GrantStation Insider: June 13, 2024

Application deadline: July 16, 2024
Description: The American Fundraising Foundation (AmFund) is accepting applications for its 2024 Golden Pear Grant Program, which provides unrestricted funds to nonprofit organizations throughout the United States. Support is provided in a wide variety of areas, including, but not limited to, humanitarian, veterans, civic services, animal welfare, the arts, youth, education, and other services that provide community support. All awards are unrestricted. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply. (Organizations do not currently have to be an AmFund Approved Nonprofit Partner to be considered for funds.)

Application deadline: Applications will be accepted from July 1 to July 31, 2024.
Description: Next50 is a private foundation working toward creating a world that values aging. Next50’s Changing Aging program supports economic well-being for older adults in the United States and the organizations that serve them through systems-level and programmatic innovations in three priority areas: ending ageism, advancing digital equity, and supporting aging in place. Next50 will support a wide range of initiatives including research, start-ups, pilot projects, direct services, policy, and more. Applicants must incorporate an aspect of advancing equity for marginalized or geographically underserved communities. 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and 501(c)(6) nonprofit entities serving marginalized older adults are eligible to apply, as well as government entities, universities, and organizations applying through a fiscal sponsor. Applicants requesting $150,000 or higher are required to speak with Next50 staff prior to applying. (Next50 offers other grant programs focused on Colorado.)

Application deadline: September 5, 2024
Grant amount: $50,000 to $100,000
Description: Game On-Community Places to Play, an initiative of The DICK’s Sporting Goods Foundation and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), provides funding and technical assistance to community-rooted organizations working to create and renovate multi-use youth sport spaces for youth in under-resourced communities across the country. The goal is to improve the quality, safety, and accessibility of local athletic spaces for young people ages six to 24 years old. The program will provide grants, ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 and requiring a 1:1 match, to be used toward the cost of building or refurbishing a sport court facility or athletic field (outdoor or indoor) whose main usage will be organized youth sports, including but not limited to basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, football, tennis, lacrosse, and volleyball. Special consideration will be given to proposals that demonstrate how their capital projects will support youth development programming. Youth development program services should include, but are not limited to, life skills workshops, civic engagement and leadership, workforce development, and academic support. Nonprofit community-based organizations, schools, and local parks and recreation departments working in collaboration with local nonprofits are eligible to apply.

Application deadline: August 15, annually, for letters of inquiry
Grant amount: Typically $5,000 to $25,000
Description: The Leary Firefighters Foundation is dedicated to enhancing fire departments across the United States. Through the Jeremiah Lucey Grant Program, the Foundation provides funding to paid and volunteer departments throughout the country in the following areas: training to enhance the professional development of fire departments; equipment, so that departments are outfitted with the best possible equipment for the health and safety of firefighters and the public they serve; and technology, to ensure that fire departments update along with technological advances.

Application deadline: July 9, 2024
Geographic scope: North Carolina
Grant amount: $75,000 to $500,000 per year for up to three years
Description: The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation is currently offering a funding opportunity focused on expanding access to mental and behavioral health services and resources for youth in North Carolina through models that are effective in the short term and that leverage a trained workforce beyond specialty trained behavioral healthcare clinical and professional roles. The opportunity is specifically designed to support work that will 1) have an impact in the next one to three years and 2) will be effective despite persistent workforce shortages of specialty trained clinicians and professionals in the mental and behavioral health field. The trained workforce of supported programs may include a variety of health and other professionals who regularly work with or on behalf of youth and are trained to identify, understand, and respond to the signs and symptoms of distress, trauma, mental health changes, or substance use and provide initial support and connection to resources for youth. Approaches should be effective at engaging communities that have significant barriers in access to care and may operate in communities, schools, health systems, faith-based settings, or other settings. Nonprofit organizations, fiscally sponsored programs, government entities, and coalitions are eligible to apply.

Application deadline: Applications will be accepted from June 28 to July 26, 2024.
Geographic scope: Illinois
Grant amount: Approximately $4.8 million total will be awarded.
Description: The Illinois Equal Justice Foundation (IEJF) funds civil legal aid programs in Illinois to champion the rights of those burdened by barriers to justice. IEJF’s Civil Legal Aid Grants support nonprofit organizations providing a wide range of civil legal aid services to Illinois residents, including programs that address such areas of need as family law, housing, and access to government benefits. Grants are provided in five categories: legal information for the public, self-help legal assistance projects, mediation services, telephone advice and referral services, and civil legal assistance. Eligible organizations must provide services to low-income people free of charge or on a sliding scale based on income.

Application deadline: July 18, 2024
Geographic scope: California
Grant amount: $5,000 to $50,000
Description: The Decolonizing Wealth Project is an Indigenous-led racial justice organization that envisions a world where racial equity has become a societal norm—where new systems ensure everyone can live their best lives, thrive in their cultures, and heal from generations of colonial trauma. The California Truth and Healing Fund, a grantmaking initiative of the Decolonizing Wealth Project’s Liberated Capital fund, aims to support the engagement of California Native American families, communities, tribes, and organizations in the work of truth and healing. Priority will be given to activities that advance truth and healing efforts for California Native communities utilizing the following strategies: capacity building and technical assistance, advocacy and movement building, and healing. Eligible applicants include California Native American tribes and California Native American-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, coalitions, or projects fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) based in California. (Non-federally recognized tribes are eligible to apply through or be fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) organization.)

Application deadline: Proposals will be accepted from June 20 to July 23, 2024.
Geographic scope: Florida
Grant amount: Requests of up to $75,000 are considered, though most grants range from $1,000 to $25,000.
Description: The Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida seeks to protect Florida's animals and plants and the lands and waters they need to survive. The Foundation’s Wildlife Foundation of Florida grant program funds programs and projects within the state that preserve open space and wildlife habitat, promote conservation, promote hunting and shooting sports, improve wildlife habitat, and establish open space for the perpetual use of the public. Priority areas of interest include conservation of lands open to public hunting, ecological restoration and improvement of public hunting lands, conservation management of game species, research and control and removal of non-native or otherwise invasive plants and animals, increasing public access to hunting lands, programs to attract women and minorities to hunting and shooting sports, archery programs for youth and adults, and gun and hunting safety programs for all ages. (The Foundation also offers additional grant programs at other times during the year.)

Grants.gov deadline: July 15, 2024
JustGrants deadline: July 22, 2024
Description: The Emergency and Transitional Pet Shelter and Housing Assistance Grant Program will provide funding for shelter and transitional housing and other assistance to victims of domestic violence and their companion animals. Examples of program activities include purchasing kennels, installing pet amenities, partnering with veterinarians to provide medical care, assisting with housing relocation, providing pet boarding services, undertaking shelter modifications, and other activities related to providing services to support housing domestic violence victims and their pets together.

Application deadline: August 7, 2024
Description: The purpose of the Women's Business Center Application Readiness and Procurement Assistance program is to provide grant funding for organizations to establish Women’s Business Centers (WBCs) to assist women entrepreneurs with application readiness for certification in the Women-Owned Small Business and Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business Programs, procurement assistance, and entrepreneurial development. Examples for WBC projects include focusing on providing training, coaching, and technical assistance to women entrepreneurs in a specific underserved community where women-owned small businesses are underrepresented or focusing on providing industry-specific training to increase women entrepreneurs in North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes that are prevalent for Federal government contracting where women entrepreneurs are underrepresented.

Ready to unlock the potential of planned giving for your organization? LifeLegacy’s Grant Program is here to help! Receive a grant to boost your legacy giving initiatives with any of the following:

• online estate/planned giving tools;
• customized planned giving websites;
• direct mail campaigns;
• legacy planning workshops;
• a hired fractional planned giving officer;
• and more.

Grants up to $5,000 are applied toward services from LifeLegacy, PlannedGiving.com, and The Sequoia Strategy Group.

📝Apply in under 5 minutes! Don't miss this opportunity to elevate your nonprofit's impact.

[[Apply Now]] 📅 Deadline: 8/31/2024—Secure your grant today!

Level up your grant game with three days of intensive learning, powerful connections, and actionable insights—all under one roof (or screen) at GrantSummit, powered by Grant Professionals Association.

Are you looking for guidance on planning social media content for your organization? If so, you should check out DonorPerfect’s Nonprofit Social Media Content Planner. It includes tips for time management, content brainstorm exercises, suggestions for choosing a realistic posting schedule, and ideas for repurposing content. 

Webinar date: June 17, 2024, 2:00 to 2:45 PM Eastern Time
Description: In the pursuit of expanding their impact, nonprofit organizations are continuously seeking new and innovative partnerships. One avenue of collaboration that holds significant promise is with communities of faith. In this TargetED, Alice Ruhnke, President of GrantStation, and Aretha Simons, President of Multiplying Talents, will delve into the dynamic potential of partnerships between nonprofits and faith-based organizations.

Webinar date: June 18, 2024, 2:00 to 3:30 PM Eastern Time
Description: While all communities, nonprofits, and their projects are unique, capital campaigns are built on a proven process. Following that process can help your organization succeed. During this webinar, Kevin Wallace and Melissa Sais of CampaignCounsel.org will show what happens in the five phases typical to most capital campaigns: the family, quiet, leadership, close-out, and public phases. You’ll discover each phase’s goals and potential challenges.

Webinar date: June 20, 2024, 2:00 to 3:00 PM Eastern Time
Description: Are you witnessing a declining donor retention rate in your organization? Donor retention is a key to long-term success for nonprofits. Unfortunately many organizations struggle with maintaining donor support over time, leading to high turnover rates and a reliance on constantly acquiring new donors. Reversing this trend might be easier than you'd think. In fact, there are a few simple steps you can take right now to achieve better results this year! During this hour-long webinar, Jena Lynch of Donorbox will share actionable strategies you can use to nurture relationships with existing donors, boosting retention rates and securing sustainable support for your organization's mission.

Don’t forget to check out the additional Funding Spotlights on our homepage—you don't want to miss them! Current opportunities include Latham Foundation for the Promotion of Humane Education (U.S. national), Children’s Foundation (U.S. local: Michigan), Indigenous Centre for Cumulative Effects: Community Funding Program (Canada national), and Fund for Global Human Rights (call focused on Benin, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Uganda).