Private Diversity Equity and Inclusion Grants

The Community Foundation of Grand Forks' Women’s Fund Grant Program aligns directly with the foundation's mission to empower girls and women by providing ideas, energy, and resources to achieve economic, social, and political equity. This grant program is designed to support initiatives that address the challenges and concerns facing girls and women today, while also fostering their leadership skills and confidence. The foundation strategically uses this program to encourage philanthropy among women, reinforcing a cycle of support within the community. The target beneficiaries of this grant program are girls and women within Grand Forks, Walsh, and Polk Counties. The program's impact goals are centered on creating opportunities that build leadership skills and confidence, raising awareness of critical issues, and promoting gender equity. By supporting a diverse range of projects, the Women's Fund aims to generate tangible improvements in the lives of girls and women, contributing to a more equitable society. The program prioritizes initiatives that build leadership skills and confidence among girls and women, support opportunities, and encourage women to become philanthropists. While not explicitly detailed, the foundation's theory of change appears to be rooted in the belief that by investing in these key areas, they can create a ripple effect that leads to broader societal change and improved outcomes for women. Grants are typically awarded in the $5,000 range, indicating a focus on impactful, yet often localized, projects. Expected outcomes include increased awareness of issues facing girls and women, enhanced leadership capabilities, and greater participation in philanthropic activities. While specific measurable results are not explicitly stated, the program implicitly aims for improvements in economic, social, and political equity for its target demographic. The grant duration of one year, with a grant period of October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025, suggests a focus on projects with clear, achievable objectives within a defined timeframe. The foundation's strategic priorities for this fund include supporting 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, fiscally sponsored nonprofits, public entities like libraries or schools, or units of government with principal operations in the specified counties. They also emphasize fiscal responsibility and timely reporting from previous grant recipients. This ensures that funds are directed to well-managed organizations capable of effectively implementing programs that align with the Women's Fund's vision.

This initiative supports U.S.-based startups with innovative solutions in Earth Observation for supply chains and Off-World Production, providing mentorship and resources to help them scale their space-based technologies.

The program will fund work that increases the effectiveness and sustainability of nonprofits through: Strategic planning initiatives to clarify mission, goals, and performance measures; Financial sustainability planning, including diversification of revenue streams, resulting in embedded fundraising/development skills, plans or techniques; Merger planning and implementation; and Diversity, equity and inclusion policy development and implementation. To do great work, nonprofits and municipalities need strong leaders, clear plans, efficient systems, and a robust, diversified revenue stream. This takes investment in staff and time to explore and plan—something for which many nonprofits on limited or restricted budgets have few resources to spare. In response to this gap in the resources needed to strengthen organizations, the Vermont Community Foundation has created a small fund to help. The application is designed to be easy to complete and notification is within 6-8 weeks. We welcome applications to support your organization’s planning needs around achieving your mission, through strategic planning, merger conversations, or similar efforts. Grants will be no more than $5,000 each and will support the cost of consultants for the activities below. These grants are meant to supplement other funding, as we understand that this amount is typically not enough to cover the full cost of providing these services. In the project budget, please show the additional revenue sources to be used for this work, both pending and secured. We welcome the use of these funds as challenge grants to secure the additional funds. The program will prioritize applicants with operating budgets of $500,000 or less.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to tribal entities and organizations in Montana for projects that enhance community forests, promote climate resilience, and improve environmental quality.

The Arts Fund for East Tennessee, administered by the East Tennessee Foundation, aims to celebrate the region's rich artistic expressions and cultural diversity in 2024. This grant program aligns with the foundation's broader mission to sustain cultural traditions and encourage all forms of artistic expression within its 25-county service area. The foundation's strategic priorities are evident in its preference for projects that expand art opportunities to underserved populations, bring public art into daily life, support grassroots arts organizations, and celebrate historically underrepresented communities. Target beneficiaries include organizations that are 501(c)(3) public charities, units of government, or public educational institutions. New or emerging groups without nonprofit status can apply with a fiscal sponsor. A specific fund, the Katherine Davis Moore and Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Davis Foundation Fund, further targets art-related programs that benefit young persons under the age of 25 in East Tennessee. The overall impact goal is to foster a vibrant and inclusive arts community, ensuring that cultural opportunities are accessible to a wide range of individuals and communities, particularly those who have historically been marginalized. The grantmaking focuses on several key areas. Preference is given to projects with outreach efforts that extend art opportunities to underserved populations. Public art displays and performances designed to integrate art into the everyday lives of the general public are also prioritized. Support for grassroots arts organizations is a central focus, as is the celebration of arts and cultures of historically underrepresented communities. These priorities reflect a theory of change that by supporting diverse artistic expressions and increasing accessibility, the foundation can strengthen cultural identity and enhance community well-being. Funding amounts for the Arts Fund grants will range from $5,000 to $15,000, with a grant term from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2026. While the initial description mentions a size of $10,000 to $100,000, the "Funding Information" section clarifies the actual amounts. The expected outcomes include the sustained operation of cultural traditions, the proliferation of various artistic expressions, and increased engagement with the arts among diverse populations. Measurable results could involve the number of underserved individuals reached, the number of public art installations or performances, the growth of grassroots organizations, and the representation of underrepresented cultures in funded projects.

The Alexandria Area Community Foundation (AACF) “Difference Maker” grant round aims to support community initiatives within Douglas County, Minnesota, by fostering positive change. This grant aligns with the AACF's mission to provide leadership and financial support, building partnerships that extend beyond the grant itself to advance projects and initiatives. Eligible organizations include 501(c)3 nonprofits, schools, and government entities, demonstrating the foundation's commitment to broad community engagement. The grant targets residents within Douglas County, with a particular focus on addressing basic needs, supporting and strengthening families, children, and youth, and promoting diverse cultures. The AACF seeks to fund programs and projects that will bring about positive change in the Alexandria area community, ultimately aiming for a sustainable positive impact. They specifically look for initiatives that build social capital across generations and cultures, and support diversity, equity, and inclusion. The AACF's strategic priorities are evident in its focus areas, which include Education (especially K-12 and after-school programs), Social Services, Health (education, physical and mental health, abuse/violence reduction), Arts and Culture, and Civic activities that build, promote, and preserve communities. The foundation’s theory of change appears to be centered on fostering innovative solutions, encouraging collaborative efforts with various community partners, and supporting projects that create highly impactful and visible outcomes, inspiring further community investments. Expected outcomes include creating innovative solutions to community challenges, capitalizing on emerging opportunities, and building or supporting collaborative efforts among community partners. The grant also emphasizes making a sustainable positive impact, building social capital, and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Projects are expected to have a lasting impact, whether through capital projects, new or expanded programs, or other strategic investments. Funding ranges from $5,000 to $30,000, and the grant encourages initiatives that can demonstrate measurable results in these focus areas.

The United States Department of State's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA) has announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for its Caribbean United for Women's Economic Empowerment (CUWEE) project. This grant program is fundamentally aligned with the mission of addressing systemic barriers and socio-cultural attitudes that challenge gender equity and equality within the Caribbean economy. The funding is sourced from the FY 2023 Gender Equity and Equality Action (GEEA) Economic Support Funds (ESF), signaling the Department of State's strategic priority on advancing economic security through gender equality initiatives in the region. The project is anticipated to be executed through a cooperative agreement and will be administered by the WHA's Office of Policy Planning and Coordination (PPC). The primary target beneficiaries of the CUWEE project are women and adolescent girls aged 16 and older in the Caribbean. The overarching impact goals are to build their economic resilience and skills capacity. By achieving this, the project aims to enable these beneficiaries to successfully enter the labor force and obtain economic security, thereby contributing to broader regional stability and growth. The initiative's theory of change appears to center on strengthening the ecosystem of local support to create sustainable economic opportunities for women. The strategic priorities and focuses of the project are multi-faceted, with a strong emphasis on empowering local civil society support actors. A central requirement is that proposals demonstrate how the grantee will strengthen local Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) engaged in advancing women’s economic security. The project is expected to first focus on identifying problematic country-specific and/or regional systemic barriers and socio-cultural attitudes, and then partner with local CSOs to directly address these identified obstacles. The CUWEE project details two key mechanisms for implementation. First, it intends to support a competition designed to promote local CSOs to develop and implement pioneering solutions tailored to overcome specific local systemic barriers to economic security for women in their respective country or region. Second, the project mandates the provision of a training curriculum that builds the capacity of, and strengthens, the regional Caribbean network of local CSOs dedicated to women’s economic security. WHA intends to issue one award, subject to funding availability, not to exceed $1,973,359, for a project period of up to three years, with a target start date of October 2024. The expected outcomes are the provision of greater economic gender equity and equality across the Caribbean region through the development of local capacity and innovative, localized solutions.

The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation is offering grants ranging from $1,000 to $4,000 to public charities that promote societal change benefiting women and girls, particularly in areas like economic security, education, healthcare, and legal rights, with a preference for organizations headquartered in the Kansas City, Missouri metropolitan area.

The Greylock ABC Fund, managed by the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, invites applications for grants ranging from $1000 to $10,000 to support educational development projects for students of color and/or low socioeconomic status in pre-K through 12 in Northern Berkshire County and Pittsfield, with a focus on multicultural education, academic preparation, child development, tutoring, mentoring, and college preparation.

The Art and Change Grant (ACG), provided by the Leeway Foundation, offers up to $2,500 to fund art for social change projects. This grant aligns with the foundation's mission to support artists and cultural producers who are deeply involved in creating art that positively affects and engages communities and audiences, ensuring that social change is integral to their artistic process and goals. The foundation prioritizes art with a vision and intentional analysis, recognizing it as a powerful tool for societal impact. The target beneficiaries for the ACG are women, trans, and/or gender nonconforming artists and cultural producers who reside in Greater Philadelphia, specifically in Bucks, Camden, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia County, and are at least 18 years old. The grant aims to empower these artists to use their creative practices to foster social change. The impact goals include raising consciousness, altering perspectives on self, society, or culture, creating visions of a more just world, and serving as a strategy for organizing and movement building. The grant prioritizes art that addresses various forms of oppression, such as racism, classism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ageism, and ableism. It also focuses on art that questions mainstream culture and beliefs, shifts perceptions of power and privilege, and values healing justice practices. Expected outcomes include strengthening communities, preserving or reclaiming traditional cultural practices, building a sense of community, and creating spaces for expression. The grant also emphasizes a reciprocal process of teaching and learning, ensuring mutual benefit for both the artist and the community engaged. The Leeway Foundation's strategic priorities are centered on supporting project-based art for social change across any medium, including traditional, nontraditional, multimedia, and experimental forms. Their theory of change posits that by empowering individual artists to create socially engaged art, they can catalyze significant community-wide impact. The foundation aims for measurable results through projects that demonstrate a clear vision for social change and actively engage communities, fostering a more just and equitable world through artistic and cultural practice.

The Arts Council for Long Beach offers two types of microgrants: Project Microgrants and Professional Development Microgrants. The Project Microgrants are designed for local projects that are free, open to the public, and directly benefit Long Beach residents. These projects are expected to support community representation and cultural respect, encourage cultural diversity, and/or enhance underserved communities. The Professional Development Microgrants assist Long Beach artists with funding for opportunities such as workshops or conferences, aiming to enhance the artist's or organization's ability to serve Long Beach residents, particularly in underserved areas. The overall mission alignment of the Arts Council is to promote and support arts and cultural activities that benefit the Long Beach community. The primary target beneficiaries of these microgrants are Long Beach residents, artists, and organizations within the city. The impact goals are centered around fostering cultural diversity, community representation, and enhancing the lives of residents through accessible arts and cultural experiences. For Professional Development Microgrants, the goal is to strengthen the capabilities of individual artists and arts organizations, which in turn enhances their service to the Long Beach community. Both grant types emphasize supporting underserved communities and populations within Long Beach, ensuring equitable access to arts and cultural benefits. The priorities and focuses of the Arts Council for Long Beach include supporting publicly accessible arts and cultural presentations in any art form, single events or series of events, arts and cultural festivals, arts education programs, traditional folk arts presentations, public art, and initiatives that promote the Long Beach arts and cultural sector. For professional development, funding prioritizes opportunities that enhance the applicant's ability to serve Long Beach residents, with specific provisions for conference fees and equipment/tools for art making. The emphasis is on projects that are free, open to the public, and directly beneficial to the local community. Expected outcomes include an increase in diverse and culturally representative arts projects, enhanced professional skills for Long Beach artists, and a more vibrant and accessible arts and cultural sector for all Long Beach residents. Measurable results could involve the number of projects implemented, audience attendance at free public events, the number of artists participating in professional development, and the demonstrable benefits to underserved communities. The Arts Council's strategic priorities align with a theory of change where targeted financial support for local arts and artists directly contributes to community enrichment, cultural engagement, and the professional growth of the city's creative talent. This investment is seen as a catalyst for a more inclusive and thriving cultural landscape in Long Beach.

This program provides financial support to Native-led arts and cultural organizations in the U.S. to strengthen their operations and promote Indigenous arts and culture.

The Conservation for All grant program is designed to strengthen the bond between the people in Maine and its natural landscapes, focusing on land and water. It aims to ensure equitable access to Maine's outdoors for all, particularly marginalized and historically excluded populations, by addressing physical, economic, and awareness barriers and fostering inclusive participation in program design and implementation. The grant supports projects that facilitate access to outdoor spaces, involve beneficiaries in decision-making, and address the impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities. Grant renewed every year. Grant Annual opening/closing deadlines: June 21st to September 16th

Main Street Ventures offers Launch Funding to emerging, pre-revenue businesses that have a prototype or product. This grant program aims to support the growth and scaling of businesses within the Greater Cincinnati region, aligning with the foundation's mission to foster economic development and innovation in the area. The funding is specifically designed to cover key direct costs associated with growth projects, rather than general operating expenses, reflecting a strategic priority to provide tangible support for business acceleration. The primary target beneficiaries are business entities (C-Corp, S-Corp, or LLC) with a Federal Tax ID (EIN) located in the Greater Cincinnati region, which includes specific counties in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Businesses must demonstrate customer demand and strong progression since their founding. The program focuses on specific growth projects that will accelerate business growth, with examples of suitable direct expenses including key equipment, packaging support, and technology product development. This targeted approach ensures that the grant funds directly contribute to measurable business expansion. Special consideration is given to women and minority-owned businesses, as well as businesses that can show matching funds from other sources. This reflects the foundation's strategic priorities to promote inclusivity and leverage additional investment, thereby maximizing the overall impact on the regional economy. The expected outcomes include the scaling of businesses, job creation, and increased economic vitality within the Greater Cincinnati region, with successful applicants demonstrating a clear impact of the grant funds on their business or the region. The Main Street Ventures' theory of change is rooted in providing early-stage, direct financial assistance to promising businesses to help them overcome critical growth hurdles. By focusing on direct costs and specific growth projects, the program aims to create a ripple effect, enabling these businesses to achieve significant milestones that would otherwise be out of reach. The emphasis on local businesses and underrepresented founders further amplifies the foundation's commitment to building a robust and equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Greater Cincinnati area. The grant duration of three years allows for sustained support and monitoring of the businesses' progress.

The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin's C.D. Besadny Conservation Fund is dedicated to investing in grassroots conservation and education projects throughout Wisconsin. The foundation's mission is to benefit the state's lands, waters, and wildlife, while simultaneously fostering a deeper connection between people and Wisconsin's natural resources. This grant program is aligned with the foundation's broader goal of supporting community-led initiatives that directly impact and preserve the state's environmental heritage. The fund targets a diverse range of beneficiaries, including public charities with 501(c)(3) status, federal, state, or local governmental units, American Indian nations or tribal communities, and accredited educational institutions. The impact goals are centered on creating positive change for Wisconsin's natural resources and its communities. Specifically, the program aims to support projects that protect imperiled natural communities and native species, engage and impact underserved communities while promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in conservation, and build climate resiliency through natural climate solutions or adaptation strategies. The program's priorities are clearly defined to address critical environmental and social needs. Proposals should focus on projects that contribute to the conservation of Wisconsin's most vulnerable natural communities and native plant or wildlife species. Furthermore, a significant emphasis is placed on projects that actively involve and benefit underserved communities, fostering a more inclusive and equitable conservation movement within the state. Finally, the fund prioritizes initiatives that enhance the climate resilience of Wisconsin's natural resources, either through nature-based solutions or strategies for adapting to climate change. All projects supported by the C.D. Besadny Conservation Fund are expected to demonstrate measurable outcomes, ensuring accountability and tangible results. The foundation encourages innovative projects that maximize their impact by leveraging existing resources and forging strategic partnerships. While specific funding ranges from $500 to $2,000, the total project budget may not exceed $10,000, with overhead costs capped at 15% of the grant. A one-to-one match, which can include in-kind support like volunteer hours or donated materials, is a required component of all applications, underscoring the foundation's commitment to community involvement and shared investment in conservation efforts.

This program provides funding to nonprofit organizations in Erie County, Pennsylvania, for collaborative projects that promote community impact in areas like health, education, and economic growth.

This program provides funding for community-based arts projects in Fulton, Montgomery, and Saratoga Counties, aimed at enhancing public engagement and accessibility to the arts.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations working on community-driven projects that enhance equitable access to services and strengthen resilience in West Hawai‘i.

This grant provides funding for community-driven projects to design and create outdoor spaces like parks and playgrounds in Colorado, focusing on promoting health equity for low-income families, communities of color, and rural areas.

The Initiative Foundation offers grants to nonprofits and local government units, focusing on program or capacity-building support, projects that advance diversity, equity, and inclusion, and strategies to address workforce shortages. This aligns with the Foundation's mission to serve its 14-county region in Minnesota and Native nations of the Leech Lake and Mille Lacs Bands of Ojibwe, by fostering community and economic development. The grants are intended to be strategic investments, not ongoing support, with individual grants seldom exceeding $7,500. The grants target 501(c)(3) nonprofits, school districts, or local government units serving specific counties and Native nations within the Initiative Foundation's geographic service area. The impact goals are to strengthen communities by addressing urgent needs, particularly in low-income communities, promote behavioral change towards diversity, equity, and inclusion, and develop community-based solutions for regional workforce shortages, leading to family-sustaining wages. The Foundation prioritizes projects that demonstrably contribute to these outcomes. Priority consideration is given to proposals focusing on capacity-building support for nonprofits, especially those addressing urgent needs or low-income communities, including business planning, fund development, training, or pilot programming. Other key focuses include cost-share for projects creating behavioral change related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and advancement of community-based strategies to tackle regional workforce shortages in sectors with family-sustaining wages. Support for early-stage feasibility or pilot projects by local and regional community and economic development entities is also a priority. Expected outcomes include strengthened organizational capacity for nonprofits, measurable progress in diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and tangible reductions in regional workforce shortages. While specific measurable results are not detailed in the provided text, the emphasis on "behavioral change" and "community-based strategies" implies a desire for demonstrable and sustainable impact. The Foundation's strategic priorities are clearly laid out in the priority areas, indicating a theory of change that by investing in these key areas, they can foster stronger, more equitable, and economically resilient communities. Ineligible expenses include grants to individuals and businesses, expenses incurred before grant receipt, capital expenses, projects not directly benefiting residents in the service area, replacement of government funding, religious activities, lobbying, school curriculum development or athletic programs, and out-of-state travel. Healthcare, arts, and historic preservation are not focus areas for discretionary grants, and potential applicants in these areas are encouraged to consult with staff before applying.