November 2024 Resources
Each month LOR curates a list of funding opportunities and other resources relevant for small rural communities in the Mountain West and sends it out via email to folks who are interested. To receive this monthly email with resources—we call it the LOR Helps email—drop us a line to connect@lorfoundation.org.
Funding Opportunities
November Deadlines
The People With Disabilities Foundation offers grants ranging from $5,000 to $12,500 to U.S. nonprofits focused on supporting individuals with psychiatric and/or developmental disabilities. Grants support advocacy, education, vocational programs, and other initiatives. Eligible organizations must have been in operation for at least three years.
Deadline: Nov. 6
USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture offers funding to improve access to nutrient-dense foods for food-insecure individuals and families. Grants are available for state, local, and tribal governments and range between $25,000 – $400,000. The goals of the program are to meet the food needs of food-insecure individuals, develop community outreach to assist in participation in Federal nutrition assistance programs, and improve access to nutrient dense food as part of a comprehensive service.
Deadline: Nov. 7
SeedMoney is accepting applications for its annual 30-day crowdfunding challenge, running from November 15 to December 15. Open to public food garden projects worldwide, including youth gardens, community farms, and food bank or shelter gardens, participants keep all funds raised and compete for additional grants ranging from $100 to $1,000. This year, 432 grants totaling $81,000 will be awarded, including Strong Start, Geographic Interest, Strong Finish, and Challenge Grants.
Deadline: Nov. 12
Applications are now open for the Building Upgrades Inspiring Local Transformation (BUILT Nonprofits) initiative, a $2 million funding opportunity in collaboration with TechWerx. BUILT Nonprofits will provide up to $100,000 in funding to nonprofits that own and operate their buildings to support energy-efficient equipment and installation. A 20 percent cost-share is required.
Deadline: Nov. 12
The EPA Brownfield Cleanup Grant offers up to $4 million for the cleanup of brownfield sites owned by the applicant. Brownfield sites are properties where redevelopment or reuse may be hindered by the presence or potential presence of hazardous substances, pollutants, contaminants, petroleum products, or mine-scarred land.
Deadline: Nov. 14
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) Community Action Grants provide up to $10,000 to AAUW branches, state organizations, and community-based nonprofits that promote education and gender equity for women and girls in grades K-12. Funding can be used for general operating support for nonprofits dedicated to these goals or for specific projects that advance education and equity in STEM.
Deadline: Nov. 15
The Department of Housing and Urban Development has allocated $30 million to the Older Adult Home Modification Program to support elderly folks in “aging in place.” Eligible applicants must have a minimum of three years of experience in serving elderly adults and must implement programs that offer safety and functional home modifications for low-income seniors. These modifications should reduce fall risks, enhance home safety and accessibility, and promote independent living.
Deadline: Nov. 19
December Deadlines (and Beyond)
The EPA allotted more than $39 million to its Consumer Recycling Education and Outreach grant program to support projects that create a national consumer wasted-food reduction campaign, expand the market for compost, and increase education around composting. Applications must include all three projects.
Deadline: Dec. 20
The EPA has allocated $58 million to the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) Grants program, designed to enhance recycling and materials management infrastructure in states, territories, tribes, local governments, and communities. The program includes three grant categories: 1) SWIFR Grants for States and Territories; 2) SWIFR Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia; and 3) SWIFR Grants for Political Subdivisions, which are defined as counties, cities, towns, parishes, and similar government units with executive and legislative functions.
Deadline: Dec. 20
The Department of Agriculture’s Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant is offering loans of up to $2 million and grants of up to $300,000 through local utility organizations to provide funding for projects that will create and retain employment in rural areas. Eligible applicants include former Rural Utilities Service borrowers, nonprofit utilities that are eligible to receive assistance from the Rural Development Electric or Telecommunication Programs, and current Rural Development Electric or Telecommunication Programs borrowers.
Deadline: Dec. 31
The National Endowment for the Humanities Media Projects is offering funding between $70,000 and $1 million to support the development, production, and distribution of radio programs, podcasts, documentary films, and documentary series that engage audiences with the humanities. Projects must be rooted in humanities scholarship and demonstrate a thoughtful, balanced, and analytical approach. The program provides two funding levels: development and production.
Deadline: Jan 8
The National Endowment for the Humanities Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions program offers $550,000 grants for smaller institutions that have not previously received NEH funding to maintain historical collections. Eligible applicants include city or township governments, private institutions of higher education, county governments, special district governments, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, state governments, and nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education).
Deadline: Jan. 9
The EPA is allocating $965 million to the Clean School Bus Rebate Program which will replace existing school buses with clean and zero-emission models. The program prioritizes applications that will replace buses serving high-need local education agencies, rural areas, tribal school districts, and public school districts receiving basic support payments for students living on tribal land.
Deadline: Jan. 9
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Division of Preservation and Access is offering $2.5 million for the National Digital Newspaper Program, with individual applications accepted for up to $325,000. Eligible applicants include state governments, private institutions of higher education, county governments, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, nonprofits (excluding institutions of higher education), city or township governments, special district governments, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments.
Deadline: Jan. 10
The National Endowment for the Humanities Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections program is allocating $2 million to preserve humanities collections for future generations through environmentally sustainable strategies. The award ceiling for individual grants is $420,000. Eligible applicants include city or township governments, private institutions of higher education, county governments, special district governments, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, state governments, and nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education).
Deadline: Jan. 10
The Lisa Libraries donate children’s books to nonprofits across the United States in low-income or underserved areas that need a small library, need to rebuild or add to a library, or serve children who would benefit from having new books to take home. The book donations are free; recipient organizations must cover the shipping and handling costs.=
Deadline: Rolling
The American Kennel Club Humane Fund’s Women’s Shelters Grant program provides financial assistance to domestic abuse shelters in the United States that accept pets. Eligible applicants include nonprofits that provide temporary or permanent housing for victims of domestic abuse and their pets or nonprofit organizations that provide housing for victims’ pets and have a working relationship with at least one shelter for victims of domestic abuse.
Deadline: Rolling
The Park Foundation is accepting letters of inquiry for grants of up to $150,000 that support civic engagement, promote good governance, increase community participation, or support public interest media coverage, healthy environments, and animal welfare. Eligible entities include nonprofits or fiscally sponsored organizations.
Deadline: Rolling
The Andrew Family Foundation’s Junior Board Grants accepts proposals from nonprofits to support the lives of youth via projects fostering individual growth and enhancing communities through education, humanitarian efforts, and the arts. Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations with five or more years of operating experience and budgets of less than $5 million.
Deadline: Rolling
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program provides affordable funding via low-interest loans and grants to build essential community facilities in rural areas with populations of 20,000 people or fewer. Eligible applicants include public bodies, community-based nonprofit corporations, and federally-recognized tribes in rural areas.
Deadline: Rolling
State Specific Funding Opportunities
Colorado: The Colorado AgWater Alliance is accepting proposals from farmers and ranchers for its Drought Resiliency Projects program to support innovation that improves agriculture’s resilience to drought. The long-term goal is to identify practices that keep farms and ranches profitable during drought and scale those projects.
Deadline: Dec. 13
Colorado: The Buell Foundation is offering funding for programs that support the education and development of children up to age five, with an emphasis on programs in rural Colorado as well as support for proven, medically accurate teen pregnancy prevention programs. Nonprofits and government entities are eligible to apply. Applicants are encouraged to call the Foundation’s program officer for their region before applying.
Deadline: Jan. 15, May 1, and Sept. 2
Colorado: The Colorado Department of Education’s Nonprofits Out-of-School Time Grant seeks to fund entities that provide out-of-school programs that are affordable and comprehensive for students who are enrolled in a public school. Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations that have at least five years of experience providing affordable and comprehensive academic enrichment and related services to students in the state.
Deadline: Rolling
New Mexico: The Healthy Food Financing Fund has allocated $250,000 for food and agricultural enterprises to grow, raise, process, aggregate, and sell local, fresh, healthy food in rural and underserved communities. Eligible applicants include political subdivisions of the state, tribal nations, for-profit business enterprises, cooperatively owned businesses, nonprofits, and small farmers/ranchers with gross cash farm income under $250,000.
Deadline: Nov. 13
Montana: The Montana Department of Agriculture’s Growth Through Agriculture Business Acceleration and Marketing Program is offering grants up to $20,000 to support agricultural businesses that are expanding into new markets. Eligible applicants include individuals, businesses and industry organizations, start-up businesses that have been in operation for at least 6 months, public and private agencies and organizations, educational institutions, and local governments.
Deadline: Rolling
Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, and Montana (specific communities, including Lander, WY):
The First Interstate BancSystem Foundation is offering grants focused on alleviating poverty to organizations focused on assisting low- and moderate-income individuals. The minimum grant amount is $2,500. The Foundation is also offering donations to be used to help communities by investing in important initiatives, activities, and projects. Organizations applying for donations do not have to be nonprofits.
Deadline: Rolling
Resources
The 2025 Western Governors’ Association Chair’s initiative of New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, Building Resilient and Affordable New Developments in the West (BRAND West), will focus on expanding access to housing in western states. The initiative will examine strategies to address housing availability and affordability and promote smart and sustainable development in communities throughout the West. WGA is requesting insights from community members across the region regarding strategies to address housing issues. This survey is intended to assist WGA in executing the initiative by identifying the current state of the housing market in the West, priority issues for gubernatorial leadership, best practices for planning and developing housing, federal policy issues for potential WGA advocacy, and individuals or organizations interested in participating in the initiative.
National Rural Health Day Photo Contest: This initiative provides a platform for community engagement through a photo contest to showcase and celebrate rural Montana. The contest encourages participants to capture and share what rural life means to them, highlighting favorite pastimes or the beauty of their communities. Everyone who submits a photo has a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card, with additional prizes of $75 for 1st place, $50 for 2nd place, and $25 for 3rd place.
FindTreatment.gov/es is a confidential and anonymous resource designed to help Spanish-speaking individuals in the United States find treatment for mental health and substance use issues.
CDC’s Rural Public Health Strategic Plan represents the agency’s inaugural blueprint to improve the health of rural communities by advancing rural public health science and practices through a coordinated, transparent, and strategic approach.
Prospect Like a Pro Virtual Training Advanced Tips for Fundraisers: is designed to help fundraisers enhance their prospecting strategies. It will provide advanced tactics using the Foundation Directory Professional tool, covering best practices for starting searches and expanding prospecting techniques. The training will be conducted by product experts, and participants will have the opportunity to ask questions in real time.
Date: Nov. 28, 2024
Groundworks New Mexico Resource Library from Groundwork aims to unite New Mexico’s social sector through collaboration, strategic partnerships, and capacity-building services.
USDA Disaster Guide for Rural Communities: this tool helps rural communities locate resources to support disaster resiliency and recovery.
Building a Resilient Food System: This fact-sheet provides a snapshot of more than 50 grant, loan, and technical assistance programs available to producers, rural development professionals, food businesses, grocers, schools, institutional purchasers, elected officials, anti-hunger organizations, and engaged citizens who are working together to build a more resilient food system.
Workforce Leadership Academies: These academies bring together leaders from diverse fields together to build collaboration through more stable and consistent investments in leaders’ knowledge, skills, and relationships.
Rural Child Care Joint Resource Guide: The U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural Development and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Administration of Children and Families partnered to create a joint resource guide to strengthen and expand childcare facilities in rural communities.
System for Award Management (SAM): A SAM registration is required to bid on and receive paid federal contracts and funds. These include for-profit businesses, non-profits, government contractors, government subcontractors, state governments, and local municipalities. The SAM registration is valid for one year from the date the registration is complete and must be renewed before 60 days of expiration to avoid potential penalties.
Montana only
The Montana Breast & Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program offers free mammograms, Pap tests, and follow-up diagnostics to uninsured or underinsured women. If diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer through the program, Montana Medicaid covers treatment. Available statewide through public health departments, community health centers, and medical providers, the program has been providing free cancer screenings since the late 1990s. Providers can enroll through the program’s website, with billing reimbursed biweekly. For assistance, contact Mark Wamsley at mwamsley@mt.gov or call 1-888-803-9343.