Local Diversity Equity and Inclusion Grants

Art Project Program Grant Application Program Overview: The Art Project program provides funding of up to $5,000 to support relevant, meaningful arts activities with value to the community your organization serves. Support may be used to create, perform, exhibit, or publish artistic works; or to present arts events by contracting the services of other organizations or individuals. Important Dates for FY24: Open: April 1, 2024 Deadline: Sunday, May 12, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Project Start Date: July 1, 2024 Deadlines are firm, applicants are encouraged to finish in advance of the deadline. Assistance is available during normal business hours via email at admin@aracouncil.org or grants@aracouncil.org. Who Can Apply? Eligible applicants include: State-registered and federally recognized non-profit, tax-exempt organizations Accredited schools Tribal governments Units of government Eligibility Criteria: Organization must be primarily based (permanent address) in Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, or St. Louis County (outside Duluth) or of the four Tribal Nations within our region: Bois Forte, Fond du Lac, Grand Portage, or Leech Lake (within Itasca County) for at least six months. All Duluth organizations are eligible regardless of budget size. Organizations outside of Duluth with minimum prior year arts operating expenses of $40,000 are eligible. No outstanding or overdue final reports from past funding. Applicants may apply only once per grant round and cannot receive funding from the same grant program twice in a fiscal year. Fiscal sponsorship is allowed for groups without non-profit, tax-exempt status. What Can I Fund? Art supplies Volunteer and administrative costs Advertising, marketing, and promotional materials Equipment or technology purchases (integral to the artistic project, <25% of total request) How Do I Apply? Applications must be completed using the ARAC Grant Portal. Submissions in any other format will not be accepted. Instructions for navigating the online system can be found by clicking on the ‘Apply Now’ button on our website. Ensure your application includes all required materials. Contact Us: For assistance or inquiries, please contact us at admin@aracouncil.org or grants@aracouncil.org during normal business hours. Grant renewed every year.

The City of Dacono's 2025 Community Grant program is an annual initiative designed to provide financial support to community organizations. The program's core objective aligns with the City Council's mission to appropriate funds that directly benefit the Dacono community. The amount of funding available each year is flexible, determined by current priorities and the city's available revenue, ensuring that the grants can adapt to evolving community needs and economic conditions. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are community service organizations, federally designated non-profit corporations, and organized school groups. The program aims to foster a stronger, more vibrant community by empowering these entities to carry out their important work. While specific impact goals are not explicitly detailed, the underlying objective is to support initiatives that enhance the quality of life, address local challenges, and promote community well-being within Dacono. The eligibility criteria underscore the program's focus on established and organized groups. Applicants must be recognized community service organizations, federally designated non-profit corporations, or organized school groups. A crucial requirement for applicable non-profits is the submission of a valid and current 501(c)(3) registration, ensuring accountability and legitimate non-profit status. This priority on recognized and legally established organizations helps ensure that funds are directed to entities with a proven capacity for community impact. Expected outcomes and measurable results are implicitly tied to the activities undertaken by the grantee organizations. While not explicitly stated in terms, the city's strategic priority is to support a diverse range of community-focused projects. The theory of change suggests that by providing financial resources to these eligible organizations, the City of Dacono can indirectly achieve its broader community development and support goals through the efforts of its community partners. The varying annual funding based on priorities and revenue also indicates a flexible approach to strategic allocation, adapting to the most pressing needs each year.

The Continuum of Care (CoC) Program, administered by HUD and for which the County of San Luis Obispo is requesting proposals, is fundamentally designed to foster a community-wide commitment to ending homelessness. This initiative provides crucial funding to various entities including nonprofit providers, states, Indian Tribes, and local governments. Its core mission is to quickly rehouse homeless individuals and families, specifically addressing those fleeing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, as well as homeless youth. A key objective is to minimize the trauma and dislocation caused by homelessness, while simultaneously promoting access to and effective utilization of mainstream programs, thereby optimizing self-sufficiency among those experiencing homelessness. The target beneficiaries of the CoC Program are homeless individuals, families, and youth, with a particular focus on vulnerable populations such as those experiencing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The overarching impact goals include not only ending homelessness but also ensuring that rehousing efforts are swift and minimize trauma. The program aims to integrate homeless individuals and families into mainstream support systems and empower them to achieve self-sufficiency. This aligns with a broader theory of change that posits that comprehensive, community-based support and rapid rehousing are essential for breaking cycles of homelessness and fostering long-term stability. HUD's Homeless Policy Priorities, which guide the CoC Program, emphasize several key areas. These include ending homelessness for all persons, utilizing a Housing First Approach, and significantly reducing unsheltered homelessness. The program also prioritizes partnering with housing, health, and service agencies to create a more integrated support system. Furthermore, there is a strong focus on racial equity, improving assistance to LGBTQ+ individuals, incorporating the insights of persons with lived experience/expertise, building an effective workforce, and increasing the supply of affordable housing. These priorities collectively aim to create a more equitable and effective system for addressing homelessness. Expected outcomes and measurable results are linked to these priorities. For instance, increased rates of successful rehousing, reduced durations of homelessness, and improved access to and utilization of mainstream services are all anticipated. The funding information, with an Estimated ARD of $1,337,357, an Estimated Tier 1 of $1,203,621, Estimated New Bonus Projects of $121,173, and Estimated DV Bonus (New Projects) of $173,104, indicates significant financial commitment towards achieving these goals. Eligible activities that contribute to these outcomes include permanent supportive housing, supportive services (including Coordinated Entry), rapid re-housing programs, transitional housing, and the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), all of which are instrumental in tracking progress and demonstrating impact.

The Legacy Business Recovery Grant Program, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocation to the City of Los Angeles, offers grants of up to $20,000 to eligible Legacy Businesses. This initiative is designed to provide crucial financial assistance to aid these businesses in their recovery from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program's core mission aligns with broader efforts to support local economies and preserve established community businesses, recognizing their historical and cultural value. It underscores a commitment to helping businesses adapt, reopen, and sustain operations in a challenging economic landscape. The primary beneficiaries of this program are Legacy Businesses listed on the Legacy Business Registry, operating within Los Angeles city limits, and functioning from commercial, industrial, or manufacturing locations with a valid commercial lease. Home-based businesses are not eligible, and annual revenue cannot exceed $3 million. The impact goal is to facilitate the recovery and continued operation of these vital businesses, ensuring their survival and contribution to the local economy and community fabric. Businesses must demonstrate how the funds will be used for COVID-19 recovery expenses, with a focus on necessary expenditures. Funding priorities emphasize equitable distribution across finalists, with a particular focus on City of Los Angeles geographic diversity and low-to-moderate income neighborhoods. Grant application submissions from businesses located in or owned by individuals in low- and moderate-income communities (50% and 80% of Area Median Income as defined by HUD) are more heavily weighted, as are businesses facing an imminent threat of displacement. This weighted selection process reflects a strategic priority to support businesses in areas with greater need and vulnerability, aligning with a theory of change that targeted investment can produce more equitable and impactful recovery outcomes. Expected outcomes include the sustained operation of Legacy Businesses, job retention, and economic stabilization within affected communities. Measurable results will be tied to how grant funds are utilized, with eligible uses encompassing employee payroll, rent, utilities, insurance, working capital for reopening or continued operations, adapting to new technologies, payment of outstanding business expenses incurred after March 3, 2021, adaptive business practices, and legal fees for lease negotiations. Grant amounts are tiered based on employee count: $10,000 for businesses with one to five employees and $20,000 for those with six or more. This structure ensures that assistance is tailored to the operational scale of the businesses, contributing to their effective recovery and resilience.

The WeHo Artist Grant, offered by the City of West Hollywood, is designed to foster and support the long-term creative development of artists. Its mission aligns with the city's goal to retain existing artists, attract new talent, and enhance the economic and social well-being of the community. By directly funding individual artists, the program aims to provide them with the resources needed to realize their work, improve their creative environment, and manage the dual challenges of art creation and career advancement. The primary beneficiaries of this grant are individual artists residing in the City of West Hollywood. The program specifically targets those who are not currently enrolled as students in the discipline for which they are applying, are registered on the West Hollywood Artists Registry, and have not received the WeHo Artist Grant previously. The impact goals are to increase artists' capacity for creation, improve the conditions under which they create, and help them navigate the professional aspects of an artistic career, ultimately enriching the cultural landscape of West Hollywood. The grant prioritizes projects that take place within West Hollywood or its immediate vicinity (within 5 blocks of the border) and demonstrate clear marketing and outreach strategies targeting West Hollywood residents and constituents. Proposed projects must be cohesive, include a timeline and budget, and may not involve fundraisers, capital campaigns, murals, or religious-based programs/events. This focus ensures that the funded projects directly benefit the local community and align with the city's secular and community-oriented development goals. Expected outcomes include a strengthened local arts community, increased artistic output within the city, and enhanced economic and social vitality through the presence of a thriving artist population. Measurable results could include the number of artists retained or attracted to West Hollywood, the successful completion of funded projects within the calendar year, and the reported impact of these projects on the community. The total available funding for this category is $30,000, with a total award of $6,000 per artist, indicating a strategic allocation of resources to support multiple individual artists and their diverse projects.

This program provides funding to municipalities, park districts, tribes, and nonprofits in Pierce County to preserve open spaces and enhance community recreational areas.

The 2025 Pierce County Historic Preservation Grant Program, funded by Pierce County in Washington, offers $10,000 to $100,000 for projects that preserve and promote the county's historical and cultural heritage, including the protection, rehabilitation, or reconstruction of significant structures or sites, and the preservation or interpretation of historically significant artifacts and documents.

The Level Up LB: Extreme Small Business Makeover and Grant Program aims to propel small businesses towards success and sustainability. This initiative offers entrepreneurs a unique opportunity to connect with essential support resources and participate in a 12-week series of comprehensive workshops aimed at crafting new business and marketing plans. Upon completion of the program, participants become eligible to apply for $10k grants, empowering them to expand their business capacity and enhance resilience. 25 businesses will be selected to participate in this program and receive grant awards upon completion. 10 additional businesses will be selected to participate in the workshop series only, and may be eligible for grant awards if funds become available. Program selection and awards will be determined by a selection committee based on the following criteria: • Representation of businesses across all parts of the city with priority for businesses located in low-to-moderate income areas • Representation of businesses across multiple sectors • Business readiness and potential impact of program participation This application will close on May 21st at 5pm. No late applications will be accepted. Applicants will be notified of selection decisions in late June. For assistance with this application, please contact BizCare at 562-570-4249 or 4Biz@longbeach.gov.

This grant provides funding for organizations to establish and manage temporary severe weather shelters in Grants Pass, Oregon, ensuring safety and support for unhoused residents during extreme weather conditions.

The Tourism and Cultural Investment Grant Program, offered by the City of Spokane, is designed to significantly enhance the city's tourism and cultural environment. The program's core mission is to promote cultural diversity, support various forms of cultural investment, and foster new opportunities for tourism and cultural enrichment within Spokane. This directly aligns with a broader objective of enriching the community and attracting visitors through vibrant cultural and recreational offerings. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are organizations, including non-profit, for-profit, and public agencies, that are actively involved in projects, programs, events, and facilities promoting tourism and cultural investment. The impact goals are centered on creating a more diverse and appealing cultural landscape, drawing more tourists, and ultimately boosting the local economy and quality of life for residents. The program prioritizes projects that contribute to cultural activities such as sports, arts, street/park festivals, film, culinary events, and music. This broad scope ensures that a wide array of cultural expressions can receive support, reflecting a strategic focus on comprehensive cultural development. The emphasis is on initiatives that can tangibly demonstrate their capacity to enhance Spokane's appeal as a cultural and tourist destination. Expected outcomes include an increase in diverse cultural events and attractions, a rise in tourism figures, and greater engagement from both residents and visitors in cultural activities. Measurable results would likely involve tracking the number and type of projects funded, attendance at cultural events, and economic indicators related to tourism. The City of Spokane's strategic priorities, as evidenced by this grant, involve leveraging cultural and tourism assets for community development and economic growth. The underlying theory of change appears to be that by strategically investing in cultural and tourism initiatives, the city can create a self-reinforcing cycle of cultural vibrancy, increased visitor numbers, and economic prosperity. By supporting a diverse range of cultural endeavors, the program aims to build a more dynamic and attractive city, thereby achieving its overarching goals of cultural enrichment and economic development. These grants, ranging from $5,000 to $10,000, serve as catalytic investments to achieve these broader strategic objectives.

The City of Marfa is offering Historic Restoration and Preservation Grants, funded by the Hotel Occupancy Tax, to organizations that promote tourism and the hotel industry through projects enhancing historical restoration and preservation, with priority given to those generating overnight visitors and events held at specific local venues.

This funding opportunity is designed for nonprofit organizations in Worcester to develop projects that address the opioid overdose crisis through prevention, harm reduction, treatment access, and recovery support, with a focus on underserved populations.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in Frederick County to address critical community needs such as housing insecurity, public health, quality of life initiatives, and cultural enrichment through the arts.

The purpose of the Rowan Chamber’s Small Business Assistance Grant pilot program is to strengthen and grow established businesses within the City of Salisbury. By making these grants available, the Chamber is fulfilling its mission of driving economic stability, diversity, and growth in our community. Accessibility to funding contributes to the strength and effectiveness of the entrepreneurial ecosystem which in turn supports and nurtures small businesses. The Chamber recognizes the value of entrepreneurism/small businesses who bring innovation, quality of life, jobs, and investment to the community. Businesses who receive funding through this program will be those who bring innovation and therefore have a unique competitive edge. They must be good corporate citizens and are encouraged to support their employees and other locally owned businesses. Applicants are not required to be Rowan Chamber investors (members) in order to participate. Since the funding is coming from the City of Salisbury, applicants must operate their business within the City of Salisbury limits. Since there are already a number of downtown business grants, this small business grant is designed to focus on priority corridors outside of downtown, for example: West End, South Main St. & West Innes St. Small business grant overview: Businesses located in City of Salisbury limits with 10 or fewer employees (or full time equivalent). They must be a legal entity and registered with the NC Secretary of State and have appropriate permits to operate. They must submit a quality business plan (FREE assistance available from RCCC Small Business Center) Grant funds may be used for a fixed asset utilized for the business or permanent improvements to physical space (examples: manufacturing equipment, lawnmower, vacuum cleaner, building signage, lighting, awnings, flooring) Grant funds may NOT be used for ongoing operational expenses (examples: rent, utilities, salaries, financing debt, inventory, memberships, legal fees) Grant requests may range from $5,000 – $10,000.

The City of Bellingham is offering a grant for parties capable of producing a special or unique public experience, referred to as a “signature event.” This grant aims to foster artistic and cultural impact within the local community and among visitors, celebrating Bellingham’s indoor food, restaurant, arts, and culture scene. While the specific foundation mission or strategic priorities are not explicitly stated as a separate entity, the City of Bellingham's Tourism Commission acts as the guiding body with clearly defined goals that serve a similar purpose, aligning with the broader civic objective of enhancing the city's appeal and economic vitality through tourism and cultural enrichment. The target beneficiaries include the local community of Bellingham, visitors (with an emphasis on Canadian tourists), and historically marginalized communities such as BIPOC and LGBTQIA+. The impact goals are multi-faceted, aiming to create meaningful artistic and cultural experiences, celebrate local culinary and arts scenes, promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, attract significant tourism (particularly overnight stays), generate secondary economic benefits, and foster a positive long-lasting impression of Bellingham/Whatcom County. The program also seeks to integrate new and emerging talent, ensuring a dynamic and evolving cultural landscape. The program prioritizes events that provide a unique and distinctive Pacific Northwest experience, avoiding replication of events found in larger cities like Seattle. A strong focus is placed on walkability, highlighting the food and restaurant scene, and incorporating local businesses, history, attractions, and environmental stewardship. Crucially, the program aims for the signature events to become self-sustaining within a few years, minimizing the long-term reliance on City funding. This reflects a strategic priority to seed initiatives that can ultimately thrive independently, contributing to the city's cultural and economic fabric for the long term. Expected outcomes include a measurable increase in tourism, particularly from Canadian visitors, and a higher likelihood of overnight stays. The events are anticipated to generate numerous secondary economic benefits for local businesses. Success will also be measured by the artistic and cultural impact on the community, the level of diversity and inclusivity achieved, and the creation of a lasting positive impression of Bellingham. The long-term goal is for these events to become financially self-sufficient after three years, demonstrating a successful launch and sustainable operation, thereby contributing to the City's broader tourism and economic development objectives. Funding is committed for up to three years to provide seed money. Up to $100,000 is available for the first year, with approximately $70,000 for each of the following two years, for one or more signature events. Eligible expenses cover marketing and operational costs. Marketing activities include advertising, publicizing, and distributing information to attract tourists, as well as developing tourism expansion strategies. Operational expenses encompass typical event management costs such as supplies, equipment rentals, and venue fees. This financial structure supports the strategic objective of launching a new event and fostering its growth towards self-sustainability within the initial three-year period.

The 2025 Sharing Prince George Grants, announced by The Greater Washington Community Foundation, aim to support high-impact nonprofits serving Prince George’s County’s most vulnerable residents. This initiative aligns with the Community Foundation’s broader 10-year strategic plan, which is centered on addressing urgent community needs, advancing economic justice, and ultimately closing the racial/ethnic wealth gap. The fund prides itself on supporting organizations that have effectively responded to community needs, working in partnership toward a shared vision for a more equitable, just, and thriving Prince George’s County, directly reflecting the foundation's mission. The target beneficiaries are the low-income and most vulnerable residents of Prince George’s County. The grant program seeks to achieve significant impact by enabling people to chart pathways out of poverty and empowering them with the financial and social capital needed to build wealth. The ultimate goal is to enhance the health and stability of the entire community by mitigating the effects of the racial/ethnic wealth gap, fostering economic justice, and ensuring basic needs are met. The grant-making priorities for this year are threefold. First, economic mobility resources are prioritized, including access to higher education, training, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. Second, the program focuses on individual and community wealth-building opportunities to help residents weather crises and pursue their dreams. Third, basic needs for low-income neighbors are addressed, encompassing access to health and mental health resources, food security, affordable housing, childcare, education, and interventions that facilitate a transition from crisis to recovery. For the FY25 cycle, Sharing Prince George’s will award up to ten one-time grants, each up to $50,000. These grants provide flexible general operating support, allowing nonprofits to allocate resources where they are most needed to advance their missions within Prince George’s County. Regional organizations receiving grants will have their funds specifically earmarked for efforts within the county, ensuring the direct impact on the intended beneficiaries and contributing to the foundation's strategic objective of fostering a more equitable and stable community.

The James S. McDonnell Foundation (JSMF) is offering grants to support innovative, sustainable, and scalable approaches to wealth building and preservation within specific priority communities and groups. This initiative aligns with JSMF's broader mission to foster human well-being by addressing systemic economic disparities and promoting long-term financial stability. The foundation's strategic framework emphasizes helping individuals and communities build and protect wealth, demonstrating a clear theory of change that by increasing access to financial resources and strengthening community capacity, economic resilience can be significantly improved. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are low and moderate-income individuals and families, as well as Black and historically marginalized groups, including immigrants, residing in the City of St. Louis and North St. Louis County. The impact goals are centered on increasing the number of individuals and families served by financial products, services, or practices, and ultimately increasing and preserving wealth for these target populations. This focus is directly tied to the foundation's strategic priority of addressing wealth disparities in disinvested communities. Successful proposals are expected to align with one or more of three core tactics. Tactic A focuses on increasing access to low-cost, low-barrier financial products and services that drive asset attainment, growth, and preservation. Tactic B aims to build the capacity of community-based organizations and financial institutions to support wealth building and preservation efforts. Tactic C prioritizes attracting new investment capital to disinvested communities within the designated geographic areas. These tactics serve as the foundational elements of JSMF's theory of change, postulating that a multi-pronged approach encompassing access, capacity, and investment is essential for sustainable wealth creation. The program anticipates several expected outcomes and measurable results. These include the development of new loan products for homeownership, providing private equity access for companies owned by people of color, adjusting financial products to support small and diverse-owned businesses, creating investment products that increase ownership in financial markets, supporting employee ownership business models, and implementing systemic changes to credit building. The grants, ranging from $450,000 to $900,000, will be awarded for one to three years, with awards totaling $1.8 million. Proposals will be evaluated based on the innovation, scalability, and sustainability of the proposed approach, and their alignment with JSMF’s mission and guiding principles, ensuring that funded projects have the potential for significant and lasting impact.

This program provides financial assistance to Lansing businesses for improving the exterior appearance and structural integrity of their buildings, enhancing the overall streetscape and inviting more customers.

This funding opportunity supports grassroots initiatives, nonprofits, and small businesses in Tompkins County that focus on promoting racial and social equity within historically underserved communities.

This grant provides funding for innovative arts and culture projects that address community challenges and enhance the vibrancy of New Bedford, Massachusetts, benefiting its residents, visitors, and businesses.