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
SFFI: Impact Investments Grant Schlecht Family Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies The Schlecht Family Foundation Inc is committed to transforming communities in Dane County and rural Wisconsin through innovative support for organizations.	Not published	Varies
The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation: Operating Grants - Aging The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg · Foundation Not published · Varies The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation The Weinberg Foundation fulfills its mission of meeting the basic needs of people experiencing poverty by providing grants across five focus areas that serve a range of populations, primarily…	Not published	Varies
Rockwell Fund Grant - 3rd Quarter- Health & Wellness Rockwell Fund Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies The Rockwell Fund Grant supports community development initiatives primarily in Super Neighborhood 52, focusing on operational support, capacity building, and program development.	Not published	Varies
PCF Operating Grants Pinellas Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · Up to $25K The Pinellas Community Foundation's PCF Operating Grants provide essential two-year funding to nonprofits, enabling them to address core operational costs such as staffing, infrastructure, and outreach.	Not published	Up to $25K
ArtsWave Sustaining Impact Grant Program Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts · Foundation Not published · Varies ArtsWave's Sustaining Impact Grant Program provides operating/sustaining support to arts and culture organizations in the Greater Cincinnati region, with application guidelines organized by category (Category A and Categories B-E, plus…	Not published	Varies
Meet the Moment Fund Grant France-Merrick Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies The Meet the Moment Fund Grant, offered by the France-Merrick Foundation, provides essential short-term financial support to organizations addressing urgent community needs in areas such as health, housing, and education.	Not published	Varies
CFSA: Endowment for the Arts Grants Community Foundation for Southern Arizona · Foundation Not published · Varies The Endowment for the Arts Grant focuses on the arts organizations in rural communities, learning more about the work that is being done in these communities, enhancing our knowledge of that work, and increasing the amount of funding per…	Not published	Varies
JCF Program and Operational Support Grants Jackson Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · Up to $20K The JCF Community Impact Operational Support Grants aim to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion in Jackson County by providing operational support to eligible 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations.	Not published	Up to $20K
Flexible Support Grant: Tier 3 Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council · Foundation Not published · Up to $15K The Flexible Support Grant: Tier 3, offered by the Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council, provides up to $15,000 for arts organizations with an annual operating budget of $200,000 or more.	Not published	Up to $15K
Creative Catalyst Fund - General Operating Support Newark Arts Council · Foundation Not published · $3K – $25K Launched by Mayor Ras J. Baraka and the Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs in 2020, the Creative Catalyst Fund supports the local community of artists and cultural organizations.	Not published	$3K – $25K
The Shubert Foundation: Theatre Grants The Shubert Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · $10K – $325K The Shubert Foundation offers grants to not-for-profit professional theatre and dance companies in the U.S., focusing on general operating support rather than project-specific funding.	Not published	$10K – $325K
Grants for the Arts City & County Of San Francisco · Foundation Not published · $10K – $450K The Grants for the Arts program provides significant financial support to arts and culture organizations in San Francisco, with grants ranging from $10,000 to $450,000 over two years.	Not published	$10K – $450K
Howard Gilman Foundation Grant - New Funding The Howard Gilman Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · US $10,000 - US $30,000 The Howard Gilman Foundation Grant aims to support New York City's vibrant performing arts organizations.	Not published	US $10,000 - US $30,000
GCRCF: Organization Support Grants Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · Up to $25K The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation provides Organization Support Grants to enhance the quality of life in Linn County, Iowa.	Not published	Up to $25K
The Community Impact Fund Grant Inland Empire Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · Up to $20K The Community Impact Fund Grant, offered by the Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF), aims to support nonprofits in Riverside and San Bernardino counties during challenging times.	Not published	Up to $20K
City of Berkeley: Civic Arts- General Operating Support Grant Berkeley Civic Arts Commission (BCAC) · Foundation Not published · Up to $20K The City of Berkeley's Civic Arts- General Operating Support Grant provides essential funding to nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in Berkeley.	Not published	Up to $20K
Boston Cultural Council Organizational Grants (MA) City of Boston · State Not published · $5K – $10K The Boston Cultural Council Organizational Grants support small to mid-sized nonprofit organizations and artist collectives with operating grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000.	Not published	$5K – $10K
MetroWest- Human Services Grant Program Community Foundation for MetroWest Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $20K The MetroWest Human Services Grant Program, managed by the Foundation for MetroWest, aims to build strong families and communities by providing general operating grants to organizations serving underrepresented individuals.	Not published	Up to $20K
External Agency Fund- Arts + Creative Industries Funding Grant Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government · Foundation Not published · $25K – $50K The Arts + Creative Industries External Agency Grant Program, initiated by the Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government, provides vital funding support to local arts and culture nonprofits.	Not published	$25K – $50K
Creativity Grant for General Operating Support Maryland Department of Commerce · State Not published · Varies Creativity Grants for General Operating Support strengthen the vitality and sustainability of small organizations to maintain a strong and stable arts infrastructure in Maryland. This option is available to organizations only.	Not published	Varies
Allied Arts & Humanities Fund Grant – Operating Support Bartlesville Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · $3K – $5K The Allied Arts & Humanities Fund Grant – Operating Support aims to enhance cultural organizations in the Bartlesville area by providing funding for arts and humanities programming.	Not published	$3K – $5K
CARES Act Grants (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Humanities Tennessee · Foundation Not published · $5K Emergency relief funding for nonprofit organizations affected by COVID-19 pandemic	Not published	$5K
Rebuild India Fund Dasra · Foundation Not published · $14K A long-term resilience fund that commits 5 years of general operating grants to grassroots NGOs in India.	Not published	$14K
New Orleans as Cultural Capital Grant - Level 3 Funding Arts Council of New Orleans · Foundation Not published · $14K The New Orleans as Cultural Capital Grant provides vital funding for nonprofit arts organizations in various disciplines including dance, music, and visual arts.	Not published	$14K

Showing 97–120 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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