Application 2.4

Locating Possible Funding Sources – Searching Sites

Overview:

In the latest report by Giving USA total U.S. charitable giving reached $499.33 billion in 2022 (Giving USA, 2023). Although giving declined 3.4% from 2021, only the fourth time in 40 years, resources are available to fund grants – we just need to locate possible sources. Yet it is important to remember that locating prospective funders necessitates solid ideas that address specific needs/challenges. In other words, funders invest in people and programs to make a difference and it is our obligation to align with the mission and core values of prospective foundations.

While a logical next step in locating prospective funders may include a web search, there are some additional options that can help you gauge the funding landscape. As a starting point, consider adding your name to listservs and/or sign up for an email subscriptions that share funding alerts from foundations that match your interests. For example, if you are interested in youth development, there are numerous federal listservs and nonprofit listservs that can connect you with people and ideas around a similar theme (http://www.ed.gov/news/newsletters/listserv/preventioned.html). To stay current on topics such a health, for example, consider adding your credentials to receive funding alerts from organizations such as Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; the emails provide a variety of engagement opportunities that may be helpful in grant preparation. The next step is to focus on websites that can help provide you with prospective funding options.

Assignment:

To help familiarize yourself with the myriad sources of funding, a deep dive into grant-based web sites is a great starting point. Based on your general interest idea for a grant, locate possible funding sources from the sites you find (not comprehensive). For each response:

• Indicate the name of the prospective funder,
• Include the URL to the funder, and
• Briefly describe why you believe the source may be a good match (e.g., aligns with mission, focus of foundation, etc.)

Local Community Foundations

• In your browser, search to determine if there is a community foundation in your area (e.g., community foundations in Bowling Green, KY).
• Name:
• URL:
• Match:
• State

Search Fundsnetservics.com. Find a state and see what populates based on your area of interest.

• Name:
• URL:
• Match:
• Federal

Go to grants.gov and in upper left corner, search grants.

• Name:
• URL:
• Match:

Subscription Databases. There are several powerful databases available to users although they are behind paywalls. Some sources are best accessed through an intuition of higher learning such as a local university or college. Consider the following:

• COS Pivot (https://pivot.proquest.com/funding_main). Pivot is a powerful research tool that provides a database with extensive options for funding.
• Foundation Directory Online (http://foundationcenter.org/find-funding/fdo-quick-start). The Foundation Directory is a user friendly source that allows the grant writer to search by topic, geographic region, foundation type, to name just a few.

References

Giving USA. (2023). Giving USA: Giving USA 2023: The annual report on philanthropy for the year 2022. https://philanthropy.iupui.edu/news-events/news-item/giving-usa:-total-u.s.-charitable-giving-declined-in-2022-to-%24499.33-billion-following-two-years-of-record-generosity.html?id=422