Seed Grants for Nonprofits

Last updated September 29, 2026

There are currently 77 open seed grants for nonprofits in Grantable's free grants database, drawn from foundation sources and updated daily. 51 list an award amount, with a median of $10K.

Open grants: 77; from 72 funders
Median award: $10K; middle half $5,000–$25K
Total listed funding: $3.3M; across 51 grants that list an amount
Rolling deadlines: 7; 7 with a published date

On this page: Foundation · Updated daily

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Grant	Deadline ▲	Amount
ESVCF Community Grants Program- Fall Cycle Eastern Shore of Virginia Community Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Up to $10K The ESVCF Community Grants Program's Fall Cycle offers small grants up to $10,000 for innovative projects in areas like Early Childhood Development, Health and Wellness, and Economic Resilience.	Rolling	Up to $10K
Incubation Grants New Jersey Council For The Humanities · Foundation Rolling · $1K – $5K Help organizations plan, research, prototype, and experiment with vibrant humanities programs. Support the development of new models and topics for public humanities initiatives.	Rolling	$1K – $5K
Community Foundation of Marquette County - Competitive Grant Cycle Community Foundation of Marquette · Foundation Rolling · Varies Community Foundation of Marquette County	Rolling	Varies
Tuscola County Community Foundation: Founders Fund Grant Tuscola County Community Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Up to $600 The Tuscola County Community Foundation's Founders Fund Grant supports innovative and start-up projects from grassroots or smaller non-profits.	Rolling	Up to $600
Kathleen & Joseph M. Bryan Community Enrichment and Venture Grant (CEVG) United Way of Greater Greensboro Inc · Foundation Rolling · Up to $15K CEVG began in 1967 to promote the improvement of human service delivery through innovative programs.	Rolling	Up to $15K
Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research: Seed Grant Program Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Canc · Foundation Rolling · $75K The Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research offers the Seed Grant Program to support innovative research aimed at improving diagnosis and treatment modalities for pancreatic cancer.	Rolling	$75K
Legacy Hall of Fame Fund Grant Bartlesville Community Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Up to $2K The Legacy Hall of Fame Fund Grant, offered by the Bartlesville Community Foundation, aims to empower 501(c)(3) organizations with innovative proposals that enhance community well-being.	Rolling	Up to $2K
Fast Pitch Showcase Awards Social Venture Partners of Sacramento · Foundation Rolling · $50K	Rolling	$50K
Micro Grants The Schenectady Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Up to $10K Organizations will have access to seed funding to plan, research, and pilot new initiatives that foster innovation and build stronger connections within the community.	Rolling	Up to $10K
Kempner Fund: Micro-Grants Harris & Eliza Kempner Fund Inc · Foundation Rolling · Up to $5K The Kempner Fund's Micro-Grants Program aims to empower new and smaller non-profit organizations in Galveston by providing seed funding of up to $5,000.	Rolling	Up to $5K
Project Change Foundation Grants Project Change Foundation · Foundation Rolling · $2K The Project Change Foundation offers small grants of $2,000 to support new or emerging Canadian charities focused on creating social or environmental change.	Rolling	$2K
Lisle Global Seed Grant Lisle International · Foundation Rolling · $500 – $5K The Lisle Global Seed Grant supports innovative projects that foster intercultural understanding and bridge community divides. Grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 are awarded to organizations that promote collaboration among diverse groups.	Rolling	$500 – $5K
CFMC: Opportunity Fund Grant Community Foundation for Monterey County · Foundation Rolling · Varies CFMC’s small Opportunity grants program address a wide spectrum of needs.	Rolling	Varies
JWF Chicago Innovation Grants Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago · Foundation Rolling · $15K – $25K The JWF Chicago Innovation Grants support start-up organizations and pilot projects, allowing applicants to receive funding for innovative concepts.	Rolling	$15K – $25K
Pathway Grant Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy · Foundation Rolling · Varies Support start-up or recently established adult ESOL classes. Funding is used for direct costs of adult ESOL classes and may be used for childcare during instruction if the budget allows.	Rolling	Varies
The Community Heart & Soul Seed Grant Program Community Heart & Soul · Foundation Rolling · $10K The Community Heart & Soul Seed Grant Program offers $10,000 in startup funding for community-driven groups in small towns to adopt the Community Heart & Soul model. Applications are accepted until 11:59 p.m.	Rolling	$10K
Seed, Program Innovation and School/District-Wide Grants Croton-Harmon Education Foundation (CHEF) · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Croton Harmon Education Foundation (CHEF) provides grants to foster innovative educational initiatives within the Croton Harmon School District.	Rolling	Varies
Emergent Grants Branford Community Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies BCF understands that projects and emergencies arise that cannot be accommodated by the annual grant cycle. A small pool of funding is reserved for these types of applications.	Rolling	Varies
Seed Grants New England Grassroots Environment Fund · Foundation Rolling · Varies Support new (often less than 1 year old) environmental projects.	Rolling	Varies
The Fund to Seed Wildflower Schools The Wildflower Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Fund to Seed Wildflower Schools helps remove early financial barriers by providing grants to new Wildflower-affiliated schools as they take critical first steps toward opening.	Rolling	Varies
Pilot Project Grant Foundation for Western Washington · Foundation Rolling · Up to $5K The Pilot Project Grant at Western Washington University aims to initiate innovative research and creative endeavors.	Rolling	Up to $5K
Sparkplug Foundation: Emergency Grants The Sparkplug Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Up to $5K The Sparkplug Foundation offers Emergency Grants of up to $5,000 exclusively for current and past grantees in education or community organizing.	Rolling	Up to $5K
ArtPrize Artist Seed Grant Artprize Grand Rapids · Foundation Rolling · $2K ArtPrize (annual art competition, Grand Rapids, MI) awards Artist Seed Grants of $2,000 each to exceptionally talented emerging artists/designers to help create work and cover logistics for ArtPrize.	Rolling	$2K
The Wells Mountain Initiative Community Development Seed Grant The Nature Conservancy · Foundation Rolling · $100 – $1K The Wells Mountain Initiative Community Development Seed Grant is a small funding opportunity available exclusively to current WMI Scholars and Student Scholars nearing the end of their studies.	Rolling	$100 – $1K

Showing 49–72 of 74

About seed grants

Seed grants provide early-stage funding to launch a new organization, program, or idea before it has a track record or other support. They are typically smaller and intended to help recipients test a concept, build initial capacity, or reach a milestone that unlocks larger funding. Because they fund unproven work, seed grants emphasize the strength of the idea, the team, and a credible plan rather than past results.

A long list is the starting point, not the shortlist. Our grant prospecting guide shows how to narrow seed 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 seed grants for nonprofits award?

Of the 77 open seed grants for nonprofits Grantable lists as of September 29, 2026, 51 publish an award amount. The median listed award is $10K, and the middle half fall between $5,000 and $25K. The largest is $1M. Amounts are each grant's stated maximum, so a typical award can be smaller.

Which funders offer the most seed grants for nonprofits?

By number of open listings, the most active funders are Branford Community Foundation (2), Community Heart & Soul (2), Ripley County Community Foundation Inc (2), Schlecht Family Foundation Inc (2), and The Wildflower Foundation (2). In all, 72 funders have at least one open grant in this category.

When are seed grants for nonprofits due?

Of 77 open grants, 7 accept applications on a rolling basis, 7 have a published upcoming deadline, 11 run on a stated cycle (such as annual or quarterly) without a published date, and 52 don't publish a deadline, so check the funder's site.

What is a seed grant?

A seed grant is early-stage, often modest funding meant to get a new nonprofit, program, or pilot off the ground. It typically covers startup costs — initial staffing, a pilot, research, or proof-of-concept work — and is designed to help an organization reach the point where it can attract larger or ongoing funding. The focus is on potential and feasibility rather than an established history.

Who offers seed funding to nonprofits?

Seed grants come from foundations with innovation or startup initiatives, community foundations, corporate social-impact programs, and venture-philanthropy or social-entrepreneurship funds. Some funders run dedicated pilot or incubation programs, and many pair a seed grant with mentorship, training, or technical assistance to improve the odds that the new effort succeeds.

How do you improve your chances of winning a seed grant?

Because there's little or no track record to point to, a strong seed application leads with a clear, well-defined problem, a credible and specific plan, and evidence that your team can execute. Funders also look for a defined milestone the seed money will achieve and a realistic path to sustainability beyond the grant. Pilots, letters of support, and any early proof points strengthen the case.

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