Open Funding Opportunities: ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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​​Water for Wildlife Grants

The Water for Wildlife® Foundation is committed to playing a pivotal role in the conservation of wildlife through the development of supplemental water/habitat resources.  WFWF helps bridge the gaps between agencies and other partners to implement projects.  We provide grants each year for the construction of water/habitat developments for wildlife. Water for Wildlife® project applications should show at least a 1:1 cost share match for consideration.  Water projects are ranked and prioritized for funding based on benefits to area wildlife, distances to perennial water sources, cost share funding and partners identified, cost effectiveness, public benefit, and completeness of application submitted.  Funding levels vary from project to project, but typically range from $1,000 – $10,000.  The Foundation is encouraging your agency or conservation organization to partner with us to support our efforts of making water/habitat as accessible to wildlife as possible.

Application Deadline: January 31, 2026 

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The Healthy Harbor Fund - Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina

The Healthy Harbor Grant Program will make grants for the benefit of water quality in the Charleston harbor and surrounding environment. Applications will be accepted from organizations/projects with a primary focus on water quality related to pollution and environmental changes in the greater Charleston area. This focus may include, but is not limited to: pollution action, academic research, data collection, citizen science, education, advocacy, litigation, and/or narrative creation involving:

• Plastics

• Bacteria

• Emerging contaminants

• Pesticides, herbicides

• Marsh and land erosion

• Climate change and climate resilience

• Coastal flooding and its implications on public health

Deadline: February 2, 2026

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The Nature Conservancy's Living Shorelines Community Assistance Program | South Carolina Office of Resilience

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has been awarded grant funding through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Transformational Habitat and Coastal Resilience grant program to increase the scale and accessibility of living shorelines and nature-based solutions across coastal South Carolina. The SC Office of Resilience will partner with TNC on this project. 

TNC's Living Shorelines Community Assistance Program will prioritize applicants who fit the following criteria:

• Private landowners on waterfront property who are experiencing shoreline erosion and require financial assistance to address it.

• Under-resourced communities and neighborhoods with waterfront public spaces experiencing shoreline erosion.

• Small businesses and organizations on waterfront property experiencing shoreline erosion.

• Culturally significant sites threatened by shoreline erosion.

Closing February 2, 2026 at 5:00 pm 

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Cultivating Innovation in SC Agribusiness Grant Program 

The Cultivating Innovation in SC Agribusiness Grant Program, made possible by Wells Fargo, is a strategic initiative designed to foster innovation and accelerate growth within small agribusinesses across South Carolina. This program produced by the SC Research Authority (SCRA), SC Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) and other key collaborators, will provide intensive training, mentorship, and significant financial awards to enable agribusinesses to develop and implement innovative solutions.

The program will select competitively chosen small agribusinesses to take part in an

agribusiness innovation cohort. One-time grants are awarded in the amounts of up to $30,000 to selected participants.

Application Deadline: February 2, 2026

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Community Progress Fund - Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation

Community Progress Fund grants help local organizations in North Carolina’s 78 rural counties move an idea, issue, project or organization forward, with the goal of improving their community. 

Grants are meant to help groups build on existing momentum to take their work to the next level.

We believe in the power of home-grown solutions driven and led by community members. The criteria for this grant program are intentionally broad because we want to be responsive to communities’ diverse needs.

Deadline: February 2, 2026

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NSF 25-530: Collaborations in Artificial Intelligence and Geosciences (CAIG)

The Collaborations in Artificial Intelligence and Geosciences (CAIG) program seeks to advance the development and adoption of innovative artificial intelligence (AI) methods to increase scientific understanding of the Earth system. The program supports projects that advance AI techniques and/or innovative uses of sophisticated or novel AI methods to enable significant breakthroughs in addressing geoscience research question(s) by building partnerships between experts in AI and Geosciences. The key characteristic of a CAIG project is its potential to both answer important geoscience questions and improve AI techniques while also bringing together experts from both the AI and geoscience fields.

Awards are expected to fund interdisciplinary teams of 2-3 lead collaborating Senior/Key Personnel and associated students, postdoctoral researchers, research software engineers, and/or similar staff (see Section III, Award Information).

Anticipated Funding Amount: $6,000,000 to $10,000,000

Closing February 4, 2026

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Dogwood Health Trust Grant Opportunity

This grant opportunity supports the overall strength, stability and effectiveness of nonprofit organizations which contribute to the long-term wellbeing of Western North Carolina. It supports organizations that play a meaningful role in the region’s ecosystem through work in housing, education, economic opportunity, and health & wellness, and that are positioned to sustain, adapt and grow their impact over time. The grant’s flexibility enables organizations to maintain core operations, respond to evolving community needs and prepare for the future. For this application cycle, we are supporting organizational operations, infrastructure and stability as nonprofits continue to recover and rebuild in a post-Hurricane Helene environment.

Grants will typically range from $50,000 to $350,000 per year for up to two years. For two-year grants, the total award may range up to a maximum of $700,000 

Deadline: Feb 17, 2026 at 5PM EST

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National Grants - Ben & Jerry's Foundation

The National Grassroots Organizing Program (NGO) offers two-year unrestricted, general operating support grants of up to $30,000 per year, with an average grant size of $20,000 per year, to small (budgets under $350,000), constituent-led grassroots organizations throughout the United States and its territories. The broad goals of this grant program are to further social and environmental justice, with the primary purpose to support local leadership and grassroots organizing activities.

Accepting new applications through February 18, 2026

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Lead Hazard Reduction Capacity Building Grant Program, Department of Housing and Urban Development 

 Grant designed to assist states and Federally recognized Native American Tribes that have an U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-authorized lead abatement certification program; cities, and counties/parishes, or other units of local government which have either not received a direct HUD lead hazard control grant or were a previous grantee that has a demonstrated need to rebuild capacity within their jurisdiction. Total funding is $4.5M, with $1M awards across the Nation.

Closing February 26, 2026 

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FY2025 Disaster Supplemental Grant Program | U.S. Economic Development Administration

The EDA Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Disaster Supplemental Grant Program makes approximately $1.45 billion available to support economic recovery activities in areas that received major disaster declarations because of hurricanes, wildfires, severe storms and flooding, tornadoes, and other natural disasters occurring in calendar years 2023 and 2024.EDA’s Disaster NOFO provides funding through three funding pathways:

• Readiness Path – Capacity building and strategic planning projects that set the stage for future investment.

• Implementation Path – Standalone construction and non-construction projects that help communities recover from natural disasters and advance recovery and growth.

• Industry Transformation Path – Coalition-led, multi-project portfolios that transform regional economies through targeted industry development.

Applications for Readiness and Implementation grants will be accepted on an ongoing (rolling) basis. Applications for Industry Transformation grants are due March 3, 2026 at 5:00 pm Eastern Time.

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AARP Community Challenge

AARP is accepting applications for the 2026 funding cycle that:

• Deliver tangible improvements to communities, such as new crosswalks, benches, bike lanes, housing designs, and public space enhancements.

• Leverage additional support from public, private, and philanthropic sources

• Help communities overcome policy barriers and implement lasting change

• Foster new collaborations and increase community engagement          

Deadline: March 4, 2026  

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Climate Smart Communities Initiative

CSCI awards provide funding and technical assistance to advance community-based climate resilience in communities or regions that are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Grants typically range from $60,000 to $115,000 based on the scope of work proposed in the application. The program prioritizes funding for communities that include historically disinvested populations at increased risk to climate-related impacts. The competition is open to US-based project teams composed of a climate adaptation practitioner and representatives from a local or regional government entity and a community-based organization.

November 13, 2025: An informational applicant webinar will be held at 2:00pm ET. The recording will be posted here when available.

February 5, 2026: Recommended date to assemble all three required applicant partners. Learn more below in Step 1: Assemble Partners.

Grant Application deadline: March 12, 2026

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 Healthy American Forests Initiative Request For Proposals | NFWF

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), through an agreement from the Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is pleased to announce the Healthy American Forests Initiative (HAFI) Request for Proposals (RFP). This funding opportunity will support watershed restoration and vegetation management projects on National Forest System lands to achieve a healthy forest ecosystem. Thriving forests lead to more robust timber production, which plays a vital role in helping local economies, especially in rural areas, generate jobs and revenue. Moreover, recent disasters have shown that effective forest management and wildfire risk reduction efforts can protect lives and safeguard communities across the United States. Applicants should develop proposals that increase forest management activities and reduce wildfire risk to ultimately promote healthy forests, increase timber productivity and protect American prosperity. 

The award sizes will range from $250,000 to $2 million and the maximum project length is 2 years. Projects may not have an end date beyond May 30, 2028. Projects are required to provide non-federal match valued at 20 percent of total project costs (25 percent of the grant request to NFWF).  

Closing: March 17, 2026 

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SECOORA Request for Proposals for a Data System Development, Operations, and Maintenance Service Provider

SECOORA seeks a Data System Development, Operations, and Maintenance (DMAC) service provider to act as a strategic partner while maintaining the current SECOORA Data System. 

Proposal Deadline: 5:00 PM ET, March 31, 2026.

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National Sea Grant Law Center 2024-2027 Program Development Funds

The National Sea Grant Law Center (Law Center) is accepting proposals for small-scale research projects that seek to address timely or pressing legal questions related to ocean, coastal, or Great Lakes law. This funding is intended to support emerging research needs or innovative pilot research projects that may eventually develop into larger, full scale research projects. They are also intended to help a Sea Grant program build legal capacity by generating legal research findings that can be incorporated into extension, education, and communication programming. Requests for Program Development (PD) funds are limited to a maximum request of $10,000 and a one-year project period. 

LOIs for one-year projects will be accepted on a rolling basis through August 1, 2026.

Full proposals for one-year projects will be accepted on a rolling basis through October 1, 2026.

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Applications accepted on a rolling basis: ​​

The Lawrence Foundation

The foundation makes grants to US based qualified charitable organizations. To date we have funded organizations that address the following areas of interest: 

• Environment (US headquartered organizations operating programs in the US or elsewhere in the world),

• Human Services

• Disaster relief (US headquartered organizations responding to disasters in the US or elsewhere in the world on an occasional basis),

• Other (US headquartered organizations operating programs in the US or elsewhere in the world).

Nonprofit organizations that qualify for public charity status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or public schools and libraries are eligible for contributions or grants.Grants typically range between $5,000 - $10,000. Our foundation has two grant cycles: June and December. A completed application must be submitted online, using the Common Grant Application, by midnight (23:59:59) Central Time (CT) on either April 30 or October 31.

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Climate Change and Human Health Seed Grants - Burroughs Wellcome Fund

We are primarily, but not exclusively, interested in activities that build connections between basic and early biomedical scientific approaches and ecological, environmental, geological, geographic, and planetary-scale thinking, as well as with population-focused fields, including epidemiology and public health, demography, economics, and urban planning. Also of interest is work piloting new approaches or interactions aimed at reducing the impact of health-centered activities, such as developing more sustainable systems for healthcare, care delivery, and biomedical research.

Another area of interest is preparation for the impacts of extreme weather and other crises that can lead to large-scale disruptions, immediately affecting human health and the delivery of healthcare. Public outreach, climate communication, and education efforts focused on the intersection of climate and health are also appropriate for this call. This program supports work conceived through many kinds of creative thinking. Successful applicants include academic scientists, physicians, and public health experts, community organizations, science outreach centers, non-biomedical academic departments, and more.

Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis through July 2026. A review will be conducted quarterly.

Deadline dates for the upcoming cycles are:​

• Jan 22, 2026

• April 23, 2026

• July 23, 2026

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Health and Extreme Weather Research Award Program,The Natural Hazards Center 

The Natural Hazards Center is issuing a new call for proposals focused on Health and Extreme Weather. Funds will support awards in the amount of $10,000 to $50,000 each. Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis until funds are expended.

All applicants are encouraged to attend the Proposal Information Q&A Session on November 7, 2025 from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. MST to learn more about this funding opportunity, ask questions, and receive proposal development support

Award Details   

• Available funds will support awards of $10,000 to $50,000 each. 

• The lead investigator must be from an academic institution based in a U.S. state, territory, or tribal nation and have a Ph.D. or its equivalent.  

• The extreme weather event under study must have occurred within 6 months or less of proposal submission. 

• The geographic focus of the research must be in the United States or its territories. 

• The 6-page, single-spaced proposal should follow the Proposal Submission Guidelines. 

Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted.

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Community Disaster Resilience Fund (Spin Global)

The Community Disaster Resilience Fund exists to mobilize private capital towards public benefit projects that significantly reduce exposure to threats and hazards while increasing economic opportunities, especially for underserved and historically marginalized populations. We are working with private and public entities to make generational investments in community resilience measured by their social and economic impacts. The Community Disaster Resilience Fund is directing private equity and pension fund investments toward infrastructure projects with a minimum value of $100 million up to $50 Billion USD. We are currently seeking project applications from entities with an Investment Grade Rating (IGR) of Baa3 or BBB- or above by Moody's. Our initial areas of interest include energy, communications, transportation, and water projects. The Fund seeks projects that will both reduce risk to disasters and enhance economic opportunities in underserved and marginalized communities through private-public partnership.

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Bonnell Cove Foundation 

Grants Relating to Safety At Sea: The Foundation encourages grant applications supporting projects which complement the safe operation of boats, both sail and power. Innovative projects resulting in the development of cost effective personal safety equipment, modified operational and training protocols, and methods to increase crew awareness of the need for continued attention to safety are of particular interest.

Grants Relating to the Environment of the Sea: The Foundation seeks grant applications in support of projects intended to increase our understanding of the factors affecting the marine environment both natural and man-made and the best ways to minimize adverse impacts associated with small boat operations. Such efforts might include technologies facilitating "green boats", efforts to conserve coastal and estuarine land, and educational efforts directed at improved stewardship of our oceans and navigable lakes.

Grants are generally limited to approximately to $10,000 or less. We favor organizations which lack substantial operating budgets.The Foundation's Board meets twice annually - in March and October - to consider grant proposals. Proposal deadlines are February 1 for the March meeting and September 1 for the October meeting. Proposals received after the deadlines will be reviewed during the following funding cycle.

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Duke Energy Foundation Grants

The Duke Energy Foundation is focused on strengthening and uplifting communities with grant funding. The foundation accepts grant applications for $20,000 and less throughout the year on a rolling basis for the following focus areas: Vibrant Economies, Climate Resiliency, Opportunity and Inclusion.

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Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants, USDA (Rolling Applications) 

This program helps eligible communities prepare for, or recover from, an emergency that threatens the availability of safe, reliable drinking water. 

What is an eligible area? 

• Rural areas and towns with populations of 10,000 or less, including Tribal lands and colonias in eligible areas. 

• The area must have a median household income less than the state’s median household income for non-metropolitan areas.

How can funds be used? 

Water source grants can be used to construct a water source, intake or treatment facility. The maximum amount for water source grants is $1 million.

Water distribution systems grants can be used to:

 • Construct waterline extensions 

• Repair breaks or leaks in existing water distribution lines 

• Perform water line maintenance necessary to replenish the water supply 

• Purchase or maintain water storage tanks 

The maximum amount for the distribution systems grant is $150,000.

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Civic Foundation 

The Civic Foundation awards grants to small, local nonprofits committed to North Carolinians with the goal of making a deeper impact on community-based charities that meet specific needs of their neighbors. They focus on areas of health care, housing, human services and hunger. Up to $25,000 may be awarded each quarter.​

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Norman Foundation Grants  

We support 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.  These efforts may:

• promote economic justice and development through community organizing, coalition building and policy reform efforts;

• work to prevent the disposal of toxics in communities, and to link environmental issues with economic and social justice;

• link community-based economic and environmental justice organizing to national and international reform efforts.

The Foundation provides grants for general support, projects, and collaborative efforts. We also welcome innovative proposals designed to build the capacity of social change organizations working in our areas of interest. Priority is given to organizations with annual budgets of under $1 million.

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Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program | NC Commerce 

Local governments in North Carolina located in areas impacted by Hurricane Helene can apply for grants from the new Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program (SmBIZ), a $55 million dollar fund designed to rebuild the damaged infrastructure that small businesses rely on to operate and thrive.

Timeline: there will be a continuously open grant window, with first awards announced June 30, 2025.​​

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Conservation - Richard King Mellon Foundation 

Our application portal is open and accepting grant applications for funding through its Conservation program. All applicants should apply using the General Application.  Applications may be submitted on a rolling basis.

The Foundation’s Conservation program has four investment areas: habitat conservation; stewardship; activation; and sustainable communities. The Foundation uses innovative financial approaches across all four investment areas, including program-related investments (PRIs) and other mechanisms to maximize the impact of its funding.

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Truist Foundation Western NC Recovery and Resiliency Fund - Center for Disaster Philanthropy

CDP will address medium- and long-term needs to help strengthen the region’s housing and small businesses. Our grantmaking will be guided by our assessment of damages, systemic marginalization, community capacity and unmet needs to support the area’s equitable recovery.

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Rapid Response to Extreme Weather Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems  funding by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. 

Applications must be submitted within 45 days of an extreme weather event and disaster. Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a continuous basis.

 

Glenn W. Bailey Foundation: Grant funding for projects that support educational opportunities for STEM learning (including college/university programs) and “innovative environmental projects.” 

Accepts Letters of Intent on a monthly basis. 

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Rural Water Loan Fund (RWLF) 

The Rural Water Loan Fund (RWLF) is a funding program specifically designed to meet the unique needs of small water and wastewater utilities. The RWLF provides low-cost loans for short-term repair costs, small capital projects, or pre-development costs associated with larger projects. The RWLF was established through a grant from the USDA/RUS, and repaid funds used to replenish the fund and make new loans. Disaster recovery or other emergency loans are available. Loan amounts may not exceed $200,000 or 75% of the total project cost, whichever is less.​
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Natural Hazards Center

Quick Response Research Award Program

The Natural Hazards Center's Quick Response Award Program provides training and funds for researchers to quickly collect perishable data following disasters and other extreme events. As an effort to expand academic knowledge, funded researchers will submit abstracts and brief reports to be published on the Natural Hazards website to share with a multidisciplinary network of researchers, practitioners, and educators.

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Pulitzer Center 

Environment Reporting Grants 

The Pulitzer Center is now accepting applications for its initiative focused on climate change and its effects on workers and work. We encourage freelance and staff journalists with ambitious enterprise and strong in-depth reporting ideas to apply for Pulitzer Center support to cover the intersection of labor and climate in their communities. 

Applications accepted on a rolling basis.

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Community Navigator Project | First Nations Development Institute 

First Nations is partnering with the Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (Forest Service) to serve as a Community Navigator. In this role, First Nations supports Tribes and Native-led organizations engaging in federal funding opportunities. As a Community Navigator, First Nations is providing: 

Technical Assistance: First Nations provides technical assistance to support Tribal-led forestry. Through this support, Tribes may access one-on-one guidance and consultation related to capacity support and Forest Service funding opportunities, including but not limited to the Community Wildlife Defense Grant, Wood Innovations, and Good Neighbor Authority programs.  

Capacity Support Grants (up to $50,000) : These grants support capacity building to engage in Forest Service funding opportunities. Tribes can apply for up to $50,000 to support activities such as strategic planning, grant writing, feasibility assessment, conservation planning, and more. 

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Harris and Frances Block Foundation Grants

The Block Foundation supports small grassroots not-for-profit organizations with grants that work to foster just and sustainable communities. We focus our grantmaking in the geographical locations of our Board of Trustees: Vermont, North Carolina, Virginia, and New York City. We make grants that are large and small, not exceeding $35,000.

Topics: 

Environmental Issues (Environmental Education and Environmental Justice)

Food and farm initiatives

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Funding Databases: ​​​

Flood Funding Finder from the American Flood Coalition: An interactive website to simplify the complex federal grants system and to help communities identify and prioritize opportunities to fund flood resilience. ​​

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Georgia Department Of Natural Resources Division: Grant Opportunities 

Stay up to date on current and future grant opportunities available through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

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​Local Infrastructure Hub Funding Pathfinder Tool and Grant Search

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Nature-Based Solutions Funding Database 

National Wildlife Federation’s interactive database for communities interested in pursuing federal funding and/or technical assistance for nature-based solutions. 

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Southeast Regional Partnership for Planning and Sustainability (SERPPAS) Funding Opportunities

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Water Finance Clearinghouse 

The EPA’s Water Finance Clearinghouse has two searchable databases: Funds and Resources. The Funds database contains potential funding sources for water infrastructure. The Resources database contains resources such as reports, case studies, and webinars about financing mechanisms and approaches that can help communities access capital to meet their water infrastructure needs. The Clearinghouse also hosts Water Finance learning modules which provide information on different financing sources and funding topics related to water infrastructure investments.​

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NC Resilience Exchange Funding Database

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Grant Writing Assistance and Funding Resources: 

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Pro Bono Help for Southeast Disaster Recovery Grants, Southern Economic Advancement Project (SEAP)

From SEAP: Disasters disrupt lives, communities, and local budgets. Accessing recovery funds shouldn’t be an added burden. That’s why we’re excited to launch  a new initiative offering pro bono grant writing and strategy advice for public and nonprofit sector entities across the Southeast. Whether you’re facing a tight deadline for a FEMA or HUD application or just starting to plan your recovery strategy, we’re here to help.​

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Western NC Recovery Grants Program | NC DEQ

DEQ established the Western NC Recovery Grants Program to direct federal and state funding into rural communities impacted by the devastation of Hurricane Helene. 

We provide direct, free-of-charge grant writing support to rural towns, counties and regions to increase federal and state funding for projects within Western North Carolina, offering a comprehensive approach to long-term financial planning through grant strategies that leverage state funds.

If you're interested in partnering with us on a grant proposal, please reach out to Ashley Traynum-Carson, Grants Director, at ashley.carson@deq.nc.gov.

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SEAP Language Reframing Guide: This guide offers tips on adjusting proposals under the new rules. If your organization is considering applying for federal dollars to keep serving your community, we encourage you to take a look.

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Climate Philanthropy Catalyst Coalition Resource Library

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Funding and Financing Coastal Resilience (NOAA Office for Coastal Management) 

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Funding for Climate Justice: This site was created to help the climate justice movement in the U.S. better understand federal funding opportunities and relevant movement resources. This website also serves as a hub for information on legal, technical, financial, and other resources to protect climate funding from clawbacks and communities from harm. Among the publicly available resources we have collected and summarized, you will find comprehensive overviews of what funding is at risk, trackers on federal orders and actions as well as trackers for movement litigation initiatives, hubs for locating retracted federal data, and recommendations for how to protect your organization and your funding legally.

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Grant Proposal Development Resources (NOAA Office for Coastal Management )

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Hometown Strong Rural Grants Program 

The Hometown Strong Rural Grants team focuses on getting federal dollars into rural communities and providing the capacity, training, and finance planning support these communities need in order to be successful in federal funding. We provide direct, free-of-charge grantwriting support to rural towns, counties, and regions to increase federal funding for projects within North Carolina, offering a comprehensive approach to long-term financial planning through grant strategies that leverage federal, state, and private funds.​​​​