GrantStation Insider: August 22, 2024

Application deadline: September 20, 2024
Grant amount: Generally $5,000 to $10,000
Description: ACM Lifting Lives, the philanthropic partner of the Academy of Country Music, is dedicated to improving lives through the power of music. ACM Lifting Lives provides grants to organizations supporting the mental and emotional health of members of the country music industry as well as organizations that provide music therapy for mental and physical health-related causes. Support will be provided in the following categories: organizations using music therapy to provide direct memory care support to benefit the mental and emotional health of individuals suffering from Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and cognitive decline; organizations supporting the mental and emotional health of members of the country music industry by providing direct services; and organizations providing music therapy programs for mental or physical health related causes, including the purchase or repair of musical instruments or music-related equipment as it relates to therapeutic programs.

Application deadline: September 30, 2024
Description: Get Schools Cooking, a program of Chef Ann Foundation, provides support for school districts in the U.S. who want to transition their food service operations from heat-and-serve processed foods to whole foods that are cooked from scratch. Through Get Schools Cooking, food service directors and their teams are guided through an intensive three-year program that includes an assessment of their meal program, strategic planning, and grant funds to assist the district in making recommended changes. K-12 school districts throughout the U.S. that run a self-operated meal program and participate in the National School Lunch Program are eligible to apply. Visit Chef Ann Foundation's website for additional application details.

Application deadline: October 16, 2024, for dance, arts-related organizations, and Shubert Scholars applications, and December 4, 2024, for theatre applications
Grant amount: The minimum grant amount is $15,000.
Description: The Shubert Foundation is dedicated to sustaining and advancing the live performing arts in the United States. The Foundation provides unrestricted grants for general operating support, with a particular emphasis on theatre and a secondary focus on dance. Approximately 74% of the Foundation’s funding is directed to nonprofit, professional theatres and 16% to dance companies, with an emphasis on producing, rather than presenting, organizations. The Foundation is especially interested in providing support to theatre and dance companies that develop and produce new American work. A limited number of grants are also made through the arts-related organizations and Shubert Scholars program areas. U.S. nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, a record of artistic activity, a record of developing and producing new work, and a demonstrated commitment to underserved audiences or underrepresented voices are eligible to apply.

Application deadline: None
Grant amount: Book donations are provided.
Description: The Lisa Libraries donates children’s books to nonprofit organizations across the United States. Support is provided to organizations in low-income or underserved areas that need a small library, need to rebuild or add to a library, or serve children who would benefit by being given new books to take home. Some of the libraries established have been at daycare centers, prison visiting areas for children of incarcerated parents, and after-school programs. The book donations are free; however, recipient organizations must cover the shipping and handling costs.

Application deadline: September 23, 2024
Geographic scope: Oregon
Grant amount: Up to $200,000 per year, averaging $75,000 to $100,000
Description: Meyer Memorial Trust accelerates racial, social, and economic justice for the collective well-being of Oregon’s lands and peoples. Meyer has opened a $12 million funding opportunity through its three issue-based portfolios: Our Resilient Places, with a focus on caring for natural and built environments in ways that are rooted in culture and community; Our Empowered Youth, with a focus on fully resourced education that helps youth realize their highest ambitions; and Our Collective Prosperity, with a focus on fostering community-based economies that are self-supporting while building wealth for the next generation. Priority is given to organizations with a demonstrated commitment to equity and justice, a history working with BIPOC communities, and a track record of effective work related to Meyer’s grantmaking goals. Nonprofit organizations, public educational institutions, government or recognized tribal agencies, and fiscally sponsored organizations are eligible to apply. Project support is available to all applicants, while general operating support is available to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. Funding for collaborative projects will also be provided.

Application deadline: October 1, annually
Geographic scope: Company communities
Grant amount: Up to $25,000 for grades six to 12 and up to $50,000 for colleges and universities
Description: Through the E2 Energy to Educate grant program, Constellation provides funding for student projects in company communities that focus on energy innovation. Grants fund projects for students from sixth grade through college that are designed to enhance understanding of science and technology and inspire students to think differently about energy. Projects must reach at least 100 students and align with the following innovation themes: access in energy, including empowering and engaging underrepresented groups in the energy sector and inspiring students from all socioeconomic groups to pursue STEM and energy careers; sustainability amidst growing energy needs, including  the enhancement of existing products or new technologies for a cleaner energy future; and nuclear technology and clean energy, including harnessing the power of nuclear technology and other forms of zero-carbon generation to address the climate crisis using innovative and cutting-edge solutions.

Application deadline: September 13, 2024
Geographic scope: Minnesota
Grant amount: $1,065,000 total is available for the current round.
Description: The Mortenson Family Foundation’s Sustaining Environmental Systems program area strives to enable all Minnesotans to have equitable and sustainable access to healthy land and water. The Foundation seeks partners who prioritize racial and climate justice in their work as well as partners who work to sustain healthy land and water. Support is provided for organizations who promote the following: information, education, and practices that lead to new, deeper, and resurfaced understanding or a renewed relationship with land and water; opportunities for BIPOC and other historically marginalized communities to practice and renew culturally based stewardship practices that lead to improved land, water, and community health; sustainable economic options grounded in environmental approaches that meet basic needs, stimulate growth, and create opportunity; policy solutions that center community voice to reduce environmental harms to BIPOC and other historically marginalized communities; and two or more of the approaches above. Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status or a fiscal sponsor are eligible to apply.

Application deadline: None
Geographic scope: Communities served by Highmark in Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia, and Delaware
Description: The Highmark corporate giving program, Highmark Bright Blue Futures, provides grant and sponsorship support to improve the quality of life in the communities Highmark serves in Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia, and Delaware. Support is provided for programs and services that tie to the Highmark Bright Blue Futures goals and have a compelling potential impact to the health and well-being of individuals. The focus is on community health, including increasing access to care and resources to improve health outcomes and reducing health inequities and disparities among targeted populations, and community and economic resilience, including improving economic well-being and quality of life.

Application deadline: October 30, 2024
Description: The John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program, administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, provides assistance to eligible members of the National Marine Mammal Stranding Network and collaborators to provide for: (A) the recovery, care, or treatment of sick, injured, or entangled marine mammals; (B) responses to marine mammal stranding events that require emergency assistance; (C) the collection of data and samples from living or dead stranded marine mammals for scientific research or assessments regarding marine mammal health; (D) facility operating costs that are directly related to activities described in (A), (B), or (C); and (E) development of stranding network capacity, including training for emergency response, where facilities do not exist or are sparse.

Application deadline: November 15, 2024
Description: The Inspire! Grants for Small Museums initiative supports small museums of all disciplines in project-based efforts to serve the public through exhibitions, educational/interpretive programs, digital learning resources, policy development and institutional planning, technology enhancements, professional development, community outreach, audience development, or collections management, curation, care, and conservation. Project categories include lifelong learning, institutional capacity, and collections stewardship and access.

Eligible charitable and nonprofit organizations must submit applications by September 5.

Applications are now open for TD Bank Group’s annual TD Ready Challenge grant program. This year, the bank invites charitable and nonprofit organizations in its North America footprint to submit proposals for innovative solutions for the creation or growth of small businesses in underserved communities through novel strategies, technologies, or partnerships, particularly in industries that are still recovering post-pandemic.

Ten grants are available in increments of USD $1 million or CDN $1 million, depending on the applicant’s country of residence. TD will accept applications until 4 PM ET on September 5, 2024. Access additional details about this year’s Challenge and apply today.

Boost your grantwriting skills with a chance to win a free course from AGS's upcoming fall lineup! Choose from:

• Grant Ethics Bootcamp (starts September 17)
• Grant Readiness Bootcamp (starts October 9)
• Federal Grant Development Bootcamp (starts November 5)

Learn from expert trainers, earn CEUs, and align with GPCI and CFRE standards. Whether you're just starting out or are a seasoned pro, AGS courses can help sharpen your skills and increase your funding potential.

Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your career! Contest ends September 4, 2024.

[ENTER TO WIN]

One of the most challenging questions faced by fundraisers is how much to request from any given donor. If you have struggled with that question yourself, you might want to read “10 Essential Tips to Determine the Right Donation Solicitation Amount.” Published on the Bloomerang blog, this article discusses ten touchstones to guide your thinking when wrestling with this tricky question of deciding the size of requests.

Webinar date: August 27, 2024, 2:00 to 3:00 PM Eastern Time
Description: Is your nonprofit taking advantage of $10,000 per month of free advertising from Google? The Google Ad Grant is a great opportunity for nonprofits to dip their feet into the world of paid advertising without spending money out of pocket. This grant provides up to $10,000 per month in in-kind advertising which your organization can use to promote your cause on the biggest search engine. During this webinar, Jessica King of Getting Attention will walk you through the basics of Google’s Ad Grant program, including who is eligible and how to get the grant.

Webinar date: September 5, 2024, 2:00 to 4:00 PM Eastern Time
Description: AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grantable can help you generate first drafts of your grant proposals quickly, potentially allowing you to apply to more grants and get more funding. However, given the large number of new AI tools available and the many different ways to employ these tools, getting started can feel overwhelming. During this live workshop, Alice Ruhnke and David Gates will help you get started using AI tools so you’re confident using them to save time and streamline your nonprofit work.

Webinar date: September 9, 2024, 2:00 to 2:45 PM Eastern Time
Description: The approach section in your grant proposals must be clear, specific, and realistic. It should also be aligned with the needs you previously identified, your proposed outcomes, your budget, and the funder’s requirements. With so many factors to consider, it's easy to make mistakes and write an approach that has insufficient detail or is misaligned with other portions of your proposal. During this TargetED, Alice Ruhnke will show you how to build an approach that inspires confidence in your program and shows it is well-planned, feasible, and builds on community assets.

Interested in GrantStation's funder profiles? View the weekly Funding Spotlights to see profiles of grantmakers currently accepting applications. Current opportunities include Carson Scholars Fund: Think Big Reading Rooms (U.S. national), Tumbleweed Fund (U.S. local: Colorado), Field Law Community Fund Program (AB and NT, Canada), and Safe Online (global).