Private Diversity Equity and Inclusion Grants

The Envisioning Justice Grants program, supported by Illinois Humanities, focuses on leveraging the arts and humanities to foster a truly just society. This initiative aligns with the foundation's broader mission to create understanding about mass incarceration and its profound impact on communities throughout Illinois. By funding impactful initiatives that use creative and intellectual approaches, Illinois Humanities seeks to build more affirming, engaged, and empowered communities, ultimately contributing to a more equitable and just society. The program targets a diverse range of beneficiaries, specifically prioritizing currently or formerly incarcerated individuals, people serving long-term sentences, justice-involved young people, women (particularly women of color and/or those impacted by gendered violence), the LGBTQAI+ community, migrants, asylum seekers, refugees, immigrants, elderly populations, people with disabilities, and Indigenous populations. Furthermore, the grants prioritize projects that focus on communities that are sites of prisons or jails, experiencing significant incarceration, and/or undergoing significant demographic change due to the criminal legal system. The overarching impact goal is to facilitate understanding of mass incarceration and support those working to mitigate its effects. Envisioning Justice Grants prioritize projects that are regional or statewide in scope and partnership-oriented, emphasizing collaborative efforts to address complex issues. The funded initiatives include prison education programs, independent media, community dialogues, and conferences. These efforts are designed to create spaces for critical reflection, artistic expression, and humanistic inquiry, which are central to the foundation's strategic priorities. While specific measurable results are not explicitly detailed beyond "create understanding" and "build more affirming, engaged, and empowered communities," the program implicitly aims for increased community engagement, enhanced public discourse on carceral issues, and improved conditions for affected populations. Organizations can apply for grants of up to $10,000, with no matching funds required, making the program accessible to a wide range of groups. Eligibility is limited to nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations or those with a fiscal sponsor, based anywhere in Illinois. While all Illinois applicants are eligible, individuals from East St. Louis, Decatur, Carbondale, Galesburg, Urbana-Champaign, and the Bloomington-Normal Metro Area are particularly encouraged to apply. This geographic focus, coupled with the thematic priorities, underscores Illinois Humanities' theory of change: that by supporting arts and humanities initiatives, particularly in highly impacted areas and among vulnerable populations, they can drive meaningful social change and foster a more just and informed citizenry.

This grant provides funding to individual artists and nonprofit arts organizations in Eastern Los Angeles County to support innovative arts projects that meet community cultural needs.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit theatres and individual artists in the U.S. focused on creating diverse and inclusive theatrical experiences for young audiences.

The Santa Fe Community Foundation's Community Grants Program aims to support nonprofits in Mora, Rio Arriba, San Miguel, and Santa Fe counties, aligning with the Foundation's mission to foster a thriving community through strategic investments. This program is designed to strengthen various sectors, including Arts & Culture, Animal Welfare, Civic & Economic Opportunities, Education, and Environment, by addressing critical needs and promoting sustainable development within the region. The Foundation's approach emphasizes direct service, policy advocacy, and collaborative efforts to achieve meaningful and lasting change. The program targets a broad range of beneficiaries, including residents feeling disconnected from their communities, animals in need of welfare support, individuals seeking economic advancement, students requiring educational assistance, and communities affected by environmental challenges. The overarching impact goals are to enhance community well-being, promote social and economic justice, improve educational outcomes, protect the environment, and preserve cultural heritage. The Foundation seeks to create a more equitable and resilient New Mexico by empowering local organizations to address these issues effectively. Key priorities and focuses of the grant program are multifaceted. In Arts & Culture, the emphasis is on improving community connection, promoting diversity, preserving heritage, and strengthening the creative economy. For Animal Welfare, priorities include population control, cruelty prevention, and animal well-being. Civic & Economic Opportunities focus on workforce development, open government, and social and economic justice. Education aims to improve school readiness, academic proficiency, graduation rates, and youth engagement. Environmental efforts are directed towards addressing climate change through watershed protection, open space preservation, land remediation, renewable energy, environmental justice, and sustainable food systems. The expected outcomes and measurable results are tied to the specific field of interest. For example, in Arts & Culture, outcomes include increased participation in cultural programs and a stronger creative economy. In Animal Welfare, reduced animal overpopulation and improved well-being are anticipated. Civic & Economic Opportunities aim for increased access to employment and economic advancement, along with greater community involvement in public policy. Education seeks to close academic achievement gaps and improve student success, while Environment strives for cleaner water, preserved open spaces, and increased use of renewable energy. The Foundation’s strategic priorities and theory of change are rooted in the belief that by supporting local nonprofits, they can foster positive systemic change, build community capacity, and ultimately improve the quality of life for all residents in the targeted counties.

This funding opportunity supports projects in Ohio that aim to challenge systemic racism and promote racial equity within legal and societal institutions.

This funding opportunity supports organizations working to improve Medicaid and Medicare healthcare services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through advocacy, resource development, community organizing, and research initiatives.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations and educational institutions in the U.S. to create innovative programs that empower K–12 girls, particularly from underrepresented communities, to pursue education and careers in STEM fields.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to grassroots organizations in New York City that are focused on empowering communities to address systemic injustices through collective action and policy influence.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations in the Greater Lowell area that provide essential services to improve the quality of life for the LGBTQ community.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit arts organizations in Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax, and the City of Falls Church to create innovative projects that enhance community access to the arts and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.

This grant provides financial support for Colorado-based artists and organizations to create collaborative projects that use the arts to address pressing social, civic, environmental, and health issues in their communities.

This grant provides funding for researchers at U.S. institutions to develop and evaluate innovative strategies that improve access to mental health care for children and adolescents, particularly in underserved communities.

This funding opportunity supports youth development programs in New Haven, Connecticut, specifically targeting underrepresented youth aged 13 to 18 through established organizations and community-led initiatives.

This funding opportunity supports coalitions of organizations in the Kansas City region working together to create lasting solutions that improve economic mobility for local residents.

This funding opportunity supports artists and arts organizations in Upper Manhattan to enhance public cultural presentations and engagement through diverse artistic programming.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to local organizations, artists, and community projects in Newton that promote free arts and cultural programming, community enrichment, and beautification efforts.

This initiative provides funding and resources to early-stage, technology-focused startups from the U.S. and abroad that are willing to relocate to Kansas City, Missouri, to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in the region.

This program provides $50,000 grants to small, independently owned historic restaurants across the U.S. to help them sustain operations and preserve their cultural significance in the community.

This program provides funding to nonprofit organizations in targeted Houston neighborhoods to support community-led projects that enhance civic engagement, collaboration, and local leadership.

This funding opportunity provides unrestricted financial support to nonprofits and fiscally sponsored organizations in Western Massachusetts, focusing on enhancing social justice, community well-being, and local resilience.