Find Grants

To find a grant, you must first do the following:

1. Analyze your own organization and project to determine:

• the problem or need you want to address
• the audience or target beneficiaries you will serve
• the amount and type of support you need
• the resources & commitment your group brings to the project
• potential partners in the community

2. Become familiar with facts about foundations in general and how they operate.

• Learn as much as possible foundations in your local area - including corporate or civic foundations as well as private

3. Consider other local sources of funding or in-kind support.

• individual contributors and supporters
• clubs, associations, civic organizations
• local or regional businesses
• government (state, county, city)

4. To find a funding match, look for funders:

• that seem able or likely to fund projects in your geographic area
• whose core mission or goals matches yours
• who have already supported similar ventures or projects

5. Compile a List of Prospects:

• Prospects by Geographic Location (city, state, region)
• Prospects by Field of Interest or Program Subject
• Subjects of Topics of actual recent grants awarded

6. Refine List of Prospects

• Eliminate sources that do NOT:Fund in your state.
• Fund your subject.
• Fund type of support you need. (See Grantmaker Types of Funding Support)
• Fund your type of recipient organization.
• Fund your size project.

7. Select most appropriate funding sources and research in detail.

• Contact funder directly for annual report and other publications.
• Search newspapers and the Internet for former grant recipients and contact them for advice or tips, why they felt they were successful as opposed to other applicants.

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