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Open — December 2026 grantmaking cycle, online applications due October 31, 2026 at 11:59:59 p.m. CT.
LAWRENCE-FOUNDATION-SANTA-MONICA-DECEMBER-2026-GRANTS

National — Lawrence Foundation December 2026 Environment & Human Services Grants (Typically $5,000–$10,000)

The Lawrence Foundation's December 2026 cycle offers typical $5,000–$10,000 individual grants for eligible U.S. nonprofits, supported public schools/libraries and fiscally sponsored programs addressing environmental and human-service needs. Apply online by October 31, 2026 at 11:59:59 p.m. Central Time; larger grants occasionally possible.

FundingTypical $5,000-$10,000 per eligible applicant. The foundation does NOT publish a strict individual maximum (larger awards sometimes made) or an overall December 2026 program pool. Typical grants generally unrestricted.
DeadlineOctober 31, 2026 at 11:59:59 p.m. Central Time (CT) — mandatory online Common Grant Application submission for December 2026 cycle. Opens September 1, 2026.
Last verified2026-10-24
Required next actionConfirm eligibility as U.S.-based 501c3 public charity, qualifying public school/library, or program with 501c3 fiscal sponsor written authorization, and fit within environment, human services, or occasional disaster relief priorities; read current funder exclusions and support request amount; register/log in to Common Grant Application via official Lawrence Foundation Apply for a Grant webpage and submit full form by October 31, 2026, 11:59:59 p.m. CT. No separate LOI is required.

Broad Eligibility

Eligible U.S.-based IRS 501(c)(3) public charities, eligible public schools/libraries, and nonprofits under a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor with written authorization. No intra-U.S. geographic restrictions; U.S.-headquartered qualifying projects may operate overseas. Focus on environment, human services and occasional disaster relief. Individuals, private foundations, for-profits and non-U.S. non-charities excluded. Detailed discouraged activities in official guideline.

Atlas Analysis

Official Santa Monica Lawrence Foundation current Grant Guidelines, Apply for a Grant page, foundation overview and published applicant restrictions reviewed Oct 24 2026. December cycle open Sept1-Oct31 2026 23:59:59 Central Time. Typical individual award $5k-$10k but no hard ceiling; total fund pool unpublished, grants generally unrestricted and no multi-year. US 501c3 with fiscal sponsorship or public schools/libraries; environment, human services, disaster response. Indirect <=50% considered reasonable, NOT applicant matching requirement. LOI not required; Common Grant Application submission, selection December, checks aimed Dec31, no mandatory narrative report. Distinct current 2026 December cycle, not procurement. No duplicate WordPress titles found Oct 24.

National — The Lawrence Foundation December 2026 Grant Cycle

The Lawrence Foundation, a private family foundation based in Santa Monica, California, is accepting online applications from eligible U.S.-based charitable organizations for its December 2026 grant cycle. The foundation supports organizations addressing environmental issues, human services and, on an occasional basis, disaster relief. The cycle opened September 1, 2026 and closes October 31, 2026, at 11:59:59 p.m. Central Time (CT). This is an applicant-facing philanthropic grant, not vendor procurement.

Individual awards and funding structure

Individual awards typically range from $5,000 to $10,000; the foundation states that larger awards may occur in limited cases after an established relationship, so $10,000 is a typical range endpoint, not a strict universal grant ceiling. No current-cycle aggregate pool or fixed individual maximum is published. The foundation typically makes around 20 awards from approximately 1,000–1,500 applicants per cycle; this is historical context, not guaranteed award quantity. It accepts both program/project and general-operating proposals, and ordinarily distributes awards as unrestricted grants. Multiyear commitments are generally not made, though organizations may be funded in successive years.

Eligible applicants and program interests

Eligible applicants include qualifying U.S. 501(c)(3) public charities, certain public schools and libraries, and nonprofit programs with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor providing written authorization. The foundation has no U.S. state geographic preferences. U.S.-headquartered eligible organizations may propose qualifying projects overseas in the foundation’s stated areas. Individuals, for-profit businesses, private foundations and foreign charities without a qualifying U.S. nonprofit pathway are not eligible.

Priority interests are the environment, human services, and occasional disaster relief. Programs outside these interests are generally unlikely to be supported. The foundation advises that common requests it generally does not fund include computers and software; audio/video equipment, promotional media, music and theater arts, gardening, physical-education or recreational programs, hospice or old-age home programs, religious institutions and certain charter/religious/magnet schools, political lobbying, voter registration, and ticketed dinners or fundraising galas. The funder notes that these lists are guidance rather than absolute exclusions; applicants should consult the exact current official guidelines.

Expenses, match and reporting

Reasonable indirect costs may be considered, and the foundation indicates that 50% or lower can be a reasonable indirect-cost share; this statement concerns indirect costs, not a required matching percentage. The foundation does not publish a general cash-match requirement or a reimbursement-only grant rule. Awards are generally unrestricted within the agreement and applicable charity law. A formal end-of-award report is not required, although the foundation welcomes optional updates.

Application and decision dates

Complete the application online by October 31, 2026, at 11:59:59 p.m. Central Time. An initial letter of inquiry is not required. Applicants use the Common Grant Application site, creating or signing into an organization account, and supply contact information, a concise organizational and funding narrative, tax-exemption or fiscal-sponsor evidence, and the amount requested. The foundation reviews the batch after the cycle closes, not in order of submission. Decisions are expected by December 2026; the foundation aims to issue December-cycle award checks by December 31.

Read the foundation’s official Grant Guidelines and its current application instructions and cycle calendar. Use the Common Grant Application portal linked from the official instructions, and avoid unrelated similarly named foundations. The foundation does not charge a grant application fee or contact individuals to offer personal grants.

Official application guidelines and December 2026 cycle instructions verified October 24, 2026. Check the current funder materials and online portal before submitting.

Source verificationReferenced source · thelawrencefoundation.orgAtlas last verified this record 2026-10-24. Always use the funder's current application materials, amendments and portal instructions as the controlling source.View source and application materials ↗