Simmons First Foundation (Simmons Bank, Pine Bluff)
Mini Grants, Make a Difference Grants and Environmental Grants for K-12 youth
A Pine Bluff bank foundation that funds programs for K-12 youth in counties with a Simmons Bank. Mini Grants for education or health care projects are open now. The bigger grants are for students with disabilities (Environmental and Make a Difference) and for substance abuse and violence prevention (Make a Difference only).
- Amount
- Mini Grants $1,000 to $2,500; Make a Difference and Environmental Grants $2,500 to $50,000
- Can a for-profit school apply?
- No: for-profit schools excluded
- Deadline
- Oct 31, 2026 (20 days left)
- Who this fits
- Private school · Homeschool co‑op · Microschool501(c)(3)s, including religious organizations, in a county with a Simmons Bank location. Fits a nonprofit private school, Christian school or co-op with 501(c)(3) status. Not for a for-profit school.Religious schools: yes
- New schools
- Not stated for new schools
- Where
- Arkansas only
- Last checked
- Oct 9, 2026on simmonsfirstfoundation.com
Unconfirmed: check with the funder
We couldn’t confirm these on an official page. Treat them as open questions, not facts.
- Whether every Arkansas county with a Simmons branch counts (ask about your county)
- Whether a brand-new school with no track record can apply
- The exact year of the next letter-of-intent window (the page labels it the 2027 cycle)
How to apply
- Step 1: Check that Simmons Bank has a location in your county
- Step 2: Have your 501(c)(3) letter ready
- Step 3: For a Mini Grant ($1,000 to $2,500), email grants@simmonsfirstfoundation.com for the form before October 31
- Step 4: For a 2027 Make a Difference or Environmental Grant, email a two-page letter of intent (amount, organization, need, approach, budget) between April 6 and June 30, 2027
- Step 5: If invited, return the full application by July 31
Funders change their requirements. Check the official page before you apply. Getting ready? See what funders usually ask for.
Who can apply
“We strive to empower 501c3, religious or governmental organizations across a six-state footprint (Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas)”
The criteria say the entity must be a 501c3 (religious organizations included) in the county of a Simmons Bank facility. You don't have to bank with Simmons. Past Arkansas grants went to Mount St. Mary Academy (Little Rock) and ARTx3 (Pine Bluff). It won't pay for salaries, rent, utilities, buildings, vehicles, sponsorships or one-time giveaways, and you must show you can keep the program going for two years after the grant.
- 501(c)(3) status (religious organizations included)
- In a county with a Simmons Bank location
- Program serves K-12 youth; Mini Grants must be about education or health care
- Must be able to keep the program running two years after the grant
- Can't replace money you already have, or pay salaries, rent, utilities, buildings, vehicles or sponsorships
- Mini Grants: not open to groups that got a Mini Grant in 2025
Timing
Mini Grants (2026 cycle) are open April 6 to October 31; ask for the form by email, no letter of intent needed. For the bigger grants, the page's 2027 cycle lists a two-page letter of intent from April 6 to June 30, then full applications by invitation July 1 to 31 (confirm the year with the foundation in spring).