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AWS IMAGINE Grant Program - Nonprofit Cloud Solutions - AWS

AWS IMAGINE Grant Program - Nonprofit Cloud Solutions - AWS

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Category
Nonprofit
Tech
Auto tags
Eligibility
Registered 501(c) nonprofits in the US; registered charities in UK & Ireland
Auto Summary
Annual AWS grant for U.S. 501(c) nonprofits with a cloud technology project. Three tiers: Pathfinder (up to $200K cash + $100K AWS credits, for generative AI projects), Go Further Faster (up to $150K + $100K credits), and Momentum to Modernize (up to $50K + $20K credits). 2026 Round One closes June 5, 2026. Schools not eligible.
Value
Up to $200K unrestricted cash + $100K AWS credits (Pathfinder); $150K + $100K (Go Further Faster); $50K + $20K (Momentum to Modernize). 2026 Round One deadline: June 5, 2026.
Espanol
Programa de Subvenciones AWS IMAGINE - Soluciones en la Nube para Organizaciones Sin Fines de Lucro — AWS ofrece subvenciones a organizaciones sin fines de lucro registradas (501(c)) en EE.UU. para proyectos tecnológicos innovadores. Los premios incluyen hasta $200,000 en fondos sin restricciones más $100,000 en créditos de AWS, con soporte técnico y de implementación.
URL
https://aws.amazon.com/government-education/nonprofits/aws-imagine-grant-program/
Last verified 2026-05-17. The 2026 AWS IMAGINE Grant application cycle is open. Round One closes June 5, 2026 [Source: aws.amazon.com/government-education/nonprofits/aws-imagine-grant-program/ (accessed 2026-05-17)].

What it is

The AWS IMAGINE Grant is a yearly grant for U.S. 501(c) nonprofits using cloud technology to advance their mission. Winners get unrestricted cash (you choose how to spend it), AWS service credits (computing power on Amazon's cloud), and hands-on help from AWS engineers.
This is a technology grant. You need a real project that uses AWS cloud services — not just an idea, and not general operating money. Educational institutions cannot apply.

Who qualifies

  • Registered 501(c) nonprofit in the United States.
  • Any annual budget size — small nonprofits are welcome.
  • You have a specific technology project. Pilots, proofs of concept, and expansions of existing programs all count.
  • You can describe how the project uses (or will use) AWS cloud services.
  • If you won an IMAGINE Grant before, wait one calendar year before applying again.
Schools, colleges, and universities are not eligible [Source: aws.amazon.com/government-education/nonprofits/aws-imagine-grant-program/aws-imagine-grant-faq/ (accessed 2026-05-17)].

What you get (three award tiers)

Pathfinder Award — biggest prize, for AI projects

  • Up to $200,000 cash (unrestricted)
  • Up to $100,000 in AWS credits
  • Hands-on help from the AWS Generative AI Innovation Center
  • Marketing promotion from AWS
For nonprofits with a defined generative AI, agentic AI, or autonomous systems project that is already past the idea stage — you have data, a plan, and are ready to build.

Go Further, Faster Award — for ambitious cloud projects

  • Up to $150,000 cash (unrestricted)
  • Up to $100,000 in AWS credits
  • Help from AWS technical specialists
For innovative projects using AI, machine learning, high-performance computing, IoT, or other advanced cloud services.

Momentum to Modernize Award — for infrastructure upgrades

  • Up to $50,000 cash (unrestricted)
  • Up to $20,000 in AWS credits
  • Help from AWS technical specialists
For nonprofits moving servers to the cloud, migrating databases, or modernizing old applications.
AWS decides the final amount for each winner [Source: aws.amazon.com/government-education/nonprofits/aws-imagine-grant-program/ (accessed 2026-05-17)].

2026 timeline

  • Round One opens: March 19, 2026
  • Round One closes: June 5, 2026
  • Round Two (invitation only): August 10 – September 14, 2026
  • Winners announced: December 1, 2026
Only Round One applicants who pass a first review are invited to Round Two. You cannot apply directly to Round Two.

How to apply

  1. Read the U.S. proposal guidelines at pages.awscloud.com/aws-imagine-grant-guidelines-US-2026.html. The full PDF lists every required field.
  1. Pick the award category that matches your project's scope.
  1. Prepare a short project description, expected outcomes, a budget, and a timeline.
  1. Submit through the AWS IMAGINE Grant portal linked from the program page before June 5, 2026.
The application asks for measurable goals (how will you know it worked?), the technology approach, and how the project advances your mission.

Common pitfalls

  • Applying without a project. "We want to use AI someday" will not win. You need a defined use case.
  • Confusing this with general operating support. The cash is unrestricted, but the project itself must be technology-driven and tied to AWS.
  • Missing the AWS credits piece. Winners must actually use AWS services. If your project runs on Google Cloud or Azure, this is the wrong grant.
  • Skipping outcomes. Reviewers want clear, measurable impact — number of people served, hours saved, costs reduced.

Where to get help

  • If you need help writing the technical sections, a TechSoup or local nonprofit technology consultant can often translate your mission into the language AWS reviewers expect.

Sources

Deadline reminder (2026-05-30): Round One closes June 5, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT — about a week away. Late applications are not accepted, so build in buffer time for technical issues. The U.S. Round One portal is hosted at apply.younoodle.com. Round One results / Round Two invitations go out July 3, 2026. [Source: aws.amazon.com IMAGINE Grant (accessed 2026-05-30)]