Fundraising professionals like you seek new ways to grow and expand their nonprofit missions yearly. New grant opportunities are constantly emerging to make funding for nonprofits easier, and we’ve got the latest options for grantees to leverage.
More funding leads to more doors opened for beneficiaries. That’s why organizations like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and others dedicate philanthropic efforts to supporting nonprofits with big ideas and passionate hearts.
Grants aren’t just for nonprofits who know the right funders, either. These are a wonderful funding opportunity for any nonprofit with missions and goals that support the communities that many grant organizations care deeply for and work within. Just like engaging the modern donor, your storytelling skills and demonstration of impact go a long way in securing your next grant.
Below, we’ll showcase 10 grant opportunities to apply to this year and advice to find the best partnership.
Grant Funding for Nonprofit Technology Projects
Organizations like AWS offer grants that broaden the scope of nonprofit projects through technology. Concepts like natural language processing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning are all examples of new approaches to solving challenges around the world.
As nonprofits become more innovative, grants match the funding to support the pursuit of philanthropy through cloud technologies.
How to Choose the Right Funding Source for Your Nonprofit
You’ve got a lot of options when it comes to funding your nonprofit’s mission, programs, people, and goals. When looking specifically at nonprofit grants, it’s about finding funding opportunities aligned with your organization, your need, and the eligibility requirements that mirror your work.
For example, you might see a grant targeted at California nonprofits focused on early childhood education. Dig a bit further to discover that typically grant organizations like yours receive around $4,000 yearly. That example shows how granular some grants can be and the value of doing your research.
Libby Hikind, CEO and founder of GrantWatch, shared her best advice for nonprofits choosing the right grants on the Whole Whale podcast:
The 990 is publicly available for most grants. Ask what is the average grant size and what does the average organization being granted funds look like? And frankly, if you don’t look like those organizations, you know to take a pause and ask yourself, is this the grant for me?
10 Grants Offering Funding for Nonprofits This Year
As you explore funding possibilities for your nonprofit’s specific projects and goals, we’ve rounded up 10 grant opportunities to kick-start your search.
1. AWS IMAGINE Grant
The AWS IMAGINE Grant, which recently announced the 2023 IMAGINE Grant, will offer up to $150,000 in unrestricted cash and $100,000 in AWS credits for visionary nonprofits. Organizations excited about the potential of new technologies to pilot projects or enhance existing programs have a place to showcase community work and apply for funds that make all the difference.
2. NBCUniversal Local IMPACT Grants
The NBCUniversal Local Impact Grants will award nearly $2.5 million to nonprofits in 2023 through 11 NBC and Telemundo-owned television station markets. Organizations with total expenses under $1 million are encouraged to apply for unrestricted funds to support the diverse community across youth education and empowerment, next-generation storytellers, and community development.
3. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation offers grants to nonprofits that achieve measurable impact in the fight against poverty, disease, and inequity worldwide. Grants account for 90% of the organization’s charitable giving and currently sit as its largest vehicle for funding. U.S. 501(c)(3) organizations can apply for funding that makes a meaningful difference.
4. Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation reimagines philanthropy by catalyzing leaders and organizations focusing on social justice and establishing global movements. To do that, the foundation offers grants to a wide range of organizations that align with this type of programming. Nonprofits with missions that address the underlying drivers of inequality are great applicants for the Ford Foundation’s funding.
5. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is a wonderful place to source funding if you’ve got a bold idea or solution rooted in health equity. The organization focuses on four core impact areas: health systems, healthy communities, healthy children and families, and leadership for better health. The grant process involves staff and leading experts in fields of shared interest to support nonprofit outcomes and objectives.
6. Bloomberg Philanthropies
Bloomberg Philanthropies awards grants to nonprofits in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. The organization looks to fund organizations supporting five key areas: the arts, education, environment and sustainability, government innovation, and public health. Bloomberg Philanthropies supports millions of people in over 700 cities and 150 countries, investing $1.7 billion worldwide in 2022.
7. Walmart Local Community Grants
Walmart’s local community grants have an open application process to provide funding to organizations making an impact close to home. Looking at a more local-level grant program, corporations like Walmart are a great example of community-based grants and funding for nonprofits. Nonprofit organizations that operate on the local level or are an affiliate of a larger organization that operates locally and directly benefits the service area of the Walmart facility providing the funding are eligible.
8. Silicon Valley Community Foundation
The Silicon Valley Community Foundation looks to support nonprofits in many areas. Consider applying if your nonprofit makes waves in advancing financial stability, early childhood development, housing, arts and culture, environment, faith, health, and many other impact categories.
9. Rockefeller Foundation Grants
The Rockefeller Foundation commits to support efforts globally that improve lives and the planet through equity and fairness. If that sounds like your nonprofit, it might be worth exploring the organization’s hundreds of active grants or connecting with staff members who may share an interest in your programs.
10. Carnegie Corporation of New York
The Carnegie Corporation of New York, a proactive grantmaker looking for innovative projects with meaningful, transformative outcomes, identifies grant recipients by program staff. The organization awards grants through a smooth grant management system, and the process is highly collaborative to ensure the best partnership between nonprofits and the organization’s values.
Tips to Secure Grants for Nonprofit Technology Projects
Many types of grants exist outside the private foundations or corporate opportunities we’ve outlined today. Take the time to explore local government grants, small business grants, family foundations, and federal grants to find a sponsorship you feel aligns with your nonprofit. When you start your grant application process, here are a few quick tips to remember.
Protect your purpose: In everything you write through your grant application, remember to circle back to the foundational “why” behind what your organization requests funding for and the impact it will make.Show your potential: Just as significant as talking about what you’ve built so far is the long-term impact of your programs on your community. Use proof of concept, such as your GuideStar ratings or impact numbers, to showcase your history of turning funds into incredible results.Be specific: While you’re at it, be sure to highlight how funding will change your initiatives or mission with examples, numbers, and visuals.
From health care to human services, your grant proposal is your time to shine. Whether you hire a grant-writing professional or turn to your team of nonprofit leaders to pull it all together, the outcomes can be extremely valuable for your strategic planning.
Empowering Nonprofits to Raise More
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