Community Action Grants and What They Do

Community Action grants are meant to help a community by providing funding for a project or cause that will impact the community in a positive way. The grants can be given to volunteer groups, teachers, organizations, individuals, business or schools that are seeking funding for a project to improve the community they live in.

Projects that can be funded by community action grants vary to the extreme and the guidelines for a community action grant can be differential based on the foundations mission for the grant money. For example a environmental group may give community action grants to a group that will implement alternative energy in their community. Or a organization with a mission to help underprivileged kids will probably be looking to fund a project that will help the same target group. However some larger foundations and groups with a larger focus fund community action grants with less specific requirements.

Below learn about grant programs for different types of non-profits for churches, youth groups, sports groups, animal shelters, schools, community programs and other groups. If just looking to find out how to apply for a grant go here.

A community can apply for a grant to plant a garden. The grant will usually fund items such as plant seeds, fertilizer and tools needed to build the garden. Most garden grants are match grants, meaning they will not fund the whole project. The foundation does this so they can help more communities and only fund communities that are serious about planting a community Garden.

The other part of the grant match is usually given by finding volunteers to tend to the garden and finding other donations. Most grants will pay for renting or buying land for the garden, the group seeking the grant will usually need to get the land donated or have permission to plant on someones land. Community groups, youth groups and schools are the most common applicants for a garden grant.

To learn more about community Action Grants to plant a garden visit the National Gardening Association.

Athletic clubs are sometimes the center of a town, so when a community sport is cancelled because of costs it can severely dampen the mood of the community. Sport teams, leagues, sports auxiliaries, community organizations and schools can apply for grants to help offset the costs of the athletic programs.

Communities can find funding to help pay for sport program costs of adult and youth programs. While there maybe more grant funds available for youth sport programs funding for adult programs are also available. Grant funds may help pay for costs in building a new baseball field or buying new flag foot ball equipment.

To find more information about applying for a community action grant to cover sport related costs go here

Grants for a service project can be applied for to pay for the tools and supplies needed for the project. Common community service projects include cleaning up a abandoned cemetery, clean up of a park, painting down down buildings and painting city property.

Youth groups, church groups, school groups, individuals and business often apply for a community service grant to pay for material to provide community service. Many communities depend on such groups to help clean up after storms or to fix destroyed property due to graffiti or damage to city property.

To find out more about community action grants to provide community service go here.

Recycling grants are not just to help pay for the cost of recycling. Community grants for recycling also help pay for education and awareness of the benefits and process of recycling. Community awareness is a big topic when it comes to recycling.

Grants can help pay for recycling set up fees, programs for youth, containers for sorting recyclable material and other projects that may be connected to recycling.

To find out more about community action grants for recycling projects go to The United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Grants to help pay to bring alternative energy choices to an area may be available through government, federal and private funding. The idea behind most community grants for alternative energy is not to provide everyone with free energy and solar panels.

The grants helps pay for education, start up costs of program and sometimes pays incentives to individuals for hooking up alternative energy sources to there home. Such programs are common with both solar energy and wind energy programs.

Learn more about community action grants for alternative energy here.