Below is a list of current and upcoming opportunities. If you have questions about an opportunity listed below or additional grant opportunities you’d like to add to the list, please contact Josie Smith (josie@regionalopportunityinc.org).

ROI Grant Opportunities

Check back soon for grant opportunities from ROI!

Grant Opportunities Outside of ROI

The following opportunities are offered by organizations other than ROI. ROI is not affiliated with any of these grants. This list is meant to provide our partners with other sources of funding for the great work they do in the Indiana Uplands Region.

Verizon Disaster Resilience Prize

The Verizon Disaster Resilience Prize, a collaboration between Verizon and MIT Solve, seeks technology-driven solutions that strengthen disaster resilience in U.S. communities. The Prize has a particular interest in innovations that enhance early warning systems and disaster preparedness, improve emergency response and resource coordination, strengthen infrastructure and protect vulnerable communities, and support long-term recovery and community resilience after weather-related disasters. Four selected solutions will receive $250,000 in funding to advance their initiatives.​ Solutions can be for-profit, nonprofit, and hybrid organizations.

  • Award Range: 4 awards of $250,000 will be granted
  • Timeline: Applications open April 8, 2025 and close June 13, 2025
  • Learn More >>

Infinite Hero Foundation Grants

Infinite Hero Foundation is offering grants up to $100,000 to nonprofit organizations committed to creating or working with cutting edge technologies, methods, practices, or products that address the mental and physical challenges faced by military members, veterans, and their families. Grants are provided in five categories: physical recovery, brain health, suicide prevention, veteran leadership development, and military family support.

  • Award Range: Up to $100,000
  • Timeline: Application deadline is June 15, 2025
  • Learn More >>

Lots of Compassion Grant

The Lots of Compassion Grant, provided by Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day and KidsGardening, is designed to support local leaders looking to transform vacant lots into gardens to help grow compassion in their community. Supported projects should work with or serve communities with a majority of individuals that are under-resourced, have fifteen or more people participate in the garden program, and use the funds to build a garden on a vacant lot.

  • Award Range: $20,000
  • Timeline: Applications are due June 16, 2025
  • Learn More >>

Rural Youth Leaders Youth Fellowship & Stewards Network

Rural Youth Leaders (RYL), a collaborative initiative, aims to uplift and invest in the leadership of creative young people and the cultural stewards who support them in rural communities. Teams from six rural communities across the U.S. and tribal nations will be selected, each consisting of two emerging leaders (aged 18-24) engaged in creative arts and cultural traditions, one cultural steward mentor, and one nominating organization. The youth leaders will participate in a fellowship, accompanied by the cultural steward.

  • Award Range: Teams receive $2,500 stipends for each youth fellow and $10,000 to support the cultural steward and nominating organization, as well as leadership development grounded in creative arts and cultural traditions, mentorship, project guidance, and other supports.
  • Timeline: Applications due June 16, 2025
  • Learn More >>

Teshinsky Family Foundation Career Pathways Training Grant

The Teshinsky Family Foundation Career Pathways Training Grant supports direct service training programs for post-secondary career pathways in manufacturing, building trades, welding, and other high-demand, high-wage fields. Eligible programs must have the following elements: direct training, employment pipeline, and support services and serve participants ages 18 and above. Funds can support training and/or equipment costs.

  • Award Range: $25,000 to $100,000
  • Timeline: Inquiry forms are due June 23, 2025
  • Learn More >>

Safe Streets and Roads for All Grants

The Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grants program from the US Department of Transportation funds regional, local, and Tribal initiatives to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries. The goal of the program is to improve roadway safety through safety action plan development, refinement, and implementation focused on all uses. There are two grants offered: Planning and Demonstration Grants and Implementation Grants.

  • Award Range: Planning and Demonstration Grants range from $100,000 to $5,000,000; Implementation Grants range from $2,500,000 to $25,000,000
  • Timeline: Applications open March 28, 2025 and close June 26, 2025
  • Learn More >>

T-Mobile Hometown Grants

The Hometown Grants from T-Mobile provide funding for communities with populations of 50,000 or less to implement transformational quality of place projects. Grants are given every quarter to up to 25 small towns.

  • Award Range: Up to $50,000
  • Applications open on a quarterly basis with the following schedule:
    • Summer: Applications open April–June (Quarter 2 Grants close Monday, June 30, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. CT)
    • Fall: Applications open July–September
    • Winter: Applications open October–December
    • Spring: Applications open January–March
  • Learn More >>

Levitt Foundation Music Series Grants

The Levitt Foundation’s Levitt Music Series Grants provide three-year matching grants to bring free outdoor concerts to communities across the United States. Applications are accepted in the following categories: Levitt AMP is geared to towns and cities with populations under 250,000. Levitt VIBE, geared to large cities with a population over 250,000, brings free outdoor concerts to neighborhoods where there is limited access to arts programming and live music. Levitt BLOC, geared to communities of any size, activates different neighborhoods in a town or city by “layering” concerts across multiple public spaces. Nonprofit organizations located in the same town, city, or county of the proposed music series are eligible to apply.

  • Award Range: Up to $40,000
  • Timeline: Applications due June 30, 2025
  • Learn More >>

Karma for Cara Foundation Youth Service Project Microgrants

The Karma for Cara Foundation seeks to support young people throughout the United States in their efforts to contribute to society and help repair the world through volunteerism and community service. Students 18 years of age and under may apply for funds between $250 and $1,000 to complete service projects in their communities. The microgrants support a wide variety of projects and events, such as turning a vacant lot into a community garden, rebuilding a school playground, or helping senior citizens ready their homes for the winter.

  • Award Range: $250 – $1,000
  • Timeline: Application deadlines are January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1 annually
  • Learn More >>

Rural Empowerment & Development Program

The Rural Empowerment and Development (RED) program is a capacity-building and planning initiative created by the Office of Community and Rural Affairs and the Indiana Communities Institute at Ball State University. RED is a comprehensive program designed to enhance community engagement and implement actionable projects. Each participating local team will undergo a four to six month program tailored to their specific needs. Local teams should be led by either a county-wide nonprofit or county government and must include two or more incorporated local units of government within the county.

  • Award Range: Program participation costs
  • Timeline: Applications open May 29, 2025 and close July 2, 2025 at 12:00 PM
  • Learn More >>

Public Impact Projects Celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary

2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In recognition of this milestone, the National Endowment for the Humanities is awarding grants to assist cultural organizations in expanding public programs that examine the founding of the nation. This grant will support projects that focus on public interpretation of the Founding Era and the lasting impact of the people and events that propelled the Revolution. Supported activities include: collaborating with scholars and interpretive consultants to develop new interpretive plans; implementing tours, exhibitions, or other public-facing interpretive programs; assessing the opportunities presented by collections or other resources to tell compelling stories of the legacy of the Declaration of Independence; and training staff and volunteers in new methods and best practices for public interpretation.

  • Award Range: Up to $200,000 with a 25% funding ratio
  • Timeline: Applications are available May 16, 2026 and close July 9, 2025
  • Learn More >>

PreservINg Main Street

The Office of Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, in partnership with Indiana Landmarks and Indiana Humanities is offering the PreservINg Main Street grnat program. The program provides funding to create a sustainable historic preservation model while building local capacity and a comprehensive downtown revitalization plan. The program also provides funding for the preservation of downtown Main Street buildings.

  • Award Range: Up to $2 million, with at least a 10% match requirement
  • Timeline: Applications open May 1, 2025 and close July 17, 2025 at noon
  • Learn More >>

IU’s Sustaining Hoosier Communities

Sustaining Hoosier Communities pairs one rural community with IU faculty, staff, and students for an intensive year to advance community-identified projects that improve Hoosier lives.

  • Award Range: No direct funding, but includes support and tailored reports on community-identified projects.
  • Timeline: Application deadline is October 1, 2025.
  • Learn More > >

Indiana Trails Program Grant

The Indiana Trails Program Grant from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources is a grant program to support the development of trails throughout the state. The program uses state funds to help connect Hoosiers to outdoor recreation opportunities and natural environments without needing to rely on the use of a vehicle. Funds care be used for the construction of trails, development of trailheads and other support amenities, construction of bridges, boardwalks, and crossings, acquisition of easement or property for trails. Projects must be completed within four years and be universally designed to accommodate all people.

  • Award Range: $100,000 – $400,000
  • Timeline: Application opens September 1, 2025 and closes October 1, 2025
  • Learn More >>

Water and Waste Disposal Predevelopment Planning Grants

The Water and Waste Disposal Predevelopment Planning Grants from the US Department of Agriculture provides funding to help eligible rural, low-income communities plan and developing funding for the agency’s Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program. The goal of this program is to support the provision of clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and stormwater drainage for households and businesses in rural areas.

  • Award Range: Up to $60,000 with a 25% cash match requirement
  • Timeline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis
  • Learn More >>

Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program

The Water and Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program from the US Department of Agriculture provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage to households and businesses in eligible rural areas. Long-term, low-interest loans and grants combined with a loan are available.

  • Award Range: Long-term (up to 40 years), low-interest loans
  • Timeline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis
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Jeffris Heartland Fund

The Jeffris Family Foundation’s Jeffris Heartland Fund supports historic preservation projects in small towns and cities in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The Fund provides matching grants for advanced planning studies for historic preservation projects preparing for a capital campaign and a restoration project. Grants cover 50% of the cost of a Historic Structure Report, and must be matched dollar-for-dollar with cash from other sources. Projects must be located in small towns and cities with a population under 150,000 that are not within a major metropolitan area, and the historic site must be on (or be eligible to be on) the National Register of Historic Places.

  • Award Range: Up to 50% of the cost of a Historic Structure Report, with a 1:1 matching requirement
  • Timeline: Preliminary inquiries accepted on a rolling basis
  • Learn More >>

CreatINg Places Grants

CreatINg Places is a place-based grantfunding program from the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority (IHCDA). The grant supports projects that activate underutilized public spaces or create new public spaces. The program aims to generate public interest and involvement in the development and implementation of place-based improvements by incentivizing small, public donations with a matching grant from IHCDA if and when their funding goal is reached by a set period of time.

  • Award Range: $5,000 – $50,000 with a 1:1 fundraising match requirement
  • Timeline: Applications are available now and accepted on a rolling basis
  • Learn More >>

Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program

The purpose of the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program from the US Department of Agriculture is to provide funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. Projects supported through this program must demonstrate substantial community support, and facilities must serve the rural area where they are or will be located. Rural areas must have no more than 20,000 residents, according to the latest US Census Data. Examples of essential community facilities include healthcare facilities, including hospitals, nursing homes, or dental clinics; public facilities, such as town halls, courthouses, airport hangars, or street improvements; community support services, such as childcare centers, transitional housing, or community centers; and public safety services such as fire departments and vehicles or police departments and vehicles.

  • Award Range: Unspecified, applicants may apply for a loan, a grant, or a combination of both
  • Timeline: Applications are available now and accepted on a rolling basis
  • Learn More >>

Community Heart & Soul Seed Grant Program

The Community Heart & Soul Seed Grant Program provides start-up funding for resident-driven groups in small cities and towns looking to implement the Community Heart & Soul model. Community Heart & Soul is a resident-driven process that engages the entire population of a town in identifying what they love most about their community, the future they want for it, and how to achieve it. 

  • Award Range: Up to $10,000 with a 1:1 cash matching requirement
  • Timeline: Applications are available now and accepted on a rolling basis
  • Learn More >>

Next Level Jobs – Employer Training Grant

The Employer Training Grant offers employers $5,000 per employee who is trained, hired, and retained for at least 6 months in seven priority sectors: Advanced Manufacturing, Technology and Business Services, Transportation and Logistics, Health and Sciences, Building and Construction, Agriculture, and Early Childhood. 

  • Award Range: $5,000 per employee, up to $50,000 per employer
  • Timeline: Open now and ongoing
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Next Level Jobs – Workforce Ready Grant

The Workforce Ready Grant is a grant program for individuals that covers the tuition and fees of qualifying certificate programs across Indiana. Trainings are available in the following industries: Advanced Manufacturing, Building and Construction, Health and Life Sciences, Information Technology and Business Services, Transportation and Logistics, and Early Childhood. 

  • Award Range: Cost of qualified training
  • Timeline: Open now and ongoing
  • Learn More >>

School-Based Healthcare Solutions Network: Principal Student Support Services Grant

The School-Based Healthcare Solutions Network (SBHSN) is offering a new grant opportunity for public school principals interested in implementing student mental health support services. Grant funds must be used to expand access to mental health support services for students with a documented history of chronic absenteeism, behavioral challenges, or declining academic performance. The grant provides a fully funded mental health professional for each school campus who will deliver evidence-based mental health support services directly to students. In addition, qualifying schools are eligible for up to $5,000 per year, renewable for five years, to support student service initiatives aligned with the program’s objectives.

  • Award Range: Fully funded mental health professional, plus and additional $5,000 per year, renewable for five years
  • Timeline: Applications accepted on a rolling basis
  • Learn More >>

Children’s Book Project Grant

The Children’s Book Project Grant, from the Pilcrow Foundation, is a 2-to-1 match grant for rural libraries to purchase up to $1,200 worth of new, quality, hardcover children’s books. 

  • Award Range: Up to $1,200 with a 2-to-1 matching requirement
  • Timeline: Applications are due every April 1 and October 1
  • Learn More >>