Parkinson's Foundation Community Grants 2027: Up to $25,000, Due January 29, and Why Most Awards Land Near $10,000
November 12, 2026 · 5 min read
Granted Research Team · Editorial policy
Divide $1 million by 96 and you get about $10,400.
That number matters more than anything else in the Parkinson's Foundation's 2027 Community Grants announcement. The program page and the Foundation's November 10 press release advertise awards of $10,000 to $25,000, with $1 million available in total. Applications are due Friday, January 29, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. ET. The previous cycle's recipient announcement reported "more than $1 million" spread across grants in 41 states, and the Foundation's recipient list counts 96 grants. The average is barely above the $10,000 floor. Few organizations received anything near the $25,000 maximum.
That makes the program a high-volume, small-award competition, and it rewards a specific kind of proposal. Here is how the 2027 cycle works and how to write for it.
How the Program Works
The Foundation has run community grants since 2011. Its program page says it has invested $13.9 million in 1,065 community-based programs since then, reaching more than 94,000 people with Parkinson's and their care partners. Over the last three years it has given more than $3 million to communities in 39 states. The annual cycle has been consistent:
| Cycle | Call announced | Deadline | Total | Prior-round reach cited |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Nov. 12, 2024 | Jan. 31, 2025 | $1M | 92 programs, 40 states |
| 2026 | Nov. 10, 2025 | Jan. 30, 2026 | $1M | 90 programs, 38 states |
| 2027 | Nov. 10, 2026 | Jan. 29, 2027 | $1M | 96 communities, 41 states |
Peer reviewers, not Foundation staff, choose the grantees. The FAQ describes "a committee of peer reviewers who are members of the Parkinson's community." The funding period runs July 1, 2027, to June 30, 2028, and grantees can request a no-cost extension of up to six months. The 2026 cycle was underwritten by the estate of Stanley and Gloria Brams of Brooklyn. The 2027 materials do not name a sponsor.
The sources disagree on when decisions will arrive. The program page says notifications will go out in "late June 2027," and the press release says August. Last cycle's winners were announced publicly on July 28, 2026, after their July 1 start date. Assume you may not hear until the grant period has already begun, and don't schedule a program launch for July 1 that depends on this money.
Three Priority Areas
Every funded program must expand or create access for people with Parkinson's and their care partners, "including those from populations of focus and need." It must also address at least one of three areas:
- Emotional or mental health and Parkinson's
- Education, resources, and support designed for care partners
- Exercise or movement designed for people with Parkinson's
The 2027 wording is more specific than the 2025 and 2026 versions, which read "Address mental health and PD," "Reach care partners," and "Deliver exercise designed for people with PD." Two changes matter. "Emotional" health widens the mental-health category to include peer support, grief, and social-isolation programs. "Education, resources, and support" clarifies that care-partner work does not have to be a support group. The 2027 page also explicitly allows pilot programs.
The Foundation doesn't define "populations of focus and need" in the 2027 materials. Don't guess at a definition. An application that names a specific local group, explains with local data why that group is underserved, and shows how the program reaches it answers the question however reviewers interpret it.
Eligibility Rules That Disqualify Applicants
The program is "open to communities nationwide," but several rules eliminate applicants before review:
- Chapters of national organizations are ineligible. The FAQ limits the program to "independent community/local organizations." A local affiliate of a national nonprofit network should check its legal status before spending time on a proposal.
- The program must serve only the Parkinson's community. "Programs that also serve individuals with other conditions are not eligible." A general senior-fitness class that welcomes people with Parkinson's does not qualify. A Parkinson's-specific class offered by the same gym does.
- For-profits can apply if the program is free. The FAQ names assisted living facilities, rehabilitation centers, and private fitness centers as examples. Earlier announcements listed only healthcare facilities, nonprofits, and other tax-exempt organizations.
- Programs must be local. Programs designed to reach communities outside the applicant's local community or state are ineligible, as are programs focused only on instructor training or only on outreach and marketing. Puerto Rico applicants are accepted. Individuals cannot apply.
- Two applications at most, with no overlap in budget items.
The Budget Rules
The cost rules are where most proposals go wrong. The Foundation will not fund:
- salaries for employees (FTEs)
- indirect costs
- capital expenses or construction
- exercise equipment (the FAQ allows it only for pilot programs)
- office supplies or promotional materials
- conference costs, or staff or speaker travel
- memberships, licensing, endowments, franchise fees, or multi-year grants
There are also caps. Participant transportation is limited to 15% of the budget. Speaker fees are limited to 10%. Training or certification is allowed only through the Foundation's own Exercise and Movement Education Accreditation, is capped at 10%, and must take place during the grant period. The Foundation won't pay instructors directly, and salaried employees can't be paid from grant funds.
What's left is mostly contracted instructors and facilitators, venue rental, participant transportation, materials, refreshments (no alcohol), and limited outreach. That is why the average award is close to $10,000. A weekly class or support group run by a contract instructor in a rented space fits within that range.
How to Size and Write the Request
Build a budget that works at $10,000. A $25,000 request is allowed, but the numbers above suggest few applicants receive it. If your program falls apart at $12,000, the reviewers will see that. Show a core budget near the floor and separately itemize what an additional amount would add, such as a second site, a care-partner track, or transportation for rural participants.
Repeat grantees need to show growth. Previously funded organizations can reapply, but a repeat request for the same program has to show growth or new components. After three years of funding for one program, the committee adds extra review and "may limit the amount of funding." If you are in your fourth year, a new care-partner or mental-health component makes a stronger application than a renewal.
Write for peer reviewers. The committee includes people living with Parkinson's. Describe the experience of attending, not just outputs. Give the session schedule, how someone with mobility limits gets there, and what a care partner does during class. Include attendance and retention figures if you have them.
Allow for ProposalCentral setup. Applications go only through ProposalCentral under the "Community Grant" option. New organizations must be approved by ProposalCentral staff, which "may take up to 1-2 business days." Mailed applications are not accepted.
Attend the December 1 webinar. The Foundation is holding a 2027 application assistance webinar on Tuesday, December 1, 2026, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. ET. Questions can go to Programs@Parkinson.org before then. The webinar is the place to ask how "populations of focus and need" will be scored.
The Foundation's rules are specific enough to tell an applicant exactly what to build. With 11 weeks until the deadline, Granted can help you turn a class schedule and a contractor quote into a peer-review-ready proposal before January 29.