Community Development & Employment Grants

Last updated October 29, 2026

Grantable tracks 3,253 active community development & employment grants in its free grants database, drawn from state and foundation sources and updated daily. 74 of them have a verified open deadline or accept applications on a rolling basis. 1,478 list an award amount, with a median of $30K.

Grants tracked
3,253
from 1,981 funders
Median award
$30K
middle half $10K–$150K
Total listed funding
$515.8M
across 1,478 grants that list an amount
Rolling deadlines
130
146 with a published date

On this page: State Foundation · Updated daily

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★Grant
The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Funds: Caregiving Fund, Design & Access Fund, and Youth Sports Fund

Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan · Foundation

Not published · Varies

_NOTE: The 'Pre Proposal' deadline above is the deadline to register in Fluxx, if you are not already registered._ The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Funds were created to provide permanent, endowed support for programs and initiatives that…

Alabama RC&D Grants

Alabama Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils · Foundation

Not published · Varies

The Alabama RC&D Grants support community projects aimed at enhancing local resources and quality of life.

Aberdeen Area Community Foundation Grants

Aberdeen Area Community Foundation Inc · Foundation

Not published · Varies

The Aberdeen Area Community Foundation offers grants to support non-profit and charitable organizations in Aberdeen and surrounding areas. These grants focus on economic development, human services, health, education, and cultural programs.

Community Grant Program

National Telecommunications Cooperative Association · Foundation

Not published · Up to $5K

The Foundation for Rural Service awards grants to rural communities for projects that benefit residents and strengthen community infrastructure.

Florida Job Growth Grant Fund - Public Infrastructure Proposal

Florida Commerce · Foundation

Not published · Varies

The Florida Job Growth Grant Fund aims to enhance economic development by funding public infrastructure and workforce training projects across the state.

Island Foundation New Bedford Grants

Island Foundation Inc · Foundation

Not published · Varies

The Island Foundation offers grants to support community-focused projects in coastal areas of Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

Danville Regional Foundation Grant

Danville Regional Foundation · Foundation

Not published · Up to $25K

The Danville Regional Foundation Grant aims to address ongoing economic, health, educational, and social challenges in the Danville/Pittsylvania County/Caswell County region.

Emergency Historic Economic Asset Lifeline (E-HEAL) Grant

Kansas Department of Commerce · Foundation

Not published · Up to $100K

The Emergency Historic Economic Asset Lifeline (E-HEAL) Grant aims to preserve rural downtown buildings threatened by demolition or collapse.

DCNR Recreation and Conservation Grant - Charleroi Riverfront Park

Mon Valley Alliance · Foundation

Not published · $157K

Funding for riverfront park development, blight remediation, and community access to the Monongahela River.

Sand Hill Foundation Grantmaking Program

Sand Hill Foundation · Foundation

Not published · Varies

_NOTE: Community needs do not have deadlines, so our foundation doesn’t either.

Highlands Creative Economy Initiative

Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc · Foundation

Not published · $197K

Enhance cultural heritage, natural, and human assets to grow tourism and benefit rural communities through regional collaboration

Community Greening Plans RFP Grant

The William Penn Foundation · Foundation

Not published · $300K

The Community Greening Plans RFP aims to enhance urban green spaces, addressing inequitable access driven by historical discrimination.

Youth Opportunities Program Grant

Missouri Department of Economic Development · Foundation

Not published · Varies

The Youth Opportunities Program (YOP) aims to enhance community engagement and positive development for youth under 21 years old through public-private partnerships.

AARP Community Challenge Grant: Demonstration Grant

AARP Foundation · Foundation

Not published · $10K – $25K

The AARP Community Challenge Grant supports innovative projects that enhance community livability for people aged 50 and older.

Maryland Town Manager Circuit Rider Program

Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development · State

Not published · Varies

​The Maryland Town Manager Circuit Rider Program assists small town and city governments with building their administrative capacity.

Hendricks Family Foundation - Operating Grant

Hendricks Family Foundation Inc · Foundation

Not published · $100K

The Hendricks Family Foundation offers operating grants exceeding $100,000 to support new and existing projects that make a measurable impact in priority areas such as career development, education, public safety, and community vitality in…

Kiss the Ground Regenerating Communities Grants

Kiss the Ground · Foundation

Not published · $10K – $44K

The Kiss the Ground Regenerating Communities Grant was designed to build and support new and existing communities of regenerative farmers to enhance grower connectivity; foster information, resource, and equipment sharing; and contribute…

Mini-Grant Funding Opportunity

Rivers of Steel Heritage Corporation · Foundation

Not published · Up to $60K

Provides funding for local nonprofits to support heritage tourism, community development, and placemaking initiatives across the region. Rivers of Steel has awarded multiple rounds of mini-grants.

Idaho Gem Grant

Idaho Commerce Grants · State

Not published · Varies

Helps small communities improve infrastructure, remediate blight conditions and create economic development opportunities. Eligible entities include communities with populations of 10,000 or less.

CFFK Annual Grants Program: Action for Impact

Community Foundation of the Florida Keys · Foundation

Not published · Varies

_NOTE: This is the Community Foundation's signature annual grants competition. Last year this was titled Up and Over__.

Rebuild Distressed Communities (RDC) Program - Small Business Grants

Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives Inc · Foundation

Not published · $29K

Grant program to help small businesses recover from property damages sustained during civil unrest events in 2020. The first round awarded $1.7 million to 58 small businesses.

Strategic Planning Initiative

Palmetto Economic Development Corp DBA South Carolina Power Team · Foundation

Not published · Up to $75K

Funding to assist county and regional economic development agencies in employing a professional consultant to create strategic planning and marketing documents.

Roots & Shoots Project Grant

Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research Education and Conservation · Foundation

Not published · $500

The Roots & Shoots Project Grant, offered by the Jane Goodall Institute, empowers U.S.-based youth to initiate community-action projects that positively impact people, animals, and the environment.

Rhinelander Community Foundation Grants

Rhinelander Community Foundation Inc · Foundation

Not published · Up to $5K

The Rhinelander Community Foundation Grants aim to strengthen community organizations in the Rhinelander area by providing financial support for innovative projects.

Showing 1657–1680 of 3,222

About community development grants

Community development grants fund efforts to revitalize neighborhoods through affordable housing, public facilities, infrastructure, business assistance, and services for low- and moderate-income residents. HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, authorized under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, is the flagship federal source, providing formula grants to states, cities, and counties. National intermediaries like LISC and Enterprise Community Partners, plus the Treasury's CDFI Fund, channel additional capital into community development.

A long list is the starting point, not the shortlist. Our grant prospecting guide shows how to narrow community development & employment grants down to the funders most likely to say yes, using their giving records.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much money do community development & employment grants award?

Of the 3,253 community development & employment grants Grantable lists as of October 29, 2026, 1,478 publish an award amount. The median listed award is $30K, and the middle half fall between $10K and $150K. The largest is $10M. Amounts are each grant's stated maximum, so a typical award can be smaller.

Which funders offer the most community development & employment grants?

By number of active listings, the leading funders are Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (23), Economic Development Authority (22), Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (21), Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) (17), and Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (16). In all, 1,981 funders have at least one active grant in this category.

When are community development & employment grants due?

Of 3,253 grants listed, 130 accept applications on a rolling basis, 146 have a published upcoming deadline, 427 run on a stated cycle (such as annual or quarterly) without a published date, and 2,550 don't publish a deadline, so check the funder's site. Among dated deadlines, 48% fall in October–December.

What community development grants are available?

Eligible community development activities include housing rehabilitation and development, micro-enterprise and business assistance, infrastructure, public facilities, planning, public services, and removal of architectural barriers. The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) is the primary federal program, supplemented by funding from intermediaries and foundations. Projects generally must benefit low- and moderate-income communities.

Who funds community development?

HUD administers the Community Development Block Grant program, distributing formula grants to states, cities, and counties that then fund local projects. National community development intermediaries such as LISC and Enterprise Community Partners, along with the U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund and local community foundations, provide loans and grants. Most CDBG funds reach nonprofits through their local or state government.

How does a nonprofit access CDBG funds?

CDBG dollars flow from HUD to your city, county, or state, which run their own application cycles and consolidated planning processes; nonprofits apply to that local jurisdiction rather than directly to HUD. Identify whether your community is an "entitlement" city or county or is served through the state program, then track that jurisdiction's annual action plan and application timeline. Aligning your project with the jurisdiction's stated priorities is essential.

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