Mississippi Arts Grants

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in Mississippi to support projects that improve economic security and health for women and girls, particularly in underserved communities.

The Mini-Grants for Community Impact, offered by the United Way of the Golden Triangle Region, aim to strengthen local initiatives within Choctaw, Lowndes, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Webster, and Winston Counties in Mississippi. This grant program aligns with the United Way's mission to address human needs through united community efforts, including human services planning, community-wide fundraising, and citizen-reviewed fund allocation. The grants are designed to foster a clear understanding and mutual acceptance of roles between the United Way and participating organizations, ensuring a collaborative approach to meeting the human needs of the specified counties. The target beneficiaries for these grants are registered 501(c)3 non-profits, organizations, businesses, programs, or community groups actively working in the designated regions. The overarching impact goal is to advance key areas such as Education, Health, Financial Stability, Children/Family well-being, and Disaster relief. By supporting these entities, the program seeks to improve the quality of life for residents across these six Mississippi counties. The program prioritizes initiatives that directly fulfill a specific community need within the identified impact areas. While the grant size is stated as $1,000 to $10,000 in one section, the funding information later specifies an awarded amount ranging from $500 to $1,500, with a maximum of $1,500 per entity. This suggests a focus on smaller, targeted interventions. Crucially, funds cannot be allocated towards salaries, reimbursements, matching funds, capital campaigns, operational expenses, consulting fees, or lobbying, ensuring that resources are directed exclusively to direct program implementation and community benefit. Expected outcomes include tangible improvements in education, health, financial stability, family support, and disaster preparedness or recovery within the target counties. While specific measurable results are not detailed, the emphasis on fulfilling "a specific community need" implies that successful applicants will demonstrate how their projects contribute to these broader goals. The United Way of the Golden Triangle Region's strategic priority is to address human needs effectively and efficiently, and their theory of change relies on the collective efforts of various community segments to achieve lasting positive change.

The Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI) is offering its 2024 Infrastructure Grant Program, which aligns with its mission to support the viability and sustainability of historically underserved farmers and ranchers. This program aims to foster projects that enhance farm viability, create new markets for local agricultural products and services, develop innovative uses for existing farm infrastructure, add value to farm products through processing, packaging, or marketing, and optimize the use of on-farm and natural resources. Additionally, the grant supports cultural and heritage projects dedicated to preserving and continuing specific agrarian traditions, reflecting RAFI's broader commitment to a resilient and equitable food system. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are historically underserved farmers and ranchers, as defined by NRCS, who are in at least their fourth full growing season and have operated their current farm for at least two years. The program specifically targets "livelihood" farmers and ranchers who depend on agriculture for their financial support or are pursuing a long-term career in farming. Eligibility extends to individual farmer owners/co-owners or farm cooperatives, provided at least 50% of the cooperative members meet the individual eligibility criteria. The grants range from $1,000 to $10,000 and are available to farms located in specific states: AL, AR, DC, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, SC, TN, or VA. Funding priorities are given to proposals demonstrating a high expected impact on farm viability and sustainability, strong project feasibility, and comprehensive planning, including a clear plan, detailed budget, timeline, and all necessary supporting documentation. RAFI also prioritizes farmers who derive a significant portion of their household income from farm operations, individuals with financial need, or those located in economically disadvantaged areas. Projects that tangibly benefit the surrounding community and farms utilizing agroecological and/or ancestral farming practices are also highly favored, reflecting RAFI's strategic priorities for holistic agricultural development and community engagement. The expected outcomes of the Infrastructure Grant Program include increased farm viability and sustainability for historically underserved farmers, the establishment of new and diversified markets for local products, and the preservation of valuable agricultural traditions. Through these grants, RAFI aims to support projects that lead to concrete improvements in farm infrastructure, expanded income streams for farmers, and a stronger connection between agricultural practices and community well-being. By focusing on these outcomes, RAFI reinforces its theory of change, which posits that targeted financial support and capacity building for underserved farmers will lead to a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable agricultural landscape.

The Children’s Foundation of Mississippi (CFM) is offering up to 10 small planning grants to establish local Early Childhood Councils (ECCs) across all counties in Mississippi. The primary goal of these grants is to foster community-led initiatives that improve conditions for children aged 0-5 and their families. This aligns with CFM's mission to advance early childhood programming by empowering local communities to identify needs and promote solutions. The grants, ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, are designed to support the initial planning stages of these councils. The target beneficiaries are children aged 0-5 and their families in Mississippi, particularly those in neighborhoods, cities, and counties where early childhood programming is lacking. The impact goals include expanding civic engagement with policymakers on children's issues, advocating for and supporting policies that increase state funding for high-quality public Pre-K, and building partnerships with established non-profits and programs like Excel By 5 and the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. The grants prioritize communities that seek to build a committee focused on one or more key areas: expanding civic engagement with policymakers, advocating for high-quality public Pre-K funding, serving as a facilitator for partnerships with existing programs, implementing unique early childhood programs in underserved areas, and identifying unmet program or service needs within their communities. These focus areas are critical to CFM's strategic priorities of fostering local leadership and collaborative efforts to address early childhood development challenges. Expected outcomes include the establishment of new or strengthened Early Childhood Councils that are actively working to improve conditions for young children and their families. Measurable results will stem from the successful planning and initiation of activities aligned with the council's goals, such as increased community leader involvement, development of local action plans, and the identification of specific programming or policy advocacy targets. The foundation's theory of change posits that by empowering local entities to assess needs and lead initiatives, sustainable improvements in early childhood outcomes can be achieved at the community level.

This grant provides funding for nonprofit organizations to collaborate on improving oral health care access for seniors in underserved communities across select Southern states.

This program provides financial support to rural nonprofit and governmental organizations in select Southern states for presenting touring artists across various disciplines, including film, performing arts, and visual arts.

This grant provides funding to Mississippi-based nonprofit organizations for creating public art installations and hosting free outdoor concerts to enhance community engagement and cultural vitality in rural towns and small communities.

This program provides financial support to individual craft, folk, and traditional artists across the U.S. to purchase essential tools and equipment that enhance their artistic practices.

This funding opportunity supports innovative projects that improve employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities in states with historically low participation rates, encouraging collaboration and sustainable solutions.

This program provides funding for community projects that promote the cultural heritage of the Mississippi Hills region through education, preservation, and development initiatives.

This funding opportunity supports collaborative projects between arts organizations and non-arts entities in the Southern U.S. to creatively address health and wellness challenges in their communities.

This grant provides financial support to Southern writers and independent publishers for literary projects that celebrate the region's unique traditions and voices.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in the Gulf South to promote affordable housing and community resilience in underserved areas through initiatives like first-time homebuyer assistance and disaster preparedness.

This program provides financial assistance to eligible business owners in downtown Ocean Springs for improving the appearance and condition of their commercial building facades to boost tourism and support local businesses.

This program honors individuals and organizations in Mississippi that have made significant contributions to the arts, celebrating their artistic excellence and impact on the state's cultural heritage.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in select states to support projects that celebrate and promote cultural diversity and community engagement.

This funding initiative provides financial support for capital improvements to arts facilities in Mississippi, aimed at enhancing year-round arts programming and community engagement.

This grant provides funding to educators in Meridian and Lauderdale County, Mississippi, to support innovative and creative projects that enhance student learning and engagement in schools.

This grant provides financial support to public agencies and nonprofit organizations for preservation planning and educational outreach efforts related to historic sites across the United States.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations in the Greater Memphis area that are focused on creating sustainable, positive change in health, education, social justice, arts, and community development.