CHAPTER 17

Searching for Funds

MAJOR SOURCES OF PRIVATE FUNDING

Foundations www.fdncenter.org

Community Foundations CD-ROM

Independent Foundations Corporate Foundations

GOVERNMENT FUNDING

Federal Register Commerce Business Daily Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance http://www.gsa.gov/fdac

The Federal Assistance Program Retrieval Systems

DESCRIPTION OF DIRECTORIES

National Directory of Corporate Giving The Foundation Grants Index The Foundation 1000 The Foundation Directory Guide To U. S. Foundations Grant Guides

Following guides are relevant to human services:

Aging Alcohol & Drug

Abuse Children and Youth Community/Economic

Development, Housing & Employment

Crime, Law Enforcement & Abuse Prevention

Health Programs for Children & Youth

Homeless

Literacy, Reading & Adult/Continuing Education

Mental Health, Addictions & Crisis Services

Minorities Physically &

Mentally Disabled Program Evaluation

Grants Social Services Women & Girls

THE SEARCH PROCESS Phase I: formulate a description

of what you want to accomplish Phase II : develop a broad list of

potential supporters Phase III: narrow down your

broad list of possibilities Phase IV : narrowing the list of

twenty or so possible foundations down to three to five

APPROACHING FOUNDATIONS FOR FUNDING

Determine how to approach foundations In considering corporate support ask the

following questions: Does the firm have significant business or

employees in the community? Is the business related in any way to the type of

project you are developing? Does your organization deal with issues that are

of unique importance to the firm?

USING THE COMPUTER TO ACCESS INFORMATION

Foundation Center Links (http://fdncenter.org) The Philanthropy News Digest Free proposal writing short course Funding trends based on excerpts

from the Center’s research publi cations

Online Library Cooperating Collection Grantmaking form

Government Funding Sources www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/dpos/topics/

grants.html Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog, Department of Health and Human Services

GrantNet, Department of Education, Department of Housing and Urban

Development, National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Health, Economic Development Agency, Justice Department

www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html

Proposal Writing Suggestions A Guide to Proposal Planning and

Writing by Lynn E. Miner. www.oryxpress.com/miner.htm

“Tips for Grantseekers from Grantscape.” www.grantscape.com/omaha/grants/

services/tips.html Corporate and Foundation Funding.

gopher://cis.edu/11/LibraryResearch/Research/Funding

A Proposal Writing Short Course http://fdncenter.org/2fundpro/2prop.html

Private Funding Internet Prospector

http://plains.ewyo.edu/~prospect/(especially the people section)

David Lamb’s Prospect Research Page http://weber.u.washington.edu/~dlamb/

research.html Forbes 400 List Generator

http://www.forbes.com/Richlist/richquer.htm Internet resources for grants and foundations

http://nonprofit.miningco.com/msubfou.html University of Idaho Education Grants Directory

http://radon.chem.uidaho.edu/percent7Epmits/grants/homepage.html

Best Starting Places/Mega Sources: CARDE’S Other Grant and Funding Pages on the Web

http://ed518g.edb.utexas.edu/default.html Charity Village

www.charityvillage.com/charityvillage/main.html Charitable giving interests

http://weber.u.washington.edu/~dlamb/research.html#corp

Council on Foundations www.cof.org/

The Grantmanship Center www.tgci.com/

Foundations On-Line www.foundations.org

IAN Web Resources: Grant Opportunities www.pitt.edu/~ian/resource/grants.htm

U.S. Foundations and Fundraising Coalitions Resources www.contact.org/usfound.htm

Data Base Access

Two online files managed by DIALOG Information Services: (1) Foundation Directory (2) The Foundations Grants Index

CD-ROMs

The most comprehensive CD-ROM is called FC Search

(www.fdncenter.org) Using FC Search Illustrations of Searchable Items Suggested Search Strategies

Using the FC Search

SUMMARY

Searching for funds requires considerable amount of creative ingenuity. The availability of directories and CD-ROMs now makes it possible to explore a wide variety of possibilities in a fairly short time period. Expect to do a great deal of trial and error. Above all, be persistent in your quest.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. Identify several projects for which you might seek funding. What sources would you consider?

2. Assuming you could reach a funder on the phone, what questions might you ask in seeking possible funding?

3. Select a possible funding project. What resources would you use in identifying possible funders?