State of Hope

The 2025-2026 grant application period for the State of Hope initiative is now open. Individuals and organizations working to create safer, stronger communities by using innovative, community-driven solutions to address the root causes of challenges facing children and families are invited to apply.

Since its inception, the State of Hope initiative has invited transformative projects that align with its core focus areas – Education, Trauma Awareness, Quality Caregiving, and Economic Self-Sufficiency. The State of Hope is an opportunity for Georgia to collaboratively inspire change, cultivate resilience, and pave the way toward a more hopeful and vibrant future for our children and families that need it most. Every idea has the potential to drive change.

State of Hope Portal

Application Guidelines

Applications Open: Sept. 2, 2025

Applications Deadline: Oct. 15, 2025, at 11:30 p.m.

Geographical Eligibility: Projects must serve communities within the State of Georgia.

How to Apply: Submit your application through the State of Hope Application Portal.

Who can apply: Nonprofits, businesses, philanthropies, and government agencies

Grant Amounts: Funding ranges from $5,000 to $10,000 to support innovative, community-driven solutions.

Reporting Requirements: All award recipients are required to submit a mid-report and final report that can be completed via the State of Hope Application Portal.

We encourage all eligible organizations and individuals to apply and join us in creating a brighter future for Georgia’s families and children. Together, we can cultivate hope, foster collaboration, and drive meaningful change.

Why Hope for Georgia?

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Families deserve to be safe and supported in their local communities, having resources that are designed with their input. Additionally, there are a record number of children in foster care, resources are limited, many individuals, and families are in crisis, and local communities often have the best answers to address their local needs. The importance of communities being able to support and take care of families cannot be understated. The work of the Division needs to be seen as the last resort for the most urgent cases, not the solution for all issues.

To do this, we need the community’s help.

This is the right work at this right time.

What is State of Hope?

State of Hope is an initiative that seeks to encourage nonprofits, philanthropies, government, businesses, and communities to collaborate closely to build local safety nets that will prevent conditions that contribute to disparities in education, threaten a family’s self-sufficiency, and could lead to child abuse and neglect.

Our ultimate vision is having 14 Regions of Hope across Georgia. This could be one or multiple sites/projects in each region.

State of Hope: First State of Hope Sites Announced!