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COVID-19 Related Funding
Opportunities Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Omidyar Network: COVID-19 Economic Response Advocacy Fund
The Omidyar Network's COVID-19 Economic Response Advocacy Fund plans to infuse 501(c)(4) funding into national, state, and local advocacy and organizing efforts aimed at passing economic stimulus to address the immediate toll of the COVID-19 pandemic on working people while reshaping our economic structure to ensure they are less vulnerable in the future. Omidyar Network will award $1.5 million to groups working to realign this nation's economic policies and systems so that they work better for everyone. The majority of the grants from the Fund will be for $75,000 or less. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis throughout 2020.
GENYOUth: COVID-19 Emergency School Nutrition Funding
GENYOUth’s COVID-19 Emergency School Nutrition Funding program will provide grants of up to $3,000 per school to supply much-needed resources for meal distribution and delivery efforts to get food to students during COVID-19. K-12 schools in the U.S. that participate in the National School Lunch Program are eligible to apply. Applications will be reviewed and approved on a rolling basis.
Facebook Journalism Project: COVID-19 Local News Relief Fund Grant Program
The Facebook Journalism Project's COVID-19 Local News Relief Fund Grant Program will help U.S. local news organizations continue serving communities during the coronavirus outbreak. Grants ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 will support both for-profit and nonprofit local news organizations serving a critical role for communities impacted by COVID-19. Funding is intended to respond to immediate community needs and/or offset some revenue shortfalls to help publishers maintain long-term sustainability during this crisis. The application deadline is April 24, 2020.
For more grant opportunities, visit our COVID-19 Related Funding page.
National Funding
Opportunities Throughout the U.S.
Support for Programming to Aid People with Alzheimer's or Dementia
Brookdale National Group Respite Program
The Brookdale National Group Respite Program awards seed grants to service providers that plan to develop new, dementia-specific Group Respite or specialized Early Memory Loss (EML) programming to participants, along with support to caregivers and care partners. All funded programs must provide a social model day program for people affected by Alzheimer's disease or other dementia. Up to 15 organizations will receive grants of $10,000 in year one, renewable for $5,000, based on evaluation of the first year's activities and potential for future continuity of the program. The application deadline is June 24, 2020. Visit the Brookdale Foundation Group's website to download the guidelines and application form.
Youth Soccer Programs Funded Nationwide
Target Youth Soccer Grants
Target Youth Soccer Grants support nonprofit organizations, schools, and government agencies throughout the United States that have soccer programs serving youth 5 to 18 years old. Grants of $1,000 are provided for player registration fees, player and field equipment, and training and professional development for volunteer coaches. Preference will be given to programs serving in-need communities. Applications will be accepted from May 1 through June 15, 2020. Visit the company's website to submit an online application.
Grants Benefit LGBTQI Organizations
Funding Queerly Giving Circle
The Funding Queerly Giving Circle, administered by Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, supports LGBTQI organizations throughout the United States. The focus is on groups that lack the funding resources they need to organize, build power and leadership, and make positive sustainable change. Priority is given to groups that are led by and for people of color, indigenous, low-income, and rural communities. Grants will range from $5,000 to $10,000 and will be awarded for general operating support. Nonprofit organizations that have an annual organizational budget of $250,000 or less, as well as groups with a fiscal sponsor, are eligible to apply. Letters of interest are due May 30, 2020; the deadline for invited proposals is October 30, 2020. Visit the Funding Queerly website to review the current Call for Proposals and submit an online letter of interest.
Model Justice Efforts Recognized
Foundation for Improvement of Justice
The Foundation for Improvement of Justice works to enhance local, state, and federal systems of justice by rewarding the accomplishments of innovative programs throughout the United States. Each year, awards of $10,000 are provided to up to seven nominees for justice-related programs that have proven to be effective and can serve as models for others. The award categories include the following: legal reform, crime prevention, child protection, speeding the process, effecting restitution, crime victims' rights, alternative sentencing, reducing recidivism, lowering the cost, and other significant efforts. The program is open to all individuals, programs, and organizations within the United States. The nomination deadline is May 15, 2020. Visit the Foundation's website for nomination guidelines.
Regional Funding
Opportunities for Specific Areas
Grassroots Community Organizing in the Midwest Supported
Needmor Fund
The mission of the Needmor Fund is to work with others to bring about social justice. The Fund's Core Grants program focuses on supporting grassroots community organizing in the Midwest—specifically Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The Fund seeks to 1) remove systemic barriers to the practice of democracy by encouraging the efforts of people who are working together for justice and the common good; 2) encourage involvement in community affairs by people whose participation has been systematically denied; and 3) foster the active participation of all citizens in crafting a vision, values, and policies that are more equitable. Support is provided to grassroots, membership-based community organizations that are democratically led, engaged in direct action campaigns, and committed to leadership development. The application process for Core Grants will be open from May 1 through June 30, 2020. Visit the Fund's website to learn more about the Core Grants program.
Funds for Reproductive Health Education Efforts in South Carolina
New Morning Foundation
The New Morning Foundation is dedicated to breaking cycles of generational poverty—often perpetuated by unintended pregnancy—and boldly advocating for reproductive health education for all South Carolinians. The Foundation's impact areas include the following: reducing unintended pregnancies; improving access to high-quality, community-based reproductive health services; increasing consumers' knowledge about highly effect, long-lasting contraceptive methods; increasing healthcare providers' knowledge about contraceptive care best practices and the latest technologies; improving state policies; and sustaining achieved improvements. The Foundation is interested in hearing about pioneering ideas and innovative solutions. Nonprofit organizations in South Carolina that address the Foundation's philanthropic objectives may submit brief letters of introduction throughout the year. Visit the Foundation's website for more information.
Grants Promote K-12 Music and Arts Programs in 44 States
California Casualty Music and Arts Grant
The California Casualty Music and Arts Grant program provides support to K-12 public schools negatively impacted by reduced budgets. The program is available throughout the U.S., with the exception of Alaska, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, and Wisconsin. The program offers grants of $250 to schools whose music and arts programs are in jeopardy or in great need of funding. Requests are also considered for individual classrooms wishing to integrate music or arts projects within school curriculum. The application deadline is June 30, 2020. Funding guidelines and application information are available on the Music and Arts Grant program website.
Support for Programs for Young Children at Risk in Vermont and Northeastern New Jersey
Turrell Fund
The Turrell Fund supports nonprofit organizations that provide or foster the creation and delivery of quality developmental and educational services to at-risk children, especially the youngest and their families, in the state of Vermont and Essex, Hudson, Passaic, and Union counties in New Jersey. The Fund's focus is on programs of exceptional merit serving the youngest children, with emphasis on children from birth to five. Priority is given to programs operating in parts of the Fund's service area where the number and quality of educational and developmental alternatives are limited, and the relative concentration of at-risk children is high. The next funding cycle will be open for applications from July 1 through August 1, 2020. Visit the Fund's website to review the grant guidelines.
Federal Funding
Opportunities from the U.S. Government
Funds Available to Combat Rural Opioid Use
Department of Health and Human Services
The Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (Implementation) seeks to reduce the morbidity and mortality of substance use disorder, including opioid use disorder, in high risk rural communities. The program supports prevention, treatment, and recovery services in order to enhance rural residents' ability to access treatment and move towards recovery. The application deadline is May 26, 2020.
Anti-Gang Efforts Supported
Department of Justice
The Comprehensive Anti-Gang Programs for Youth initiative helps communities develop youth gang intervention or suppression programs that aim to reduce violence. Program categories consist of 1) intervention, with a focus on community mobilization, provision of opportunities, and social intervention, and 2) suppression, with a focus on deterrence and other suppression strategies. The application deadline is May 26, 2020.
PathFinder: Featured Resource
A library of quality resources designed to help you develop your career path as a grants professional.
Ethical Decision Making for Fundraisers
Modern-day fundraisers must navigate sometimes complex ethical considerations. The webinar "Ethical Decision Making for Fundraisers," hosted by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, applies ethical decision making models to real-world fundraising scenarios. It teaches participants three approaches to navigating ethical dilemmas. This webinar will be held on Thursday, May 14, 2020.
Upcoming Online Education Trainings
Educational Webinars
Tracking In-Kind Contributions in QuickBooks (DESKTOP and ONLINE Versions)
Do you get in-kind contributions of stuff (computers, furniture, food, clothing, household items for clients, auction items, etc…)? What about services (IT help, advertising, graphic design, professional services, rent, etc….)? In-kind gifts are an important way nonprofits receive support from donors and are REQUIRED to be booked by nonprofits. More than that, they can frequently count towards meeting the matching requirements of traditional grants and when booked more accurately reflect the true cost of running your nonprofit. Figuring out what can be booked, how to value them, and how to get them into your QuickBooks file can be challenging. If you receive in-kind donations of either stuff or services, then this webinar is for you! We are very excited to have Gregg Bossen, a CPA specializing in nonprofits and president of QuickBooks Made Easy for Nonprofits, deliver one of his most popular webinars exclusively for us! In this webinar, we will first explore everything you ever wanted to know about in-kind gifts but didn't know who to ask. Topics include the following: What kinds of goods and services received can I book as in-kind gifts? What are the rules for when I can book services received? How do I determine the value I book? How do I book these things in QuickBooks? What am I required to report to the donor? Don't miss this opportunity! The webinars will be pre-recorded and sent to you—along with the PowerPoint and resource materials. The webinar for the DESKTOP version of QuickBooks will be sent by Friday, April 24, 2020. The webinar for the ONLINE version will be sent by Saturday, April 25, 2020.
Essential Capital Campaign Preparations: Needs Assessments and Feasibility Studies (NEW)
Do your plans pencil out? Do you have the horsepower to get through? Before you start to raise funds, it is important to assess what your organization should build and what it can sustain. For most, this includes a needs assessment followed by a feasibility study. A needs assessment examines operations and programs to determine your current and future capacity and demand, and the external factors that will impact both. A feasibility study will help you determine the financial capacity of your organization and its donor prospects. In this webinar you will learn to identify why you might need these formal assessments; understand what data is gathered to establish needs and feasibility; and know what you should come away with from these assessments. Find out what to expect during these pre-campaign preparations from real-world examples as well as how to get the most out of the preparations. The webinar will be pre-recorded and sent to you—along with the PowerPoint and resource materials—by Friday, May 1, 2020.
Advanced Storytelling
We all know money talks. The important question is: HOW does YOUR organization talk about money? In this session, Lori L. Jacobwith will dive into the topic of talking about money as a fundraising strategy. You'll learn how to share "mission moment" stories that include your need for support, but don't sound like "begging" for money. The secret tool that makes this an advanced storytelling session is discovering how to share action-causing stories. During this webinar, you will (1) learn what your money story is; (2) learn how to talk about money so it inspires more giving; and (3) learn the best questions to ask so you can gather story nuggets to craft action-causing stories. This webinar will benefit executive directors, and fundraising and communication staff, as well as board members. The webinar will be pre-recorded and sent to you—along with the PowerPoint and resource materials—by Saturday, May 2, 2020.
GrantStation Announcements
The latest updates from GrantStation.
COVID-19 Related Funding
We understand the challenges being faced by nonprofits, educational organizations, and individuals across the globe. To help during this unprecedented time we have launched a COVID-19 Related Funding page. Plus, as a longstanding cloud company, we are fully resourced to serve our Members who may be focusing on grantseeking instead of event fundraising due to the growing needs in communities in the U.S. and abroad. As always, our staff is working diligently to provide you with high quality and accurate information about grantmakers across the globe.
Please know that GrantStation Members, as well as our partners and subscribers, are foremost in our minds.
The GS Team
Why is it so difficult to find the time to write and submit strong grant requests?
Do you prefer to learn at your own pace and on your own schedule? If so, GrantStation's Online Education option—the On Demand Course—is right for you! Our library of courses is growing all the time, and includes:
- The Art of Raising Funds From Local Businesses
- Building Your Annual Grants Strategy
- The Golden Key to Successful Grantwriting
Have your priorities changed, or are you trying to acclimate to a work-from-home reality?
Try our FREE course: Creating Time. (It's in the same format as our paid courses.)
Funding Alerts
Have you visited our homepage this week? Additional local, national, Canadian, and international funding opportunities are featured there weekly!
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Editor: Julie Kaufman
Copy Editor: Ashlyn Simmons
Contributing Writer: Kevin Peters
COVID-19 Related Funding
Omidyar Network: COVID-19 Economic Response Advocacy Fund
GENYOUth: COVID-19 Emergency School Nutrition Funding
Facebook Journalism Project: COVID-19 Local News Relief Fund Grant Program
National Funding Opportunities
Support for Programming to Aid People with Alzheimer’s or Dementia
Youth Soccer Programs Funded Nationwide
Grants Benefit LGBTQI Organizations
Model Justice Efforts Recognized
Regional Funding Opportunities
Grassroots Community Organizing in the Midwest Supported
Funds for Reproductive Health Education Efforts in South Carolina
Grants Promote K-12 Music and Arts Programs in 44 States
Support for Programs for Young Children at Risk in Vermont and Northeastern New Jersey
Federal Funding Opportunities
Funds Available to Combat Rural Opioid Use
Anti-Gang Efforts Supported