Human Rights Grants

Last updated September 30, 2026

There are currently 292 open human rights grants in Grantable's free grants database, drawn from state and foundation sources and updated daily. 109 list an award amount, with a median of $30K.

Open grants: 292; from 210 funders
Median award: $30K; middle half $7,000–$100K
Total listed funding: $20.8M; across 109 grants that list an amount
Rolling deadlines: 13; 12 with a published date

On this page: State Foundation · Updated daily

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Grant	Deadline ▲	Amount
JRCT: Power and Accountability Grant Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT) provides funding to foster social change by addressing systemic issues of inequality and injustice.	Rolling	Varies
People's Law Library of Maryland State of Maryland Judiciary · State Rolling · Varies The People's Law Library (PLL) is a legal information and self-help website maintained by the Maryland Thurgood Marshall State Law Library, a court-related agency of the Maryland Judiciary, and supported by Maryland's non-profit legal…	Rolling	Varies
Lifeline Embattled CSO Assistance Fund Grant Freedom House · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Lifeline Embattled CSO Assistance Fund, managed by Freedom House, provides crucial emergency financial assistance to civil society organizations (CSOs) facing threats or attacks.	Rolling	Varies
Prisoner Justice Fund National Equal Justice Association Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies Supports prisoner correspondence projects and efforts to assist incarcerated individuals and their families.	Rolling	Varies
Gould Charitable Foundation Grant The Gould Charitable Foundation · Foundation Rolling · $5K – $50K The Gould Charitable Foundation Grant supports 501(c)(3) organizations in Boston and Kansas City.	Rolling	$5K – $50K
Civil Legal Aid for Low-Income Households Project Grants Michigan State Bar Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Michigan State Bar Foundation's grant program, "Civil Legal Aid for Low-Income Households," focuses on providing essential legal assistance to low-income individuals.	Rolling	Varies
JRCT - Rights and Justice Grants Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust · Foundation Rolling · Up to £150,000 The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT) focuses on promoting human rights and justice for marginalized communities, particularly racial and religious minorities.	Rolling	Up to £150,000
Innovative Peace Fund (IPF) International Civil Society Action Network Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies The first and only independent, multi-donor, global grantmaking mechanism wholly dedicated to providing financial support and technical assistance to women-led peacebuilding organizations in countries affected by violent conflict…	Rolling	Varies
Janisha R. Gabriel Movement Protection Fund Solidaire Network Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Janisha R. Gabriel Movement Protection Fund moves resources rapidly and securely to protect frontline organizers facing immediate security threats, while investing in longer-term safety infrastructure.	Rolling	Varies
Foundation Grant Giving Program Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education · Foundation Rolling · Varies Legal service organizations not already approved to apply for grant funds may:	Rolling	Varies
LFW: Partnership Grants Legal Foundation of Washington · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Legal Foundation of Washington offers Partnership Grants to support civil legal aid organizations serving low-income individuals across the state.	Rolling	Varies
Impact Litigation Fellowship Grant Social Justice Legal Foundation · Foundation Rolling · $86K – $96K The Impact Litigation Fellowship, established by the Social Justice Legal Foundation, provides recent law graduates with essential litigation experience over two years.	Rolling	$86K – $96K
21Wilberforce Emerging Leaders Program 21 Wilberforce Global Freedom Center · Foundation Rolling · Varies To empower young leaders interested in promoting and protecting international religious freedom by providing tangible and effective IRF advocacy skills	Rolling	Varies
United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture Grant Program United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights · Foundation Rolling · $30K – $100K The United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture supports survivors of torture and their families by providing essential assistance such as medical, psychological, and legal services.	Rolling	$30K – $100K
LGBTQ Social Justice & Equity Fund Grant Program Our Fund Foundation Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies ‍The Our Fund Foundation/Community Foundation of Broward Funders Collaborative sets a collective goal of creating a more informed and empathetic general populace in Broward County that is supportive of protecting the civil liberties and…	Rolling	Varies
International Human Rights Grant Programme The Oak Foundation USA · Foundation Rolling · Varies _NOTE: Oak Foundation has an invitation-only application process.	Rolling	Varies
M. & A. Seasongood Good Government Grants Murray and Agnes Seasongood Good Government Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies The M. & A. Seasongood Good Government Grants support 501(c)(3) organizations and professional associations in the Greater Cincinnati area.	Rolling	Varies
The Honorable Milton O. Moss Public Service Award Montgomery Bar Association · Foundation Rolling · Varies	Rolling	Varies
Sunhak Peace Prize (SHPP) Universal Peace Federation · Foundation Rolling · Varies Awards distinguished individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to peace and human development, and to restore balance to the relationship between humanity and the natural environment.	Rolling	Varies
LGBTQ+ Justice Fund Maine Justice Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Maine Justice Foundation launched the LGBTQ+ Justice Fund to ensure that vulnerable members of the LGBTQ+ community in Maine have access to civil legal aid.	Rolling	Varies
Impact Fund Grants The Impact Fund · Foundation Rolling · $10K – $50K The Impact Fund provides recoverable grants to legal services nonprofits and small law firms working on social, environmental, and economic justice issues.	Rolling	$10K – $50K
Sociological Initiatives Foundation Grant Sociological Initiatives Foundation Inc · Foundation Rolling · $15K – $25K The Sociological Initiatives Foundation Grant supports research linking social action to addressing systemic inequalities in the U.S., funding projects that tackle racism, classism, and human rights violations.	Rolling	$15K – $25K
Independent Journalism Fund (IJF) Seattle International Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies	Rolling	Varies
Laura Penny Community Impact Award The Womens Foundation for the State of Arizona · Foundation Rolling · $1K Named after former WFSA CEO Laura Penny, this award recognizes women making positive changes in the lives of women and girls. The award honors women leaders in community organizing and advocacy.	Rolling	$1K

Showing 49–72 of 291

About human rights grants

Human rights grants support nonprofits working on civil liberties, refugee and immigrant rights, anti-discrimination, criminal-justice reform, and the protection of vulnerable populations. Most funding comes from private philanthropy rather than government, with major funders including the Ford Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, and the Open Society Foundations backing advocacy, legal defense, and movement-building.

A long list is the starting point, not the shortlist. Our grant prospecting guide shows how to narrow human rights 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 human rights grants award?

Of the 292 open human rights grants Grantable lists as of September 30, 2026, 109 publish an award amount. The median listed award is $30K, and the middle half fall between $7,000 and $100K. The largest is $4M. Amounts are each grant's stated maximum, so a typical award can be smaller.

Which funders offer the most human rights grants?

By number of open listings, the most active funders are Endowment for Equal Justice (7), National Equal Justice Association Inc (7), The University of Texas Law School Foundation (7), Equal Justice Works (5), and Texas Access to Justice Foundation (5). In all, 210 funders have at least one open grant in this category.

When are human rights grants due?

Of 292 open grants, 13 accept applications on a rolling basis, 12 have a published upcoming deadline, 53 run on a stated cycle (such as annual or quarterly) without a published date, and 214 don't publish a deadline, so check the funder's site.

What grants are available for human rights organizations?

Human rights grants fund advocacy, litigation and legal defense, research and documentation, community organizing, and direct services for affected populations. Award sizes vary widely, from small project grants to multi-year general-operating support, and many funders prioritize organizations led by and accountable to the communities they serve.

Who funds human rights nonprofits?

Private foundations are the dominant funders. The Ford Foundation supports social justice and human rights through initiatives such as its Dignity and Justice Fund, the MacArthur Foundation funds human-rights and justice work, and the Open Society Foundations back democracy, rights, and justice efforts. Community foundations and individual donors also play a significant role.

Can grassroots human rights groups get funding?

Yes. Many human rights funders intentionally support smaller, frontline organizations, and intermediary funds and community foundations exist specifically to channel resources to grassroots groups. Smaller organizations often start with project grants, pooled funds, or rapid-response grants before pursuing larger general-operating support from national foundations.

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