AARP FOUNDATION GRANTS PROGRAM Capacity Building RFA
AARP Foundation is supporting community-based organizations in building their capacity to provide public benefits application assistance to adults age 50 and older, including at least one of the following benefits:
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Medicaid, Medicare Savings Programs (MSP)
- Low-Income Subsidy (LIS)/Extra Help.
These grants are intended to aid organizational development at a structural level and are not intended to pay for general operating expenses or existing direct service programs. These projects should instead focus on enhancing, optimizing or streamlining resources, processes or programs to better assist eligible older adults with enrollment in multiple benefits during and beyond the grant cycle. Preference will be given to proposals that focus on efforts to better serve communities that have historically faced systemic barriers, racial and ethnic disparities, and other biases that perpetuate economic instability.
Required Pre-application Deadline: October 3, 2023
Invited Full Application Deadline: November 17, 2023
Bank of America Institute for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Cornell
Bank of America has extended the opportunity for NALCAB network members and the clients they serve to participate in an online course for women entrepreneurs as part of the Bank of America Institute for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Cornell. This program will provide participants, at no cost, with access to the virtual program conducted by Ivy League Cornell faculty.
Participants who complete the 6-course program, offered in English or Spanish will receive a Certificate from Cornell University. The program is designed for women who are starting, running, or expanding a business.
Courses include:
1. Creating Your Venture: Personal readiness, and client discovery
2. Laying the Legal Building Blocks for Your Venture
3. Assessing and Obtaining Financial Resources for Your Venture
4. Growth Leadership for Female Entrepreneurs
5. Product Development and Digital Marketing
6. Communications, Negotiation and Persuasiveness
Click here for Spanish enrollment.
Click here for English enrollment.
The Neighborhood Access and Equity Grant Program
The Neighborhood Access and Equity Grant Program provides grants to assist economically disadvantaged or underserved communities for planning and construction activities. The Program supports planning, capital construction, and regional partnership activities that aim to restore community connectivity through the removal, retrofit, mitigation, or replacement of highways, roadways, or other infrastructure facilities that create barriers to mobility, access, or economic development.
The goals of the Program include prioritizing disadvantaged communities; aiming to improve access to daily needs such as jobs, education, healthcare, food, and recreation; fostering equitable development and restoration; and reconnecting communities by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating highways or other transportation facilities that create barriers to community connectivity, including to mobility, access, or economic development. LEARN MORE
Application deadline: September 28, 2023
T-Mobile Hometown Grants Program
Grants up to $50,000 Refresh Community Spaces in Small Towns
The T-Mobile Hometown Grants Program is providing up to $25 million over five years, through 2026, to fund community projects in small towns across the United States. Each quarter, 25 grants of up to $50,000 are provided for shovel-ready projects to build, rebuild, or refresh community spaces that help foster local connections in small towns. Examples of eligible projects include, but are not limited to, adaptive uses of older and historic buildings into community gathering spaces, improvements to outdoor parks or trails, and technology projects for public libraries. Applications are accepted from elected officials, town managers or employees, tribal leaders, or nonprofit community leaders from small towns with populations of less than 50,000. LEARN MORE
Application deadline: Applications are reviewed on a quarterly basis; the upcoming deadline is September 30, 2023Grant amount: Up to $50,000
Recompete Pilot Program
The US Economic Development Administration (EDA) has released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) (PDF) for the Recompete Pilot Program. Click here to access the eligibility mapping tool. Click here to view program resources.
Application deadline: October 5, 2023
Questions about the Recompete Pilot Program? Visit their Frequently Asked Questions or email Recompete@EDA.gov.
Funding & Resource Roundup
Microsoft TechSpark Community Engagement Fellowship Grant – Community organizations focused on creating inclusive economic opportunities will have the opportunity to apply to receive a mix of funding and contextual technical assistance through in-person and virtual support. Awarded organizations will select a member of their team to represent their organization as a TechSpark Fellow. Applicant must be US-based nonprofit. Funding up to $50,000 – https://customervoice.microsoft.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=v4j5cvGGr0GRqy180BHbRzqG-8hAJq1BsU8sgfjznelUQUpCUkJVOTgyTThESk1RTURRR1JUSldUWSQlQCN0PWcu
Nasdaq Foundation: Quarterly Grant Program to Empower Diverse Entrepreneurs – Only open to non-profits. Grants will be given in this area to organizations and programs that impact women and under-represented communities in one or more of the following ways: Enhance financial engagement and Improve access to knowledge and tools. Funding up to $75,000. Apply by 8/11/23 and 11/10/23 – https://www.nasdaq.com/nasdaq-foundation/grant-program
Novae Grants Database – Novae Grants database are intended for small businesses with 6-100 employees, though some are also intended for larger businesses and sole proprietor startups – https://grants.novaegrants.com/
SPUR (Shared Purpose, Unlimited Reach) Pathways – Through an integrated and collaborative approach, Macy’s, Inc. and Momentus will provide access to a range of capital options from microloans to growth capital to equity investments. This represents a commitment to underrepresented businesses and aims to galvanize the retail industry to invest in the next generation of entrepreneurs – https://www.macysinc.com/purpose/spurpathways
Start Path Small Business (Mastercard) – During the 4-month program, startups will have the opportunity to leverage Mastercard’s network and subject matter expertise to uncover product partnerships, scale their companies and power solutions that drive safe, secure and simple experiences. Companies should be in one of following industries: Customer Service, Banking, Security, E-commerce, Artificial Intelligence, Payment Processing, Digital Lending, FinTech -https://developer.mastercard.com/programs/start-path-small-business/
Start Small Think Big is a nonprofit that helps small businesses with high potential and limited access to the resources needed to create thriving businesses. They partner with small business owners, providing personalized business support and building connections with local communities. If you are interested in being considered as a “client” for free services, you can fill out this form https://partner.startsmallthinkbig.org/bofainstitute (for English) or https://partner.startsmallthinkbig.org/bofainstitute-esp (for Spanish) They also offer free webinars (in Eng and Span). See this link for their upcoming events: https://www.startsmallthinkbig.org/events-for-small-businesses
Truist NonProfit Grant – The Truist Foundation supports nonprofits with grants that target leadership development, economic mobility, thriving communities and educational equity. Quarterly deadlines – https://www.truist.com/purpose/truist-foundation/grant-application
Veterans Business Outreach Center – The Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) program offers resources to veterans who are interested in starting or growing a small business. There are 22 locations (soon expanding to 35) and they offer workshops, training, counseling, and mentorship opportunities. – https://www.sba.gov/local-assistance/resource-partners/veterans-business-outreach-center-vboc-program
Women and Minority Business Owner Down Payment Grant (Bank of America) – Non-repayable grant is for up to $25,000 on SBA owner occupied commercial estate loans for business locations within select opportunity zones (Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles) Program may expand based on pilot. – https://promotions.bankofamerica.com/smallbusiness/downpaymentgrant
Bridge built by Citi Loan Program
Bridge built by Citi is a platform connecting small businesses seeking loans with over 65 community banks, CDFIs, and Minority Depository Institutions. There are no digital-only lenders on the platform, and no technology integration is required. Bridge’s lenders are able to respond to requests for capital for a wide range of debt financing, from working capital loans to commercial mortgages.
All NALCAB members are invited to refer small businesses seeking capital that are not able to be served by local markets to submit an application through the platform, to receive term sheets from potential lenders. In addition, NALCAB member CDFIs offering small business loans between $100,000 and $10,000,000 are invited to join this free platform to increase their reach.
Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation
The Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation supports nonprofit organizations helping people and places move out of poverty and achieve greater social and economic justice in 11 southern states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. With the aim of advancing racial equity and social and economic justice, the Foundation supports collaborative, multi-strategy, place-based work focused on democracy and civic engagement, economic opportunity, and supportive policies and institutions. Funding may be used for general operating support, project support, “glue” support for networks of grassroots and partner organizations, and organizational development. Organizational summaries are accepted throughout the year.
Change Machine + Kaiser Permanente Financial Health Initiative
Change Machine + Kaiser Permanente have partnered to support nearly 200 nonprofits to accelerate their missions and drive impact through financial coaching. Selected nonprofits will use Change Machine’s technology platform to train and equip social service practitioners in financial coaching so that they can provide these services to their clients. Financial coaching includes: financial goal setting and budgeting; establishing and increasing savings; addressing debt; and connecting people to safe and affordable banking products. Funding from Kaiser Permanente supports training program implementation, allowing social service organizations to provide these programs sustainably.
Location requirements: Practitioners from California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia, & Washington state.
CLICK HERE for more details & application instructions.
Citizens Bank Corporate Giving
Citizens Bank Corporate Giving seeks to support opportunities for significant and measurable community impact. Corporate contributions support nonprofit organizations in the geographic areas in which Citizens has a retail bank branch presence, including Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, upstate New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Funding areas of interest include fighting hunger and reducing food insecurity; supporting financial literacy programs that provide individuals and businesses with the tools needed to be fiscally healthy; and strengthening communities through economic development, job training, and small business development. Funding is focused on projects that serve diverse, underserved populations and neighborhoods and demonstrate strong results. Sponsorship support is also available, as well as grants through the Citizens Philanthropic Foundation for organizations in the Metro New York and New Jersey areas. Applications are accepted throughout the year. Visit the Citizens website to submit an online application. Grants support programs that:
- Teach Money Management by supporting financial literacy programs that provide individuals and businesses with the tools needed to be fiscally healthy.
- Strengthen Communities through economic development, job training and small business development.
NALCAB Loans & Loan Guarantees
Did you know that NALCAB offers loans for nonprofit member lenders and member organizations that work in affordable housing? In addition, we offer loan guarantees for small business and real estate loans.
CLICK HERE to learn more about our loan products.
CLICK HERE to learn more about our Small Business Loan Guarantee.
To schedule a consultation, contact us at: impactinvesting@nalcab.org
Additional Funding Sources
Grant Station offers nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies the opportunity to identify potential funding sources for their programs or projects as well as resources to mentor these organizations through the grant-seeking process.
Grants.gov a searchable database of federal funding programs and grants currently available.
NACEDA – National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations showcases funding opportunties in various areas of community development.
Candid maintains a comprehensive database on US and global grant-makers and their funding opportunities. It also operates research, education, and training programs designed to advance knowledge of philanthropy at every level.