District of Columbia Grants

This program provides funding to schools, organizations, and agencies to support youth-led environmental education projects and professional development for educators focused on local environmental issues.

This program provides unrestricted funding to small arts organizations rooted in communities of color, helping them sustain and expand their cultural practices while addressing systemic inequities.

This funding opportunity supports community organizations in Washington, D.C. that are focused on reducing gun violence through innovative interventions, mentorship, and crisis response for at-risk individuals aged 18-35.

This funding opportunity provides over $1 million to nonprofit organizations focused on improving financial inclusion and health in low-income communities across the U.S. through innovative projects and solutions.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations that develop innovative resources and services to help adults in the middle or late stages of their careers with reskilling, upskilling, and career navigation, particularly those who are unemployed or underemployed.

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.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for organizations to create a strategic plan aimed at achieving carbon neutrality in the District of Columbia by 2040, with a focus on promoting equity for communities most affected by climate change.

This funding opportunity is designed to support non-profit organizations that provide financial education and savings programs for youth in foster care aged 15-21 in the District of Columbia, helping them transition to independent living.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to legal clinics and law firms that offer essential legal and social work services to low-income families in the District of Columbia at risk of child welfare intervention.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations that offer job readiness training and employment services to help District residents facing barriers to employment secure permanent jobs.

This fellowship program supports entrepreneurs in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area who are developing innovative solutions for climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience.

The National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB), with generous support from the Wells Fargo Foundation, is offering capacity building grants of $30,000 and customized technical assistance to 10 organizations. This program prioritizes organizations located in Wells Fargo’s priority geographic markets. The primary purpose of this award is to support a nationwide network of Latino- and immigrant-serving organizations to advance culturally relevant approaches to family financial health in low- and moderate-income Latino and immigrant communities. This aligns with the foundation's mission by strengthening the delivery of financial capability services within these communities. The target beneficiaries of this program are Latino- and immigrant-serving organizations, and ultimately, low- and moderate-income Latino and immigrant communities. The program aims to achieve several impact goals, including integrating culturally relevant financial curricula into asset-building programs like homeownership and small business development services, intentionally utilizing financial coaching to prepare participants to access capital for asset-building activities, and improving organizational capacity to track and report financial health outcomes. The program focuses on several key priorities to achieve its goals. These include integrating culturally relevant financial curricula, utilizing financial coaching, improving organizational capacity to track and report financial health outcomes, and prioritizing access to innovative financial products. The financial health outcomes specifically target improving credit, increasing savings, increasing income, and reducing debt. Innovative financial products are also prioritized to boost family financial wellness, with a focus on increasing savings, decreasing debt, or building or establishing credit. Expected outcomes and measurable results include meaningful and measurable impact and change for Latino and immigrant financial health. This will be demonstrated through a comprehensive and specific strategy. The program also expects to strengthen the delivery of financial capability services through grantmaking, technical assistance, and training. The grant period is from October 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025. Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) nonprofits that integrate, or plan to integrate, culturally relevant financial capability services into existing asset-building programs.

The Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) is offering grants aimed at minimizing stormwater pollution through the ongoing maintenance of green infrastructure (GI). The core mission of this grant program aligns with environmental protection and sustainable urban development by actively preserving existing GI practices. The grant seeks to ensure the long-term effectiveness of these installations in managing stormwater, directly contributing to a healthier environment in the District of Columbia. The primary target beneficiaries of this grant are the residents of the District of Columbia, who will benefit from reduced stormwater pollution and an improved local environment. Additionally, local District residents, including Returning Citizens, are targeted beneficiaries through the creation of sustainable employment opportunities in GI maintenance. The overarching impact goal is to achieve cleaner waterways and a more resilient urban ecosystem by consistently maintaining approximately 400 GI practices installed by District government agencies. The grant prioritizes providing excellent routine maintenance for 400 GI practices installed by District agencies. A secondary, but equally important, focus is on fostering sustainable employment for local District residents, including Returning Citizens, within the GI maintenance sector. This includes providing training to a local workforce. Furthermore, the program aims to cultivate stewardship and maintenance support opportunities within communities, encouraging local engagement and responsibility for environmental assets. Expected outcomes include a significant reduction in stormwater pollution, evidenced by the effective operation of maintained GI practices. Measurable results will include the annual maintenance of approximately 400 GI practices and the successful training and employment of local District residents in GI maintenance roles. The program's theory of change posits that by investing in both the physical maintenance of green infrastructure and the human capital required to sustain it, the District can achieve lasting environmental benefits and create valuable socio-economic opportunities.

The Ìpàdé Tanna Fund is a giving circle dedicated to awarding microgrants to early-stage Black women and gender-expansive innovators in the Washington, DC metro area. This initiative directly aligns with Ìpàdé's mission to contribute to the growth and success of Black innovators, recognizing the historical and current systemic barriers, including racism, that lead to funding disparities for Black business owners. The fund aims to address these inequities by providing crucial capital and support to launch transformative business ideas. The target beneficiaries of the Tanna Fund are Black women and gender-expansive entrepreneurs who are in the early stages of launching their businesses. The impact goals are centered on fostering economic empowerment and reducing the funding gap experienced by Black innovators. By providing microgrants ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, the Tanna Fund seeks to enable these entrepreneurs to establish and sustain their businesses, thereby contributing to wealth creation and community development. The program's priorities and focuses are clearly defined by its eligibility criteria. Applicants must identify as a woman or gender-expansive person and as Black or of African Descent. Their business structure must be established or formally established within six months, and they must have received less than $5,000 in previous grant funding. Furthermore, the business must be based in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, DC. These criteria ensure that the grants are directed to those most in need and most aligned with the fund's objectives. The expected outcomes include an increase in the number of successful Black-owned businesses in the Washington, DC region, improved access to early-stage capital for underrepresented entrepreneurs, and a reduction in the disparities in business funding. Measurable results would include the number of microgrants awarded, the survival rates of grantee businesses, and the growth in revenue or employment among these businesses. The Tanna Fund's strategic priority is to dismantle systemic barriers to economic success for Black innovators, operating under the theory of change that targeted financial support and resources at critical early stages can significantly mitigate the effects of systemic racism and foster entrepreneurial success within this demographic.

The Civil Legal Counsel Projects Program (CLCPP) is an initiative by the DC Bar Foundation aimed at supporting DC-based nonprofit legal services providers. The core mission of the CLCPP is to offer eviction prevention services to low-income and underserved residents of the District of Columbia. This aligns with the Foundation's broader strategic priorities of promoting quality, efficiency, and effectiveness in the delivery of civil legal aid. The program emphasizes organizations that have robust systems for self-assessment, continuous improvement, and the ability to identify and respond to the most pressing civil legal needs of the target population. The program primarily targets District residents with low income or who are underserved, with a specific focus on eviction prevention. Impact goals include making legal services accessible to this population, increasing access to services in underserved areas, and expanding pro bono participation. The Foundation seeks to fund organizations that can demonstrate how they will reach these beneficiaries and achieve these goals, ensuring that legal services are not only provided but also effective and responsive to community needs. This includes integrating pro bono attorneys and utilizing various channels for legal information and community education. The CLCPP prioritizes proposals that address underserved areas in the District, housing-related matters, or support a shared legal services interpreter bank. Other key focuses include expanding the number of DC residents receiving legal assistance, avoiding duplication of services, and making legal assistance more accessible. The Foundation also encourages proposals that leverage its resources strategically, avoiding services that could be supported by other funding sources, and testing innovative approaches. The grant period for these projects is from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025. Expected outcomes and measurable results are a critical component of the CLCPP. Funded projects are required to measure and report their performance against stated goals in areas such as legal services delivered (volume, type, number of residents assisted), outreach and training efforts (number of efforts, attendees, materials distributed), and pro bono development (attorneys recruited, trained, firms participating). Strong proposals will demonstrate ambitious yet realistic goals and adequate capacity, as well as a high likelihood of sustainability beyond the grant period, considering potential funding sources and long-term service delivery strategies. This rigorous approach to measurement and reporting reflects the Foundation's theory of change, which posits that strategic investment in quality legal aid and capacity building will lead to a more just and equitable legal system for DC residents.

The DC Bar Foundation's General Support Grants Program offers private funding to legal services providers in the District of Columbia. This program is a cornerstone of the Foundation's mission to fund civil legal services, primarily for District residents with low incomes. Funding is sourced from individual, law firm, and corporate donations, alongside revenue generated by the Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program, which the DCBF administers. This ensures a consistent and dedicated stream of resources to support vital civil legal aid initiatives, directly aligning with the Foundation's commitment to access to justice. The target beneficiaries of this program are District residents with low incomes who require free civil legal services. The primary impact goal is to provide these essential services, addressing critical legal needs within this population. Strong applications will demonstrate an organization's ability to identify and respond to pressing civil legal needs, ensuring appropriate supervision, training, and development of staff, and utilizing stakeholder and client feedback for continuous improvement. Furthermore, applicants are expected to offer services that increase accessibility, such as self-help strategies, online legal information, and community legal education. The Foundation prioritizes applications that expand legal assistance for DC residents, avoid duplication of services, and enhance accessibility. Priority is also given to programs that expand pro bono participation by recruiting, training, and supervising law firm attorneys, and those that strategically leverage DCBF resources to support other service providers. Importantly, the Foundation seeks to fund services not supported by other funding sources and those that test innovative approaches to achieving these priorities, reflecting a forward-thinking and impactful strategy. Organizations applying for this private funding must demonstrate adequate capacity, as evidenced by experience in providing similar services and related current work. Sustainability is also a key factor, with the Foundation considering potential funding sources beyond DCBF and longer-term service delivery strategies. The expected outcomes include an expansion in the number of DC residents receiving legal assistance, improved accessibility to legal services, and the effective use of resources to address the most pressing civil legal needs of low-income residents, contributing to a more equitable justice system in the District of Columbia.

The DC Bar Foundation's 2025 Access to Justice (ATJ) Grants Program is designed to fund civil legal services for low-income residents and those in underserved areas of the District of Columbia. This program aligns directly with the Foundation's mission to increase access to justice, specifically by providing free civil legal services. The grant targets nonprofit legal service providers within the District of Columbia, focusing on specific categories: underserved areas, housing-related matters, and supporting a shared legal services interpreter bank. The overall goal is to address the most pressing civil legal needs of vulnerable District residents, ensuring they receive necessary legal assistance that they might otherwise be unable to access. The primary beneficiaries of the ATJ Grants Program are District residents with low income, as defined by HUD income limits, and those considered "underserved." Underserved individuals include those who lack adequate and affordable access to legal services due to factors like neighborhood, geographic area, language, culture, ethnicity, religion, or life situation. The program also specifically considers special populations such as individuals in correctional facilities, those experiencing or fleeing violence, and unhoused individuals. The impact goal is to expand the number of DC residents receiving legal assistance, enhance the accessibility of these services, and prevent duplication of services across the District. The Foundation prioritizes proposals that address underserved areas, housing-related issues, or support a shared legal services interpreter bank. Furthermore, priority is given to projects that are likely to expand the number of residents receiving legal aid, avoid service duplication, increase accessibility, and expand pro bono participation by recruiting, training, and supervising law firm attorneys. The Foundation also seeks proposals that strategically leverage DCBF resources to expand efforts by other service providers or provide services that might not be supported by other funding sources, and those that test innovative approaches to achieve these priorities. Expected outcomes and measurable results for funded projects include significant amounts of legal services delivered, measured by volume and type of services, the number of DC residents assisted, and the number of cases accepted. Projects are expected to increase access to services in underserved areas, as measured by the percentage of proposed legal services provided in areas with high concentrations of low-income or underserved residents. High goals for outreach and training are also expected, measured by the number of efforts, individuals reached, and materials distributed. Finally, projects should demonstrate increased engagement of pro bono attorneys and law firms, measured by recruitment, training, and growth in participation. Organizations applying for funding must have systems in place for quality, efficiency, and effectiveness, including self-assessment methods, and demonstrate a strong capacity for delivering the proposed services with a high likelihood of sustainability beyond the grant period.

The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) is offering the 2025 High-Impact Tutoring (HIT) Local Education Agency (LEA) Grant. This grant aims to support DC public LEAs in establishing, strengthening, and expanding evidence-based tutoring programs within their schools. The core mission of this grant is to address learning acceleration for DC students, with a particular emphasis on those identified as economically disadvantaged. While the foundation's specific strategic priorities and theory of change are not explicitly detailed as separate entities in the provided text, the grant's design implicitly aligns with a theory of change that posits that targeted, high-impact tutoring for at-risk students will lead to improved academic outcomes and reduced educational disparities. The target beneficiaries of the HIT LEA Grant are DC public school students, particularly those who are economically disadvantaged. The grant focuses on helping LEAs implement programs that can provide significant educational support to these students. The impact goals are to launch, strengthen, and expand evidence-based tutoring programs, ultimately leading to improved academic performance and educational equity for the students served. The priorities of the grant clearly revolve around supporting LEAs that demonstrate a commitment to implementing HIT programs, either through existing efforts or plans for the upcoming school year. The grant prioritizes funding for programs that demonstrate a commitment to high-impact tutoring. Eligible LEAs must show prior engagement in implementing HIT programs as a key part of their learning acceleration strategy, which could include staff-led programs, engagement with third-party providers, or participation in professional development for designing HIT programs. Furthermore, the grant specifically targets schools where at least 40% of the student population is economically disadvantaged, or where at least 80% of students in the OSSE grant-supported HIT program are economically disadvantaged. This focus ensures that the funding reaches the students most in need of support. Expected outcomes include the successful establishment and expansion of evidence-based tutoring programs across DC public schools. Measurable results are tied directly to the number of students served and the duration of the tutoring. Funding categories are structured to incentivize longer-term programming, with $1,000 for each student receiving 20 weeks or more of HIT programming, $800 for 16-19 weeks, and an additional $200 for summer programming of 4 weeks or more. This clear metric allows for the tracking of the reach and intensity of the tutoring interventions. Additionally, eligible LEAs are required to ensure that school leadership attends professional development and communities of practice, indicating an expected outcome of enhanced capacity within schools to effectively manage and sustain HIT programs.

The FY2025 LGBTQIA+ Violence Prevention & Response Team (VPART) Grant, offered by the Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Mayor’s Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Affairs (MOLGBTQA), aims to prevent crime and address violence against the LGBTQIA+ community in the District of Columbia. This grant directly aligns with MOLGBTQA's mission to convene community and government agencies to reduce violence and harm against members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The grant seeks to support qualified community-based organizations (CBOs) that can coordinate the VPART team, provide services to LGBTQIA+ crime victims, and empower other CBOs through training. The primary target beneficiaries for these funds are individuals who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning, with a specific focus on those at a higher risk of being targeted by hate crimes and bias incidents. The overall impact goal is to address and mitigate violence within the LGBTQIA+ community and further reduce violence and harm through comprehensive support, education, and outreach. Expected outcomes include improved support for victims navigating legal and social service systems, increased access to culturally appropriate mental health services, enhanced community education on harm reduction, and strengthened capacity of CBOs to serve the LGBTQIA+ population. The grant prioritizes two main service areas: Violence Response Services and Victim Prevention Outreach. Violence Response Services include case management to assist victims through criminal, civil legal, and social service systems; legal services providing professional advice on criminal proceedings; and trauma-informed mental health services linking individuals to culturally appropriate and victim-centered care. Victim Prevention Outreach focuses on cultural humility training for organizations serving the LGBTQIA+ population, community education to reduce physical or emotional harm through workshops and campaigns, and harm reduction interventions providing resources and connections to addiction treatment. Organizations applying for this grant are encouraged to demonstrate their full capacity by applying to as many services and programs as possible within these funding areas. The MOLGBTQA's strategic approach, or theory of change, is rooted in the belief that by bringing together public safety, human services agencies, and community organizations, they can effectively prevent crime, support victims, and build community resilience against violence. This collaborative model, facilitated by the VPART meetings and supported by designated grantee organizations, is intended to lead to measurable results in reduced violence and improved well-being for the LGBTQIA+ community in Washington, DC.

The Department of Human Services (DHS) Family Services Administration (FSA) in the District of Columbia is offering grants for Fiscal Year 2025 to support youth and families. This initiative seeks to procure service providers to offer supportive services to youth aged 10-24 who are experiencing extensive juvenile and truancy situations. The primary objective is to help youth and families achieve specific goals and tasks, aligning with the DHS/FSA's mission to enhance family well-being and provide critical human services within the District. The program's core goals, as targeted by Youth Services Division (YSD) staff, include reducing truancy and associated behaviors (such as running away and extreme disobedience), preventing involvement in the juvenile justice system, and improving youth functioning and behavior across school, home, and community environments. These goals are directed at all participating youth and their families, including Spanish-speaking families, with each youth having an assigned Case Manager, Social Worker, or Functional Family Therapist (FFT) to ensure comprehensive support. The primary target population for these Youth and Family Support Services are youth aged 10 to 18, as well as transition-age youth up to 24 years old, and their families who are actively engaged in YSD programs and services. The expected outcomes include a reduction in truancy rates, a decrease in juvenile justice system involvement, and observable improvements in youth behavior and overall functioning. Measurable results will likely be tracked through attendance records, reported incidents, and assessments of social and emotional well-being. Eligibility for this RFA extends to local social services organizations, not-for-profit corporations, and charitable organizations, including faith-based groups, that serve the target population. Organizations incorporated as a not-for-profit or religious corporation or a public agency under District law, or those authorized to conduct corporate activities and provide care in the District with federal tax-exempt status, are also eligible. The total estimated program funding is up to $900,000.00, with an award ceiling of $200,000.00 and an award floor of $50,000.00. The period of performance is from October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025.