IMA Foundation – Fall Grant Cycle (2026)

Grants for Workforce Development, Financial Literacy, and Emergency Preparedness

The IMA Foundation supports nonprofit organizations whose core missions focus on workforce development, financial literacy, and emergency preparedness. The foundation prioritizes organizations serving underserved populations and operating in communities where IMA has a meaningful presence. The fall 2026 grant cycle closes on October 5, 2026.

Organization: IMA Foundation
Support Type: Charitable grants
Geographic Focus: Communities where IMA has a meaningful presence across the United States
Deadline: October 5, 2026

About the Funder

The IMA Foundation is the philanthropic arm of IMA Financial Group. Its grantmaking is centered on helping create prosperous communities through economic empowerment and community resilience. The foundation’s current funding strategy is focused on three specific areas: workforce development in post-secondary education, financial literacy, and emergency preparedness.

What This Program Supports

IMA Foundation funding is concentrated in three strategic focus areas:

Workforce Development
The foundation supports organizations whose primary mission is post-secondary workforce development. This includes technical schools, community colleges, universities, and accredited institutions that help individuals move into middle-to-high-wage careers and long-term self-sufficiency. Postsecondary training must be central to the organization’s mission.

Financial Literacy
IMA funds organizations whose core mission is improving financial knowledge and stability, especially for underserved populations. Supported work may include education on budgeting, saving, debt management, and understanding risk management, with the goal of producing measurable improvements in household financial stability.

Emergency Preparedness & Response
The foundation supports efforts focused on natural disaster preparedness and long-term recovery. Priority is given to organizations building community capacity for hazard mitigation, readiness, and sustained economic recovery related to specific natural hazards such as floods or wildfires.

Eligible Support Types

• Programmatic funding aligned with one of the three priority areas
• Support for nonprofit organizations whose primary organizational mission fits the foundation’s focus
• Grants for organizations serving communities where IMA has a meaningful presence

Eligibility & Preferences

Applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that align with the foundation’s funding priorities and serve communities where IMA operates.

IMA gives preference to organizations that:

• Serve underserved populations
• Have one of the foundation’s focus areas as a central part of their organizational mission
• Offer programs open to the general public
• Demonstrate measurable outcomes tied to economic stability or community resilience

For workforce development funding, the foundation is focused specifically on institutions and organizations whose primary mission is workforce development in post-secondary education and training.

Ineligible Requests

IMA Foundation does not support:

• Individuals
• Programs outside the three priority areas
• Religious organizations
• Political organizations
• General emergency response, food distribution, or immediate shelter services
• Industry-specific training initiatives housed within organizations whose main mission is unrelated to workforce development
• Programs limited to narrowly defined groups rather than being broadly accessible to the public

Funding Amounts

Average Grant Size: $5,000–$20,000

Timeline & Review

📅 Fall Cycle Opens: August 2026
📅 Application Deadline: October 5, 2026

The foundation also offers a spring cycle each year, but this post reflects the fall deadline.

Application / Request Process

Organizations should review the foundation’s guidelines to confirm alignment with one of the three priority areas and ensure they operate in an eligible IMA community. Applicants should be prepared to show that the funded work is central to their mission and that it produces measurable community impact.

Geographic Notes

IMA gives only in communities where it has a meaningful presence. Its footprint includes markets across multiple states, including Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Washington.

Apply / Learn More

➡️ https://imacorp.com/foundation

Why This Opportunity Is a Good Fit

This opportunity is a strong fit for organizations that:

• Have workforce development, financial literacy, or disaster preparedness as a core mission
• Serve underserved populations
• Operate in an IMA community
• Can demonstrate measurable outcomes tied to economic mobility or community resilience

IMA Foundation is especially well suited for nonprofits whose mission is tightly aligned with one of its three focus areas, rather than organizations seeking support for a smaller program nested within a different primary cause area.

Corporate Grants Guide Notes

Review Type: Competitive grant cycle
Typical Grant Size: $5,000–$20,000
Best Suited For: Mission-aligned 501(c)(3) nonprofits focused on workforce development, financial literacy, or emergency preparedness in IMA communities

New to corporate grant fundraising?
Read our Corporate Grants for Nonprofits: Ultimate Guide to learn how corporate funding works.