The GRANT Program is available for eligible recipients to support the local match requirement when applying for a federal government grant. Applications open June 1, 2024 and will continue on a rolling monthly basis thereafter until funds expire.
Supports the efforts of nonprofit organizations to build vibrant communities that offer stable jobs, homes, and communities connected through culture, recreation, and play.
Funding through the Implementation Pathway will help communities and regions devise and implement long-term economic recovery strategies through a variety of construction and non-construction projects to address economic challenges in areas where a Presidential declaration of a major disaster was issued in 2023 and 2024.
NACo’s Counties for Housing Solutions will provide free virtual technical assistance to help counties assess and update their zoning codes to increase affordable housing development and overall housing supply. These fast-paced technical assistance sprints are designed to be high-intensity and implementation-focused, with a county being on track to formally adopt an amendment to their zoning code at the conclusion of the sprint.
The Sparkplug Foundation funds materials and activities that transform innovative ideas into sustainable realities. This includes start-up costs for new organizations, such as outreach materials, capacity-building trainings for leadership, and short-term general operating support or staffing. While primarily focused on one-year start-up grants, they occasionally support specific technical tools like website development if it directly drives project goals. Central to their mission is a commitment to community accountability and inclusion. They prioritize organizations that actively acknowledge and address systemic power imbalances, ensuring their internal structures and community work are deliberately guided by and supportive of those on the "downside of power." By providing this critical early-stage capital and focusing on equitable leadership, the foundation helps new, grassroots initiatives achieve growth and long-term impact.
WE FUND:
Early-stage organizations and projects
Small-to-medium organizations or ideas
501c3 non-profits or individuals, communities or collectives that have a US-based 501c3 fiscal sponsor
Our Spring 2026 LOI deadline is May 1, 2026. If your LOI is accepted, the application deadline is May 22, 2026 and the Spring 2026 grant announcements well be on July 9, 2026.