Human Rights Grants

Last updated September 30, 2026

There are currently 292 open human rights grants in Grantable's free grants database, drawn from 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: Foundation · Updated daily

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Grant	Deadline ▲	Amount
Rotary Club of Appleton World Service Grant Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region Inc · Foundation Rolling · $500 – $3K The Rotary Club of Appleton World Service Grant aims to enhance international service activities, promoting peace and goodwill. The fund supports various themes including clean water, education, and environmental protection.	Rolling	$500 – $3K
Break the Hate Challenge Grant One Young World · Foundation Rolling · £5,000 The Break the Hate Challenge invites young leaders aged 18-35 to combat intolerance in their communities.	Rolling	£5,000
Access to Justice Grants Illinois Bar Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Access to Justice Grant Program funds civil legal aid organizations providing legal support to individuals living in underserved communities across Illinois.	Rolling	Varies
Basic Civil Legal Services (BCLS) Program Texas Access to Justice Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies Funds support the provision of civil legal services to eligible clients in non-criminal matters.	Rolling	Varies
Health Access Fund National Equal Justice Association Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies Supports efforts to eliminate barriers to affordable preventive health care.	Rolling	Varies
Regional Public Interest Awards Grant Equal Justice Works · Foundation Rolling · $250 The Regional Public Interest Awards recognize eight outstanding law students annually for their dedication to public interest law.	Rolling	$250
Dr. Morton Goldberg Lecture Fund The Oswald Supporting Organization · Foundation Rolling · Varies Request for Proposals from individuals interested in delivering the next presentation in the Dr. Morton Goldberg Lecture Series	Rolling	Varies
MAPIL Fellowships (Maine Association for Public Interest Law) University of Maine School of Law Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies Maine Association for Public Interest Law (MAPIL) fellowships support Maine Law students pursuing unpaid public interest internships and externships with nonprofits, government agencies, and legal aid organizations.	Rolling	Varies
Oklahoma Bar Foundation: IOLTA Grant Oklahoma Bar Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Oklahoma Bar Foundation's IOLTA Grant aims to enhance access to justice by providing funding for legal services and law-related educational programs.	Rolling	Varies
Leadership Now 2026 Summit Award Leadership Now Project · Foundation Rolling · Varies Each year Leadership Now honors an 'unsung hero' for their extraordinary yet under-recognized contributions to defending and renewing democracy.	Rolling	Varies
NLGF Guild Grants National Lawyers Guild Inc · Foundation Rolling · Up to $8K One-time grants awarded to selected NLG entities for educational campaigns and programs that will increase capacity, promote membership, and build the Guild.	Rolling	Up to $8K
Lucy Parsons Popular Human Rights School Alliance for Global Justice Corp · Foundation Rolling · Varies An educational enrollment program offered by Alliance for Global Justice, named after activist Lucy Parsons.	Rolling	Varies
Coles County Peace and Justice Fund Grant Program Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation · Foundation Rolling · $1K – $7K The Coles County Peace and Justice Fund Grant Program, supported by the Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation, aims to enhance social justice and cross-cultural understanding.	Rolling	$1K – $7K
Design-Your-Own Fellowship Grant Equal Justice Works · Foundation Rolling · Up to $140K The Design-Your-Own Fellowship by Equal Justice Works allows lawyers to create personalized projects addressing critical legal needs in underserved communities.	Rolling	Up to $140K
ATCC Lend-A-Hand Grants The Adirondack Trust Company Community Fund · Foundation Rolling · Up to $3K The Adirondack Trust Community Fund's Lend-A-Hand Grants support local charities in Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties.	Rolling	Up to $3K
Roach Maxam Family Foundation: Whistleblowers Grant Roach Maxam Family Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Roach Maxam Family Foundation offers grants to reward whistleblowers who expose wrongdoing to promote social, economic, and environmental justice.	Rolling	Varies
The Manne Family Fellowship in Public Interest Law Grant The University of Texas Law School Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Up to $75K The Manne Family Fellowship in Public Interest Law, supported by the William Wayne Justice Center, offers one-year postgraduate fellowships to Texas Law alumni working with non-profit legal organizations focused on civil rights, civil…	Rolling	Up to $75K
RFK Book and Journalism Awards Robert F Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights · Foundation Rolling · Varies The RFK Book and Journalism Awards honor outstanding writing on issues that reflect Senator Robert F. Kennedy's concerns, including human rights, social justice, and the power of individual action in the United States and around the world.	Rolling	Varies
Senior Attorney Sabbaticals Fellowship Grant Independence Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Up to $25K The Senior Attorney Sabbaticals Fellowship, offered by the Independence Foundation, provides senior attorneys in public interest law a two-month sabbatical to rejuvenate and reconnect.	Rolling	Up to $25K
The Equal Justice Fund National Equal Justice Association Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies NEJA's general fund that supports equal justice causes beyond the scope of specialty funds.	Rolling	Varies
State Bar of New Mexico Access to Justice Fund Grant State Bar of New Mexico · Foundation Rolling · Varies The State Bar of New Mexico Access to Justice Fund Grant offers support to nonprofit organizations providing civil legal services to low-income New Mexicans.	Rolling	Varies
Issues Affecting Women Grant Programme The Oak Foundation USA · Foundation Rolling · $25K The Issues Affecting Women Grant Programme aims to empower women and girls by supporting movements led by women that address violence and discrimination.	Rolling	$25K
Alexandra Smith Fund-In Support of Native American Treaty Rights Duluth-Superior Area Community Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Alexandra Smith Fund In Support of Native American Treaty Rights supports programs that create understanding, appreciation and promotion of the treaty rights of Native American/Indigenous people.	Rolling	Varies
Ripple of Hope Award Robert F Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Ripple of Hope Award celebrates leaders in the international business, entertainment, and activist communities who have demonstrated a commitment to social change and reflect Senator Robert F. Kennedy's passion for equality, justice…	Rolling	Varies

Showing 97–120 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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