Non-Profit Grant Program

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

For an organization to be eligible to receive a grant from MDF, it must:

• Be designated by the Internal Revenue Service as a non-profit under 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Tax Code.
• Provide direct services, programming and/or advocacy in one (1) of the focus areas listed below.

• Must have been established as a nonprofit for at least one (1) year prior to the grant application deadline.

• Starting this grant cycle, any organization that has received three (3) consecutive years of funding in the areas of Education or Health will be required to take a year off from applying for funding.
• Priority is given to applicants seeking funding for programs with total budgets of $250,000 or less, as MDF aims to support initiatives where its grant can represent a meaningful portion of the program’s overall funding (typically up to 10%).

Also, any organization which received a grant in 2025 MUST submit the required Impact/Progress Report to zleven@fmpproductions.com no later than June 30, 2026 in order to be eligible for grant award consideration in 2026. This will open May 1, 2026. 

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MDF’s will only fund the following initiatives within each of our focus areas for 2026:

EDUCATION	PHYSICAL & MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES	VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND SURVIVOR SUPPORT (with a focus on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and can include dating violence, stalking, and abuse prevention)
Projects which support the academic and emotional outcomes for children who face barriers to success.	Projects which focus on underserved and vulnerable populations.	Projects which offer support services to adults and/or children who are currently experiencing or have experienced trauma due to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking.  These may include, but are not limited to, counseling, safety planning, economic stability resources, and housing search.
Early literacy Initiatives (excluding curriculum development).	Projects which provide access to support services for individuals and families.	Residential programs which provide temporary emergency shelter.
Post secondary access and career exploration in grades Pre-K- through 12th.	Educational programs which focus on stigma prevention and intervention.	Education and youth leadership programs.
Mentorship		Emergency funds that may be used to assist someone who believes they are In Imminent danger and who needs financial assistance to be safe.  This can be used for food, or to obtain housing stability, or other purposes identified that are needed to support the survivor.

NOTE: Beginning in this 2026 grant cycle, any organization that has received three (3) consecutive years of funding in the areas of Education or Health will be required to take a year off from applying for funding.

MDF does not provide grants to the following institutions or organizations:

• Colleges and universities or programs directly connected to such educational institutions;
• Hospitals and medical facilities, or programs directly connected to such facilities;
• Politically affiliated organizations or groups;
• Religious institutions and facilities, or primary and secondary schools which exclude students based on religious affiliation, or because of race, color, national origin, sexual orientation or gender Identity;
• Private schools which do not provide access to underserved populations;
• Any organization that limits their program or activities based on protected status, unless the program Is designed to serve the specific service-based needs of a population;
• Any organization with current unrestricted funding which can be used to cover the program costs, or a portion of the costs, requested;
• Organizations with an endowment which can be used to cover the program costs, or a portion of the costs requested.

MDF does not provide funding for the following activities or purposes:

• Scholarships for individuals for any purpose;
• Lobbying and legislative efforts;
• Capital projects, including the purchase of land, a building, renovations of a building, equipment, or furniture; – AND / OR –
• Endowments.

HOW TO APPLY:
Deadline for 2026 MDF Grants is Friday, July 17, 2026 by 11:59PM EST.

1. Link to SurveyMonkey Apply platform to access the 2026 MDF Grant Application:  COMING SOON
2. Upload MDF Required Budget Workbook and balance sheet.  Use link to access a copy to download to your computer, rename the file, complete the spreadsheet, save your work, and then upload to SurveyMonkey Apply platform.
   1. Program Specific Budget Link:  coming soon
   2. Organization Balance Sheet Link: coming soon

Instructions on completing the application can be found on the online application itself, when you log on and create your account profile for the first time, using SurveyMonkey Apply.  

All organizations are REQUIRED to submit four (4) documents in addition to their Grant Application:

1. Program-specific budget showing how $25,000 would be utilized (note: most grantees are awarded between $5,000 and $10,000)
   1. Please note priority is given to applicants seeking funding for programs with total budgets of $250,000 or less, as MDF aims to support initiatives where its grant can represent a meaningful portion of the program’s overall funding (typically up to 10%).
2. Organization balance sheet as an operating budget
   1.  Please make sure to note the program expense in the budget that you are applying for with the MDF grant
3. A copy of the organization’s most recent 990
4. A copy of the organization’s IRS 501(c)(3) Determination Letter.

Funds will be distributed before January 1, 2027. All approved grant proposals will be required to submit an impact/progress report to MDF within 6 months of receiving funding (e.g., prior to July 1, 2027) to your MDF account profile created on SurveyMonkey Apply.  Failure to submit the required Impact Report onto this platform by the noted deadline will prohibit future funding.

 

TIPS FOR APPLYING:

• Write for a broad audience.
  Members of the Mildred’s Dream Foundation Grant Committee come from diverse professional backgrounds. Avoid jargon and clearly explain your program, goals, and terminology without assuming prior knowledge of your field.
• Demonstrate meaningful impact.
  Your proposed program should be one where a $5,000–$10,000 grant can make a significant difference—whether by expanding reach, enhancing services, or sustaining critical programming.
• Be specific and measurable.
  Clearly quantify your impact. Include details such as how many individuals you serve, who they are, and what outcomes your program achieves.
  Align with MDF’s focus areas.
• Strong applications clearly connect their work to one of MDF’s focus areas and subcategories. Be explicit about how your program fits within these priorities.
• Tell a clear story.
  Combine data with a concise narrative to help reviewers understand not just what you do, but why it matters.

OTHER INFORMATION:

The Grant Committee will begin the application review and evaluation process after the online submission to the portal closes.  All applicants will receive notification from MDF via SurveyMonkey Apply and via e-mail by October 1, 2026. Should any applicant like feedback on their grant proposal, whether it was funded or not, they may reach out to info@mildredsdreamfoundation.org for additional information or assistance.

If you have questions about the grant process or application, please email: zleven@fmpproductions.com.  All questions must be submitted in a timely manner, so that the submittal deadline may be met.

 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN MILDRED’S DREAM FOUNDATION!