Operating Grants for Nonprofits

Last updated October 24, 2026

Grantable tracks 371 active operating grants for nonprofits in its free grants database, drawn from foundation sources and updated daily. 17 of them have a verified open deadline or accept applications on a rolling basis. 210 list an award amount, with a median of $23K.

Grants tracked: 371; from 301 funders
Median award: $23K; middle half $10K–$60K
Total listed funding: $27.2M; across 210 grants that list an amount
Rolling deadlines: 7; 24 with a published date

On this page: Foundation · Updated daily

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Grant	Deadline ▲	Amount
Little Falls/Morrison County Grant The Musser Fund · Foundation Not published · Up to $30K The Little Falls/Morrison County Grant, established by the Laura Jane Musser Fund, aims to enhance community access and sustainability through support for nonprofit organizations in Morrison County, MN.	Not published	Up to $30K
Marion Gardner Jackson Charitable Trust Program/Operating Support Grant Marion G Jackson Char Tr · Foundation Not published · $10K – $50K The Marion Gardner Jackson Charitable Trust supports organizations in Quincy, Illinois, and surrounding areas with grants for capital projects and program/operating support.	Not published	$10K – $50K
Arts & Heritage Fund Grants Arts and Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville · Foundation Not published · Varies The Arts & Heritage Fund, managed by the Arts & Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville, awards General Operating Support Grants (~85% of the fund) to arts and heritage organizations and Technical Assistance Grants (~5%) to organizations not…	Not published	Varies
UACF Operating Support Grants United Arts of Central Florida Inc · Foundation Not published · $10K The UACF Operating Support Grants offered by United Arts of Central Florida provide essential funding to nonprofit cultural organizations that have been operational for at least three years.	Not published	$10K
TCA Texas Arts Create 1 Grant Texas Commission On The Arts · Foundation Not published · $3K The TCA Texas Arts Create 1 Grant, offered by the Texas Commission on the Arts, supports established arts organizations and college arts institutions with budgets between $50,000 and $1 million.	Not published	$3K
Match General Operating Support for Recipients of Government Grants – People, Power and Policy RFP The Chicago Community Trust · Foundation Not published · Up to $50K The Match General Operating Support program by The Chicago Community Trust aims to assist community-serving organizations managing government grants by providing essential funding to cover administrative costs.	Not published	Up to $50K
MAC Operating Grant Mississippi Arts Commission · Foundation Not published · Up to $30K The MAC Operating Grant supports arts-focused organizations in Mississippi, enabling them to cover essential expenses like salaries, marketing, and rent.	Not published	Up to $30K
South Jersey Resiliency Fund Grants Community Foundation of South Jersey · Foundation Not published · $5K – $15K Strengthening & Sustaining South Jersey’s Nonprofit Sector South Jersey nonprofits are vital in fostering equitable and thriving communities for all, yet they are facing unprecedented challenges.	Not published	$5K – $15K
Immediate Needs Fund The Tiny News Collective Inc · Foundation Not published · $5K A competitive grant program providing rapid, targeted support to TNC member newsrooms navigating urgent operational and community challenges.	Not published	$5K

Showing 361–369 of 369

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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much money do operating grants for nonprofits award?

Of the 371 operating grants for nonprofits Grantable lists as of October 24, 2026, 210 publish an award amount. The median listed award is $23K, and the middle half fall between $10K and $60K. 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 active listings, the leading 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, 301 funders have at least one active grant in this category.

When are operating grants for nonprofits due?

Of 371 grants listed, 7 accept applications on a rolling basis, 24 have a published upcoming deadline, 49 run on a stated cycle (such as annual or quarterly) without a published date, and 291 don't publish a deadline, so check the funder's site. Among dated deadlines, 50% fall in January–March.

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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