Chamber Funding Opportunities - February 2024

There are many opportunities for chambers, chamber foundations and community partners to seek funding from government sources and the philanthropic sector. For federal opportunities, grants.gov is a comprehensive list of federal grants. Your state may have a similar website, so we encourage you to find and bookmark that site for future opportunities.

For philanthropic opportunities, grant seekers can sign up for a free account with OpenGrants to search for information about foundations and grant opportunities. Candid’s Philanthropy News Digest includes a section of published RFPs and notices of awards that is regularly updated and allows users to sign up for RFP alerts.

The best funding opportunities come from organizations with whom you already have a relationships, but it’s helpful to be aware of additional grants and awards. Here are a few that might be of interest:

• Addressing Homelessness: The Citi Foundation announced its latest Global Innovation Challenge to provide funds for organizations taking unique approaches to addressing homelessness. The RFP will result in 50 community organizations receiving a collective $25M. More information can be found here. Organizations must register to apply by February 13, 2024 at noon ET.
• Grants for Local Chambers in Illinois: Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced $5 million in available grant funding through the Back to Business (B2B) Local Chambers program. The B2B Local Chambers funding can be used by chambers to market and develop localities, provide small businesses with professional development, and more to support small businesses and entrepreneurs while bolstering economic development. Applicants are encouraged to visit the DCEO website to learn more and apply.
• Grants for Rural Innovation
• The USDA has opened applications for its Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE)grants. The program offers grant assistance to create and augment high-wage jobs, accelerate the formation of new businesses, support industry clusters and maximize the use of local productive assets in eligible low-income rural areas. Responses are due by April 1.
• The USDA is also currently accepting applications for its Rural Business Developmentgrants. The purpose of the program is to promote economic development and job creation projects through the awarding of grant funds to eligible entities. Applications will compete in two separate categories, business opportunity grants and business enterprise grants, for use in funding various business and community projects that serve rural areas. Responses are due by February 28.
• Support for Summer Internships in Iowa: Future Ready Iowa has launched this year’s Summer Youth Internship Grant program to support internship programs for youth ages 14 – 24. Approximately $250,00 will be granted through this opportunity. Learn more here. Applications are due on February 21 at 2:00 pm.
• Improving Diversity and Inclusion in Registered Apprenticeships: Jobs for the Future is offering up to $30K in funding to support the start-up of new Registered Apprenticeship programs and expand existing programs that will increase the number of registered apprenticeships and the number of apprentices from underrepresented populations. See this FAQ to learn more. Submit your application here by March 1.

While some of these are state-specific opportunities, your state may have similar opportunities. We will post regularly as new opportunities become available. If you are looking for additional information about starting or expanding your chamber foundation, visit ACCE’s learning management system to explore relevant courses and content