Local Grants
Kern Community Foundation understands that finding the right funding opportunity at the right time can be challenging. Our platform is designed to keep you informed about upcoming deadlines, new funding releases, and changes in criteria. With our user-friendly interface, you can easily filter opportunities based on your location, project stage, and area of interest.
Kern Community Foundation
Kern Community Foundation offers competitive grant opportunities at different times throughout the year. View our page for more information: (Click Here)
Bank of the Sierra
BOTS accepts grant applications during four quarterly cycles every year.
Their focus:
- Organizations that demonstrate their plans to help those affected by COVID-19
- Programs that provide children, individuals, and families with community services that solve medical health and well-being problems
- Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks and other agencies that work to preserve the Sierras
- Schools and community-based nonprofit organizations that enhance the educational development of children.
View their website for more information: bankofthesierra.com/resources/sierra-grant-program.
Dignity Health
The Community Grants Program’s funding criteria help to ensure that its charitable resources address significant health needs in ways that demonstrate accountability for impact. View information on past grants and general material here: (Click Here).
First 5 Kern
Funded Programs
First 5 Kern uses tobacco tax funds – passed in 1998 by voters as Proposition 10 – to support early childhood programs in three focus categories: health and wellness; early childcare and education; parent education and support services. All coordination within First 5 Kern’s realm of influence emphasizes the integration of services within communities. Since 1998, First 5 Kern has put over $200 million back into Kern County through Prop 10 dollars.
Please note that our current cycle for funding of this kind runs through June, 2025. For a list of currently funded programs, visit: first5kern.org/programs-and-initiatives/funded-programs.
Community Support
Each year, First 5 Kern grants fiscal support to local organizations that work to improve the lives of the youngest in our county. Events like fundraising dinners, educational conferences, community health fairs, family events, and supply giveaways (such as clothing or car seats) are great ways to show your support for young children and their families and may be eligible to receive funding.
For details on how to request funding, visit: first5kern.org/community-event-support. Your event must demonstrate a targeted approach to benefit children 0-5 and their families. All requests for funding of this kind have a maximum award of $5,000.
Give Big Kern
Give Big Kern is observed on the first Tuesday in May. It provides a great opportunity for Kern’s generous community to come together to raise dollars and volunteer hours for local nonprofits through online crowdfunding and pledges. In preparation for Give Big Kern, participating nonprofits receive training on online fundraising, marketing, social media, board engagement, donor cultivation, and more. Thanks to local corporate sponsorships, cash prizes are awarded to top-performing nonprofits. Since its launch by host agency Kern Community Foundation in 2016, Give Big Kern has helped raise millions of dollars from thousands of community members to benefit hard-working local charities. In 2019 and 2020, Give Big Kern received our community’s distinguished Beautiful Bakersfield Award for helping to create “A Better Bakersfield”! Find out more about Giver Big Kern by visiting the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page of the Give Big Kern website.
Junior League of Bakersfield
Every year, the Junior League of Bakersfield (JLB) gives out up to $5,000 each to various Kern County non-profits in the form of Enabling and Project grants. At this time, the Junior League of Bakersfield is not accepting applications. Please check back in the future for the dates of their next application cycle: jlbakersfield.org/grants.
Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente provides qualified nonprofit organizations with grant funding in order to improve the health and well-being of the communities they serve. One cycle takes place each year and strategic funding priority areas are based on a health needs assessment conducted every three years. View their website for upcoming grants and more information: Kaiser Permanente Grants Page.
The Arts Council of Kern
The Arts Council of Kern: Grants are open to established nonprofit organizations, arts organizations, or other organizations involved in arts-related activities. *Organizations and/or individuals are required to become members of the Arts Council of Kern at the time of application.
The Virginia and Alfred Harrell Foundation
For 2023, the Foundation’s focus will be on the Environment. Any Kern County nonprofit with a project or program designed to enhance, improve or educate about the environment will be considered. View their website for updates and more information: vahfoundation.org/apply/.
Wonderful Community Grants
The Wonderful Company is focused on the health and well-being of Central Valley communities. That is why we have decided to deploy our annual Wonderful Community Grants program to support Central Valley organizations that have been impacted by the coronavirus.
The organizations should demonstrate a commitment to making the rural communities of the San Joaquin Valley in California a more equitable place to live, work, and play. NOTE: This grant is focused on organizations making an impact in Delano, Wasco, and Shafter. View more information here: wonderfulcommunitygrants.com/.
Additional Resources
- Foundation Directory Online – Foundation Directory Online (FDO) delivers quality funding prospects and the information you need to reach your fundraising goals quickly and efficiently. Kern Community Foundation provides our Nonprofit Partners with free public access to Candid’s electronic databases and resources. Click the link to find out more.
- Grants.ca.gov – Managed and hosted by the California State Library, this site was launched under the Grant Information Act of 2018 (Stats. 2018, Ch. 318), which required the State Library to build one website by July 1, 2020, “that provides a centralized location … to find state grant opportunities.” It is a good research tool to find grants from various state agencies and to learn where to apply. Through this website, you can request to be sent e-mail alerts of new grant opportunity postings.
- Grants.gov – A centralized location for grant seekers to find and apply for funding opportunities from federal agencies. More than just a grant application portal, Grants.gov has many educational tools to help grant writers learn about federal grants–from the grant life cycle to grant terminology to grant reporting and more.
- Bank of America – Review the community grants and sponsorships offered from Bank of America to help benefit your nonprofit organization.
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