Grants Prospect
Research
Finding the right funding
prospects
Powerpoint and resource guide available at:
http://coloradogrants.org/grants-research-webinar.php
Different types of research
Foundation
Corporate
Local, State, and Federal Government
Faith-Based
Civic
Places to start
Grants guides and databases
Keyword searches
Associations
Resource Websites
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States with Regional Grants
Guides
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut,
Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Idaho, Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine,
Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota,
Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire,
New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania,
South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah,
Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming
See
http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/topical/sl_dir.html
for details
Other tools
Federal
Grants Wire
Grantsmanship Center
Other funders
UN
European
Commission
World Bank
Federal Funding
Database for federal grants
www.grants.gov
Federal
Agency websites
www.epa.gov/care/community.htm
www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm
www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/
www.ed.gov/fund/grants-apply.html
www.hud.gov/grants/index.cfm
www.nea.gov/grants/
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Narrow the prospect list
Isn’t more better?
Competitive
Best fit, alignment
Tools
Funder website
990
Phone calls
Steps
Verify/vet
Narrow
Ongoing grants
One-time funding opportunities
Focus areas
Officers and staff
Getting more information
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The Grants Funded List
Look
on website or annual report
Identify number of grants
Identify size/range of grants, total giving
Identify geographic focus
Identify intent
Education can mean adult literacy or early
education.
Do they give to all organizations, or just high profile
ones?
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Anschutz Family Foundation
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Purpose: Introduction; gauge funder interest, get
tips
Strategy:
Determine which project to request funds for.
Have organization’s leader make the call
Be prepared; refine your talking points
Honestly present idea(s) to see if a good fit
“If a proposal is not a fit for our priorities, we want you to know
that…We want someone to call us with questions rather than guess.
It’s much easier for us to do that up front, rather than having multiple
people review the proposal. It makes everyone’s job easier”
– Foundation program officer
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Useful for:
Funders without websites
Funders that don’t disclose key info on
their website
990 tax return:
Lists
all foundation grants
grant guidelines
Includes list of funder’s board of trustees
Identifies if they accept unsolicited grant
requests
Includes
CSI: Finding the grants list
- Foundation tax returns (Regional
Grants Guides, Guidestar, Foundation
Center)
- Foundation Directory Online
“Carrying out a focused grants research
campaign saves a lost of wasted energy.”
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Create prospect list
Track your deadlines and results
Database, fund-raising software
Simple table
Investigate request for proposals:
Deadline
Restrictions
Award size
Geographic restriction
Other potential disqualifiers
Also review previous grants awarded
Contact other local groups previously
receiving funding
Sources for grant lists:
USAspending.gov
Agency websites, such as
www.epa.gov/care/community.htm
www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm
www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/
www.ed.gov/fund/grants-apply.html
www.hud.gov/grants/index.cfm
www.nea.gov/grants/
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Teleconferences, webinars, question and
answer periods
Public
process to clarify grant guidelines and
purpose
Takeaway
Use multiple approaches
Databases
Keywords
Affiliate/Associations
Federal/state
Lists
agency websites
of previously funded grants, annual reports
Generate larger lists
Vet your prospects
Apply to only funders that are a great fit
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Thank you!
Powerpoint and resource guide available at:
http://coloradogrants.org/grants-researchwebinar.php
coloradogrants.org
Sandiegogrants.org
303-800-5452
858-736-9400
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