Open. Applications September 1 through November 30, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Finalists expected January 2027, winners announced early 2027.
National — America250 Community Futures Challenge 2026 ($50,000 per winner; November 30)
Nationwide competitive nonprofit funding: five $50,000 grants for qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations proposing early-stage or scaling projects serving U.S. adults 21+. Applications close November 30, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Official restrictions and sponsor disclosure apply.
FundingFive awards of $50,000 each to individual eligible 501(c)(3) applicants. $250,000 is the entire competition pool, not an individual award. Funding is competitive, not guaranteed.
DeadlineNovember 30, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET)
Last verifiedOctober 27, 2026
Required next actionSubmit one online application at https://america250cfc.org/apply/ by November 30, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Provide nonprofit EIN, project description, community, phase, total budget and funds raised, project impact, feasibility, innovation, sustainability and team details. Optional attachments and video are permitted. Review full eligibility, sponsor and intellectual-property terms at https://america250cfc.org/terms/.
Broad Eligibility
Lead must be a U.S.-based registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit in good standing with a lead individual age 21 or older. Project serves adults at least 21 years old in a defined U.S. community. Early-stage, pilot or scaling stage required. Projects chiefly serving minors, lobbying, partisan politics, individual cash aid and tobacco, nicotine, cannabis, alcohol, gambling or firearms activities excluded. Partner employees/families excluded. One submission per applicant.
Atlas Analysis
Official organizer program, terms and live application form reviewed October 27, 2026. Genuine competitive grants rather than vendor procurement. Five individual awards of $50,000, total pool $250,000. Broad charitable community innovation themes include workforce, economic mobility, infrastructure and civic technology; nonprofit eligibility and adult-only beneficiary restrictions are material. Awards are described as unrestricted but must support the approved proposal and reporting through December 2027. No universal applicant match or cost-sharing requirement is stated. Program operated by Pacheco Ventures, funded by PMI U.S. businesses (Philip Morris International) with Arizona State University as judging partner. Applicants grant use and public-use rights as set out in official terms, so sponsor and publicity conditions are clearly disclosed. Award not guaranteed.
Open nationwide nonprofit grant competition. The America250 Community Futures Challenge invites eligible U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits to propose early-stage, pilot or scaling projects that strengthen a defined U.S. community. Applications opened September 1, 2026 and close November 30, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
Funding: Five winning applicants will each receive a $50,000 unrestricted grant. The total competition pool is $250,000; that pool is not the amount available to an individual applicant. Awards are competitive and contingent on verification, program terms and judging decisions. No universal applicant matching-fund requirement is stated in the official rules. Awardees must follow their approved project plans and complete reporting and related storytelling obligations through December 2027.
Eligibility: The lead applicant must be a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit in good standing with a named individual lead aged at least 21. Projects must serve people aged 21 or older in a defined U.S. community and be early-stage, pilot or scaling initiatives, rather than fully self-sustaining programs. Eligible themes include workforce development, economic mobility, community infrastructure, civic technology, entrepreneurship, and other measurable local solutions. The nonprofit may be based in any U.S. state.
Restrictions: Projects primarily serving people under 21 are excluded. The rules exclude lobbying, electioneering, partisan political activity, individual cash assistance and initiatives connected to tobacco, nicotine, cannabis, alcohol, gambling, firearms or comparable regulated industries. Employees and immediate family of named program partners are ineligible. One submission per applicant is permitted. The rules prohibit use of award proceeds outside the approved scope; recipients must meet applicable taxes and reporting obligations. Applicants should review the organizer’s intellectual-property/publicity terms.
Application: Submit through the official multi-step online portal. The application requests nonprofit identity and EIN, project geography and phase, a budget, funding raised, community impact, feasibility, innovation, sustainability and team information. Optional attachments are permitted (up to five files, 10 MB each) and an optional video URL. Finalists are expected in January 2027; winners will be announced in early 2027. The competition is operated by Pacheco Ventures, funded by Philip Morris International’s U.S. businesses (PMI U.S.), with Arizona State University as judging partner.
Official application and rules: Apply online; Terms and eligibility; Program description and FAQs. Information verified against the organizer’s official sources October 27, 2026.
Source verificationReferenced source · america250cfc.orgAtlas last verified this record October 27, 2026. Always use the funder's current application materials, amendments and portal instructions as the controlling source.View source and application materials ↗
