening Self-Advocacy and Leadership Developing or Improving Approaches to Services and Systems Meeting Other Needs of People with Developmental Disabilities and Families Planning of the Future Care for Aging Adults with Developmental Disabilities

The Mini-Grants for Community Impact, offered by the United Way of the Golden Triangle Region, aim to strengthen local initiatives within Choctaw, Lowndes, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Webster, and Winston Counties in Mississippi. This grant program aligns with the United Way's mission to address human needs through united community efforts, including human services planning, community-wide fundraising, and citizen-reviewed fund allocation. The grants are designed to foster a clear understanding and mutual acceptance of roles between the United Way and participating organizations, ensuring a collaborative approach to meeting the human needs of the specified counties. The target beneficiaries for these grants are registered 501(c)3 non-profits, organizations, businesses, programs, or community groups actively working in the designated regions. The overarching impact goal is to advance key areas such as Education, Health, Financial Stability, Children/Family well-being, and Disaster relief. By supporting these entities, the program seeks to improve the quality of life for residents across these six Mississippi counties. The program prioritizes initiatives that directly fulfill a specific community need within the identified impact areas. While the grant size is stated as $1,000 to $10,000 in one section, the funding information later specifies an awarded amount ranging from $500 to $1,500, with a maximum of $1,500 per entity. This suggests a focus on smaller, targeted interventions. Crucially, funds cannot be allocated towards salaries, reimbursements, matching funds, capital campaigns, operational expenses, consulting fees, or lobbying, ensuring that resources are directed exclusively to direct program implementation and community benefit. Expected outcomes include tangible improvements in education, health, financial stability, family support, and disaster preparedness or recovery within the target counties. While specific measurable results are not detailed, the emphasis on fulfilling "a specific community need" implies that successful applicants will demonstrate how their projects contribute to these broader goals. The United Way of the Golden Triangle Region's strategic priority is to address human needs effectively and efficiently, and their theory of change relies on the collective efforts of various community segments to achieve lasting positive change.

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 Children’s Foundation of Mississippi (CFM) is offering up to 10 small planning grants to establish local Early Childhood Councils (ECCs) across all counties in Mississippi. The primary goal of these grants is to foster community-led initiatives that improve conditions for children aged 0-5 and their families. This aligns with CFM's mission to advance early childhood programming by empowering local communities to identify needs and promote solutions. The grants, ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, are designed to support the initial planning stages of these councils. The target beneficiaries are children aged 0-5 and their families in Mississippi, particularly those in neighborhoods, cities, and counties where early childhood programming is lacking. The impact goals include expanding civic engagement with policymakers on children's issues, advocating for and supporting policies that increase state funding for high-quality public Pre-K, and building partnerships with established non-profits and programs like Excel By 5 and the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. The grants prioritize communities that seek to build a committee focused on one or more key areas: expanding civic engagement with policymakers, advocating for high-quality public Pre-K funding, serving as a facilitator for partnerships with existing programs, implementing unique early childhood programs in underserved areas, and identifying unmet program or service needs within their communities. These focus areas are critical to CFM's strategic priorities of fostering local leadership and collaborative efforts to address early childhood development challenges. Expected outcomes include the establishment of new or strengthened Early Childhood Councils that are actively working to improve conditions for young children and their families. Measurable results will stem from the successful planning and initiation of activities aligned with the council's goals, such as increased community leader involvement, development of local action plans, and the identification of specific programming or policy advocacy targets. The foundation's theory of change posits that by empowering local entities to assess needs and lead initiatives, sustainable improvements in early childhood outcomes can be achieved at the community level.

Nissan Neighbors is a community-focused initiative that provides charitable contributions and in-kind donations to nonprofit organizations working in the areas of education, the environment, and humanitarian aid. The program aims to improve communities by valuing cultural diversity and has been awarding hundreds of thousands of dollars annually since its establishment in 1992. Nissan Foundation Criteria To be considered for funding by Nissan Foundation, organizations must meet the following requirements: Have 501(c)(3) nonprofit status Have been in existence for more than three years Reflect the mission of Nissan Foundation to build community by valuing cultural diversity Demonstrate intentional design of programming grounded in the importance and benefits of cultural diversity Specify community need(s) addressed and intended outcomes of programming Demonstrate experience with populations served Serve communities where Nissan has a significant operational presence, namely: Southern California Middle Tennessee Central Mississippi Dallas/Ft. Worth Detroit New York City and North Central New Jersey Atlanta

This initiative provides funding and support to nonprofit organizations, local governments, and Tribal governments in coal-impacted communities to develop and scale innovative economic projects that create job opportunities and foster local economic transformation.

This grant provides funding for nonprofit organizations to collaborate on improving oral health care access for seniors in underserved communities across select Southern states.

The National Academy of Sciences Gulf Research Program is investing $50 million in the Gulf Futures Challenge to fund projects addressing critical challenges in the Gulf region. The Challenge aims to discover and promote innovative and transformative solutions by leveraging the talent and knowledge of the Gulf's people. The competition focuses on three main areas: energy transition, environmental change along the coast, and healthy and resilient communities. Up to ten finalists will receive up to $1 million in project development support, with two finalists awarded $20 million each to implement their solutions. Eligible applicants include nonprofits, state, local, and tribal governments, and academic institutions from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, or Texas, with projects located within 100 miles of the Gulf coastline. The registration deadline is August 20, 2024, and the application deadline is September 20, 2024.

This funding opportunity supports educational projects that enhance community resilience and environmental literacy in the Gulf States by engaging learners of all ages in addressing local environmental challenges.

This program provides financial support to rural nonprofit and governmental organizations in select Southern states for presenting touring artists across various disciplines, including film, performing arts, and visual arts.

This funding initiative provides financial support to graduate students conducting herpetological research focused on the conservation and management of reptiles and amphibians in the southeastern United States.

This program provides financial support to individual craft, folk, and traditional artists across the U.S. to purchase essential tools and equipment that enhance their artistic practices.