Grants for Alabama nonprofits address a wide range of focus areas, from health grants to faith-based individual giving. Learn about Alabama grants by browsing our curated list of top Alabama funders below. Members can also research funding opportunities using the search tool for Grant Finder. Become a member.
Giving Trends in Alabama
Alabama remains among one of the smaller grantmaking landscapes of the Southeast. Philanthropy Southeast, in conjunction with Candid, have noted that philanthropic investment in Alabama remains lower than that of nearby states, despite high needs in a region where politicians and lobbyists have deregulated businesses and decreased the overall safety net of all Alabamans.
Growth in funding for nonprofits in Alabama derives from new community foundations, as well as several corporate, family and even a public foundation, the Alabama Association of Justice, a funder that focuses on giving through member attorneys. According to Sue McInnish, the Former Executive Director of the Alabama Civil Justice Foundation (now AAJ), who also played a role in Alabama Giving, the statewide philanthropic network, Alabama has seen an increase in early education funding that has supported major growth in that sector for pre-K in the state. AG founded the Alabama School Readiness Alliance (ASRA), which invited three other state organizations and hundreds of advocates to build a “movement around full funding for pre-K” (Philanthropy Southeast). Of other note, the Alabama Network of Family Resource Centers (ANFRC), according to McInnish, represents one of the nation’s “most successful social service models available to families and communities.”
While per capita dollars from philanthropy in Alabama remain low when compared to national averages, Alabamans themselves are among the most philanthropic citizens across the U.S. Individual giving most frequently derives from faith-based organizations, which work to fill the major gaps in human services and other support left behind by contracting government and state funding.
Education and human services dominate giving in Alabama, followed by health and religious giving. Top grantmakers include Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, Alabama Power Foundation, Inc., and Lucille S. Beeson Charitable Remainder, alongside a handful of others. While Alabama is one of the states most affected by climate change, grants for climate change lag far behind other states’ funding.
Foundations in Alabama
ALABAMA POWER FOUNDATION
This corporate funder awards grants in the areas of STEM programs, workforce development, conservation education, and early childhood education in Alabama. Arts and culture, health and human services, and community life programs are also supported statewide.
MARY REYNOLDS BABCOCK FOUNDATION
The Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation supports democracy and civic engagement initiatives, such as community organizing, voter education, and voter registration, in 11 southeastern states.
J.L. BEDSOLE FOUNDATION
This funder supports five counties in Southwest Alabama in the areas of education, youth, economic development, arts and culture, and civic engagement.
LUCILLE S. BEESON CHARITABLE REMAINDER
The Lucille S. Beeson Charitable Remainder supports human services, animals, youth, education, health and other community needs in Alabama.
BLACK BELT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
This funder supports a 12-county region in Alabama in the areas of arts, community and economic development, education, and health and wellness.
JOSEPH S. BRUNO CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
This funder supports groups in Greater Birmingham, Alabama, mostly in the areas of community health and youth education. The foundation accepts letters of inquiry twice a year.
THE CARING FOUNDATION OF BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF ALABAMA
This health insurance foundation supports health, wellness, and education causes in the state of Alabama.
CENTRAL ALABAMA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
The Central Alabama Community Foundation supports education, health, human services, cultural arts, recreation, historic preservation, and civic concerns in the counties of Central Alabama.
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER BIRMINGHAM
This funder has a competitive grantmaking process in Alabama for education, health, community and financial security. Grants are awarded in the counties of Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, Blount and Walker.
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER DECATUR
The Community Foundation of Greater Decatur supports education, recreation, community development, children and youth, and animals in Morgan, Lawrence and Southeastern Limestone counties of Alabama.
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER HUNTSVILLE
This community funder supports Huntsville and Madison County, Alabama, in the areas of basic needs, neighborhoods, health, arts and culture, economy, emergency relief, education and environment.
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF NORTHEAST ALABAMA
This funder supports nine Northeast Alabama counties through many funds. Grant opportunities are available in the areas of healthcare and health education.
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SOUTH ALABAMA
This funder supports nonprofits in the Alabama counties of Mobile, Baldwin, Escambia, Conecuh, Monroe, Clarke, Choctaw and Washington. Areas of interest include capacity building, arts and culture, economic opportunity, and health.
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF WEST ALABAMA
This funder supports a wide variety of issues in nine counties of Western Alabama. Unsolicited applications are accepted, and grants are awarded twice per year.
DANIEL FOUNDATION
This funder supports educational, health, humanitarian and cultural activities in Birmingham and throughout Alabama.
GREATER BREWTON FOUNDATION
The Greater Brewton Foundation supports health, welfare, education, culture, recreation and neighborhood improvement in the Greater Brewton area of Alabama.
JANE K. LOWE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
This funder supports nonprofits in Madison County, Alabama. Funding interests are youth, human services, community health, education, and arts and culture.
LIMESTONE AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
The Limestone Area Community Foundation supports human services, youth, education and other community needs.
PLEIAD FOUNDATION
The Pleiad Foundation supports higher education, medical research and arts and culture in Alabama.
PROTECTIVE LIFE FOUNDATION
The Protective Life Foundation supports human services, the environment, arts and culture, and quality of life in Alabama.
RIVERBEND FOUNDATION
The Riverbend Foundation supports mental health efforts in Northwest Alabama.
SHELBY COUNTY COMMUNITY HEALTH FOUNDATION
The Shelby County Community Health Foundation supports health-related efforts in Shelby County, Alabama.
SOUTHEAST ALABAMA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
The Southeast Alabama Community Foundation supports basic needs, family, food and medical causes in Dale, Coffee, Geneva, Henry and Houston counties of Alabama.
WALKER AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
This funder supports Walker County, Alabama, and the surrounding area on the topics of arts and humanities, children and youth, education, elder care, environment, health and medicine, recreation, and social welfare.
WOMEN’S FUND OF GREATER BIRMINGHAM
The Women’s Fund of Greater Birmingham supports women and girls, economic opportunity, poverty, community, public policy advocacy, housing, child care support, job training, education and housing in Alabama.
YELLOWHAMMER FUND
The Yellowhammer Fund supports abortion and reproductive justice in Alabama.
