Category Archives: Community Development

T-Mobile Hometown Grant Program

The T-Mobile Hometown Grant Program is a partnership with Main Street America and Smart Growth America. Through 2026, they are awarding grants of up to $50,000 to small towns in the U.S.

Twenty-five awards will be made per quarter for shovel-ready projects that can be completed within 12 months. Applications must be submitted by the last day of the quarter.

Spring: January–March
Summer: April–June
Fall: July–September
Winter: October–December

Eligibility

Grant applications may be submitted by:

Elected officials
Municipal employees
Tribal leaders
Non-profit community leaders

Towns must have a population of 50,000 or fewer to be eligible.

Allowable Expenses

T-Mobile supports projects that foster local connections, such as:

Community centers
Outdoor spaces
The Arts
Technology upgrades

Grant funds may not be used for:

Engineering and architectural plans or fees
Salaries
Annual operating expenses
Work done prior to the award

Application Materials

All applications must include:

Proposal with detailed budget and timeline
Details on permits needed or obtained
Examples of other funding sources
Up to 5 letters of support

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on:

Community need
Community impact
Partners, engagement, and resources leveraged
Feasibility
Alignment with T-Mobile’s small town strategy

The Awesome Foundation

The Awesome Foundation has been “forwarding the interest of awesome in the universe” since 2009. They do this through 77 chapters in 11 countries, each of which grants a $1,000 award every month.

The funds for these no strings attached grants come from donations from the chapter’s members. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Eligibility

Anyone can apply for an Awesome Foundation grant.

Allowable Activities

Any type of project is eligible, as long as it’s ‘Awesome.’ Each chapter defines the term ‘awesome’ differently, but it can be interpreted to mean innovative, experimental, and inspirational.

Recently funded projects include a picture book to help kids navigate cancer, a theater performance about women who contributed to astronomy, and an accessible playground.

How to Apply

The Foundation suggests you apply to the chapter closest to you, but you can also mark ‘Any’ on the application. A few of the chapters are based around specific issues, but the majority are geographic and tend to fund projects in their area. There is also an Awesome Without Borders.

You can also apply to more than one chapter if you think they’d be interested. Most chapters meet monthly to select the recipient, but if you’re not chosen, they often keep applications for a while to review again.

USDA Solid Waste Management Grants

Solid Waste Management Grants from the USDA Office of Rural Development fund technical assistance and training for better planning and management of solid waste sites.

The USDA anticipates $4 million for this program, pending Congressional budget approval. There is no maximum or minimum amount and no matching requirement. Applications are due through Grants.gov by December 31, 2023 at 11:59 PM ET for projects running from October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025.

Eligibility

Applicant

This grant is open to:

Public bodies
Nonprofits
Federally recognized tribes
Academic institutions

Applicants must have:

Experience with a program similar to the one proposed
The legal authority to provide training and technical assistance

Area

Grant activities must take place in a rural area or town with a population of 10,000 or less. Special consideration will be given to projects serving:

An area with fewer than 5,500 or fewer than 2,500 people
Regional, multi-state, or national areas
Lower-income populations

Key Priorities

Applicants are encouraged to pursue projects that work towards:

Economic recovery for rural communities through through market opportunities and improved infrastructure
Ensuring that Rural Development programs are accessible and beneficial to all rural residents
Decreasing climate pollution and increasing climate resiliency through economic support for rural communities

Allowable Expenses

Grant funds may be used to:

Evaluate landfill conditions for potential threats to water resources
Provide technical assistance and/or training to improve management of active landfills
Provide technical assistance and/or training to reduce the amount of solid waste the community sends to the landfill
Provide technical assistance and/or training to prepare for the closure and future use of a landfill site

Grant funds may not be used to:

Duplicate, replace, or substitute for currently provided services
Duplicate assistance provided by the U.S. Forest Service
Pay for capital assets, real estate, or vehicles.
Pay for construction, operation, or maintenance.
Improve or renovate office space or repair or maintain private property

Giving Joy Grant

Throughout her travels, International Development worker Joy Kolin realized the fundamental truth that women, no matter where in the world, can create positive change when given the means to do so. In 2018, she founded Giving Joy to empower those women and help them build a better life for themselves and their communities through entrepreneurship.

The Giving Joy Grant is a $250 – $500 microgrant to give women a leg up as they build or expand their business or organization. The current grant cycle will close on September 30th.

Eligibility

Applicant

Women aged 18 or older from anywhere in the world are eligible to apply.

Project

This grant is open to projects from all fields as long as they are legal. Funds may be used to start or expand a business, nonprofit, non-governmental organization, or other entity. The only stipulations are that the project focus on women, girls, and/or families and that it is beneficial for the community.

Grant funds may not spent

To purchase products
To purchase stock
On advertising
On marketing.

Evaluation Criteria

Submissions are scored on four criteria:

Alignment with the mission of Giving Joy
Innovative and clearly articulated project activities
Effectiveness of grant fund use
Clearly defined and quantifiable impact of the project

Application Process

After you submit your application, Giving Joy may request additional information or supporting materials. From these submissions, a shortlist of 5-10 projects will be created. If you are not contacted by Giving Joy, you have unfortunately not made it onto the shortlist.

Applicants who have been shortlisted may again be contacted for more information before the final recipients are chosen. Awards will go out in January 2024.

If you receive a Giving Joy Grant, you may not apply a second time.

Park Foundation

The Park Foundation is a family-run foundation established in 1966 by Roy H. Park. They are dedicated to creating a more just and sustainable society across the United States and in their hometown of Ithaca, NY.

The Foundation offers grants in 8 priority areas: Democracy, Civic Participation, Media, Environment, Animal Welfare, Sustainable Ithaca, Community Needs, and School Food and Nutrition. Eligibility varies by funding area.

Letters of interest are not required, but are highly recommended. After submitting your LOI, do not submit a full proposal until you hear from a Foundation staff member. LOI’s can be submitted at any time. Proposals are reviewed on a quarterly basis. Upcoming due dates are: September 22, 2023, and January 5, 2024.

Funding Priorities

Democracy

Eligibility

Grants under this category are open to nonprofit organizations across the United States.

Prioritized Activities

Expanding voting access
Advocating for reform at the local, state, and federal levels
Ending partisan gerrymandering
Eliminating dark money in elections
Holding government officials accountable
Overturning Citizen’s United
Supporting a field of diverse, young leaders
Promoting progressive agendas

Civic Participation

Eligibility

Grants under this category are open to nonprofit organizations across the United States.

Prioritized Activities

Working to stop voter suppression
State-based groups educating, motivating, and mobilizing voters
National and state groups protecting voters’ rights and election integrity

Media

Eligibility

Grants under this category are open to nonprofit organizations across the United States.

Prioritized Activities

Public broadcasting
Investigative journalism
Media policy

Environment

Eligibility

Grants under this category are open to nonprofit organizations working on a national level or in New York State.

Clean Water: Prioritized Activities

Investment in publicly owned and operated water utilities
Reduced bottled water consumption
Strong, enforced policies
Empowering people to defend their right to clean water

Energy

Grants under this category are open to state-level organizations in New York for:

Advocacy
Policy development
Organizing
Corporate responsibility

Animal Welfare

Eligibility

Grants under this category are open to nonprofit organizations across the United States working on projects of national significance.

Focus Areas

Indigenous wildlife management
Organizing, educating, and advocating on behalf of endangered species and ecosystems
National and regional efforts to preserve birds, pollinators, whales, and wolves

Sustainable Ithaca

Eligibility

Grants under this category are open to nonprofit organizations in Ithaca and Tompkins County, NY.

Program Priorities

Ecosystem conservation
Energy and climate change
Environmental education
Smart growth

Community Needs

Eligibility

Grants under this category are open to nonprofit organizations in Tompkins County, NY.

Program Priorities

Developing interventions in partnership with low income residents
Identifying barriers to success and implementing programs to overcome them
Tailoring programs using data about subpopulations to ensure needs are being met

School Food and Nutrition

Eligibility

Grants under this category are open to nonprofit organizations in Tompkins County, NY.

Goal

Breaking the self-reinforcing cycle of poverty, hunger, poor health, negative social and academic impacts, and limited future opportunities.

Community Heart & Soul Seed Grant Program

Community Heart & Soul is a process for engaging community members in planning for the future of their town. The program is based on three principles:

Include everyone
Focus on what matters most
Play the long game

Seed Grants are available to help communities get started on their planning program. Applications for a $10,000 award with a 1:1 matching requirement are accepted on a rolling basis.

Eligibility

Applicants for Seed Grant funding must:

Represent U.S. towns and cities of between 2,500 and 30,000 citizens
Be led by at least five residents of the community
Be a local government, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, or another resident led group
Be able to receive grant funds or have a fiscal sponsor
Have municipal support. If grant funds are awarded, the municipality must adopt a resolution of support for the program.

The Process

The Community Heart & Soul Program happens in four phases.

Imagine – Teams are formed to carry out the initial work of recruiting participants and connecting with all segments of the community.
Connect – Participants write statements on what they love about their community and what they hope it will look like in the future.
Plan – Using the statements from phase 2, participants create action plans to make those hopes and dreams reality.
Act – A comprehensive Heart & Soul Statement is adopted by the city/town council and incorporated into official government plans.

Expected Expenses

The $10,000 in grant funding will only cover a portion of the expenses for fully carrying out the Community Heart & Soul program. Applicants should expect to spend approximately $57,500 annually for two years. This will cover:

Staff – A full time staff person to coordinate the program is recommended. (~ $40,000 per year)
Coaching – Participants are required to work with a Community Heart & Soul coach who will provide training and guidance. (~ $10,000 per year)
Project costs – Hosting events and recruiting participants (~ $7,500 per year)

Benefits

The benefits of participating in this program include:

Development of young, new leaders
New local businesses
Overall improved economic conditions
Residents connecting over common ground
Increased volunteerism
Growing community pride

ALTA Good Deeds Foundation

The ALTA Good Deeds Foundation supports the charitable work of members of the land title industry through their grants program. Members of the industry (title insurance agents, abstracters and underwriters) nominate nonprofits with which they are involved.

Applications are accepted annually on January 31 and July 31. Applicants do not have to be members of the American Land Title Association to submit a nomination. The number of grants will vary from year to year.

Eligibility

Nominees must be 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations who embody the ALTA values of ‘We Lead, We Deliver, We Protect.’

Applicants are encouraged to nominate organizations that are:

Nonpolitical
Nonpartisan
Working to benefit the local community
Working on housing issues

Important Considerations

Applicants will be asked to explain:

How the organization relates to the ALTA Our Values – We Lead, We Deliver, We Protect.
How they or their company have supported the organization over the last 5 years volunteering, donating money or goods). The level of engagement will be taken into consideration during application review.
How the organization is making a positive impact on the local community.

HOPE VI Main Street Program

The HOPE VI Main Street Program from the HUD Office of Public & Indian Housing awards grants to communities of 50,000 people or fewer to redevelop historic business districts into affordable housing. The goal of the program is to preserve historic resources while stimulating economic development and providing affordable housing.

HUD expects to award approximately $2 million in funding with a maximum request of $1 million. Applications are due through Grants.gov by October 12, 2023 at 11:59 PM ET.

Eligibility

Applicant

This grant is open to:

Municipal governments
County governments
Special district governments

To be eligible, applicants must also:

Have a population of 50,000 or fewer
Not be served by a local or county/parish Public Housing Agency (PHA) OR
Be served by a single PHA that administers more than 100 public housing units within the local government’s jurisdiction, excluding units subsidized by Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers.

Properties

To be eligible, properties must be:

Part of a historic, traditional central business district
Unused and/or obsolete

Properties may be publicly or privately owned.

Matching Requirement

A firmly committed match of at least 5% of the grant request is required and Commitment Letters must be included with the application. The match may be in cash or in-kind property, if the property is publicly owned or owned by a non-profit. Property owned by a for-profit business can not be counted toward the match.

This match requirement is the minimum needed to demonstrate support from the community. Additional leveraged funds and/or in-kind donations will result in more points during the review process.

Allowable Activities

Grant funds may be used for direct costs, such as:

Remodeling commercial property
Rehabilitation of currently uninhabitable housing units
New construction of affordable housing units within the Main Street district
Renovation or new construction of the building envelope or commercial properties below or adjacent to affordable housing
Property acquisition
Architectural or engineering activities, surveys, permits and other planning and implementation costs
Staff training
Accounting and data processing systems

USDA Rural Community Development Initiative Grants

USDA Rural Community Development Initiative Grants support community and economic development projects, such as housing and community facilities, in low-income, rural areas.

In 2023, $6 million has been appropriated for awards between $50,000 and $500,000. Applications are due through Grants.gov by June 28, 2023 at 11:59 PM ET. This grant requires a 1:1 match of non-federal, cash funds.

Consult with your State Office to ensure there are no additional requirements.

Eligibility

Applicant

This grant is open to:

Public bodies
Nonprofit organizations
Qualified for-profit organizations

Region

Grant funds must be spent to benefit rural areas. USDA defines rural as:

Any area other than:

A city or town that has a population of greater than 50,000 inhabitants
The urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to such city or town

$1.6 million has been set aside for projects in Persistent Poverty Counties, which are defined as, “Any county that has had 20% or more of its population living in poverty over the past 30 years.”

Allowable Activities

Funds from this grant are to be used to improve housing, community facilities, and community and economic development. This can include, but is not limited to:

Training sub-grantees to conduct:

Home-ownership education
Minority business owner education

Providing technical assistance to sub-grantees on:

Strategic planning
Fundraising
Board training
Creating training materials, such as videos and workbooks
Building successful childcare centers

Key Priorities

Applicants are encouraged to develop projects that will advance Rural Development’s key priorities:

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