ACET, Inc. Blog

St. Paul nonprofit Bush Foundation invites nonprofit organizations and government entities of all sizes to apply for its Community Innovation Grants. Ranging from $10,000 to $200,000 (expect to be used within 2 years), these grants are intended to support innovation through inclusive, collaborative, community powered problem solving, allowing communities to build and test new solutions to community issues. Communities may be racial, geographic, or ethnic in nature. No particular issue or issues will be given priority, and projects at all stages, from idea generation to capacity building to solution testing, are eligible for funding. The first round of applications is due July 11. The second round will open in December. For more information and to view example projects, please see the Community Innovation Grants Web page.

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ACET Staff

Up to $25,000 in grants are now available through the United Methodist Women’s Living Stewardship: Creating Financial Literacy program. Grants will be awarded to 501(c)(3) tax exempt organizations working to educate and empower people through the development of financial literacy skills. Preference will be given to initiatives that prioritize individual self-sufficiency and the involvement of women in the initiative’s initiation, implementation, and evaluation. Grants may be used for new or ongoing programming. For complete information, please see the United Methodist Women’s Grants Web page. The deadline for submissions is June 3.

A single grant of $100,000 is available through Ribbons of Hope – Invest in Women, an Atlanta, Georgia-based foundation dedicate to improving the lives of women and girls. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) tax exempt organizations promoting economic independence, health, education, human rights, and/or social well-being of girls and women. Applicants must also have an annual operating budget of at least $500,000 (which can include in-kind donations) and have been in operation for at least 3 years. For applications, please see the Ribbons of Hope Grants page. The deadline for applications is August 1.

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ACET Staff

Partnering with education materials companies Pitsco/Hearlihy & Company, the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association’s Foundation for Technology (ITEEA) and Engineering Educators is offering grants of $2,000 to K-12 engineering and technology teachers to encourage quality technology/engineering programming within their schools’ curriculums. Eligible applicants are elementary or secondary teachers who are already successfully working engineering and technology education into their schools’ curriculums, and who are also ITEEA members registered for the annual conference, to be held this year in Orlando, Florida. Membership materials may be enclosed along with scholarship applications. For more information, please see the ITEEA’s grant Web page. The deadline for submissions is December 1.

Together with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) is accepting applications for its Program Challenge Fund grants. This funding will allow a station, person, or entity to produce a limited, high-visibility, and high-impact series as a part of PBS’ national television schedule. A successful program is expected to be the highlight of a season’s schedule and to drive new audiences to the broadcast and to online content. Award amounts will be approved by the CPB based on the program’s budget. Finishing expenses, children’s programming, how-to programs, and programs regarding fitness or travel are not supported by this grant. For complete information, please see the Program Challenge Fund Web page linked above. The deadline for submissions is August 1.

In partnership with the New York Life Foundation, the National Alliance for Grieving Children will award five grants of $10,000, $15,000, $25,000, and $100,000 ($50,000 a year for 2 years) to organizations that offer grief support services directly to youth from ethnically diverse or low-income/underserved communities as part of its Grief Reach program. Eligible organizations must have 501(c)(3) tax exempt status, and 50% of youth served must be from minority communities or low-income families. An informational webinar will be held on May 15, 2013 at 2:00 EST regarding this opportunity. Please see the Grief Reach Web page for complete information. Applications are due July 8.

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ACET Staff

Retailer Best Buy has announced community awards of up to $10,000 for local and regional nonprofit organizations through its Children’s Foundation Youth Technology Grants. Intended to support local activities, grants will be given to organizations that provide direct services to teens ages 13 to 18, providing opportunities to explore field such as mobile app development, computer programming, robotics, or digital imaging, inspiring career and education choices. The average grant amount is $5,000.

Eligible organizations are 501(c)(3) nonprofits located within 50 miles of a Best Buy Service Center, Distribution Center, Mobile location, store, or corporate campus. Additionally, applicants must complete an eligibility quiz prior to submitting a full application. Applications will be accepted until July 1. Please see Best Buy’s Community Relations page for more information.

Established in 1996 by the composer for the film of the same name, The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation exists to donate used and new musical instruments to school music programs that either cannot furnish all participating students with instruments of their own, or that lack resources to replace instruments due to factors such as wear over time. The foundation’s Keeping Music Alive program is now accepting applications for in-kind donations of instruments from charter, public, and private schools that are eligible for funds under Title I or that serve populations where a minimum of 50% of the student body qualifies for the National Lunch Program. Applicant schools must have established (at least three years old) instrumental musical program that takes place during the school day. This includes marching bands, concert bands, and orchestras. Schools solely offering Orff or classroom music are not eligible to apply.

To apply, schools must fill out a pre-qualification form by August 1. Selected schools will then be invited to submit full applications. For more information, please see the foundation’s application guidelines page.

Through partnership with a variety of community, nonprofit, educational, and faith-based organizations, The World We Want Foundation seeks to support “Young Global Citizens” as they work for change in their communities. These citizens are defined as youth ages 13 to 25 that are pursuing social action through activities such as service-learning, community service, and other such projects. Awards of up to $5,000 will be made available to applicants with project teams that have one or more youths, a project mentor, and a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt partner organization that sponsors or supports the team. For application guidelines and materials, please see the foundation’s Start Your Project Web page. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

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ACET Staff

Grants of $750 are now available through the National Weather Association for projects intended to improve K-12 education related to meteorology and similar sciences through the Sol Hirsch Education Fund. There will be four grants awarded in all. Funds may be used to purchase classroom, school, or community materials, attending accredited workshops, courses, or conferences, or to begin or expand existing community science outreach or meteorology or science education programs. Priority will be given to projects that have the greatest potential for impact and that exhibit the most creativity. Eligible applicants are school district supervisors, program directors, teachers, and other groups or individuals working to improve meteorology education for K-12 students. For full application information and a list of previous award recipients, please see the Sol Hirsch Fund Web page above. Applications will be accepted no later than June 1.

“How can private and public investment activities be harnessed to benefit low-income people and communities in Minnesota?” This is the question that the McKnight Foundation desires addressed by grant seekers to its Region & Communities program. A total of $750,000 in grants will be awarded to three market-based improvement initiatives in the state designed to strengthen neighborhoods,  support distinctive places to play, live, and work, engage historically underrepresented communities, stimulate regional economic development, and provide people regardless of background with better access to opportunities. Applications from projects that promote alignment, integration and balanced participation from multiple sectors (e.g. private, civic, and government) are especially encouraged. Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) organizations. Government agencies may apply for funding for special projects that are complementary to their customary functions to the public, but the foundation will not fund activities that are traditionally government responsibilities.

Applications are due June 28. An information meeting will take place on May 14 for this opportunity. Before submitting a proposal, applicants are advised to contact Program Administrator Renee Richie at rrichie@mcknight.org.

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ACET Staff

The Blandin Foundation, committed to building up rural Minnesota communities and the Grand Rapids area in particular, has announced scholarships of up to $4,000 for Itasca County, Minnesota students who are pursuing higher education in the 2013-14 school year. To be eligible, students must be no older than 25 as of September 1, 2013, registered as a full-time student at an accredited trade school at a 2-year or 4-year college or university, and must demonstrate satisfactory academic progress (with a minimum 2.0 GPA) toward their degree program. Students must attend or have attended a high school in Bigfork, Bug-o-Nay-ge-Shig, Greenway, Grand Rapids, DeerRiver, Blackduck, Northern Lights Community, HillCity, Northome, Remer, or Nashwauk-Keewatin, though home schooled students in the greater ItascaCounty area are also eligible to apply.

For more information, please see the news release posted on the Blandin Foundation Web site. The deadline for applications is May 1.

Founded in 1937 to support lifelong arts learning opportunities and serving 1.2 million students every year, the National Guild for Community Arts Education is making grant funds for programming partnerships during the 2013-14 school year. Through the MetLife Foundation Partners in Arts Education Program, matching grants of up to $20,000 are available for qualifying projects that demonstrate the best practices in effective arts education partnerships, serve significant numbers of public school students throughout the school day, provide high quality arts learning experiences in line with local, state, or national standards, and exhibits joint design and execution of professional development, curricula, programming, and evaluation.

Eligible organizations must be full members of the National Guild for Community Arts Education and in good standing.  Organizations must be recognized as 501(c)(3) tax exempt. Nonmember organizations should submit a membership application and first-year dues payments at a minimum of one week prior to submitting a grant application.

Eligible programs must provide students with a minimum of 20 sessions of arts instruction sequentially and a minimum of 10 sessions per semester. All sessions must be conducted by professional teaching artists and must serve a minimum of 100 students. Priority will be given to programs that provide arts instruction at least once a week for at least 10 weeks per semester.

For application forms, complete eligibility information, and instructions for joining an online orientation event taking place on April 22 regarding this opportunity, please see the program page here. Applications are due May 16.

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ACET Staff

A range of grants is now available through the National Art Education Association (NAEA)’s philanthropic arm, the National Art Education Foundation. They are as follows:

• SHIP Grants: Up to $500 for arts educators in need of instructional resources and/or equipment to advance student learning per the National Visual Arts Standards.

• Teacher Incentive Grants: Up to $2,500 in scholarships for art educators to participate in training and education programming that promotes the teaching of art, student learning or assessment, instructional process, classroom management, and other practices related to student learning.

• Mary McMullan Grants: Up to $2,500 for projects promoting arts education as an integral component of the curriculum, or improving the instruction of art in public and private schools, including U.S. institutions of higher education.

• Ruth Halvorsen Professional Development Grants: Up to $2,500 in scholarships for qualified art educators whose proposals focus on issues related to the improvement of art instruction, as well as the understanding and implementation of the National Visual Arts Standards and related subjects.

• NAEF Research Grants: Up to $10,000 to support arts education research, advancing knowledge in the field and working towards the goals outlined in Creating a Visual Arts Research Agenda Toward the 21^st Century.

Grants are only made to NAEA members (including retired members and students), state associations, and recognized NAEA affiliates. Eligible applications must have been active NAEA members for at least one year prior to the date of application.

The deadline for applications is October 1. For a list of past recipients and a calendar of important grant-related dates, please see the NAEA Foundation Web page.

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ACET Staff

The application period is open for the National Storytelling Network’s Brimstone Award for Applied Storytelling, promoting projects that change that storytelling can bring to communities and individuals. Projects must have oral storytelling at their core, but otherwise may focus on traditional tales or personal narratives, and the work may be conducted by professional storytellers or any individual with suitable storytelling experience and expertise, such as educators, naturalists, or therapists. Applicable content areas of interest include substance abuse prevention, multicultural awareness, health care, intergenerational initiatives, empowerment of the disabled, and leadership. Awards of $5,000 will be given to projects that can be duplicated for other groups, innovative in some way, service oriented, and informed by existing field work.

Preliminary applications are due on April 30, with applicants to be notified in June. For a list of previous recipients and application materials, please see the right hand sidebar on the Brimstone Award page.

The MVAT Foundation, established in 2007 to raise funds and awareness for military and veteran’s support groups, is accepting applications from related support groups for 2013. Applicant organizations support or provide services that enrich and promote the lives of both retired and active military and their families. Programs whose education and research directly benefit or educate the public about veterans are also encouraged to apply. Eligible organizations must be 501(c)(3) tax exempt and may not be lobbying groups, political action organizations, or endowments. Grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis twice a year on May 31 and October 31, and applications received after one deadline will be considered for the other. For a complete list of required materials, please see the Grants page of the MVAT Foundation Web site.

RedRover is an animal welfare nonprofit dedicated to bringing animals out of crisis situations. In collaboration with Sheltering Animals and Families Together, RedRover’s Domestic Violence Safe Housing project is awarding grants of up to $3,000 to up to 8 emergency shelter organizations to support the construction of temporary housing for pets of the victims of domestic violence. These grants are intended as start-up funding and it is expected that at least one pet will be able to be housed within a year of the project’s completion. Applicant organizations must have a primary mission of sheltering domestic violence victims and be 501(c)(3) tax exempt. For 2013, applications are due on May 15 and October 30. Funding decisions will be made within 30 days of each deadline. Please see the RedRover program page for applications and complete information.

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ACET Staff

Retailer Target’s charitable initiative Arts, Culture & Design in Schools supports nonprofit organizations and schools that bring arts and cultural experience programs directly to K-12 students. Awards of $2,000 are available to 501(c)(3) institutions, and funded programs must take place between September 2013 and August 2014. Examples of funded programs include workshops, in-school performances, and artist-in-residency programs. Applications are due April 30. For full eligibility, previous grant recipients, and application guidelines, please see the initiative’s main page linked above.

An initiative of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP), the Building Bridges: Campus Community Engagement Program is accepting proposals from performing arts presenting organizations in the U.S. for projects intended to increase awareness of Muslim cultures. Awards range from $100,000 to $200,000. Eligible organizations are within or collaborating with colleges and universities interested in building campus-community and cross campus interdisciplinary partnerships. Grantees are expected to work with external community partners in order to engage target audiences, which must primarily include persons born after 1980. Additionally, projects must demonstrate a measurable change in community knowledge and attitudes of Muslim culture where there has been a limited exposure, or where there is an opportunity to strengthen and expand upon existing resources and collaborations. Organizations are not required to be members of APAP, but non-member applicants must become members if invited to submit full applications.

For complete information including archived informational webinars, please see the Building Bridges Web page. Applications are due April 24.

Cooperative network Land O’Lakes’ foundation is accepting applications for the 2013 season of its Community Grants program, focused on enriching projects that address civic improvement, hunger, arts and culture, and youth and education, primarily in rural communities. Eligible organizations must have 501(c)(3) status and programming must be national or within a 25-state area including Minnesota,Wisconsin, Iowa, and North and South Dakota. Grants are limited to one per organization per calendar year. Deadlines are April 1 for education proposals, July 1 for hunger and food-related proposals, and October 1 for all others.

For complete information and application materials, please see the Land O’Lakes website and use the left-hand sidebar to navigate among the program pages.

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ACET Staff

Committed to supporting women in all phases of their lives, the eWomenNetwork Foundation is offering individual grants of $6,000 to nonprofit organizations that work to improve the health, safety, and/or wellness of underprivileged women and children. Eligible applicant organizations must have been in operation for more than 3 years and must have an annual budget between $25,000 and $1 million. Nonprofits affiliated with a national organization will not be considered. Recipients of grants will additionally have representatives sponsored by eWomenNetwork to attend their 2013 International Conference and Business Expo, to be held in August in Dallas, Texas. For full eligibility criteria and application materials, please see the eWomenNetwork Foundation’s Grant Process Web page. Applications are due by March 31.

The Lawrence Foundation, established in 2000, makes operating and program grants in a variety of categories throughout the United States. Eligible organizations may be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, libraries, or public schools. Charter and magnet schools, private foundations, international charities, individuals, and for-profit organizations are not eligible. Additionally, funds may not be used computer or audiovisual equipment, music or garden programs or equipment, physical education equipment, or recreation, among other things. For complete information, please see the foundation’s Grant Guidelines Web page. Grants are accepted on a rolling basis and considered on April 30 and November 1.

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ACET Staff