When you're implementing ideas to help change your community, you'll often need to find some external funding. We've compiled this list of grant opportunities from around the U.S. to help you jump start your action efforts. Note that while this list was last updated in October 2016, some of the deadlines for the grants may be in the past since many organizations have not yet posted deadlines for 2017. This list is intended to serve as a reference point as you research grant opportunities. Please check their websites for the most up-to-date information.

1. The Big List of
Community Action Grants

2. 1
Organization Grant Amount Area Funded Deadline Location Link
AAUW Community
Action Grants
$2,000 -
$10,000
Empowering women in
communities
1/15/2016 National http://bit.ly/1embBoj
Alliant Energy
Community Grants
$500 - $5,000 Helping families, education,
and the environment
March 1, and
September 1, 2016
Iowa, Minnesota,
Wisconsin or a customer
of Alliant Energy
http://bit.ly/1R7cxP2
American Honda
Foundation
$20,000 -
$75,000
Youth (especially in STEM
areas), the environment, job
training and literacy
Feb 1, August 1 National http://bit.ly/2gJidya
Bank of America
Philanthropic Solutions
Varies for each
grant
Grant search allows user to
pick area
Varies for each grant Varies for each grant http://bit.ly/1LFGwZU
Ben & Jerry's
Foundation
Up to $20,000 Grassroots efforts Pre-App April 14 National http://bit.ly/1KuZ6Vg
Captain Planet
Foundation
$500 - $2,500 Youth September 30, 2016 National and
international
http://bit.ly/1KuZL9p
Captain Planet
Foundation
$500 - $2,500 Provide hands-on
environmental stewardship
opportunities for youth; Serve
as a catalyst to getting
environment-based education
in schools; Inspire youth and
communities to participate in
community service through
environmental stewardship
activities.
September 30th-
typically for spring
and summer projects
and
January 31st- typically
for fall and winter
projects
National http://bit.ly/1KuZL9p
Carnegie Corporation of
New York
$975 - $13M Education, peace and security,
international development,
strengthening democracy, etc.
Rolling basis Local, national, and
international
http://bit.ly/1KuZVgZ

3. 2
Organization Grant Amount Area Funded Deadline Location Link
Cedar Tree Foundation $8,000 -
$100,000
Environmental education,
environmental health, and
sustainable agriculture
Rolling basis National
Charles Stewart Mott
Foundation
Varies for each
grant
Civil society, education,
environment, Flint area
Rolling basis US, Central and Eastern
Europe, former Soviet
Union and South Africa
http://bit.ly/1H3oPQK
Clif Bar Family
Foundation
$7,000 Innovative small and mid-sized
groups working to strengthen
our food system and our
communities, enhance public
health, and safeguard our
environment and natural
resources.
February 1, June 1,
October 1
National http://bit.ly/29zmH6S
Coca-cola Foundation $10,000 -
$6.8M
Economic empowerment for
women, access to clean water
and well-being
Rolling basis National http://bit.ly/1Hyfyla
Constitution Pipeline
Company
Up to $25,000 Youth/senior services,
education, economic
development, and the
environment
October 1, 2016 New York/Pennsylvania
area
http://bit.ly/1Nz9Pfd
CSX Foundation $2,500 - $5,000 Safety, the environment,
community, and wellness
Rolling basis Alabama, Connecticut,
Delaware, Florida,
Georgia, Illinois, Indiana,
Kentucky, Louisiana,
Maryland,
Massachusetts, Mexico
City, Michigan,
Mississippi, New Jersey,
http://bit.ly/1R7dOWr

4. 3
Organization Grant Amount Area Funded Deadline Location Link
New York, North
Carolina, Ohio, Ontario,
Pennsylvania, Quebec,
South Carolina,
Tennessee, Virginia,
Washington DC, and
West Virginia (where
their employees work
and live)
Daniel's Fund Varies Early childhood
education/youth development
Rolling basis Colorado, New Mexico,
Utah, and Wyoming
http://bit.ly/1T8aWpV
Dominion Foundation $1,000 -
$15,000
Human needs, the
environment, education, and
community vitality
Rolling basis Connecticut, Maryland,
Massachusetts, New
York, North Carolina,
Ohio, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island, Virginia,
West Virginia, and
Wisconsin
http://bit.ly/2i0FwHv
Fidelity Foundation $50,000+ 1. Community development
and social services/arts and
culture 2. Health and education
Rolling basis Organizations in
communities around
Fidelity Investments'
regional employee sites,
and in additional major
metropolitan areas
http://bit.ly/1LWRGHR

5. 4
Organization Grant Amount Area Funded Deadline Location Link
Ford Foundation $10,000 -
$125M
Poverty, injustice, and
democratic values
Rolling basis New York region http://bit.ly/1eme3uS
Foundation for Rural
Service
$250 - $5,000 Business development,
community development,
education, and
telecommunications
10/1/2016 National http://bit.ly/1LKd99W
Home Depot
Community impacts
grants
Up to $5,000 Creating a better environment
for families
Rolling with
December 31 deadline
National http://thd.co/2bcqGLU
JP Morgan & Chase
Grants
Varies Broad-based community
support
Rolling basis National http://bit.ly/1H3pphk
Land O'Lakes
Foundation (California
Regions Grant)
$500 - $5,000 Hunger relief, youth,
education, and civic
improvements
Rolling basis California (Orland,
Tulare/Kings/Bakersfield,
and Ontario regions
only)
http://bit.ly/1T8b8FH
Land O'Lakes
Foundation (Mid-
Atlantic Grant)
$500 - $5,000 Hunger relief, youth and
education, rural leadership,
civic improvements, soil and
water preservation, the arts,
and culture
Rolling basis Mid-Atlantic region
(Maryland, New Jersey,
New York, Pennsylvania
and Virginia)
http://bit.ly/1LWS0pP

6. 5
Organization Grant Amount Area Funded Deadline Location Link
Lowe's Charitable and
Educational Foundation
Varies K-12 public/charter education
and community improvement
projects
Varies for each grant National http://low.es/29PydOr
National Endowment
for the Arts
Varies Art engagement in
communities and education
Deadlines differ based
on type of grant
National http://bit.ly/29v6j9O
National Endowment
for the Humanities
$1,000 -
$750,000
Scholarly forums, public
discussions, and educational
resources related to the
themes of a new NEH initiative
Deadlines differ based
on type of grant
National http://1.usa.gov/1IRiWEm
Needmor Fund Average is
$30,000
community organizing groups
that address issues of race,
immigration, poverty,
economic justice, and low-
wage work.
May 31st pre-
application due
National, but excluding
Southwest (Arizona,
New Mexico, Southern
California, and South
Texas) and Southeast
states (Alabama,
Mississippi, and
Louisiana)
http://bit.ly/2jjrXoD
Norman Foundation $25,000 -
$30,000
Efforts that strengthen the
ability of communities to
determine their own economic,
environmental and social well-
being, and that help people
control those forces that affect
their lives
Letters of inquiry
accepted on ongoing
basis
National http://bit.ly/1JzO7d4

7. 6
Organization Grant Amount Area Funded Deadline Location Link
Open Society
Foundation
Varies Work to build vibrant and
tolerant democracies whose
governments are accountable
to their citizens.
Deadlines differ based
on type of grant
National and
international
http://osf.to/1FUWxUy
Packard Foundation $10,000 -
$1.2M
Conservation and science,
population and reproductive
health and children, families
and communities
Letters of inquiry
accepted on ongoing
basis
National and
international
http://bit.ly/29kZIx3
Parks and People
Foundation
Up to $1,000 Greening projects e.g. vacant
lot clean–up and restoration
projects, community gardens,
rain gardens, tree plantings,
alley gating, neighborhood
clean-ups, schoolyard greening,
water quality improvement
and environmental education
activities.
July 29, 2016 Baltimore, MD http://bit.ly/1JB08fq
People's United
Community Foundation
$2,500+ Community development,
youth development, and
affordable housing
October 1, February 1,
and June 1
Cities/towns where
People's United Bank
branches are located in
Connecticut,
Massachusetts,
Vermont, New York,
New Hampshire and
Maine
http://bit.ly/1f58rGq
PNC Foundation Varies Early childhood education and
economic development
Ongoing Certain counties in
Alabama, Delaware,
Florida, Georgia, Illinois,
Indiana, Kentucky,
Maryland, Michigan,
http://pnc.co/1JzOq7I

8. 7
Organization Grant Amount Area Funded Deadline Location Link
Missouri, New Jersey,
North Carolina, Ohio,
Pennsylvania South
Carolina, Washington
D.C., and Wisconsin
Presbyterian Mission
Agency
Varies Direct food relief, development
assistance, public policy
advocacy, lifestyle integrity,
and/or education and
interpretation
Deadlines differ based
on type of grant
National http://bit.ly/29PaTPJ
Pride Foundation $1,000 -
$10,000
Expanding opportunities
and/or advancing full equality
for LGBTQ people
July TBB, 2017 Organizations or projects
must operate within one
or more of the
Northwest states of
Alaska, Idaho, Montana,
Oregon, and/or
Washington.
http://bit.ly/1T8bkVe
Reiman Foundation Varies Health care, education, the
arts, and children
Rolling basis National http://bit.ly/1RTO62W
RGK Foundation $10,000 -
$200,00
Education, community, and
health/medicine
Letters of Interest are
accepted throughout
the year. Requests for
over $100,000 are due
March 4, June 10, and
September 16, 2016
National http://bit.ly/29icb3Z

9. 8
Organization Grant Amount Area Funded Deadline Location Link
Roy A. Hunt Foundation $5,000 -
$50,000
Community development, the
environment, youth violence,
and the next generation
Letter of inquiry
deadline for Initiative
Grant is Jan. 15, 2017.
For General Grant,
July 15, 2016 & March
15, 2017
Most grants are in
Southwestern
Pennsylvania (primarily
in Pittsburgh) and New
England (mainly the
Boston region, New
Hampshire, and
Southern Maine)
http://bit.ly/1IvxRrX
Social Justice Grant
Fund (The Sisters of St.
Francis of Philadelphia)
Up to $5,000 Poverty, oppression, and
marginalization
November 15 and
May 15
National and
international
http://bit.ly/1gcH3qd
Surdna Foundation Varies Economy, the environment,
and culture
Letters of inquiry
accepted on a rolling
basis
National http://bit.ly/1JB28nX
TD Charitable
Foundation
Varies Affordable housing, financial
literacy and education, and the
environment
TD Charitable
Foundation grants
reviewed quarterly
and Community
Sponsorships
reviewed monthly.
Housing for Everyone
Grant Competition
deadline is September
2, 2016.
Regional (where TD Bank
serves - Connecticut,
Delaware, D.C., Florida,
Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, New Jersey,
New York, North
Carolina, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island, South
Carolina, Vermont, and
Virginia)
http://go.td.com/29uWs5A
The Bush Foundation $10,000 -
$200,000
Innovative ideas that help
communities
Rolling basis Minnesota, North
Dakota and South
Dakota
http://bit.ly/2ijVBpr

10. 9
Organization Grant Amount Area Funded Deadline Location Link
The Fledgling Fund $10,000 -
$35,000
Innovative media projects
about key social issues
Rolling basis National and
international
http://bit.ly/1CdfA1S
The Glaser Progress
Foundation
$5,000 -
$751,000
Measuring progress, animal
advocacy, and independent
media
Rolling basis National http://bit.ly/1IRi4j2
The Gratis Foundation Varies Education, the environment,
animal health, human services,
abused and neglected children
and animals, specific religious
causes, and assisting U.S.
military personnel and their
families
January 31, May 31,
and September 30
Maryland,
Massachusetts and
Virginia
http://bit.ly/1Nz9dH3
The Hewlett Foundation Varies Education, the environment,
global development and
population, performing arts,
and philanthropy
Rolling basis Bay area (California) http://bit.ly/1C2lti3
The John Ben Snow
Memorial Trust
$10,000 -
$25,000
Arts and culture, community
development, education, the
environment, historic
preservation, and journalism
Letter of inquiry due
by January 1 of year
requested, grant
application by April 1
of year requested
National http://bit.ly/1emeipW
The John Merck
Foundation
Varies Clean energy, environmental
health, and regional food
systems
Rolling basis National and rare
exceptions for
international applicants
http://bit.ly/1HzvYf3

11. 10
Organization Grant Amount Area Funded Deadline Location Link
The Kresge Foundation $15,000 -
$1.2M
Community development, arts
and culture, human services
Varies for each grant National http://bit.ly/1HzvZzx
The Lynde and Harry
Bradley Foundation
$5,000 -
$1.35M
Defending and advancing
freedom, citizenship,
education, and economic
growth
February 1, May 1,
August 1, and
November 1
National http://bit.ly/1dA53Sd
The Pollination Project Initial grants are
$500-$1,000
Animal rights & welfare, arts &
culture, economic
empowerment, environmental
sustainability, health &
wellness, human rights &
dignity, kindness & generosity,
leadership development,
schools & education, youth
Ongoing International http://bit.ly/2op4UqI
The Safeway
Foundation
$1,000 -
$25,000+
Hunger relief, education,
health and human services,
and assisting people with
disabilities
Grant requests that
are national or multi-
regional in scope are
reviewed on a
quarterly basis. Local
grants are reviewed
biannually
The Safeway Foundation
funds organizations in
and around the areas of
our stores. These
include: Alaska, Arizona,
Arkansas, California,
Colorado, Connecticut,
http://bit.ly/1GQyfwC

12. 11
Organization Grant Amount Area Funded Deadline Location Link
Delaware, District of
Columbia, Florida,
Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana,
Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts,
Montana, Nebraska,
Nevada, New
Hampshire, New Jersey,
New Mexico, New York,
North Dakota, Oregon,
Pennsylvania, Rhode
Island, South Dakota,
Texas, Utah, Vermont,
Virginia, Washington,
Wyoming.
The Sparkplug
Foundation
Up to about
$15,000
start-up organizations and new
projects of established
organizations in music,
education and community
organizing. They support the
development of emerging
democratic movements and
communities working on issues
of local democracy, justice, and
sustainable energy in the
rebuilding of the U.S. and
global economies.
answers to
preliminary questions
due April 10
National and
Israel/Palestine
http://bit.ly/2jjjrGi
The State Farm
Companies Foundation
$5,000+ Safety, community
development, and education
October 31, 2016 National http://bit.ly/1LFIn0N

13. 12
Organization Grant Amount Area Funded Deadline Location Link
The Susan A. and
Donald P. Babson
Charitable Foundation
$1,000 -
$10,000
the enrichment and
empowerment of people of all
ages around the world, so as to
prevent exploitation, poverty,
and injustice.
28-Feb-16 http://bit.ly/2hGeses
Union Bank Foundation
Grants
$5,000 -
$10,000
Affordable housing, community
economic development,
education, environment, and
human services
Ongoing The communities
where MUFG Union
Bank, N.A., and its
businesses operate in
Arizona, California,
Georgia, Illinois, New
Jersey, New York,
Oregon, Texas, and
Washington
http://bit.ly/1emg0aK
Unitarian Universalist
Association’s Fund for a
Just Society
Most grants are
between $6,000
and $8,000
Grants are made to non-
Unitarian Universalist groups
that:
use community organizing to
bring about systemic change
leading to a more just society;
mobilize those who have been
disenfranchised and excluded
from resources, power and the
right to self-determination; and
have an active focused
campaign to create systemic
change.
15-Mar National (and Canada) http://bit.ly/2h981QF

14. 13
Organization Grant Amount Area Funded Deadline Location Link
Voya Foundation $2,500+ Children's education and
financial education
September 9, 2016 Communities where
Voya Financial operates
and its employees and
customers live including
Atlanta, GA; Braintree,
MA; Des Moines, IA;
Jacksonville, FL;
Minneapolis, MN; New
York, NY; Scottsdale, AZ;
West Chester, PA and
Windsor, CT
http://go.voya.com/1NzbJwn
W.W Kellogg
Foundation
Varies Educated kids, healthy kids,
secure families, racial equity,
and community and civic
engagement
Ongoing National and
international
http://bit.ly/1JzPyIm
Walgreen Co. Varies Community access to health
and wellness, pharmacy
education programs and
mentoring initiatives, civic and
Community outreach, and
emergency and disaster relief
Ongoing Local Walgreen
communities throughout
the U.S.
http://bit.ly/1T8bDiU
Walmart's National
Giving Program
$250,000+ Hunger Relief & Healthy Eating,
Sustainability, Women's
Economic Empowerment or
Career Opportunity
Ongoing National http://bit.ly/1LKfmSL
Z. Smith Reynolds
Foundation
Up to $35,000+ Community economic
development, the
environment, public education,
social justice and equity, and
strengthening democracy
August 1, 2016 North Carolina http://bit.ly/1Hzx4aP