One of the questions that I occasionally get asked is how to find and apply for grants. There are actually many grant making institutions including foundations not associated with the government as well as grants available from the US government.

I don’t normally mention grants on this website first because it’s not my area of expertise, and second because grants make up a small percentage of non profit funding. In fact on average over 80% of non profit funding comes from individuals. This has been demonstrated quite recently by the outpouring of support for hurricane survivors, largely by individuals who have been moved to contribute.

All that being said — grants can be a particularly appropriate form of funding for organizations that because of their mission or focus, don’t do well fundraising from the public. Grants can also be a great supplemental and reliable source of funding for non profit organizations.

Each foundation or grant making organization has specific procedures that applicants must follow in order for their request to even qualify for consideration. Follow these instructions to an absolute T and have several members of your organization review the application before sending it in.

I’ve recently added new links to the resources section of this website and you may find these helpful. There’s links for government grants, foundations, grant writing tips and even information about grants for businesses and individuals. –> Grant Resources