Private Natural Resources Grants

The C.D. Besadny Conservation Fund is a grant opportunity that invests in grassroots conservation and education projects benefiting Wisconsin's lands, waters, and wildlife, while also connecting people to the state's natural resources. The grants range from $500 to $2,000. The fund has several grantmaking priorities, including projects that benefit Wisconsin's imperiled natural communities and native plant or wildlife species, engage and impact underserved communities or support diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts within Wisconsin's conservation and environmental education sectors, and build climate resiliency through natural climate solutions or climate adaptation. Projects should demonstrate measurable outcomes and encourage innovation through resource leverage and partnerships. Eligible applicants include public charities with approved 501(c)(3) exempt status (under section 509(a)(1), 509(a)(2), or 509(a)(3) Type I and Type II), federal, state, or local governmental units, American Indian nations or tribal communities, or accredited schools, colleges, or universities. Ineligible organizations include individuals, businesses, section 509(a)(3) Type III supporting organizations, private foundations, and private operating foundations. Projects must benefit Wisconsin's natural resources or people. The total project budget cannot exceed $10,000 with overhead costs limited to 15% of the grant amount. Project expenses incurred prior to submitting the application are not eligible. A one-to-one match is required and can include in-kind support such as volunteer hours or donated materials. Only one application per organization per grant cycle will be accepted. To apply for the grant opportunity: 1. Ensure your project addresses the grantmaking priorities and meets eligibility requirements. 2. Complete the application (paper copies not accepted). 3. Include proof of IRS tax-exempt status (IRS form 501c3 tax determination letter). 4. Submit all materials by email to Lindsey at NRFgrants@WisConservation.org by September 1st. Applicants will be notified within six weeks following the submission deadline. For more information or inquiries, contact Lindsey Taylor, Conservation Programs Coordinator, at (608) 409-3145 or Lindsey.Taylor@WisConservation.org. The grant is renewed every year with a deadline of September 1st.

This funding opportunity supports conservation and research projects focused on key species that significantly impact ecosystems, culture, or economy in the U.S., particularly those led by local communities and incorporating Indigenous knowledge.

This grant provides funding to local governments and non-profit organizations for projects that improve the environment, culture, or community along the Lower Delaware River corridor.

This fellowship provides unrestricted financial support to artists living in the Southern Finger Lakes region, allowing them to focus on their creative work without project constraints.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in eastern and central Pennsylvania to help low-income families pay their home energy costs.

The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute's Community Partnership Program (CPP) is designed to cultivate sustainable collaborations with Oregon communities to address identified cancer needs. The program's mission is to partner with these communities as allies in the Knight Cancer Institute's goal of ending cancer. This aligns with a broader strategic priority to enhance community-OHSU collaboration on local cancer issues and disparities, fostering long-term sustainability of local efforts. The CPP targets various Oregon community groups, including organizations, schools, government bodies, health/medical clinics, health systems, and businesses. A key focus is on proposals that address cancer-related health disparities and increase equity for historically disadvantaged and/or marginalized Oregon communities. Organizations led by and/or committed to serving these populations are highly encouraged to apply, underscoring the program's commitment to equitable cancer outcomes. The program's priorities revolve around supporting communities in identifying and addressing pressing cancer-related needs, enhancing collaboration, and building community skills for sustainable long-term efforts. This is operationalized through three grant tiers. Tier 1, "Define Need," focuses on developing local action plans through needs assessments or committee formation. Tier 2, "Develop and Pilot," supports the development and piloting of programs to address priority cancer issues or disparities. Tier 3, "Evaluate and Sustain," aims to evaluate existing approaches and establish sustainability strategies. Expected outcomes include communities effectively identifying their most pressing cancer-related needs, increased collaboration between OHSU and local communities, and enhanced capacity within communities to sustain efforts addressing local cancer issues. Measurable results would be tied to the specific objectives of each tier, such as the completion of community cancer needs assessments (Tier 1), the successful piloting of new programs (Tier 2), and the evaluation and sustained implementation of effective approaches (Tier 3). The overall impact goal is to collectively work towards ending cancer as communities know it, with a strong emphasis on reducing health disparities.

The Oakland Literacy Coalition (OLC) is offering "Reading Everywhere Action Grants" to incorporate reading into summer programs in Oakland. These grants aim to foster a love of reading by providing new, free, high-interest books and up to $500 in funds for accompanying activities. The OLC believes that "literacy happens everywhere" and actively works with diverse organizations to reach children in community-based settings, aligning with a broad mission to inspire reading beyond traditional school environments. The target beneficiaries for these grants are preschool through high school-aged children in Oakland. The OLC encourages applications from Oakland-based community and faith-based organizations, as well as informal neighborhood/cultural groups and childcare providers. The program prioritizes reaching children in non-school-based spaces, emphasizing accessibility and engagement where children naturally gather. A key focus of the Reading Everywhere Action Grants is to distribute a large quantity of new, free, high-interest books to select community and faith-based organizations. Grantees will have the opportunity to select books from the OLC office. The accompanying activity funds are designed to facilitate engaging reading experiences. The OLC's strategic priority is to integrate literacy into various community settings, reflecting a theory of change that by meeting children where they are and providing appealing resources, a love of reading will be cultivated. The expected outcomes include increased access to books for Oakland's youth and the successful implementation of reading-focused activities during the summer. While specific measurable results are not detailed in the provided information, the program aims to inspire a love of reading and promote literacy in diverse community contexts. Organizations may apply for multiple sites but must submit separate applications for each, indicating a desire to broaden the program's reach and impact across Oakland.

The Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro is offering its Cultural Vibrancy Grant Program to support a community where all residents have access to diverse cultural, educational, and natural resources. This initiative aligns with the foundation's mission to foster a vibrant culture built upon inclusive community dialogue and civic engagement. The program specifically seeks to bolster cultural vibrancy through strategic funding, aiming to create a more equitable and enriched environment for all residents of Guilford County. The grant program targets students and residents at or below the federal poverty line in Guilford County as primary beneficiaries, with a focus on increasing their access to and appreciation for the arts, cultural opportunities, and natural assets like parks. Beyond this, the program also aims to engage diverse and multi-generational audiences in Guilford County through cultural education and events. The broader impact goal is to deepen understanding and facilitate community engagement among Greensboro's diverse communities and cultures. Key priorities for the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro include investing in cultural education and events that resonate with a wide array of audiences. Furthermore, the foundation emphasizes facilitating dialogue and community engagement to foster deeper understanding among and between the city's diverse communities. The program also prioritizes proposals that demonstrate long-term strategies for advancing and sustaining cultural vibrancy within Guilford County, highlighting a commitment to lasting impact. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations located in or serving the specified areas, and priority is given to those with long-term strategies. While specific measurable results are not explicitly detailed, the expected outcomes involve increased participation in cultural and natural resource activities, enhanced cultural education, and strengthened community cohesion. The foundation's strategic priority is to achieve equity in its grantmaking process, considering board and staff diversity and total operating budget in its review process to ensure broad and inclusive support, regardless of the applicant's budget size.

This grant provides financial and volunteer support to nonprofit organizations in the Sacramento area that focus on youth development and promote diversity, equity, and community empowerment.

Greenspace Enhancement Grant Program Our Greenspace Enhancement Grant Program extends our mission by providing financial support to nonprofit organizations that actively work towards improving and preserving outdoor environments. The grants focus on: Community Gardens: Creating, rehabilitating, and enhancing community gardens that provide educational opportunities and serve community needs. Neighborhood and School Beautification: Beautifying and enriching outdoor environments in economically disadvantaged areas, particularly around neighborhoods and schools. Parks and Greenspaces: Revitalizing parks and public greenspaces through planting and the addition or upgrading of efficient irrigation systems. Sustainable Impact: Projects that align with Toro's purpose of enriching the beauty, productivity, and sustainability of the land, impacting beautification, and increasing the utilization of public greenspaces. Community Engagement: Encouraging broad community involvement in project design and implementation, ensuring tangible and sustainable results. Eligibility Location: The benefiting organization must be located within 40 miles of a Toro Company location in the following cities: Arkansas: Batesville California: El Cajon, Riverside Florida: Sanford Michigan: Iron Mountain Nebraska: Beatrice Texas: El Paso, Abilene Wisconsin: Lake Mills The grant program seeks to empower communities to create and maintain beautiful, sustainable, and functional outdoor spaces, emphasizing those in need. Through these grants, The Toro Company continues to build on its long-standing tradition of giving back to the communities where our employees live and work.

This grant provides financial support to established livestock farmers in select New England counties to implement regenerative agriculture practices that enhance soil health, water quality, and pollinator habitats.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation is offering a grant program aimed at expanding access to mental and behavioral health services and resources for youth. This initiative aligns with the foundation's mission to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians by focusing on critical health needs. The program seeks to support models that are effective in the short term (1-3 years) and leverage a trained workforce beyond traditional specialty-trained clinical roles. This strategic approach emphasizes immediate impact and sustainable community engagement, reflecting a theory of change that posits empowering a broader range of professionals will lead to more accessible and responsive mental health support for young people. The primary target beneficiaries of this grant are youth in North Carolina, particularly those in communities facing significant barriers to accessing care. The program aims to address the critical need for mental and behavioral health support by increasing the availability of resources and services. Impact goals include fostering early identification of distress, trauma, mental health changes, or substance use among youth, and facilitating their connection to appropriate resources. The foundation prioritizes approaches that engage diverse communities and can operate in various settings, such as communities, schools, health systems, and faith-based organizations. The program's priorities include strengthening organizational capacity and infrastructure, connecting care across different settings, increasing access to training opportunities for a diverse workforce, and enhancing the availability of culturally and linguistically relevant resources and materials. The focus is on a trained workforce that can identify, understand, and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health challenges, providing initial support and resource connection. This strategy aims to create a more integrated and accessible support system for youth mental and behavioral health. Expected outcomes include a measurable increase in the number of youth accessing mental and behavioral health services, improved early intervention for mental health concerns, and a more robust network of trained professionals capable of supporting youth. The grant allows for proposals ranging from $75,000 to $500,000 per year for up to three years, indicating a commitment to significant, multi-year projects. Eligible organizations include nonprofits, fiscally sponsored programs, government entities (including schools and tribal governments), and coalitions, fostering a broad and inclusive approach to addressing youth mental health needs across all counties in North Carolina.

This grant provides funding to agricultural professionals and organizations in the Western U.S. to implement educational and demonstration projects that promote the adoption of sustainable farming practices based on previous research findings.

This funding opportunity supports organizations in North Carolina that create innovative programs to strengthen local entrepreneurial ecosystems and promote economic growth.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting proposals for the Northeast Forests and Rivers Fund (NEFRF), a program dedicated to restoring and sustaining healthy rivers, forests, and grasslands to provide habitat for diverse fish and wildlife populations. This initiative aligns with NFWF's broader mission to protect and restore native wildlife species and their habitats, leveraging public and private funding to achieve significant conservation outcomes. The NEFRF, formerly known as the New England Forests and Rivers Fund, represents a strategic investment in the ecological health of the Northeast region, fostering biodiversity and ecosystem resilience. The program's target beneficiaries include various fish and wildlife populations such as river herring, Atlantic salmon, brook trout, wood turtles, golden-winged warblers, New England cottontails, and bobolinks. Beyond wildlife, the program also aims to benefit agricultural producers, particularly those in Historically Underserved and Special Emphasis categories, by helping them design and implement conservation practices. The impact goals are centered on improving habitat quality and connectivity, enhancing forest conditions, and promoting hayfield management conducive to successful grassland bird breeding. NEFRF's priorities and focuses are outlined in NFWF’s Northeast Watersheds Business Plan (March 2023), specifically targeting strategies for Stream and Riparian Habitat, and Upland Forests and Grasslands. Key implementation strategies for 2024 include restoring stream and riparian habitats, improving forest management for age and structural diversity, and promoting hayfield management. A significant portion of funding, approximately $625,000, is set aside for projects that assist agricultural producers in adopting conservation practices beneficial to target species like northeast turtles and golden-winged warblers, while also increasing Farm Bill program participation. Additionally, the program encourages projects that involve community outreach, engagement, collaborative management, and the incorporation of traditional knowledge and community input. Expected outcomes and measurable results include improved habitat for specific fish and wildlife species, enhanced age and structural diversity in forest blocks, successful grassland bird breeding, and increased participation of agricultural producers in conservation programs. Projects are expected to contribute to measurable conservation benefits through community input, co-design processes, and engagement with community-level partners (e.g., municipalities, NGOs, community organizations, community leaders) to ensure project design, implementation, maintenance, and long-term sustainability post-grant award. The grant duration is three years, with projects expected to start no later than six months after the award date. The NFWF's strategic priorities for the NEFRF reflect a theory of change that posits by investing in targeted habitat restoration, improved land management, and community engagement, ecological health will be restored and sustained, benefiting both wildlife and human communities. Funding is provided by a consortium of partners including the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Zoetis Foundation, and Sylvamo, underscoring a collaborative approach to conservation. The program encourages a holistic view of conservation, integrating scientific best practices with local community needs and traditional knowledge to achieve robust and lasting environmental improvements across Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and parts of New York.

The Community Service Infrastructure Fund (CSIF), also known as TEDF Category B, is a grant program offered by the Michigan Department of Transportation Office of Economic Development. This program is designed to provide additional road funding to Michigan's smallest communities, particularly those with limited ability to fund road improvement projects. It acts as a stop-gap measure to address critical infrastructure needs in these areas. The target beneficiaries of this grant are villages and small cities with a population of 10,000 or less, according to the 2020 census. The program's impact goal is to improve road infrastructure in these communities, ensuring safer and more functional transportation networks. The expected outcomes include the reconstruction, replacement, rehabilitation, or capital preventative maintenance of city or village streets and associated stormwater improvements. Program priorities are centered around maximizing the impact of the funding and encouraging efficient asset management. Applications are scored based on the agency's ability to fund road projects (proportional to 2023 real/personal property value and population), projects on local roads (due to fewer eligible funding sources), projects paired with other infrastructure initiatives for efficiency, collaborative projects with other agencies to encourage lower pricing, and preventative maintenance projects for better asset management. Agencies that have previously received a grant from this program will have points reduced. The funding information specifies a maximum grant amount that is the lesser of 50% of the eligible and participating costs, up to $250,000. The local agency is responsible for the remaining project costs. To receive the full $250,000, the eligible and participating work must equal or exceed $500,000. New construction or routine maintenance, such as filling potholes, mowing, or plowing, are not permitted with Category B funding, reinforcing the program's focus on significant infrastructure improvements.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in specific California counties to improve educational outcomes for boys and men of color by enhancing access to post-secondary education and addressing systemic barriers.

This grant provides $2,000 mini-grants to grassroots organizations and local leaders working to improve bicycling safety, accessibility, and inclusivity in their communities.

This program provides financial assistance to licensed child care providers in Connecticut for urgent repairs needed to ensure safe operations.

The Miami Downtown Development Authority (DDA) has launched the 2024-2025 Downtown Creative Collaborators Grants (DCCG) program. This program is designed to support projects and events that will take place in Downtown Miami during the fiscal year 2024-2025 (October 1, 2024 - September 30, 2025). The DDA's mission, as aligned with this grant, is to strengthen Downtown Miami's appeal as a global destination and stimulate demonstrable economic impact within the area through innovative projects and events. The DCCG program targets organizations producing and implementing activations in Downtown Miami. The goal is to benefit the Downtown community by fostering connections, attracting tourism, and providing affordable, family-friendly programming. The program also aims to promote Miami as an international and diverse cultural center, a culinary destination, and an innovation hub, while also highlighting its rich history, art, culture, and natural resources. Funding priorities for the DCCG include activating outdoor venues, creating community-building opportunities, offering family-friendly programming, promoting Miami as a global city, providing cultural and historic education, raising public transportation awareness, and offering free or discounted projects and events. The grant specifically encourages content that features the communities, history, and natural resources in Miami-Dade County. Priority will be given to projects that clearly and visibly state free or discounted admissions for area residents, families, and students in their marketing and promotional materials. Expected outcomes include a measurable economic impact in Downtown Miami, increased appeal of the area as a global destination, enhanced community engagement, and greater awareness and ridership of Downtown Miami's multimodal transportation options. By supporting diverse and innovative projects, the DDA aims to further establish Downtown Miami as a vibrant hub for arts, culture, entertainment, and innovation, contributing to the overall strategic development and economic growth of the city center. Grant awards can range from $5,000.00 up to $50,000.00, and applicants must secure additional funding commitments, as the DCCG cannot be the sole funding source.