Category Archives: Community Development

.ORG Impact Awards

The .ORG Impact Awards celebrate people and groups from all over the world who are making a difference in their communities. In 2024, winners will be chosen in 7 categories plus a .ORG of the Year.

The 7 winners will each receive $10,000; other finalists in each category will receive $2,500 apiece. The .ORG of the Year will receive $50,000. Nominations are due by June 19, 2024.

Eligibility

Nominator

To submit a nomination, you must be at least 18 years old and have permission from the nominee.

Nominee

Nominees must be organizations with a website on the .org domain or an individual affiliated with such an organization. Individuals under the age of 18 may be nominated, but if selected, will require a consent form signed by their parent or guardian.

Exclusions

Nominations will not be accepted for people or organizations located in Crimea, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, or Syria.

Categories

  • Health and Healing – Providing health and wellness resources including education, vaccine development, and mental health services
  • Quality Education for All – Providing education for everyone regardless of race, gender, or financial status
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – Working to increase DEI through policymaking and programs that address systemic injustice
  • Environmental Stewardship – Fighting environmental threats and promoting sustainable consumption
  • Hunger and Poverty – Signficantly contributing to the end of resource inequality
  • Community Building – Changing lives in the community on a local, national, or global scale
  • Rising Star – An individual under 25 as of December 31, 2024 who has led a project or campaign to bring positive change to their community
  • The .ORG Impact Awards .ORG of the Year – Outstanding achievement with significant impact and measurable results. Finalists in the other 7 categories are automatically eligible.

Additional Rewards

In addition to the financial award, winners will receive:

  • A trophy
  • A dedicated .ORG Impact Awards logo mark to use in promotional materials
  • Featured presence in .ORG articles, videos, and social media over the following year
  • Featured presence at the .ORG Impact Awards event in October 2024
  • An invitation and up to $2,000 in travel expenses to attend the .ORG Impact Awards event in October 2024

Community Economic Development Planning Projects

Community Economic Development Planning Projects from the Administration for Children and Families support the development of community economic development projects in underserved areas.

Ten grants of $75,000 – $150,000 are expected to be awarded for a grant period of 24 months. There is no matching requirement. Applications are due by July 2, 2024.

Eligibility

This grant is open to 501(c)3 Community Development Corporations.

Potential Activities

Grant funds may used for activities such as:

  • Stakeholder meetings to discuss economic development goals and strategize a path forward
  • Creating or updating Community Economic Development visioning statements or plans
  • Data collection and/or analysis of existing data on local economic assets and potential markets for business development
  • Researching other funding sources that can be leveraged along with grant funds
  • Creating a business plan for economic development
  • Attending workshops, conferences, etc.

Funding Limitations

Grant funds may not be used for:

  • Construction. 
  • Purchase of real property.
  • Major renovation. 
  • Subawards/pass-throughs

Review Criteria

All applications will be reviewed based on:

  • Need for assistance – 10 points
  • Objective and expected outcomes – 15 points
  • Clear and well-conceived approach – 30 points
  • Organizational capacity – 25 points
  • Letters of support – 5 points
  • Budget and budget justification – 15

Applicants also have the opportunity to earn bonus points for:

Union Pacific Community Ties Giving Program

The Union Pacific Community Ties Giving Program supports projects in Union Pacific communities. Their focus areas are Safety, Workplace Development, Commuity Vitality, and Environmental Sustainability.

Applications are due by May 31, 2024. Awards are typically $5,000 – $30,000.

Eligibility

This grant is open to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations in Union Pacific communities.

Focus Areas

  • Safety – helping communities prevent and prepare for emergencies and helping residents live safely day to day 
  • Workplace Development – helping underrepresented residents find family-supporting careers
  • Community Vitality – cultural and recreational experiences and providing community members with opportunities to live healthy, vital lives
  • Environmental Sustainability – environmental nonprofits and community-based organizations advancing the health of the environment

Funding Limitations

Grant funds may not be used for:

  • General operating support
  • Event sponsorships
  • Fundraising events
  • Sports events, organizations, and teams
  • Fellowships
  • Research

Kubota Hometown Proud Grant

The Kubota Hometown Proud Grant supports community-based projects in the United States. Ten $50,000 grants and ten $10,000 grants will be awarded through a review process followed by public voting. An additional Sweepstakes prize will be awarded to an individual who participated in the voting process.

Applications are due by April 12, 2024 at 11:59 PM CT and voting will occur August 1-14, 2024. Applicants must have an existing relationship with a local Kubota dealer or suggest a way for the local dealer to help, such as through the provision or maintenance of Kubota equipment. Final projects must also include signage with the Kubota logo.

Eligibility

This grant is open to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations located within 50 miles of an authorized Kubota dealer.

Selection Process

Review

Kubota will review all applications based on:

  • Clearly demonstrated need for project (25%)
  • Timeline for completion and use of funds within one year (25%)
  • Statement of impact on the community (25%)
  • Existing or proposed relationship with a Kubota dealer (25%)

They will select 2 applications from each of 10 districts to move on to the public voting round.

Public Vote

The public voting period will be held August 1-14, 2024 during which anyone can vote once per day. The winner from each district will receive $50,000 and the runner-up will receive $10,000.

Sweepstakes

Each vote during the voting period equals one entry into the Sweepstakes. A single person may earn up to 14 entries. On or around August 21, 2024 a winner will be drawn who will receive their choice of a Kubota zero-turn mower or Kubota BX sub-compact tractor. 

Walmart Spark Good Local Grants

The Walmart Foundation supports projects in the communities where they operate through their Spark Good Local Grants. This program allows them to meet the unique needs of each community.

Applications for $250 – $5,000 are accepted and reviewed by store management on a quarterly basis. In 2024, open submission periods are:

  • Quarter 1: March 1 – April 15
  • Quarter 2: May 1 – July 15
  • Quarter 3: August 1 – October 15
  • Quarter 4: November 1 – December 31

Eligibility

This grant is open to:

  • 501(c)3 nonprofits
  • City, county, or state government entities
  • K-12 public, nonprofit private, or charter schools
  • Community or junior colleges
  • State or private colleges and universities
  • Churches or religious organizations

Eligible applicants must also:

  • Operate on the local level
  • Directly benefit the service area of the store to which they are applying
  • Be verified through Deed

Space Tool

This tool allows organizations to request space outside their local Walmart for fundraisers and community awareness campaigns. Requests must be submitted at least 21 days prior to the proposed date and cannot be for more than 8 consecutive hours on 3 days.

For-profit businesses are not eligible, but non-501(c)3 nonprofits are.

Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement

The Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) program from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will support projects to preserve, maintain, and replace manufactured housing and manufactured housing communities (MHCs).

$225 million in grant funding is available, of which $10 million has been designated for Native American tribes and tribal organizations. $25 million has also been designated for a PRICE Replacement Pilot program. Available award amounts vary by grant program. Applications are due by June 5, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET.

Eligibility

This grant is open to:

  • State governments 
  • Local governments 
  • Tribal applicants 
  • Multi-jurisdictional entities 
  • Cooperatives 
  • Nonprofit entities (including consortia) 
  • Resident-controlled MHCs 
  • Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs)

Entities eligible to apply for the $10 million designated for tribes and tribal organizations include:

  • Native American tribes 
  • Tribally designated housing entities 
  • Tribal nonprofits 
  • Native Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) 
  • Tribal Organizations designated by a tribe to apply on its behalf

Goal and Objectives

https://housingmatters.urban.org/articles/how-manufactured-housing-can-fill-affordable-housing-gaps

The primary goals of this program are to:

  • Increase housing supply and affordability for people of modest means nationwide
  • Preserve and revitalize existing manufactured housing and manufactured housing communities 
  • Increase resilience to extreme weather, natural hazards, and disaster events, support energy efficiency, and protect the health and safety of manufactured housing residents
  • Promote homeownership opportunities and advance resident-controlled sustainable communities
  • Support accessibility modifications, repairs, and replacement of deteriorating manufactured housing units

Grant Categories

PRICE Main

Applicants under the PRICE Main program may request $5 – $75 million to preserve existing affordable housing. This program does not have a match requirement, but applicants are encouraged to leverage additional resources.

Tribal Applicants

Tribal applicants may request $500,000 – $75 million to preserve existing affordable housing. As a subprogram of PRICE Main, there is no match requirement.

PRICE Replacement Pilot

PRICE Replacement Pilot funding may be used to replace manufactured housing units at a rate of 4:1, which will increase affordable housing availability. Applicants may request $5 – $10 million with a required nonfederal match equal to more than 50% of the PRICE grant.

Allowable Activities

Grant funds under all categories may be used to:

https://www.planning.org/blog/9262326/potential-of-manufactured-housing-and-resident-owned-communities/
  • Repair, rehabilitate, or replace existing manufactured housing units
  • Assist manufactured housing tenants or owner-renters with land and site acquisition 
  • Install or upgrade infrastructure that supports manufactured housing, including roads, sidewalks, water, wastewater infrastructure, and utility hookups 
  • Planning activities for MHCs, including those needed to support resident-controlled communities 
  • Resident and community services, including relocation assistance, housing mobility counseling, and eviction prevention 
  • Resilience activities to enhance the stability of manufactured housing and MHCs in the face of extreme weather, natural hazards, and disasters 
  • Environmental improvements, like remediation of contaminants in land servicing MHCs

Additionally, Replacement Pilot funds may be used for:

  • Redevelopment of MHCs as affordable replacement housing
  • Relocation assistance, buy-outs, or down payment assistance for residents

Public Comment Requirement

Before submitting, applicants must publish their application for public comment and hold at least one public hearing. A minimum 15 days notice is required and the public comment period must end at least 3 days prior to submission.

Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) Grant

The USDA Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) Grant is designed to help rural communities build their economies through job acceleration programs and innovation centers to assist new and existing businesses.

Award requests can range from $500,000 – $2 million with a grant term of 4 years. RISE funds cannot be used for more than 80% of direct costs and must be matched with non-federal funds. Applications are due through Grants.gov by April 1, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET.

Eligibility

RISE fund are available to rural jobs accelerator partnerships with experience in economic and job training programs. Partnerships must have been formed on or after December 20, 2018.

Applicants

Partnership members may include:

  • Public bodies
  • State governments
  • Tribal governments
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Institutions of higher education

Area

The region to be served by this project must be rural and primarily low-income. The USDA defines a rural area as any area other than

  1. A city or town that has a population of greater than 50,000 inhabitants
  2. The urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to such a city or town, as defined by the U.S. Bureau of the Census using the latest decennial census of the United States.

The IRS defines a low-income community as having a poverty rate of at least 20%.

Allowable Expenses

Grant funds may be used on activities such as:

  • Building or supporting a business incubator
  • Construction or purchase of a building in which to establish an Innovation Center
  • Support for programs to be carried out at such facilities
  • Worker training for assistance with job creation
  • Skills training for existing workforce to obtain higher paying jobs

No more than 10% of grant funds may be spent on indirect costs to administer the grant.

Key Priorities

Additional points may be awarded during the review process for projects that promote the key priorities of the USDA’s Rural Development Office.

  • Addressing Climate Change and Environmental Justice
  • Advancing Racial Justice, Place-Based Equity, and Opportunity
  • Creating More and Better Market Opportunities

NextWorldNow Community Investments

NextWorldNow envisions a world where everyone’s basic needs are met. To make that dream a reality, they fund small, but meaningful projects through their Community Investments.

Notifications of Interest are due by March 1, 2024. Organizations invited to submit a full application will be notified in April. Applications for up to $10,000 will be due in May.

Eligibility

This funding opportunity is open to international communities working on development projects that require a modest amount of capital.

NextWorldNow encourages partnerships with Rotary International and may request that applicants reach out to their nearest club.

Review Criteria

All applications are reviewed based on:

  • Feasibility
  • Impact
  • Sustainability
  • Relevance
  • Creativity
  • Outcomes
  • Strength
  • Engagement
  • Financial

AARP Community Challenge Grant

The AARP Community Challenge Grant funds small projects to make communities more livable. Awards are made in three categories – Flagship Grants, Capacity-Building Microgrants, and Demonstration Grants.

Available funding varies by grant type, but applications for all categories are due by March 6, 2024 at 5 PM ET.

Eligibility

This grant is open to:

  • Nonprofits with a 501(c)3, 501(c)4, or 501(c)6 status
  • Government entities

Organizations that do not fall into either of the above categories may be able to apply, but that will be determined on a case by case basis. For-profit businesses and individuals are not eligible.

Grant Types

Flagship Grants

Flagship Grants focus on improving life for community residents, especially those who are 50 years of age or older. In the past, awards have ranged from $500 to $50,000 and the average award is $11,900. But don’t be afraid to dream big! There is no cap and extraordinary projects may receive larger amounts.

Project Categories

Image by Coombesy
  • Public Places – Improvement of parks, open spaces, and equitable access to public amenities
  • Transportation and Mobility Options – Road improvements, wayfinding, improved connectivity and walk/bikeability, and increased access to transportation
  • Housing – Increasing availability of affordable and accessible housing
  • Digital Connections – Expanding access to high speed internet and digital literacy
  • Community Resilience – Disaster preparedness and mitigation
  • Community Health and Economic Empowerment – Increasing physical and financial health

Capacity-Building Microgrants

Capacity-Building Microgrants provide $2,500 as well as non-financial assistance like one-on-one coaching and webinars.

Project Categories

Image by Mircea – All in collections

Demonstration Grants

Demonstration grants are intended to be used for pilot projects that can be replicated by other communities. Awards may be up to $50,000.

Project Categories

  • Enhancing digital connectivity to prepare and respond to disasters
  • Facilitating equitable engagement to reconnect communities divided by infrastructure
  • Implementing housing choice design competitions 

Selection Criteria

  • Impact (45 points) – Does the project address a need to become more livable for residents, particularly those age 50 or older?
  • Execution (30 points) – Has the applicant demonstrated an ability to complete the project on time and on budget, engage residents, and enlist volunteers, especially those age 50 or older?
  • Addressing Disparities (15 points) – Does the project address disparities faced by historically marginalized groups?
  • Innovation (10 points) – Is the project unique?

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation was founded in 1930 by cereal magnate William Keith Kellogg with the aim of helping children reach their full potential. The Foundation specifically supports community efforts that create a place where vulnerable children can thrive.

WKKF has three interconnected funding priorities: Thriving Children, Working Families, and Equitable Communities. Letters of Inquiry are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Eligibility

This grant is open to organizations in the United States and select communities in Mexico and Haiti. Eligible organizations include:

  • Nonprofits
  • Public organizations such as schools and hospitals
  • Government entities
  • Native American Tribes
  • For profit organizations doing philanthropic work

Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, and New Orleans have been identified as priority locations. Approximately two-thirds of WKKF’s work is done in these areas as well as Chiapas and the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, and in Central and South Haiti.

Funding Priorities

Thriving Children

Grants under this category focus on issues like maternal and infant health, early childhood education, and improving access to healthy foods. Examples include projects to help children understand what makes food healthy or unhealthy and supporting policy initiatives.

Working Families

WKKF works with US employers to make high quality jobs more equitable. This includes supporting businesses owned by women, minorities, and tribes and small businesses as a whole. In Mexico and Haiti, support is primarily focused on agricultural programs. They have funded projects to develop workforce training programs and to provide legal advice to workers who are unprotected by labor laws.

Equitable Communities

Racial inequity is a barrier that prevents many children from succeeding. To help remove this barrier, WKKF supports programs to develop local leaders, confront the history of racial inequality, and reshape the systems that perpetuate it. Examples of projects they have funded include providing comprehensive planning assistance and partnerships with historically black colleges and universities.

Allowable Expenses

WKKF supports projects that use innovative methods to help all children and families succeed. They don’t specify what grant funds can be spent on, but they do list some of the things they don’t fund. These include:

  • Capital projects
  • Endowments
  • Events
  • Individual assistance

Application Process

  1. Register with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Portal. Login information will be emailed to you within one business day.
  2. Write a letter of inquiry describing your project in 1,500 characters or fewer. This letter should include information on the problem you’re addressing, what your objectives are, what methods you’ll use, who your partners are, and how your project fits into the WKKF priorities. You should receive a response to your letter within thirty business days.
  3. Applicants that are a strong fit for the Foundation’s goals will be encouraged to develop a full application. A final decision to fund your project or not should be made within sixty business days of receiving the full application.

Learn more about projects the WKKF has funded in the past in their Grants Database.