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Association grants in United States

6 active 2026 grants and funding programs for US trade and nonprofit associations — plus tech credits and workforce funding, each with its official source.

US association funding spans federal programs like IMLS's National Leadership Grants for Libraries and USDA's Rural Cooperative Development Grants, plus ASAE Foundation programs built specifically for trade and professional associations, and AWS's Imagine Grant — one of the few major tech-philanthropy programs open to 501(c)(6) trade associations.

Applicant type

6 programs found

2 of these include credits, recognition, or in-kind value — not straight cash.

GrantNonprofit / civil-society org

National Leadership Grants for Libraries (NLG-L)

Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)

$25,000–$1,000,000; ~$11.5M total across an expected 45 awards

Professional library associations that exist on a permanent basis and primarily serve libraries, archives, or library/archival professionals nationally, regionally, statewide, or locally.

Professional developmentCapacity building

Status: FY2027 cycle deadline November 13, 2026·Last verified Aug 19, 2026

Verify on official site
GrantNonprofit / civil-society org

Rural Cooperative Development Grants (RCDG)

USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)

$200,000–$1,000,000; ~$5M in total program funding

Nonprofit organizations and accredited higher-ed institutions that operate a Rural Cooperative Development Center providing technical assistance to rural cooperative and mutually-owned business associations.

Cooperative development

Status: Annual cycle (apply via Grants.gov)·Last verified Aug 19, 2026

Verify on official site
GrantNonprofit / civil-society org

Women's Business Center (WBC) Grant Program

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)

Up to $150,000/year core grant; a separate WBC Modernization Initiative competition offers up to $766,218 in select states from a $6M pool

Nonprofit organizations and educational institutions with experience delivering business assistance to women entrepreneurs, operating as (or partnering with) a Women's Business Center.

Entrepreneur supportWorkforce development

Status: Active — $27M FY2026 appropriation, the highest in the program's history·Last verified Aug 19, 2026

Verify on official site
MixedTrade / professional associationNot entirely cash — includes credits, recognition, or in-kind value

AWS Imagine Grant

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Momentum to Modernize: up to $50k + $20k AWS credit · Go Further, Faster: up to $150k + $100k credit · Pathfinder: up to $200k + $100k credit

US-registered nonprofits with any 501(c) designation and any annual budget using cloud technology — explicitly includes 501(c)(6) trade/professional associations, unlike most major tech-philanthropy programs which restrict to 501(c)(3).

Technology & innovation

Status: 2026-27 cycle: Round Two (invitation-only) open through Sep 14, 2026; Round One reopens ~March 2027·Last verified Aug 19, 2026

Verify on official site
MixedTrade / professional associationNot entirely cash — includes credits, recognition, or in-kind value

ASAE Foundation Innovation Lab & Pilot Showcase

ASAE Research Foundation

Complimentary 2027 Annual Meeting registration (2 seats) + VIP access + an Innovation Scale-Up Grant for the winning pilot (amount not published)

Trade and professional associations submitting an already-piloted innovation launched within the past 5 years with measurable, data-backed results — individual applicants are not eligible.

Technology & innovationProfessional development

Status: 2026 cycle closed (deadline was March 12, 2026); Fellows announced Aug 2026 — next call expected Jan 2027·Last verified Aug 19, 2026

Verify on official site
GrantNonprofit / civil-society org

Sal Martino Legacy Grant for DEI Research

ASAE Research Foundation

Up to $15,000 (one grant awarded per cycle)

Academic researchers, association-management professionals, and consultants studying DEI in association management and leadership; no restriction on the specific DEI research angle.

DEIProfessional development

Status: Annual cycle — check foundation.asaecenter.org for the current call·Last verified Aug 19, 2026

Verify on official site

Coverage is non-exhaustive and provided for research only. Confirm the current deadline, amount, and eligibility on each provider's official site before applying. Mixed and in-kind awards are badged distinctly from cash grants.

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