Operating Grants for Nonprofits

Last updated October 4, 2026

Grantable tracks 374 active operating grants for nonprofits in its free grants database, drawn from state and foundation sources and updated daily. 15 of them have a verified open deadline or accept applications on a rolling basis. 216 list an award amount, with a median of $23K.

Grants tracked: 374; from 303 funders
Median award: $23K; middle half $10K–$56K
Total listed funding: $28.3M; across 216 grants that list an amount
Rolling deadlines: 7; 17 with a published date

On this page: State Foundation · Updated daily

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Grant	Deadline ▲	Amount
Creative Sector Flex Fund Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council · Foundation ~October · $5K This grant program from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts offers grantees flexibility to use $5,000 grants in ways that ensure the most significant impact for their organizations and communities.	~October	$5K
Member Arts Organizations Operating Support / Allocations Fund for the Arts · Foundation ~October · Varies Fund for the Arts provides annual operating expense assistance to 12 member arts groups that operate in the Kanawha Valley.	~October	Varies
General Operating Support (GOS) Arts Council Grants · State Nov 19, 2026 · Varies Annual funding over a three-year period for eligible operating expenses of nonprofit organizations with missions exclusively devoted to the arts. Multiyear operating support grants for arts organizations.	Nov 19, 2026	Varies
General Program Support (GPS) Arts Council Grants · State Nov 19, 2026 · Varies Annual funding over a three-year period for the direct arts-related costs of full-time, ongoing, New Jersey-based public arts programs. Multiyear operating support grants for arts programs.	Nov 19, 2026	Varies
Open Door Grants Lincoln Community Foundation Inc · Foundation Rolling · Up to $20K Open Door Grants provide flexible operating and program grants to support compelling needs and opportunities to Lancaster County nonprofit partners. Grants may be applied to operations, programs or capital projects.	Rolling	Up to $20K
Cloudsplitter Foundation Unrestricted Support Grants Cloudsplitter Foundation · Foundation Jan 1, 2027 · Up to $10K The Cloudsplitter Foundation makes Unrestricted (general operating) Support Grants of up to $10,000/year to Adirondack-region nonprofits, generally those with an established relationship. Three rounds per year (Jan 1 / May 1 / Sep 1).	Jan 1, 2027	Up to $10K
Operating Support for Existing Programs/Projects CPPS Heritage Mission Fund · Foundation ~January · $5K – $100K For organizations requesting operating support to continue an existing program(s)/project(s).	~January	$5K – $100K
Crestlea Foundation Grant Crestlea Foundation Inc · Foundation ~January · $15K The Crestlea Foundation makes grants to 501(c)(3) organizations for capital, program or operating expenses. The average grant is $15,000.	~January	$15K
Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation Operations Grant Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation Inc · Foundation ~January · $1K – $75K General operating support from the Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation for arts and humanities organizations, with priority to those located in Central Indiana (Greater Indianapolis area).	~January	$1K – $75K
CCCF General Operating Support Grants Central Carolina Community Foundation · Foundation Jan 31, 2027 · Up to $30K Central Carolina Community Foundation's General Operating Support provides unrestricted, multi-year funding — up to $30,000, awarded as $10,000 annually for up to three years (contingent on continued eligibility).	Jan 31, 2027	Up to $30K
Archie D & Bertha H Walker Foundation Annual Grant Archie D and Bertha H Walker · Foundation ~February · $5K The Archie D & Bertha H Walker Foundation makes annual operating grants to small nonprofits in the Minnesota Twin Cities 7-county metro (Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, Washington counties).	~February	$5K
ArtsFunds Grants - General Operating Support Oak Park Area Arts Council · Foundation ~February · From $1B Provides annual grants to nonprofit arts and cultural organizations for general operating expenses to strengthen organizational capacity and stability. Email: camillew2@oakparkareaartscouncil.org Address: 123 Madison St, Oak Park, IL 60302	~February	From $1B
Annual Grants Program Arts Council of Indianapolis Inc · Foundation ~February · Varies	~February	Varies
Operating Support Grants Alaska State Council on the Arts · State Mar 1, 2027 · Varies Annual or biennial grants available to eligible organizational applicants to support a portion of ongoing artistic and administrative functions.	Mar 1, 2027	Varies
General Operating Support (GOS) Division of the Arts Grants · State Mar 1, 2027 · Varies Support of annual operating expenses to ensure year-round participation in the arts is available to Delaware residents.	Mar 1, 2027	Varies
Allocations Allied Arts of Oklahoma Inc · Foundation ~March · Varies Annually, Allied Arts distributes campaign funds to its member agencies through the allocations process.	~March	Varies
ArtsKC Mission Support Grant ArtsKC Regional Arts Council · Foundation Not published · $5K The ArtsKC Mission Support Grant is designed to support non-profit organizations whose primary focus is the arts in the Kansas City metropolitan area.	Not published	$5K
Cultural Sustainability Grant New England Foundation for the Arts Incorporated · Foundation Not published · Varies Cultural Sustainability is a one-time grantmaking and learning program nationally funded by The Wallace Foundation and delivered regionally by the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations.	Not published	Varies
Robert B. Daugherty Foundation Grant - Program Support Robert B Daugherty Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies The Robert B. Daugherty Foundation Grant supports tax-exempt organizations engaging in charitable, scientific, cultural, religious, or educational activities, with a focus on projects benefiting Nebraska, especially Omaha.	Not published	Varies
Elsie H. Wilcox Foundation Grant - General Operating Grants Elsie Wilcox Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies The Elsie H. Wilcox Foundation Grant supports various fields including arts, education, environment, health, human services, and religion.	Not published	Varies
CGF: Berwick Fund (Under $10,000) Community Giving Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies The mission of the Berwick Health and Wellness Fund is to select, identify, and invest in programs and projects that improve the health and welfare of the community.	Not published	Varies
Erie County Cultural Funding Program - Level 1 (Grants under $50,000) Erie County Arts and Cultural Advisory Board (EACAB) · Foundation Not published · Up to $50K The Erie County Cultural Funding Program offers annual grants of up to $50,000 for 501(c)(3) arts and cultural organizations in Erie County. These funds support general operating expenses such as salaries, program costs, and utilities.	Not published	Up to $50K
James A. & Faith Knight Foundation Grant James a and Faith Knight Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies The James A. & Faith Knight Foundation Grant supports nonprofit organizations in Jackson and Washtenaw Counties, Michigan.	Not published	Varies
4Culture Operating Support: Heritage Sustained Support Grant 4Culture · Foundation Not published · Varies The 4Culture Operating Support: Heritage Sustained Support Grant provides essential funding to heritage organizations in King County for two years.	Not published	Varies

Showing 1–24 of 373

Operating grants for nonprofits by the numbers

How deadlines work

Rolling or ongoing: 7 2%
Upcoming date published: 17 5%
Stated cycle, no date yet: 42 11%
No deadline published: 308 82%

Only 17 of these grants publish a date, too few to show a seasonal pattern.

Funders with the most open operating grants for nonprofits

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg 6 open
4Culture 5 open
Texas Commission On The Arts 5 open
Tennessee Arts Commission 4 open
Arrowhead Regional Arts Council 3 open
Arts Council of New Orleans 3 open

303 funders have at least one open grant in this category.

Source: Grantable's grants database, compiled from funder websites, Grants.gov and state grant portals. Figures cover all 374 active operating grants for nonprofits (with a deadline today or later, or none published) as of October 4, 2026, and refresh daily. Award amounts are each grant's listed maximum; 3 listed amounts over $10M are left out, since they're usually program-wide totals rather than single awards.

About operating support grants

Operating support grants (also called general operating or unrestricted grants) give nonprofits flexible funding they can apply to whatever the organization most needs — salaries, rent, utilities, technology, or building reserves — rather than restricting the money to a single program. This flexibility makes operating support among the most valuable and sought-after funding, because it strengthens the whole organization and helps it adapt. It is generally awarded to established nonprofits a funder already trusts to use the money well.

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

Operating Support Grants by state

Browse operating support grants available to organizations in 16 states.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much money do operating grants for nonprofits award?

Of the 374 operating grants for nonprofits Grantable lists as of October 4, 2026, 216 publish an award amount. The median listed award is $23K, and the middle half fall between $10K and $56K. The largest is $6M. Amounts are each grant's stated maximum, so a typical award can be smaller.

Which funders offer the most operating grants for nonprofits?

By number of open listings, the most active funders are The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg (6), 4Culture (5), Texas Commission On The Arts (5), Tennessee Arts Commission (4), and Arrowhead Regional Arts Council (3). In all, 303 funders have at least one open grant in this category.

When are operating grants for nonprofits due?

Of 374 grants listed, 7 accept applications on a rolling basis, 17 have a published upcoming deadline, 42 run on a stated cycle (such as annual or quarterly) without a published date, and 308 don't publish a deadline, so check the funder's site.

What is an operating support grant?

An operating support grant provides unrestricted or general-purpose funding that a nonprofit can allocate across its core costs — staff, overhead, infrastructure, and mission work — at its own discretion. Because it isn't tied to a single project, it lets organizations cover the real costs of running well, invest in capacity, and weather changes in their funding mix.

Which funders give unrestricted operating support?

Operating support most often comes from private and family foundations, community foundations, and some corporate funders, particularly those that have an established relationship with a grantee and want to support the organization as a whole. Trust-based philanthropy has made multi-year, unrestricted operating grants more common, though many funders still reserve them for organizations with a strong track record.

How is operating support different from project grants?

A project grant restricts funding to a specific program with its own budget, deliverables, and reporting, whereas operating support can be spent flexibly across the organization's general needs. Project grants are easier for new applicants to win because the scope is defined, but operating support is more valuable to the grantee because it covers overhead and lets leadership direct resources where they are needed most.

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