The Nelson Foundation is re-launching it’s Capacity Building Grant program in July 2025. This grant program is only open to current core grantees – check back soon for more details!
The Grace Nelson Award is an extension of the capacity building program, providing support for capacity building efforts over a short time-period, typically one year. Awards may be made for a model approach, program, organization or leader, and are not necessarily for a prescribed or pre-determined use. Like the capacity building program, The Grace Nelson Award is by invitation, to current grantees only. There is no application for this grant program – grantees are invited or notified by Foundation staff.
Change Champions is a new grant program, piloted as an invitation-only initiative in 2024, to support organizations doing work in advocacy, policy, and/or systems change work. The Nelson Foundation will invite and consider proposals from organizations working towards fair funding of public schools, a more diverse pipeline of teachers, or protecting the rights of voters in our democracy. All awards for this program are one-year general operating grants ranging from $5,000-$20,000 each. In 2025, the grant program will be open to any eligible applicants – we will have updates on this grant program published soon, so please check back!
Any Director at The Nelson Foundation may choose to make a small, one-time discretionary grant to a qualified organization each year. There is no application for this grant program – grantees are notified by Foundation staff and Directors should not be contacted to request these funds.