Grant Opportunities
Our Grant Cycle
A Community Foundation grant can support your work and our shared vision for a just, prosperous, and unified region where every person is empowered to reach their full potential. Grants are open to nonprofits serving Blount, Jefferson, Shelby, and St. Clair Counties.
The Community Foundation has two grantmaking cycles during which we accept applications in our Priority Areas: Thriving Communities, Regional Cooperation, Economic Opportunity for All, Overcoming Persistent Poverty, and Equity and Inclusion. The grant cycle is a two-stage proposal process with a brief proposal stage and a full proposal stage. Site visits are then scheduled with all applicants advancing to the full proposal stage.
Spring 2026 Grant Cycle
Applications are now closed. Spring 2026 grants will be announced in May.
Learn more: Our Competitive Grantmaking Guidelines.
*Please note, organizations that received a competitive grant from the Community Foundation in the last grant cycle, or that have an open grant, are not eligible to apply.
For more information: Nicole Standridge at nstandridge@cfbham.org.
2025
2026 Important Dates
Jan. 12-30: Brief Proposals Accepted
March 12: Notifications for Full Proposal Stage
March 12-27: Full Proposals Accepted
March 30 – April 17: Site Visits
May 21: Grants Announced
Previous Grants
Field of Interest Funds & Giving Circles
Through the generosity of our donors, the Community Foundation offers funds that support organizations or programs addressing specific issues and needs in our community. Each of these funds has its own grant requirement process.
Learn how we can help you make an impact today
Grantee Highlights
Libby’s Friends Helps Alabamians with Disabilities Discover New Possibilities
Birmingham-area residents Lane and Kathryn Hagan know firsthand how expensive raising a child with special needs can be. At just 12 days old, while in the NICU, their daughter Libby was mistakenly given an overdose of insulin, causing a catastrophic brain injury that left her with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and other health issues.
More than a Gym: How YMCA of Greater Birmingham is Transforming Communities
When you enter the Northeast Community YMCA in Roebuck you may be surprised by what you find.
Larry Savage’s “Hearts of Wheels” keeps rolling
Larry Savage still remembers his first car. It was a 1974 Mustang that he bought in 1975 for $3,000.
A New, Universally Accessible Green Space for the South
Jefferson County Greenways is on a mission to develop a fully inclusive public green space in the South. East Side Park, nestled in the Roebuck Springs/South Roebuck Neighborhood just off Highway 11 and I-59, is being reimagined as a vibrant destination that welcomes people of all ages and abilities.
The Life-Changing Work of Special Equestrians
Kathleen Claybrook receives a lot of fan mail. Her email inbox is filled with messages from parents praising Special Equestrians for being “life-giving” and “life-changing.”
15 Years of the Remy Fund for Pets and Animal Services
The Remy Fund for Pets and Animal Services at the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, in its 15th year of grantmaking, awarded a record $90,500 to nonprofit organizations that improve the lives of animals, and the humans they touch, in Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, Blount, and Walker counties.