Apply for a Grant
Overview
ARDC makes grants to programs and organizations that aim to advance our mission and vision, with the strategic goals of getting more people learning, experimenting, and doing with amateur radio and digital communications technology.
These grants tend to fall into three main categories:
Though you may apply for any kind of project, please note our priority areas for funding.
All grants must be made to eligible organizations (generally US 501(c)3 nonprofits or international equivalents) and adhere to our open access requirement.
The 2025 application deadlines are:
- February 1
- April 1
- July 1
- September 1 + Scholarship Program Applications Due
Applications received after September 1, 2025 will be reviewed February 1, 2026. If you are submitting a proposal for a scholarship program, we’d prefer to evaluate that proposal during our September 1st deadline. Please note that applications generally take 60-120 days to evaluate.
All applications are evaluated using a standard review process.
When you feel like you are ready to put together your application, please apply here:
https://grants.ardc.net.
More information can be found on the following pages:
If you can’t find the information you need, have a question about your application, or would like to discuss your project idea, please reach out to us at any time: giving@ardc.net.
Grantmaking Categories
Support and growth of amateur radio
Grants in this category are core to our mission. We make grants to clubs for all types of projects, including licensing classes, continuing education, repeater infrastructure, and certain emergency communications projects that expand interest and access to amateur radio.
- Examples: Make Operating Radio Easier (MORE), CVARC Serves Its Community and Promotes Amateur Radio, Bridgerland ARC: Engaging and Educating Youth in Amateur Radio
Education
Grants in this category include scholarships, as well as projects that aim to educate or mentor individuals, such as K-12 school programs and programs aimed at under-served groups. We are primarily interested in STEAM programs that are linked to amateur radio, wireless technology, or digital communications.
- Examples: West Bend Public Library, Walters State Community College (WSCC), South Eugene High School
Research & development
Projects in this category are projects that are advancing the state of the art in amateur radio and communication science and technology.
Grantmaking Goals
ARDC makes grants to programs and organizations that aim to advance our mission and vision to create:
A thriving global community of learners, experimenters, and contributors advancing freedom with open source communication and information technology.
ARDC’s strategic approach to achieving this vision involves three main goals:
- Promoting learning: getting more people learning about amateur radio (AR) and digital communications (DC).
- Promoting experimenting: getting more people experimenting, innovating, and developing technology (in the context of AR and DC).
- Promoting doing: getting more people using new technology productively on more (and newer) bands, modes, and technologies (and other dimensions) within the context of AR and DC.
As we evaluate opportunities for our grantmaking and other program activities, we will be reviewing them based on their ability to meet the above objectives and, overall, help to manifest our vision.
Please review our vision and strategy pages for more detailed information.
Eligibility
To receive an ARDC grant, your organization must be one of the following:
- U.S.-based 501(c)(3) public charity, government agency, school, or university.
- International charity, nonprofit, school, or university.
US & international for-profit businesses are currently not eligible for ARDC grants.
Fiscal Sponsorship
Radio clubs and groups who are NOT nonprofits, as well as individual applicants, are not eligible for a grant unless they have a nonprofit fiscal sponsor. For tips on finding a fiscal sponsor, see our instructions page.
Open Access Requirement
Because ARDC works with and for the public, we require that the work of the projects we fund be freely available to everyone who can benefit and to everyone who can contribute. Thus, all technology, documentation, and other materials produced using ARDC funds must be made freely available to the public, ideally using one of the below open source licenses:
- Software: GPL licenses (esp. AGPLv3), MIT, BSD, LGPL
- Hardware: CERN Open Hardware License
- Media, writing, images etc.: Free Culture subset of the Creative Commons licenses, particularly CC-BY-SA, as well as CC-BY and CC0
If you have questions about any of these licenses, or if there is another open license that you would prefer to use, please reach out: giving@ardc.net.
Application Process
It typically takes 60-120 days to review all the applications following the due dates, so please be patient. We will get back to you if we need more information about your proposal and when the review process is complete. If you would like to get feedback on your project before putting together a proposal, you can send an email summarizing your idea or schedule a time to talk with staff by contacting giving@ardc.net.
- Prepare and submit your application
To submit an application, you must first create an account with the ARDC Grants system. To do this, go to grants.ardc.net and click on the “Create an account” link. If you already have an account, sign in with your email address and password. The next step is to fill in the application form. Instructions on how to write your proposal can be found here. They are also available as a downloadable PDF. - Email Confirmation
After you submit your application, you will receive an automated email acknowledgement. Please keep a copy of that email in case you need to contact us about your proposal.
- Preliminary Review
Next, someone on our staff will do a preliminary review of your application. At this point, if any information is missing, we may contact you.
- Grants Advisory Committee (GAC) Review
Once your application has passed the preliminary check, the staff will send it to the Grants Advisory Committee (GAC). The committee will ask a number of questions as they review your application. You’ll find these questions on the instructions page. - Board Review
Assuming the grants committee approves the application, it will be forwarded to the ARDC Board of Directors, who will accept or reject your application and decide on the amount of the award. You will be notified of their decision as soon as possible. - Selection Notification
Once all the details have been worked out, ARDC will send you a contract detailing the amount of the award, the expected outcomes, and how to report on your project’s progress, including annual progress reports and a final project report. Once you review and sign the contract, we will issue the funds. Please note that this entire process may take about four months after the application deadline.
