Artwork by Sarah Bellinger
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Search here for local, regional, and national funding opportunities. If you notice any funding agencies or opportunities that are missing, please submit your information to [email protected] and we would be glad to add it to our page. Please note that listings without deadlines indicate applications that are accepted on a rolling basis. For more information on any of these opportunities, please contact the foundation or funding agency directly. Additional resources:
Funding Opportunities for Organizations:
The mission of the Adolf Busch Award is to recognize and honor organizations that use music to address social injustice, inequity and lack of opportunity.
The Award grants $10,000 to one organization each year. Smaller awards are often given to additional compelling applicants.
Deadline: October 1st, annually
The Carnahan-Jackson Foundation is a trust that was created and operates for religious, charitable, scientific, testing for public safety, literary, or educational purposes, or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals.
- Grant Range: $1,000- $150,000
- Funding Focus: Libraries, Basic Human Needs, Educational Institutions
- Geographic Focus: Western New York
- Eligibility: 501 (c)(3) organizations and religious organizations
- Deadlines: April 1st and October 1st, annually
Supports programming and capital improvement projects that seek to address a community need or deliver broad community benefit.
- Range: $4,000- $20,000
- Geographic Focus: Organizations located in or serving Southern Chautauqua County
Annual Deadlines: March 2nd & August 3rd
The Chautauqua Region Community Foundation annually awards over $1M through its competitive grant processes to charitable organizations working to make a difference across the region. General grants are offered bi-monthly and are intended to assist with emerging needs or one-time costs. Requests can be made up to $4,000. Organizations can only submit two requests per year.
- Range: $1,000- $4,000
- Geographic Focus: Organizations located in or serving Southern Chautauqua County
Deadlines: Bi-monthly; last Wednesday of even months (February 25th, April 29th, June 24th, August 26th, October 28th, December 30th)
Supports emerging needs and one-time costs, organizations serving Falconer, Kennedy, Ellington and Randolph NY communities. Open to faith-based organizations.
Range: $1,000- $4,000
Deadline: April 1, annually
The Chautauqua Region Community Foundation hosts two cycles per year, intending to fund larger initiatives with wide-reaching and longer term community impact. The process occurs in two stages for each cycle, beginning with submission of a Letter of Intent (LOI) and followed by an invitation to submit a full application. Priority given to requests that indicate support from multiple funding sources, demonstrate plans for sustainability, indicate collaborative partnerships and employ evidence-based approaches with measurable outcomes (where applicable).
- Range: Over $20,000
- Geographic Focus: Organizations located in or serving Southern Chautauqua County
- Deadlines: Pre-Applications due December 1, 2026; full applications by invitation due January 5, 2027
Daniel C. Fisher, MD, and Beatrice M. Fisher were longtime residents of Clarence Center, NY. The two were married the summer of 1925 and had one son, George Byron, the following year.
The Fishers both had a history of contributing time and resources to the social, professional, and civic non-profits of Western New York with a particular focus on their town of residence. By establishing this fund in their names at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, they ensured they’ll continue their life-long commitment to the betterment of the Town of Clarence in perpetuity.
Deadline: September 21, 2026
In 2021, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation established endowment funds at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo to support arts and culture in the eight counties of Western New York, plus Monroe County, in recognition of the key role arts and culture organizations play in a thriving economy.
Since the inception of the Arts & Culture Initiative (ACI), the Community Foundation has prioritized community feedback in the creation of this annual funding opportunity. Click here to learn more about the history of this grant process.
One grant opportunity is available in 2026: General Operating Micro Grants of up to $2,500 for arts & culture organizations with less than one full-time staff member to execute immediate programming.
The Capacity-Building & General Operating grant process will open next in 2028.
Timeline:
- June 2026: Information Sessions
- August 3, 2026: Process opens
- September 11, 2026 at 4 p.m.: Process closes
- Early November 2026: Decision notification
The DownRoot Fund exists to promote community ownership and community control. For too long, traditional economic systems have extracted resources, displaced communities, and concentrated wealth away from the people most impacted.
DownRoot takes a different approach.
By supporting community-driven initiatives, the fund helps lay down lasting roots in Buffalo and across Western New York. DownRoot invests in projects that build an economy where people have real control over their workplaces, neighborhoods, and economic futures.
Through strategic grants, the fund strengthens organizations and initiatives that advance shared wealth, democratic ownership, and community leadership.
Funding Opportunities
- Preserve Grant
- The Preserve Grant helps sustain existing businesses and nonprofits that serve and are led by individuals from historically disinvested communities.
- Grants up to $10,000
- Build Grant
- The Build Grant supports new collaborative projects that expand shared ownership and democratic control within the local economy.
- Grants of up to $25,000
- Startup Grant
- The Startup Grant supports the start-up of new businesses led by individuals from disinvested communities (i.e. Black, POC, LGBTQ+, and other marginalized groups), to help these businesses take root and positively impact their communities.
- Grants of up to $10,000
2026 Deadlines:
- May 31, 2026
- September 30, 2026
The Regional Development Corporation (RDC), is the lending arm of the Erie County Industrial Development Agency (ECIDA). The RDC Loan Program enhances the competitiveness of local businesses, promotes local ownership of firms employing local residents, and assists with the formation of new companies, including the technology sector and businesses in designated economic development zones.
The RDC Business Loan program supports underserved markets, including borrowers with little to no credit history, low income borrowers, and minority and women entrepreneurs in distressed rural and urban areas, who may not qualify for more conventional loans. M/WBE businesses may qualify for special loan terms.
The RDC offers business loans from $50,000 to $2,000,000 to businesses operating in Erie County, NY.
RDC Loans may be used for:
- permanent working capital
- machinery and equipment purchases
- property acquisition
- pollution control improvements
- loans to effect changes is local ownership when the employment base of the company would otherwise be in jeopardy
Deadline: Rolling
Empire State Development announced the launch of the NY Entertainment Workforce Diversity Grant Program, which will provide over $1 million annually in matching funds to support diversity and inclusivity in job creation and training programs in New York’s film and television industries. The grant program is funded through the Empire State Entertainment Diversity Job Training Development Fund which, at the suggestion of industry leaders, is financed by an allocated percentage from New York State’s film tax credit program. Grants from $25,000 to $500,000 will be available for job creation and training programs that support efforts to: recruit, hire, promote, retain, develop, and train a diverse and inclusive workforce for New York’s motion picture and television production and post-production industries.
Deadline: Rolling
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Fifty Fabulous Women Giving Circle (FFWGC) Buffalo Chapter is a community of philanthropic women who combine their financial strength to improve the lives of women and children in Western New York. As an all-volunteer organization with no overhead, 100% of member contributions go directly to programs that align with our mission. FFWGC Buffalo Chapter members meet four times per year to pool resources, hear presentations from finalist organizations, and select the organization that will receive grant funding.
ELIBILITY
In order to be eligible for a grant from FFWGC Buffalo Chapter, your organization must:
- Be a registered 501(c)3
- Have an annual operating budget below $1 million
- Be based in and providing services within the 8 counties of Western New York
- Promote the well being of women and children in Western New York
- Please note that we prefer to support grassroots organizations!
Deadlines:
- Quarter 1: February 27, 2026
- Quarter 2: May 1, 2026
- Quarter 3: September 4, 2026
- Quarter 4: October 30, 2026
Explore a variety of funding opportunities that can support your projects or ideas. We offer several grants and scholarships to promote access to professional development, outreach to the public, and to support research and publications.
Deadlines: Rolling, Grant Specific Deadlines
Good Neighbor Fund is dedicated to leveling the playing field for entrepreneurship by providing $1,000 micro-grants to under-resourced and underrepresented founders, primarily at the ideation stage. Inspired by Buffalo’s nickname “The City of Good Neighbors,” we offer not just financial support, but belief capital and mentorship to empower new and diverse founders.
Deadline: Rolling
The Hultquist Foundation is a private foundation with an emphasis on charitable and educational organizations in Chautauqua County.
- Grant Range: $5,000- $300,000 (Average award of $45,000)
- Funding Focus: Charitable and educational organizations
- Geographic Focus: Southern Chautauqua County
- Eligibility: 501(c)(3) organizations
Deadlines: No earlier than March 10th, May 10th, & September 10th annually
The 21st Century Museum Professional (21MP) grant program supports projects that build career pathways, strengthen professional networks, and identify and share effective workforce education and training practices in the museum field.
The goals of the program are to:
- Support the professional development of the current museum workforce; and
- Recruit and train future museum professionals.
IMLS recognizes the important role of strong local and regional networks in providing peer-to-peer learning, training, and mentoring opportunities for the museum workforce. Partnerships among museums, museum-serving organizations, and institutions of higher education are vital to expanding alternative career pathways for people in the museum workforce throughout a city, county, state, region, or the nation.
Deadline: November 13, 2026
The Museum Grants for African American History and Culture (AAHC) program builds the capacity of African American museums and supports the growth and development of museum professionals at African American museums. The program supports projects that nurture museum professionals, build institutional capacity, and increase access to museum and archival collections at African American museums and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
The goals of this program are to:
- Build the capacity of African American museums and HBCUs to serve their communities; and
- Support the growth and development of a professional workforce at African American museums and HBCUs.
The primary audiences for this program are African American museums, museum service organizations that directly support African American museums, and HBCUs. Secondary audiences include museum visitors and future museum professionals.
Deadline: November 13, 2026
The Museum Grants for American Latino History and Culture (ALHC) program supports projects that build the capacity of American Latino history and culture museums to serve their communities and advance the growth and development of a professional workforce in American Latino cultural institutions.
The goals of this program are to:
- Build the capacity of American Latino museums to serve their communities; and
- Support the growth and development of a professional workforce in American Latino museums.
The primary audiences for this program are American Latino museums and cultural institutions, museum service organizations, and institutions of higher education. Secondary audiences include museum visitors and future museum professionals.
Deadline: November 13, 2026
Museums Empowered: Professional Development Opportunities for Museum Staff is a special initiative of the Museums for America grant program, designed to support projects that use learning and training to generate change and growth within museums of all types and sizes.
Museums Empowered supports projects that strengthen museum staff through professional development in three key areas:
- digital technology
- evaluation
- organizational management
The program aims to build staff skills in creatively and effectively using digital tools, communication platforms, and new and emerging technologies that expand access to collections; improve staff ability to apply evaluation methods, use data effectively, and tailor evaluation approaches to specific audiences or needs; and enhance organizational resilience by offering learning opportunities that address emerging institutional priorities and support staff identified growth needs.
Strengthening museum staff includes building the capacity of individual museums to grow their own professional development programs using apprenticeships and other alternative pathways to upskill early-career professionals and provide opportunities for non-traditional applicants to enter the museum workforce.
The primary audiences for this program are museums and museum professionals.
Deadline: November 13, 2026
The National Leadership Grants for Museums program (NLG-M) invests in projects that address critical needs of the museum field. NLG-M projects have the potential to advance practice in the profession to strengthen museum services for the public through the development and replication of model practices, tools, research findings, and collaborations, including through the creative and effective use of new and emerging technologies.
The goals of the program are to advance the museum field’s ability to;
- Advance museum-based learning and engagement practices in the museum field;
- Advance the museum field’s ability to respond to community needs; and
- Identify new solutions that address high priority and widespread collections care or conservation issues.
The primary audiences for this program are museums, museum service organizations and affiliated nonprofits, and museum professionals. Secondary audiences include museum visitors and future museum professionals.
Deadline: November 13, 2026
The Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services program (NANH) supports Native American Tribes, Alaska Native Villages, and organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians in sustaining heritage, culture, and knowledge. The program supports projects such as educational services and programs, workforce professional development, organizational capacity building, community engagement, and collections stewardship.
The primary audiences for this program are Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions providing museum services, and the professionals engaged with such institutions per the eligibility restrictions below.
Eligibility is restricted to organizations that are:
- a Federally Recognized Indian Tribe, or
- a Nonprofit Organization that Primarily Serves and Represents Native Hawaiians.
Deadline: November 13, 2026
Community Sponsorships support an organization’s fundraising efforts through events or general support.
- Community Sponsorships are funded by KeyBank, not the KeyBank Foundation
- They typically fund events or general operating support, especially to help nonprofits with their fundraising efforts.
- The typical range is $500 to $5,000, though exact amounts may depend on the organization and event.
- Applications are accepted January through October. KeyBank does not accept them in November or December, and it’s recommended to submit at least two months before decision is needed.
Deadlines: Rolling annually January-October
Community Grants support organizations for which contributions are tax deductible and that invest in programs that align with our funding priorities and foster positive change in the communities we serve.
- These are grants from the KeyBank Foundation, designed to support programmatic work that aligns with key funding priorities: Neighbors, Education, and Workforce.
- Neighbors often involve safe, inclusive communities, affordable housing, economic development, and small business growth.
- Education supports preparing students for career success.
- Workforce targets skills, certification completion, and employment outcomes.
- Grant amounts typically range from $10,000 to $25,000, with an average of $15,000.
- Eligibility requirements:
- Organizations must have an annual operating budget of at least $100,000.
- Must serve communities within states where KeyBank operates (e.g., New York, Ohio, etc.).
- Application process:
- Community Grants are by invitation only. Interested organizations should start by submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI) through their grant portal.
- The Foundation will review the EOI and may follow up within about 90 days.
Deadline: Rolling
The Lake Shore Bank Community Reinvestment Fund has been established to provide funding for nonprofit community organizations within the Bank’s service area, with a focus on programs/projects that directly benefit low-to-moderate income individuals or geographies in Chautauqua County and Erie County, NY.
The largest contribution made will be $2,500 with most contributions in smaller amounts. Further consideration will be given to factors such as availability of funds, donations to date in a particular category or region, and the impact to the community. Contributions are a one-time grant with no commitment for ongoing projects.
Organizations may apply for no more than one contribution each calendar year (June or December). Special projects that are sponsored by educational or religious institutions will be considered only if they benefit the community as a whole.
Careful consideration will be given to the commitment and composition of the requesting organization’s board, officers, and project leaders. The organization must be able to show that they have the fiscal responsibility, management qualifications and the ability to complete, deliver or provide the services or programs for which the contribution is requested.
Annual Deadlines: June 1st and December 1st
The Lenna Foundation is a private foundation that makes grants to charitable organizations, educational institutions, and foundations benefiting Southwestern New York.
Grant Range of $500 to $100,000 with a funding focus on programming and capital projects. Areas of interest include the arts, education, healthcare, youth, economic development, and the environment. Geographic Focus is primarily the greater Jamestown, NY area.
Annual Deadlines:
- March 15 LOI Deadline /// April 15 Application Deadline
- June 15 LOI Deadline /// July 15 Application Deadling
For more than 165 years, M&T has strived to take an active role in our communities and build long-lasting relationships with our customers. We are a bank for communities—combining the capabilities of a large bank with the care of a locally focused institution.
The M&T Charitable Foundation strives to strengthen communities by providing support for a diverse range of civic, cultural, health and human service organizations through grants.
To be considered for a grant from M&T Charitable Foundation, organizations must meet the following minimum eligibility requirements:
- Organization must be operating as a recognized 501(c)3 public charity
- Must operate or serve individuals within the cities/towns where M&T Bank conducts business
Deadline: Rolling (Grant Portal closes annually on October 31st and reopens December 15th)
Building upon the legacy of Mother Cabrini and the Catholic tradition of healing for the sick and caring for the poor, our Foundation supports programs that meet the unmet healthcare and healthcare related needs of individuals, families, and communities throughout New York State.
Grant Programs
- Access to Healthcare
- Basic Needs
- Healthcare Workforce
- Mental and Behavioral Health
- General Fund & Eight Populations
- The Nursing Initiative
Deadlines: Rolling
Microsoft Tech for Social Impact is dedicated to providing affordable and accessible technology and tools to help nonprofits of all sizes achieve their missions. That’s why we offer grants and discounts of our products and services to eligible nonprofits around the world, including cloud solutions like Azure, Dynamics 365, and Microsoft 365, as well as solutions custom-built for nonprofits like Fundraising and Engagement for Dynamics 365 Sales.
Microsoft 365 with Microsoft Teams can help your nonprofit improve cybersecurity, reduce costs and empower staff and volunteers to work from anywhere.
Deadline: Rolling
National Fuel strives to fund innovative programs, initiatives, and, on rare occasions, special events that fall within the pillars of National Fuel’s community giving policies and promise to advance strong, vibrant, and stable communities. These pillars, or focus areas, include, community enrichment and safety, education, environmental stewardship and veteran services.
If your organization would like to apply for a Foundation Grant, National Fuel requests that you first contact one of their Foundation representatives to further discuss your potential grant opportunity prior to submitting an application.
Deadline: Rolling Quarterly
Each year, NYSAR3’s Community Reuse Grants, in partnership with the Center for Sustainable Materials Management (CSMM), are offered to support community-based groups, municipalities, businesses, and non-profit organizations in New York State implement reuse initiatives in their communities.
This year, a total of $15,000 will be awarded. Each awardee will receive up to $5,000 to fund their project, with an award minimum of $1,000.
Deadline: September 14, 2026
The Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation was established in 1986 for the betterment of all community residents. To us, northern Chautauqua is more than a geographic region – it’s the place we call home. Because of that, we have worked hard to build a strong understanding of how it can be improved. Over the years, the NCCF has helped to create and fund many projects that enhance the lives of those who live here. Our interest areas span from arts and culture to the environment, to health and human services, to neighborhood revitalization, and beyond.
We seek to make strategic investments in the community and look to partner with nonprofit organizations to help create enduring solutions to often complex problems and to capitalize on promising opportunities. Effecting change requires both passion and measured thought, and we work hard to find proposals that encompass both.
We are keenly interested in what inspires you and look forward to hearing your ideas for transforming our vision of a healthy and prosperous community into reality.
Annual Deadlines: March 1st & September 1st
For organizations, the Media Arts Assistance Fund (MAAF) provides funds to support technical strategies for online development as well as to hire outside consultants to support organizational and professional development. Eligible organizations are current NYSCA grantees. Priority will be given to organizations that have missions specific to the media arts and dedicate the majority of their programming to technology as an art form. Applications from multi-disciplinary organizations that incorporate art and technology will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
NYSCA supported organizations may apply for support in two categories:
- Technical Strategies for Online Development
- Outside Consultants for Organizational Development
A maximum request for each application is $2,500. Organizations may submit one request per application deadline. Each application must be for a separate and distinct request.
2026 Application Due Dates:
- Spring: May 1, 2026 (Project Period: June – December 31, 2026)
- Fall: October 1, 2026 (Project Period: November 2026 – June 30, 2027)
The Oishei Foundation provides support to nonprofits that align with their five focus areas: Strengthen the P-20 education continuum, Enhance options for self-sufficiency, Build livable, stable neighborhoods; Promote health and improve systems of care; and Expand the role of arts, culture and heritage in regional development. They encourage all applicants to discuss applications with their program officers before submitting a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) and throughout the application process.
Support is primarily focused on activities in Erie and Niagara counties (NY), however, we will consider requests from other WNY counties including Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming.
Deadline: Rolling
TPP support early stage grassroots volunteers, many of whom may have just a glimmer of an idea. Often, these ideas are seen as too small or too risky to attract other support.
The Daily Grant program makes $1000 micro grants 365 days a year. These grants are designed to kick start an organization or individual’s work and give them the lift they need to thrive and grow. accept applications from individuals, groups and startup not-for-profit organizations based anywhere in the world. To be considered, all applications must meet the following criteria:
- Your group/organization’s annual budget must be $50,000 or less.
- The total budget for your project must be less than $10,000. You can request up to $1,000 in seed funding from TPP.
- Individual, group and/or organization (including co-leaders and project team members) must not have received previous funding from TPP.
- Your group/organization must not have paid staff.
The Resilience & Recovery Fund (RRF) Grant exists to support projects designed by volunteers in the immediate aftermath of emergencies such as natural disaster, civil unrest, pandemic, or other unforeseen events. The RRF Grant provides expeditious, one-time funding of up to $1,000 to projects responding to an emergency.
Deadline: Rolling
The Robert Lehman Foundation operates exclusively in the field of the visual arts. Grants are made to leaders in the field of the visual arts as well as innovative newcomers – museums, arts organizations, educational institutions and other cultural organizations – with the goal of enhancing the role of the visual arts within American and world culture. The Foundation supports museum exhibitions, art education programs, scholarly publications and art history lectureships that complement the strengths of the Robert Lehman Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and advance the goal of identifying the Foundation with serious scholarly and creative endeavors. The art education programs we support share the goal of providing art education to underserved communities that have insufficient access to any type of arts learning. The Foundation believes that access to the arts improves the lives of individuals and communities.
Support Areas:
- Exhibitions
- Art Education
- Art Lectureships
- Capital Projects
Annual Deadlines: April 1st & September 15th
Have an idea for a project? Thinking about that video you’ve been meaning to shoot? Considering a new perspective on a familiar idea? Squeaky Wheel is offering Equipment Access Grants to those looking to create specific projects that require the tools and time sometimes difficult or unavailable in daily life. Recipients will receive up to $1,000 worth of equipment usage and facilities time. Amount: $1,000 in-kind equipment rentals.
Deadline: Rolling
Founded in 2020, the Stenclik Family Charitable Fund promotes the advancement of Buffalo Niagara through philanthropic commitments to the area’s most promising educational, cultural, scientific, and community initiatives. The Fund seeks to strengthen the region’s existing assets while clearing new paths for innovation that promote prosperity and vitality in our neighborhoods. They want to support projects that improve the lives of people now and make a lasting difference.
The Stenclik Family Charitable Fund supports the following three priority areas:
- Culture & Science
- Educational Opportunities
- Thriving Communities
Deadline: Rolling
Through the Travel, Tourism & Outdoor Recreation program, EDA is focused on accelerating the recovery of communities that rely on the travel, tourism and outdoor recreation sectors. $750 million of EDA’s American Rescue Plan funds are allocated to support the following efforts:
- State Tourism Grants: $510 million in non-competitive awards to help states quickly invest in marketing, infrastructure, workforce and other projects to rejuvenate safe leisure, business and international travel.
- Competitive Grants: $240 million to help communities that have been hardest hit by challenges facing the travel, tourism and outdoor recreation sectors to invest in infrastructure, workforce or other projects to support the recovery of the industry and economic resilience of the community in the future.
Deadline: Rolling
We’re dedicated to enhancing the health and wellbeing of our communities, creating better places to live, work, play, and raise families in Western New York. We focus on supporting initiatives that address health disparities, social determinants of health, and discrimination impacting our members and their neighborhoods. Through our partnerships, we strive to make a lasting difference for our members.
It is Univera’s mission to support impactful community programs, opportunities to seek and apply for funding, and continue to make a real difference. Brief overview of funding opportunities, guidelines, and timelines are below;
- Sponsorships
- Application submissions are available January – November
- These awards support programs and events that share our mission of promoting access to high-quality, affordable health care, such as a fundraiser, health fair, health seminar, or other health-related event.
- Health and Wellness Awards
- Application submissions are available March – November
- These awards support programs and initiatives that improve health and health outcomes associated with Social Determinants of Health. Proposals focusing on improving health conditions and factors linked to adverse health outcomes will be given preference.
- Health Equity Innovation Awards
- Application submissions available August – September
- These awards focus on innovative initiatives or projects that address health disparities and improving health outcomes.
- Member and Community Health Improvement (MACHI) Grants
- Applications available based on regional availability
- This grant program aims to improve the health of our members and communities. We are committed to positively impacting all members of our communities, especially the marginalized or minoritized, by enhancing their health and quality of life. Our current goals are focused on improving behavioral health, maternal health, and chronic condition management for members. Programs and initiatives focused on these areas are our current priority. We are interested in multi-year initiatives involving multiple community organizations with specific objectives and measurable outcomes.
- Employee Volunteerism
- Employee volunteerism aligns with our company’s vision and values of improving the health of our community. We provide employees with volunteer time off hours to cultivate community connections through volunteer service, engage with the community via board membership and help nurture meaningful community relationships. Community Based Organization’s that are seeking new applicants for their board of directors can contact a Community Investments and Partnerships lead for more information.
Deadlines: Rolling (details above)
Who can apply?
Owners of for-profit small businesses based in the United States, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands who are 18 or older may apply. Owners of multiple businesses may apply for one business only. See national grant FAQs for more information.
How do I apply?
Register and complete any combination of two eligible courses or events anytime in 2026 to unlock the grant application. Apply once to remain eligible for $10,000 grants awarded throughout the year.
When will I hear back?
Applications will be reviewed monthly from June through December 2026. Each month, 10 small businesses will be selected for grants. If you are not selected in a given month, your application will remain under consideration for the remainder of 2026. All applicants will receive a final decision by January 12, 2027.
Deadline: Rolling (Applications will be reviewed monthly from June through December 2026)
Walmart believes that strengthening local communities creates value for business as well as society. Each year, Walmart U.S. stores, Sam’s Clubs and Distribution Centers award local cash grants ranging from $250 to $5000. These local grants are designed to address the unique needs of the communities where we operate.
Deadline: Rolling
Last updated: September 2, 2026
Funding Opportunities for Individuals:
A $35,000 unrestricted grant can cover more than six months of living expenses so Fellows can focus full-time on their careers.
Fellowship Benefits;
- Weekly conversations with leading showrunners, writers, producers and creative executives help Fellows get bespoke advice and build new connections.
- Ongoing writing workshops and check-ins with the Inevitable team allow Fellows to sharpen their writing and pitching skills.
- Our personalized Concierge service links Fellows with Showrunners and Creative Executives for development and staffing opportunities.
- Connecting with other disabled screenwriters both inside and outside of the Fellowship program will build a supportive community that will stay with Fellows as they grow.
Deadline: Rolling
The Adobe Creative Residency Community Fund provides support to creators during times of extraordinary hardship. Current Fund efforts are focused on supporting creators who have been directly impacted by the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. If selected, you will receive $10,000 from the Adobe Creative Residency Community Fund.
Deadline: Rolling
Unrestricted grant to one visual artist three times each year. Must be aged 18 or older, an emerging or established artist, and can work in a wide range of media. Application fee of $30.
Deadlines: March 15, July 15, November 15, annually
The Authors League Fund is an emergency fund providing non-taxable charitable support in times of urgent need, when a writer cannot afford to pay for necessities. Common circumstances include:
- Illness, or supporting a dependent family member in ill health.
- Overwhelming medical or dental bills.
- Imminent eviction and other forms of housing insecurity.
- Struggling after a natural disaster.
- Major income loss, including due to COVID-19.
They help writers at all stage of life, though priority is given to sick and/or older writers, and to mid- and late-career writers. There are limited funds for younger and/or emerging writers whose emergency is solely related to insufficient income.
The Authors League Fund helps authors, dramatists, journalists, critics, short story writers, and poets. They do accept applications from indie authors with a record of financial or critical success.
The Fund cannot assist writers whose sole credits are self-published or released by a press that charges for publication. The Fund does not help TV/film writers or lyricists and cannot help writers whose sole credits are from copywriting, blogging, public relations, technical writing, and writing for corporate clients.
Support cannot be used for professional expenses, e.g., time to write, computer purchase, book publicity, hiring an editor, airline tickets to a residency, book tour costs, theater production costs, starting a business.
Deadline: Rolling
Launched in April 2017, Awesome Disability is an independent chapter of the Awesome Foundation, a global community that provides micro-grants with no strings attached. The trustees of Awesome Disability are people with disabilities that want to support ideas and projects in our community. Awards are based on need – valuing up to $1,000 per month. There’s no limit to the number of grants and other sources you can apply to. Amount $1,000.
Deadline: Submissions accepted between the 1st and the 10th of every month
The Awesome Foundation is an ever-growing worldwide community devoted to forwarding the interest of awesome in the universe. Created in the long hot summer days of 2009 in Boston, the Foundation distributes $1,000 grants, no strings attached, to projects and their creators. At each fully autonomous chapter, the money is pooled together from the coffers of ten or so self-organizing “micro-trustees” and given up front in cash, check, or gold doubloons.
Deadline: Rolling
The Basic Needs Grant
For entertainment technology professionals who are seriously ill or injured and are seeking assistance with basic living expenses (such as rent or mortgage, property taxes, utilities, insurance and transportation) or for medical expenses (including health insurance, doctor and hospital bills, medication, physical therapy, home health care, and medical equipment.This grant is also appropriate if the eligible person has an immediate, dependent family member who is seriously ill or injured.
The Counseling Grant
For entertainment technology professionals who would like to initiate or support ongoing counseling or participate in an in-patient or out-patient chemical dependency recovery program. Grants are issued directly to the recipient’s self-selected provider, which must be a licensed social worker, psychotherapist, psychiatrist, mental health facility, emergency medical facility, or chemical dependency recovery facility.
The Natural Disaster Relief Grant
For entertainment technology professionals who have been severely impacted by a natural disaster. Grants are $250 and are issued in the form of an electronic American Express Gift Card emailed directly to you. These are intended to be used for immediate needs such as food, clothing, medication, or toiletries.
The Funeral Assistance Grant
For immediate family members of an entertainment technology professional who has passed away and assistance with funeral costs is needed.
Deadline: Rolling
The Bennett Prize is awarded biennially to women figurative realist painters with a first place prize of $75,000 over two consecutive years ($37,5000 annually). Ten (10) finalists will be selected to participate in a traveling exhibition organized by the Muskegon Museum of Art (MMA) and the winner will be showcased in a solo exhibition at the close of her grant. A runner up award of $10,000 will be given to one additional finalist.
Deadline: September 19, 2026
Each year, the Generator Fund awards $60,000 in grants to visual artists in Erie and Niagara Counties. The program is run by the Buffalo Institute for Contemporary Art (BICA) together with the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Regional Regranting Program.
The Generator Fund is open to individual artists and artist-led groups who meet the following criteria:
- You must live and work in Erie or Niagara County, NY.
- You can apply as an individual artist, an informal group, or an unincorporated collective.
- You may be a professional, emerging, or experimental artist—we welcome a wide range of practices and experience levels.
Who is not eligible?
- 501(c)(3) organizations are not eligible to apply.
- If you’re receiving a solo exhibition honorarium from BICA in the same fiscal year, you’re not eligible for a Generator Fund grant. BICA employees are also not eligible.
- If you received a Potential Grant last round, you cannot apply for another Potential Grant this cycle (but you can apply for a Kinetic Grant!).
A Note on Visual Arts
- This fund supports visual arts–based projects. That includes work in media like painting, sculpture, installation, photography, social practice, performance art, video, zines, and more.
- Projects rooted primarily in music, theater, dance, or literary arts—without a strong visual component—are not eligible.
Deadline: September 30, 2026
CERF+ offers $3,000 Emergency Relief Grants to craft artists who experienced a recent and substantially disruptive emergency or disaster.
To qualify for an Emergency Relief Grant, applicants need to be craft artists who are 18 years of age or older. They must have been living and working in the U.S. or U.S. Territories for the past two years. Additionally, they should not have received an Emergency Relief Grant in the previous year or exceeded the maximum lifetime limit of 4 grants.
To apply, visit our website and complete the online application with supporting documentation. Incomplete applications will not be considered. For questions, contact [email protected] or (802) 229-2306.
If you are assisting an artist in an emergency situation, you may apply on their behalf provided you have their permission. Ensure the artist meets the eligibility criteria and gather all necessary contact information and materials required for the application.
Deadline: Rolling (as needs arise)
Introduce your work to the world. Enter the most prestigious competition for creativity in illustration, the Communication Arts Illustration Competition. Any illustration first published or produced from January 2026 through January 2027 is eligible.
Deadline: January 8, 2027
The DownRoot Fund exists to promote community ownership and community control. For too long, traditional economic systems have extracted resources, displaced communities, and concentrated wealth away from the people most impacted.
DownRoot takes a different approach.
By supporting community-driven initiatives, the fund helps lay down lasting roots in Buffalo and across Western New York. DownRoot invests in projects that build an economy where people have real control over their workplaces, neighborhoods, and economic futures.
Through strategic grants, the fund strengthens organizations and initiatives that advance shared wealth, democratic ownership, and community leadership.
Funding Opportunities for Individuals
- Create Grant
- The Create Grant supports individual artists and collaborative arts projects that bring alive the vision and goals of the Just Transition Framework. Frontline artists are those who are first and most impacted by climate, economic, and racial injustice, yet play a critical role in shaping culture, storytelling, and community expression.
- Grants of up to $5,000
2026 Deadlines:
- May 31, 2026
- September 30, 2026
A global juried art grant for visual artists. 2 winners each receive a $1,000 unrestricted grant, a full profile, and a featured post. 10 finalists are named on the site, featured on Instagram, and included in the announcement.
Deadline: September 10, 2026
Founded in 1985, Career Transition For Dancers enables dancers to define their career possibilities and develop the skills necessary to excel in a variety of disciplines outside of dance.
- Professional Development Scholarship: The Professional Development Scholarship provides a one-time award of up to $1,000 for occupational skills training in a certification or licensure program in a field outside of dance, to initiate a post-dance career.
- Deadline: The 12th of every month
- Learn more.
- Undergraduate Studies Scholarship: The Undergraduate Studies Scholarship assists current and former dancers in meeting the substantial financial commitments that come with the pursuit of a college-level degree. A limited number of scholarships in amounts up to $2,000 will be awarded to eligible applicants towards their tuition.
- Deadline: October 15 and June 15, annually
- Learn more.
The Yéego Action Grant provides support for the growing landscape of Native artists and culture bearers who need financial assistance with a specific professional opportunity or towards a hardship that is hindering their creative practice.
This program offers grants up to $2500 for individual Native artists and culture bearers. First Peoples Fund (FPF) finds it essential to support artists in their times of need, especially when their work is impacted by sudden hardship. This grant’s name incorporates the Diné word yéego, often used as a phrase of encouragement that can mean “keep going” or “don’t give up.”
While some hardship requests related to a current artistic project may be eligible, please note that Yéego Action Grants are not intended to assist with funding new or existing artist projects.
Deadline: 10th of every month
Created in 1993 to further FCA’s mission to encourage, sponsor, and promote work of a contemporary, experimental nature, Emergency Grants provide urgent funding for visual and performing artists who:
- Have sudden, unanticipated opportunities to present their work to the public when there is insufficient time to seek other sources of funding
- Incur unexpected or unbudgeted expenses for projects close to completion with committed exhibition or performance dates
Emergency Grants is the only active, multi-disciplinary program that offers immediate, project-based assistance of this kind to artists living and working anywhere in the United States, for projects occurring in the U.S. and abroad.
Each month FCA receives an average of 100 Emergency Grant applications and makes approximately 12-21 grants. Grants range in amount from $500 to $3,000, and the average grant is now $1,900.
Deadline: Rolling
Good Neighbor Fund is dedicated to leveling the playing field for entrepreneurship by providing $1,000 micro-grants to under-resourced and underrepresented founders, primarily at the ideation stage. Inspired by Buffalo’s nickname “The City of Good Neighbors,” we offer not just financial support, but belief capital and mentorship to empower new and diverse founders.
Deadline: Rolling
The Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grant program provides interim financial assistance to qualified painters, printmakers, and sculptors whose needs are the result of an unforeseen, catastrophic incident. The maximum amount of this grant is $15,000; an award of $5,000 is typical.
Deadline: Rolling
The International Documentary Association (IDA) supports the vital work of documentary storytellers and champions a thriving and inclusive documentary culture. They have compiled a directory of all grants supporting documentary efforts at the link below.
Innovate Grant distributes (2) $1,800.00 grants each quarter, to one Visual Artist and one Photographer.
- Our newly increased $1,800.00 grants act as mighty sparks of financial support that ignite your creative development.
- Our grant cycles are open (4) times a year (Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall) giving you more opportunities to access the support you need.
- Our process is simple so you spend less time on the application and more time making your important work.
2026 Deadlines:
- Q1: Winter (Jan, Feb, Mar) – Deadline: March 19, 2026
- Q2: Spring (Apr, May, Jun) – Deadline: June 18, 2026
- Q3: Summer (Jul, Aug, Sept) – Deadline: September 17, 2026
- Q4: Fall (Oct, Nov, Dec) – Deadline: TBA
The Keller Prize is an annual international art competition founded in 2022 that celebrates artists across all mediums. From painting and sculpture to photography and mixed media, we welcome creative expression in all its forms.
Every submission is featured in our online gallery, providing artists with a platform to showcase their work to a global audience. One Grand Prize Winner and Two Runners Up will receive cash prizes valued at total $9,000 USD.
Deadline: September 30, 2026
AWARD OVERVIEW
Money for Women especially encourages applications from writers and artists in the early and middle stages of their artistic development. To be successful, your application must be complete and follow the guidelines here.
AWARD OPPORTUNITIES
Support grants ($500 – $2000) to individual feminist women in the arts with primary residence in the US and Canada.
Deadlines:
- Fiction & Visual Arts Awards – Apply January 1st – 31st, in even years
- Non Fiction and Poetry Awards – Apply January 1st – 31st, in odd years
The Musicians Foundation offers one-time financial assistance grants to professional musicians across all genres. You must be a professional music performer, composer/arranger, or educator in a specific time of need caused by an unexpected hardship (e.g. medical or dental situation, natural disaster, or certain housing crisis). You must have worked and filed taxes as a professional musician in the United States for five or more years and currently reside in the U.S.
Deadline: Rolling
Neutral Density (ND) Awards aims to promote photography and photographers. Our idea is to create new opportunities to present valuable work to audiences all over the world. We aim to build a place where photographers can show different points of view and thrive through competition. The winners of the Professional and Non-Professional sections will receive the titles: ND Photographer of the Year and ND Discovery of the Year and cash prizes.
Deadline: September 20, 2026
Reel Change supports developing composers who are creating music for film through targeted grants and high-impact mentorship. This pivotal program gives composers at crucial career stages the resources they need to produce compelling, original scores.
Initially established as a five-year program in 2020, funding for Reel Change was renewed in 2025 for an additional three years. Four to six grants averaging $20,000 are awarded each year.
Grant support covers composer compensation, musician fees, studio costs, orchestration, recording, mastering, and essential production resources, ensuring that emerging talents can advance professionally and build sustainable careers in film composition.
Deadline: Rolling
New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA), in partnership with the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, offer two grant programs for artists in emergency situations: the Rauschenberg Dancer Emergency Grants and Rauschenberg Medical Emergency Grants program.
Grant cycles for July 2023-June 2024 are listed on each program’s page. These national emergency grant programs reflect Robert Rauschenberg’s concern for the well-being of fellow creative practitioners and were created in the tradition of Change, Inc., a non-profit foundation established in 1970 by Robert Rauschenberg to assist professional artists of all disciplines in need.
Rauschenberg Dancer Emergency Grants
- Provides one-time grants of up to $3,000 to professional dancers in need who have a dire financial emergency as a result of a loss or lack of current live performance work, because of circumstances beyond your control.
- Provides up to three months of essential expenses.
- You must demonstrate an urgent and critical need for emergency support in order to apply.
- Click here to learn more.
Rauschenberg Medical Emergency Grants
- Provides one-time grants of up to $5,000 for recent unexpected medical, dental, and mental health emergencies.
- Open to artists in financial need who are practicing in the visual arts, film/video/electronic/digital arts, and choreography.
- Period covered: Related, eligible expenses incurred for up to 12 months from the date of the emergency.
- Click here to learn more.
Deadline: Rolling, quarterly application cycle (check unique grant links)
General information available here.
Each year, NYSAR3’s Community Reuse Grants, in partnership with the Center for Sustainable Materials Management (CSMM), are offered to support community-based groups, municipalities, businesses, and non-profit organizations in New York State implement reuse initiatives in their communities.
This year, a total of $15,000 will be awarded. Each awardee will receive up to $5,000 to fund their project, with an award minimum of $1,000.
Deadline: September 14, 2026
The Foundation welcomes applications from visual artists who are painters, sculptors, and artists who work on paper, including printmakers. Grants are intended for a one-year period of time. The Foundation will review expenditures relating to an artist’s professional work and personal expenses, and amounts range up to $50,000. Artists must be actively exhibiting their current work in professional artistic venues, such as gallery and museum spaces.
Deadline: Rolling
Now in its third year, Printed Matter’s Publisher Work Grant program offers funding to independent presses with a history of artists’ book publishing, acknowledging awardees’ accomplishments in past work and providing the capacity-building funds to enable future book projects and publisher sustainability. In 2026, three unrestricted grants of $10,000 will be awarded to three independent artists’ book publishers. Printed Matter will also extend a featured exhibitor presence at a forthcoming Printed Matter NY or LA Art Book Fair to selected presses.
Deadline: October 4, 2026
The Sony Future Filmmaker Awards have officially opened for entries for their 2027 edition, inviting filmmakers from around the world to submit their short films for free. Now in their fifth year, the Awards continue to grow, offering emerging filmmakers an opportunity to showcase their work on a global stage, build industry connections and develop their craft through an exclusive industry program.
Deadline: December 15, 2026
Since 2013, the Working Class Writers Grant has been awarded annually to speculative fiction writers who are working class, blue-collar, financially disadvantaged, or homeless, who have been historically underrepresented in speculative fiction due to financial barriers which make it hard to access the writing world. Such lack of access might include an inability to purchase a computer, books, and tuition, or to attend conventions or workshops. Often, these writers, many of whom work more than one job, have less time to write. The SLF seeks to bring more of these marginalized voices into speculative fiction.
Deadline: September 30, annually
Have an idea for a project? Thinking about that video you’ve been meaning to shoot? Considering a new perspective on a familiar idea? Squeaky Wheel is offering Equipment Access Grants to those looking to create specific projects that require the tools and time sometimes difficult or unavailable in daily life. Recipients will receive up to $1,000 worth of equipment usage and facilities time. Amount: $1,000 in-kind equipment rentals.
Deadline: Rolling
Who can apply?
Owners of for-profit small businesses based in the United States, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands who are 18 or older may apply. Owners of multiple businesses may apply for one business only. See national grant FAQs for more information.
How do I apply?
Register and complete any combination of two eligible courses or events anytime in 2026 to unlock the grant application. Apply once to remain eligible for $10,000 grants awarded throughout the year.
When will I hear back?
Applications will be reviewed monthly from June through December 2026. Each month, 10 small businesses will be selected for grants. If you are not selected in a given month, your application will remain under consideration for the remainder of 2026. All applicants will receive a final decision by January 12, 2027.
Deadline: Rolling (Applications will be reviewed monthly from June through December 2026)
VIA’s Artistic Production Grants fund the production of newly commissioned works of visual art exhibited beyond museum walls, in the public realm, or in non-traditional exhibition environments. These grants are awarded to projects that best exemplify VIA’s three core values of Artistic Production, Thought Leadership, and Public Engagement. Grant amounts range from $25,000 to $100,000.
Artistic Production Grant: Spring 2027 Award Cycle Timeline
- Letter of inquiry deadline: November 5, 2026
- Invitation to submit full application: December 15, 2026
- Full application deadline for invited applicants: January 25, 2027
- Grant award notification: April 2027
- Projects must start after: June 15, 2027
We award $250 cash to weird, wonderful, and timely ideas that better Buffalo. It’s no-strings-attached, meant to give your ah-ha the boost it needs to become a thing!
What makes an idea ah-ha-able?
- We use the following loose criteria to select ideas. Consider addressing these areas in your application:
- Is it ah-ha-able?: Is it unique? A new idea? Something that may be unfundable through traditional means? We’re looking for your Silly Walks and your bus stop jazz clubs.
- Will $250 make an actual impact? : We try to support individuals and small groups, rather than organizations that are already well-funded. We’re looking for the small, but mighty ideas for which $250 will make the difference between trying or not. Be as specific as possible; tell us exactly how the cash will be spent, so we can best understand your idea.
- How will the project help the Buffalo area?: It’s important to us to fund projects that directly support and impact our neighbors in the Buffalo-Niagara community. We’ll consider projects outside city limits, but maybe not all the way to our large-city neighbors right now.
We don’t typically fund:
- Personal use: We think you’re really great, but we can’t give you $250 for personal salary/a car/vacation/rent payment/home reno/pony.
- Charities, foundations, organizations: We’re primarily interested in new ventures and not the continuation of an existing organization. But existing organizations with a specific, creative $250 idea can apply!
- Promotion: We want to hear all about your great idea and how we can help fund its happening, not just its posters.
Deadline: Rolling
Last updated: September 2, 2026
Help keep our opportunities free! We ask that you consider donating $25, $50, $100, or whatever you can do to sustain this important resource for WNY creatives.