The Nelson Foundation is piloting an invitation-only grant program, which restricts access to this application process to organizations that have been contacted directly by the Foundation and provided with an application access code. If your organization has not been contacted by The Nelson Foundation, you will not be able to start a capacity building application. The Foundation will not consider unsolicited proposals.
For more information and details about this pilot program, click here.
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.
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.