Operating Grants for Nonprofits

Last updated October 24, 2026

Grantable tracks 371 active operating grants for nonprofits in its free grants database, drawn from state and 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: State Foundation · Updated daily

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Grant	Deadline ▲	Amount
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
Multi-Year Unrestricted Grants Athens County Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies Provide grantees with greater flexibility and stability, allowing them to focus on long-term impact	Not published	Varies
Louis & Elizabeth Nave Flarsheim Charitable Foundation Grant Louis and Elizabeth Nave Flarsheim Charitable · Foundation Not published · $1K – $50K The Louis & Elizabeth Nave Flarsheim Charitable Foundation Grant aims to enhance educational, cultural, and health care services in the Greater Kansas City Metro area.	Not published	$1K – $50K
Arts & Culture- Operational Grants- New Organizations City of San Antonio · State Not published · Varies The Operational & Culturally Specific Grants provide essential support to San Antonio-based arts and culture nonprofits, enabling them to deliver outstanding programming for the community.	Not published	Varies
Camp-Younts Foundation Grant Camp-Younts Fdnunrestricted UA Tr · Foundation Not published · $3K – $10K The Camp-Younts Foundation Grant, established in 1955, focuses on supporting organizations that assist poor and needy individuals in Virginia and Metro Atlanta, Georgia.	Not published	$3K – $10K
Annual Fund St Stephen of Hungary School Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies The Foundation's yearly campaign to raise funds in support of the school's daily operating budget. All parish-based schools face the challenge of making up the difference between tuition costs and actual operating expenses.	Not published	Varies
Emily W. Scott Foundation Grant Tr the Emily W Scott Fdn Uw · Foundation Not published · $5K – $10K The Emily W. Scott Foundation Grant supports organizations in the metropolitan Atlanta area, focusing on health, education, spiritual missions, and vision health for the blind.	Not published	$5K – $10K
SHARP (Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan) Humanities Tennessee · Foundation Not published · $5K – $20K Support jobs in the humanities, keep humanities organizations open, and assist the field in response to and recovery from COVID-19 pandemic	Not published	$5K – $20K
GCAC General Support Grant Greater Columbus Arts Council · Foundation Not published · Varies The GCAC General Support Grant provides essential funding to small to mid-sized arts organizations in Columbus, focusing on those with a strong public engagement and professional artist involvement.	Not published	Varies
Seybert Foundation Core Grants Adam and Maria Sarah Seybert · Foundation Not published · Varies The Seybert Foundation supports organizations working to improve the quality of life for disadvantaged children and youth in the City of Philadelphia.	Not published	Varies
Community Foundation for McHenry County: Mission Grant The Community Foundation for McHenry County · Foundation Not published · Up to $25K The Community Foundation for McHenry County offers Mission Grants to support local charitable organizations.	Not published	Up to $25K
Swindells Charitable Foundation Grant Swindells Char Fdn Tr Uw · Foundation Not published · Varies The Swindells Charitable Foundation Grant supports the relief of sick, suffering, and indigent aged individuals, as well as public and charitable hospitals. Established in 1993, the foundation offers grants that have a duration of one year.	Not published	Varies
Nelson Foundation: Change Champions Grant Program Grace S and W Linton Nelson · Foundation Not published · $10K – $40K The Nelson Foundation's Change Champions Grant Program, initiated in 2024, aims to support organizations focused on advocacy and systems change to combat racial inequity and social injustice.	Not published	$10K – $40K
Creative Opportunity Fund Grant Alliance of Resident Theatres New York Inc · Foundation Not published · $2K – $5K The Creative Opportunity Fund, managed by A.R.T./New York, offers general operating support grants ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 for small professional theatres in New York State with budgets under $500,000.	Not published	$2K – $5K
Critical Community Needs Fund Grant Poise Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies _NOTE: The critical Community Needs Fund (CCNF) is presently not open to offer support.	Not published	Varies
Arts Industry Operating Support ( previously Operating Support for Small Organizations (OSS) Grants ) South Carolina Arts Commission · Foundation Not published · Up to $45K The Arts Industry Operating Support grants provide two years of unrestricted funding to strengthen small arts organizations in South Carolina.	Not published	Up to $45K
Oregon Arts Commission: Sustaining Arts Program - Group B Grant Oregon Arts Commission · Foundation Not published · $5K – $25K The Oregon Arts Commission's Sustaining Arts Program - Group B provides vital operating support grants to arts organizations in Oregon with annual expenses over $150,000.	Not published	$5K – $25K
R2AC: Community Arts Support Grant Region 2 Arts Council · Foundation Not published · $2K – $7K The R2AC Community Arts Support Grant provides essential operational funding for arts organizations in the Region 2 area, enhancing their capacity to deliver accessible and innovative arts programming.	Not published	$2K – $7K
Kentucky Arts Partnership Grant Kentucky Arts Council · Foundation Not published · $1K – $60K The Kentucky Arts Partnership Grant provides vital operating support to arts organizations in Kentucky, ensuring that residents have access to year-round arts programming.	Not published	$1K – $60K

Showing 25–48 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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