Starting Your Grant Search

Finding the right grant for your project can be a long and arduous task. There are a number of excellent resources available to help shorten the search, but to make good use of these respurces you need to do your homework first.

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