Grant research can be a daunting task, and as such, a task many of us put off as long as possible. With a few simple steps, grant research can produce amazing results pretty quickly as you identify new foundation prospects.
Let’s look at a bit of low-hanging fruit to get you started on your research journey today!
First off, as you look to identify new foundation prospects, there is a wealth of information to be found for free on Foundation Center Online. Don’t worry if you don’t have a subscription to use this site; you can access all their tools for free at libraries across the country!
Where can you go to find a library with access?
Easy!
Check out their location finder and enter your zip code right on the map to find the nearest locations with free access. Be sure to call the library you wish to visit to learn about any rules and limitation to computer access or hours of service. Many libraries have a dedicated staff that will help walk you through the database to enhance your research time.
Now that you know how to access Foundation Center in your area, let’s jump right in and learn a few new ways to identify new foundation prospects for your current needs.
The first step to successful grant research is knowing what you are looking for. Start with a needs list of the things you need, how much they will cost, and when you need them in hand. Here at Funding For Good, we use our needs list in conjunction with a Pre-Research Questionnaire to help us determine all the answers needed to be effective in our research.
Once you have all the prep work done, you are ready to jump online and identify new foundation prospects.
Today we are going to look at three easy ways to identify new foundation prospects you may not have thought of, or that you didn’t know how to search for previously.
1. Foundations who have funded similar organizations in the past
In order to conduct this search, you first need to know the organizations who do similar work, their official name, and where they are located. Once you have the basic information, hop on Foundation Directory and click the upper left box of the search box that says “Advanced Search”. Once this box opens, you will see a box in the lower left corner that says “Organization” and inside that you will see ‘Name of specific grant maker or recipient’. In this you can type the organization name and choose the one you want to investigate. The search results will show you all the foundations who have funded them in the past, the year of funding, the amount funded, the description of what the project funded, etc.
2. Foundations who have funded YOUR organization in the past
Here’s a crazy idea that many people new to an organization or new to the world of nonprofits never think about. Who has funded us in the past? A lot of organizations don’t have stellar records about previous foundations who have given them grants, what the money for used for, or how much was granted. Crazy, but true! Refer to #1 and run that search on your own organization! See who has given to you in the past. Has a foundation been neglected that has an interest in your work? Perhaps you need to revisit some past supporters and get them back in the fold.
3. Searching by foundation location
Do you know all of the foundations in your county, in surround counties, or in your region? Would you like to? I know I love that information when I’m researching prospects for a specific area. It’s easy peasy with Foundation Center. Simply go to the Advanced Search bar and type in the county and state in the Location box (bottom row, center box) and see the list of all foundations in that county appear. Now you can research all the foundations in an area and see who might support your work. Do this for each region in your service area or where you have an impact. You might be surprised at some of the prospects you uncover.
Two additional tidbits to keep in mind:
Tidbit #1: Don’t limit yourself to super specific Subject Areas in your search. Many foundations will give to a variety of organizations and using more general terms will lend to better results.
Tidbit #2: Don’t freak out when you see “We only fund pre-selected charitable organizations” or “We don’t accept unsolicited proposals.”
If we can help with Grant Writing and Research Support or Development Coaching, let us know. Maybe you just want a few hours of consultation with one of our nonprofit experts – we can help. You may also find some Upcoming Events to attend or helpful information in our Free Stuff section.
As always, Keep Growing for Good!
