| Server IP : 10.200.247.200 / Your IP : 216.73.217.19 Web Server : Apache System : Linux synergy-usa-sites 6.8.0-138-generic #138-Ubuntu SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Fri Jul 31 22:41:49 UTC 2026 x86_64 User : jeremy ( 1001) PHP Version : 8.4.25 Disable Function : NONE MySQL : OFF | cURL : ON | WGET : ON | Perl : ON | Python : OFF | Sudo : ON | Pkexec : OFF Directory : /var/www/usa_sites/usagrantapplications.org/membersonly/ |
Upload File : |
<?php
require_once('includes/header.php');
?>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
<title>USA Grant Applications - How to Research</title>
<?include('header.php');?>
<?include('nav.php');?>
<h1>How to Research</h1>
<p><i>Grant
proposals are rejected primarily because they are submitted to grantors
who are not the right fit.</i></p>
<p>Time is your most precious
commodity in the grant researching process. It won’t matter
a bit that you are a persuasive writer and an exceptional wordsmith,
and that you have devoted considerable time and energies in authoring
the “perfect grant proposal.” If you have neglected to do
your homework in order to ensure that the grantor’s mission and goals
match those of the agency or organization that you are representing,
then you will be gravely disappointed as to the outcome of your grant
proposal.</p>
<p>In today’s day and age, there
are numerous grant opportunities available for small businesses and
individuals, as well as for non-profit organizations. While
there is more emphasis online with the opportunities for funding for
non-profits, there are plenty of funding sources for small businesses
and individuals. It is suggested in most instances, however, that
the latter two categories of fund seekers affiliate themselves with
a non-profit organization, or fiscal sponsor, in order to meet the criteria
for most government and private foundation grants.</p>
<p>You must research your potential
grant sources before undertaking the challenge of authoring a grant
proposal. As you conduct your research, take notes on the history
of the funding source, including its mission statement, goals, and other
projects that it has funded in the past. By utilizing the tools
outlined in this manual, you‘ll be able to identify grantors and grant
opportunities that match the objective of your project, as well as the
mission and goals of your organization. Use a notebook to jot
down the names and types of possible grant sources, and, later on, you
can condense the list depending on their compatibility with yours.</p><br />
<h2>Grant Research
Questions</h2>
<p>The following is a list of
self-help questions which will clarify your grant research protocol.</p>
<ol type="1">
<li><b>What type of
grant should I be looking for</b>?</li>
</ol>
<p>The first step in your grant
research process is to determine the type of grant that matches your
specifications.</p>
<ul><ul type="DISC">
<li><b>Start-up Grants</b>
provide initial support for your project. These grants, also known
as “seed money” or “program development” grants, support new
projects and help programs get off the ground. Start-up grants
can attract additional funding by showing other possible funders that
you already have a base of support. Start-up grantors expect additional
funding for your project to be derived from other sources.</li>
<li><b>Project Grants </b>
provide funding for<b> </b>specific projects for fixed periods of time.
Grants of this type include those for training, research, evaluation,
planning, construction, or other specified purposes. BBIR and
STTR grants as discussed in Chapter One are examples of project grants.</li>
<li><b>Formula Grants </b>
are based on mathematical or statistical formulas that are associated
with legal requirements. Grantseekers must ensure that their organization
meets the statistical formula requirements of the grantor. For
example, the statistical requirement can be income level as it pertains
to eligibility for such opportunities as affordable housing and first-time
home buyer opportunities. </li>
<li><b>Discretionary
Grants </b>are those in which the funding source selects the grant proposal
that best matches its requirements and criteria, and has convinced the
officials of the funding source that it has found the right match.
These grants are discretionary and highly competitive, and most of the
grants discussed herein are of this type.</li>
<li><b>Research Grants </b>
support research or study on a particular issue. Grantors often
award them through sponsoring institutions such as universities and
hospitals (See sponsorships and affiliations described later in this
Chapter). Individual researchers, such as university faculty members,
rely on their professional affiliation or sponsorship to provide facilities
and pay for research assistants while the professors conduct their research.
Federal agencies that award such grants are the National Institute of
Health (NIH), U.S.Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the National
Science Foundation (NSF).</li>
<li><b>Specified-Use
Grants </b>are intended to support a particular activity for specific
uses, and grant recipients must engage in only the specified activity
in order to receive the grant payments. Most of the grants discussed
herein are specified-use grants.</li>
<li><b>Unrestricted
Use Grants </b>place no restrictions on how the recipients of the grant
spend the funds.</li>
</ul></ul>
<ol type="1" start="2">
<li><b>What category
does my grant project best fit?</b></li>
</ol>
<p>Grantors intend for their funding
to address specific public needs, and to generally fit into one or more
of the categories outlined below. The list is intentionally broad
in scope, so use the ones that best describe you, your business, or
organization for the particular need you are seeking to address:</p>
<ul><ul type="DISC">
<li>Arts and Culture</li>
<li>Assistance for the
Disabled</li>
<li>Assistance for the
Homeless</li>
<li>Community Development</li>
<li>Education</li>
<li>Elderly/Senior Citizens</li>
<li>Energy and Alternative
Energy</li>
<li>Energy Conservation</li>
<li>Environment</li>
<li>Filmmaking and Other
Media</li>
<li>Health Care and
Services, including Mental Health</li>
<li>Historic Preservation</li>
<li>Homebuyers, including
First-time Buyers</li>
<li>Hunger </li>
<li>Minorities</li>
<li>Poverty</li>
<li>Recreation</li>
<li>Religion</li>
<li>Research</li>
<li>Small and Start-up
Businesses</li>
<li>Social Services</li>
<li>Sports</li>
<li>Transportation</li>
<li>Women</li>
<li>Veterans</li>
<li>Youth</li>
</ul></ul>
<ol type="1" start="3">
<li><b>Who will benefit
from your project?</b></li>
</ol>
<p>Those people or groups of people
who benefit directly from your project are called the consumers of your
project. The goals of the grant are intended to help and support
this specific population. Therefore, the funders will be more
likely to support those projects that are aligned with their mission
and goals. These goals are usually related to causes that funders
believe to have value, not only to the specific population but also
for the greater good of the community at-large. Some of the groups
that receive this attention are: the disabled, underprivileged, poor,
elderly, homeless, and others such as minorities, veterans, women, youth,
and those physically, mentally, and/or psychologically abused populations
of all ages and ethnicities.</p>
<p>If you’re looking for funds
to feed the hungry in your community, look for grantors whose mission
and goals include reducing poverty, combating hunger and feeding the
children in the community. You might not get a sports related
grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, but you could have a chance with
the Hess Foundation since Leon Hess, the C.E.O., is part owner of the
New York Jets football team and has more than a passing interest in
the world of sports.</p>
<p>If the mission of your organization
is to improve the quality of life for the residents in the community,
there are grantors ready, willing, and able to support your venture
with financial awards to small businesses, individuals and non-profit
corporations. Whether the improvement in the quality of life is
physical, mental, spiritual, moral, environmental, or scientific, your
challenge is to identify those who will benefit from your project, the
consumers of your project.</p>
<ol type="1" start="4">
<li><b>Where will the
project be located?</b></li>
</ol>
<p>Location is essential to the
grant proposal because the grantor will often have geographic parameters
stated in the application, especially with foundations, local governments
and corporations. These grants are designed specifically to benefit
consumers within a specific geographic region.</p>
<ol type="1" start="5">
<li><b>How much money
is needed, and how should you request the funds?</b></li>
</ol>
<p>Your need depends upon your
budget. Your request would depend upon the amount available in
the grant appropriation. It is important for you to note that
the grantor’s funding level matches or exceeds your estimated funding
needs. For example, if your grant request is $50,000 and the grantor’s
funding limit is $5,000, then you should drop your interest in pursuing
this grant immediately and start looking elsewhere.</p>
<p>You may need several grants
in order to secure the amount of funding necessary for the project.
Therefore, you should apply for as many appropriate grant offerings
as you can. Partial funding is discussed in Chapter 5.</p>
<ol type="1" start="6">
<li><b>When do you need
the money and what is your time frame?</b></li>
</ol>
<p>If your proposal is time sensitive,
you need to ensure that the funding will be available within your time
parameters. You should check on the time frame regarding the grantor’s
decision so that you are not applying for funds that are not available
when you need them.</p>
<ol type="1" start="7">
<li><b>When should you
work with a sponsor or an affiliate?</b></li>
</ol>
<p>As described earlier, many
grant opportunities are available only to individuals with sponsors
or affiliations with non-profit status. If you can increase your
chances of securing your grant through an association of this nature,
then it is, by all means, the right and proper thing to do.</p>
<ol type="1" start="8">
<li><b>When are you
better off starting your own non-profit organization?</b></li>
</ol>
<p>The formation of a non-profit
corporation is a time-consuming process, as well as costly and complicated.
It involves contracting with an attorney to be designated as a lawfully
recognized non-profit, tax exempt organization under Section 501(c)
(3) of the federal tax code. You will also be required to meet
the detailed requirements of the IRS.</p>
<ol type="1" start="9">
<li><b>Who evaluates
your program’s outcomes?</b></li>
</ol>
<p>Project evaluation methodologies
are essential to the grant process because they demonstrate in measurable
terms that you can manage the money effectively and achieve the program’s
goals. Make sure that you research the grantor’s expectations regarding
project evaluation methodologies. Some grantors have specific
evaluation tools for their grants. If you do not have the resources
to meet the grantor’s evaluation requirements, then this particular
grantor and/or opportunity is not a good match for you.</p><br />
<h2>
Sponsorships</h2>
<p>For a grant seeker who does
not have a non-profit status, forming collaboration with a non-profit
sponsor is often the difference maker in obtaining the funding for a
project. Many funding sources only honor grant applications from
non-profit agencies and organizations. Therefore, grant seekers
without a non-profit status must utilize a non-profit sponsor, partner
or affiliate before the grant application will receive consideration. </p><br />
<h2>Finding the
Right Sponsor or Affiliate for Your Project</h2>
<p>The most important facet of
this sponsorship match is that the goals and priorities of the fiscal
sponsor match those of your agency. There are many sponsors looking
for the opportunity to collaborate on the right project. Do not
settle on your first find; continue your search until you have at least
three from which to choose. At that point, review the priorities
and goals of each sponsor, and then select the one that is the most
closely aligned with your agency or organization.</p>
<p>Here are some advantages to
keep in mind in making a decision regarding a non-profit sponsor:</p>
<ul type="DISC">
<li>Sponsors can provide
facilities, equipment, and other administrative services and resources
that you may not be able to readily supply.</li>
<li>The process to identify
and collaborate with a non-profit sponsor is faster and less costly
than forming your own non-profit corporation.</li>
<li>You avoid the legal
and regulatory controls, limitations, reporting, and other IRS requirements
for non-profit organizations.</li>
</ul>
<p>Here are some disadvantages
to aligning yourself with a non-profit sponsor:</p>
<ul type="DISC">
<li>You will not have
the same control in the decision-making process that you would if you
had your own non-profit organization.</li>
<li>Depending on the
policies of the non-profit sponsor, you may have to negotiate the role
and relationship with your sponsor as well as with the grantor.</li>
</ul>
<br>
<h2>Get Yourself a Sponsorship Agreement</h2>
<p>If you decide to utilize the
services of a non-profit sponsor, construct a Sponsorship Agreement
that clearly states the legal and financial details of your arrangement.
A Sponsorship Agreement is a legal contract, so you may want to consult
an attorney to review the details as stated in the Agreement.
Your accountant should also review the financial arrangements and options
of the Sponsorship Agreement. The fee you pay for professional
advice and counselling will be worth it in terms of peace of mind.</p>
<p>Some non-profits will offer
you their sponsorship status for a fee. You’d be surprised at
how many grant seekers “buy” a non-profit sponsorship. By
paying to use their non-profit status, the grant funds go directly to
the sponsor upon the designation of the award, and the sponsor will
receive a percentage of the grant funds that you receive in exchange
for the use of their sponsorship. The percentage depends upon
the extent to which the sponsor performs administrative functions.
In these “bought” sponsorships, you sacrifice more in money than
in control compared to traditional sponsorships. You need to do
the research into these matters in order to determine which sponsorship
is right for you.</p><br />
<h2>Affiliations</h2>
<p>Affiliations are associations
formed by individual grant seekers and smaller non-profits who desire
a much broader range of working relationships than are available with
sponsorships. Affiliations are available for grant seekers who
do not have institutional sponsorship, and there are reasons for this
type of collaboration. </p>
<p>Grantors’ policies are based
on financial and policy constraints, and an affiliation relationship
can range from working with independence on the project to extensive
limitations on the grantseekers input into the project. It is
advisable to research the goals and mission of affiliates before you
collaborate with them on a particular project. If you value your
independence in the project, then focus your research only on grantors
and grant opportunities that do not require affiliations or sponsorships.</p><br />
<h2>Fiscal Agents</h2>
<p>If selecting a grantor appears
overwhelming to you, a fiscal agent may be the answer to your dilemma.
Fiscal agents help individual grant seekers identify those non-profit
organizations interested in creating partnerships and/sponsors for grant
proposals. Fiscal agents can also provide assistance in negotiating
the grant writing process to inexperienced grant seekers, who prefer
to work with an established organization experienced in procuring grants.</p>
<p>Fiscal agents receive and protect
your funds in the following manner:</p>
<ul type="DISC">
<li>Handle your legal
obligations with regard to the grant.</li>
<li>Maintain financial
records regarding grant disbursements.</li>
<li>Keep all receipts
for three years relative to the grant.</li>
<li>Keep all records
on file available to your funding source upon request.</li>
</ul>
<p>One of the largest and most
renowned of the fiscal agents is operated by the New York Foundation
of the Arts (NYFA). This fiscal agent offers guidelines and an
application that can be downloaded by accessing its website at <a href="http://www.nyfa.org/" target="_blank">www.nyfa.org</a>. Whether you are an individual
artist, involved in collaborative artist projects or are an emerging
arts organization, the NYFA’s program has enabled more than 5,000
artistic endeavors to get off the ground by providing technical and
financial services that are otherwise available only to those organizations
with a 501(c) (3) tax exempt status.</p><br />
<h2>Federal Agency
Grants</h2>
<p align="justify">The process
of researching Federal grants can be stressful, intimidating and often
confusing. However, the importance of the grant seeker-grantor
match can not be overstated. Federal Request for Proposal (RFP)
applications are lengthy and, sometimes, duplicitous. So, if you’re
looking for some helpful hints in order to navigate the federal RFP
waters, let’s review the key factors pertaining to RFPs.</p><br />
<h2>Request for
Proposal</h2>
<p>RFPs include all grant funding
opportunities from all grantors. While terms such as Requests
for Applications (RFAs) and Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs)
are other labels used to describe government grant opportunities, the
term RFP is all-inclusive, and it includes both RFAs and FOAs.
The RFPs are published in the same format as established by the Federal
Acquisition Regulation, (FAR), and a familiarity with this format facilitates
the federal grant research process considerably. </p>
<p>RFPs generally contain the
following information:</p>
<ul type="DISC">
<li>A specific receipt
date</li>
<li>The total amount
of funding available for the grant</li>
<li>The total number
of awards likely to be funded</li>
<li>The criteria upon
which your grant proposal will be evaluated, even before its contents
are reviewed</li>
<li>A description of
the review process</li>
<li>The time frame for
the review of the applications and the methodology involved in the process</li>
</ul>
<p>It bears mentioning that the
RFPs are written in legal terminology, and they can be found in the
Federal Register, along with other government regulations and notices.
There are more than 350 different government agencies that provide grant
funding, and there are more than $400 billion in grants awarded annually
through 1,000 different grant programs channelled through 26 different
federal agencies.</p><br />
<h2>Federal Government
Application Forms</h2>
<p>There are two basic application
forms used by the federal government. The standard form is the SF-424
form. If the grants are for research-related projects through
federal agencies such as the National Institute of Health (NIH), the
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Science Foundation (NFS),
U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Department of Commerce, then
Form 424 (R&R) is used. There are also specific forms for
starting or expanding small businesses, and these grants can be found
listed under the government grant programs SBIR and STTR.</p>
<h2>Researching
Federal Grants via the Internet</h2>
<p>Today, all research on federal
grants should be conducted through the services of the Internet.
Every government grant can be found easily on the Internet by utilizing
the government research tools, <a href="http://Grants.gov" target="_blank">Grants.gov</a> and the Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance.</p>
<ol type="1">
<li><b><a href="http://Grants.gov" target="_blank">Grants.gov</a>: </b>
The government website located at <a href="http://www.Grants.gov" target="_blank">www.Grants.gov</a> is the government portal containing
all federal government grants. The government announces all of
its grants through this website, and the site allows you to locate grants
easily through its standardized system for researching potential grant
opportunities. The process of finding particular grant opportunities
on <a href="http://www.grants.gov/" target="_blank">www.Grants.gov</a> is simple if you follow these few
steps : </li>
<ul type="DISC">
<li>Access the “Search
Grant Opportunities” screen by clicking the “Find Grant Opportunities”
tab located at the top left of the webpage.</li>
<li>Enter a keyword,
a Funding Opportunity Number, or a CFDA Number in order to initiate
a basic search. If you are not sure of the type of grant you want,
then browse the different categories of grants also located on the <a href="http://Grants.gov" target="_blank">Grants.gov</a>
webpage.</li>
<li>Browse by federal
agency.</li>
<li>Conduct an advanced
search by entering the date, category, agency, type of funding, and/or
time period, if you do not find what you’re looking for with a basic
search.</li>
</ul></ol>
<p>When you find a grant that
closely matches what you are searching for, make sure you write down
the Funding Opportunity Number of that particular grant because you
will need it later if you decide to submit a proposal for this grant.</p>
<ol type="1" start="2">
<li><b>Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance: </b>This government published document would
consist of over 1500 pages if you reviewed its contents in the library
and it could take you all day to sift through the document before you
found what you were searching for. However, by accessing <a href="http://www.cfda.gov/" target="_blank">www.cfda.gov</a>, you can save yourself headaches and
precious time, since all federal agency funding opportunities are catalogued
in this comprehensive and user-friendly research tool. Its database
includes the following: all federal assistance programs; grants for
individuals, profit and non-profit agencies and organizations; grants
for specific groups as well as state and local governments. It
also includes other government programs such as loans and financial
assistance programs. You can narrow your search on the website
by clicking “Find a Grant” on the CFDA “Search for Assistance”
page. The process of finding particular grant opportunities on <a href="http://www.cfda.gov/" target="_blank">www.cfda.gov</a> is simple if you follow these few
steps:</li>
</ol>
<ul>
<ul type="DISC">
<li>Initiate your search
by entering a keyword.</li>
</ul>
<ul type="DISC">
<li>Use the “Search
Tips” tab if you need further assistance at this point.</li>
<li>Initiate an advanced
search by entering data on any of 25 different topics.</li>
<li>Browse the website
by category, agency and/or sub-agency, beneficiary, applicant eligibility,
and other methods as listed under “Browse the Catalog.”</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br>
<h2>Browsing
the CFDA</h2>
<p>The CFDA lists all federal
government funding programs with links to current grant opportunities
from each agency. Here is a listing of the possible ways to utilize
the “Browse by Category” tab on the CFDA website.</p>
<p><b>Browse by Functional Area:
</b>There is a listing of all functional categories under this heading,
such as education, transportation, health care, etc. If you wish
to refine your search, there are sub-classifications within each of
these topical categories. For example, if you look under the functional
area “Education,” for grants in the field of dentistry, you’ll
find a sub-category of “Dental Education,” which will list appropriate
grant opportunities in that area.</p>
<p><b>Browse by Beneficiary: </b>
This is a recommended site for first time grantseekers, because it allows
you to search the database under three distinct categories: “Individual,”
“Family,” and “General Public.” This practical tool
will help you find funding opportunities for individuals, as well as
for small businesses, non-profit organizations and many others.</p>
<p><b>Browse by Applicant Eligibility: </b>
This is your most important research tool in the CFDA because, if you’re
not eligible for funding, then you’re wasting precious time that could
be utilized researching other options. You can research this area
by “Individual/Family,” and “General Public/Anyone.”</p>
<p><b>Browse by Program Deadline
Date: </b>This research tool allows<b> </b>
you to review the CFDA by program deadline date. It includes a
chronological listing of current and future federal grant programs and
their deadlines. </p>
<p><b>Browse
by Programs Requiring Executive Order
12372 Review: </b>This Order requires more than 500 federal programs
to consult with state and local governments prior to rendering decisions
on their grants. In this manner, the states are permitted to design
their own grant review process through consultation with the local governments,
and then select the federal assistance and development activities they
want to review.</p>
<p><b>Browse by Budget Function
Code: Account Identification and Hidden Financial Risks of Federal
Agency Grants </b>-<b> </b>There is an eleven-digit budget code that
identifies the account from which the grant is to be funded. In
this way, you are assured that federal funds have actually been allocated
to support a particular grant program as opposed to funds that have
simply been authorized by Congress and have not yet been allocated. <br>
<br></p>
<h2>Researching
Federal Agency Grants Directly</h2>
<p>In addition to <a href="http://www.Grants.gov" target="_blank">www.Grants.gov</a> and the CFDA, you may decide to go
directly to the federal agencies for your research. Some of the
federal agencies fund well over three hundred programs, and the programs
are listed on the specific agency’s website. The most active
federal agencies in funding grant programs are:</p>
<ul type="DISC">
<li>Department of Health
and Human Services</li>
<li>Department of Agriculture</li>
<li>Department of Energy</li>
<li>Department of Interior</li>
<li>Department of Housing
and Urban Development</li>
<li>Department of Justice</li>
<li>Department of Homeland
Security</li>
<li>Environmental Protection
Agency</li>
<li>Department of Transportation</li>
<li>Department of Labor</li>
<li>Department of Defense</li>
</ul>
<p>If you were to log onto the
website of the Department of Health and Human Services, you would find
a page entitled <b>“HHS OPDIV Funding Opportunities (HHS Operating
Divisions),” </b>stating the “...HHS publicizes grant-funding opportunities
through the following resources: The Federal Register (FR), <a href="http://Grants.gov" target="_blank">Grants.gov</a>,
and the National Institute of Health Guide for Grants and Contracts
(NIH Guide). HHS OPDIVS and other programs may provide additional
information about funding opportunities on their own websites.”</p>
<p>Some of the more popular HHS
agencies are as follows:</p>
<ul type="DISC">
<li><b>Administration
for Children and Families (ACF)</b> - These programs are designed to
promote the well-being of families, children, individuals, and communities.
ACF administers the State-Federal welfare program titled, “Temporary
Assistance to Needy Families,” and the Head Start program, among several
others.</li>
<li><b>Administration
on Aging (AOA) -</b> These programs provide funding to support a nation-wide
aging network that serves over 240 million meals (including Meals on
Wheels) annually for the elderly. The programs also help to provide
transportation and other needed services.</li>
<li><b>Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality (AHRQ) -</b> These programs fund research designed
to improve the quality of health care, and to broaden access to services. </li>
<li><b>Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) </b>- These programs promote health and
quality of life by preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability.
The CDC received tremendous publicity in the 1980’s by launching a
preventive campaign against the spread of Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndrome (AIDS).</li>
<li><b>The Centers for
Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS)
-</b> These programs administer the health care to aged and indigent
populations in America. The CMS administers the Medicare and Medicaid
programs and the State Children’s Health Insurance Programs (SCHIP).</li>
<li><b>Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) -</b> This regulatory body protects American consumers
through the enforcement of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
and other related public health laws.</li>
<li><b>Health Resources
and Services Administration (HRSA)
-</b> These programs provide the funding to improve health by ensuring
quality health care to those underserved, vulnerable and special needs
populations while supporting a nationwide network of community and migrant
health centers for the homeless and indigent.</li>
<li><b>Indian Health
Service (IHS) </b>– These programs support a network of hospitals,
health care centers, school health centers, and health stations for
Native Americans nearly 1.5 million in number from over 500 federally
recognized tribes.</li>
<li><b>Office of Public
Health and Services </b>- The two main programs offer funding
for the research and prevention of diseases of minority and underserved
populations (Office of Minority Resource Center), and the prevention
and treatment of substance abuse and mental illness (Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration). </li>
</ul>
<br>
<h2>State Government
Grants</h2>
<p>It is a difficult task to retrieve
a complete overview of the grants offered by state governments because
of the absence of uniformity in their systems. Here are some facts
pertaining to state government grants that you should be aware of:</p>
<ul type="DISC">
<li>State websites have
links labelled “grant funding” where you can commence your grant
funding search. </li>
<li>Use popular search
engines such as Yahoo and Google in order to locate state government
grant search websites.</li>
<li>State websites allow
you to download their RFP’s directly from their sites. </li>
<li>State governments
use the domains of .gov and .us in order to differentiate from private
companies that generally use .com and .net as their domains. Thus,
government websites are identifiable if you are searching for government
funding sources. Non-profit agencies are designated by the .org
domain on the Internet.</li>
<li>State government
counterparts of federal agencies, like HUD, offer grant opportunities
that can be accessed from the federal agency’s web page. You
can find out if your state is eligible for a particular HUD grant by
accessing the “Grant Funds Available” tab on the HUD webpage.</li>
</ul>
<br>
<h2>Local Government
Grants</h2>
<p>It is a less cumbersome process
to retrieve information on local grant opportunities. Here are
some facts pertaining to local government grants that you should be
aware of:</p>
<ul type="DISC">
<li>Local counties and
municipalities may announce funding opportunities through RFPs. </li>
<li>Local counties and
municipalities have their own websites with the domain .gov and .us
to distinguish them from those in the private domain. </li>
<li>Local counties and
municipalities are receptive to unsolicited grant proposals from local
residents who identify a local need and propose a solution.</li>
<li>Local counties and
municipalities support grant proposals with in-kind contributions. These
are non-cash donations that are needed for project undertakings.
Examples of in-kind contributions are space (unused rooms in public
buildings), tools, computers, and other equipment and resources.
In-kind contributions show grantors that there is support on a local
level for your proposal.</li>
</ul>
<br>
<h2>Researching
Non-Government Grants</h2>
<p>Foundation grants are the most
common type of non-government grants. The research process for
Foundation grants is quite different from that of the Federal Government
because there is no centralized system, as the <a href="http://www.Grants.gov" target="_blank">www.Grants.gov</a> system, where all foundations, corporations,
and other non-governmental grantors can promote their grant opportunities.
However, some of these non-government grantors can be found in the Research
Section of <a href="http://www.Grants.gov" target="_blank">www.Grants.gov</a>. </p>
<p>The most inclusive listing
of non-government grants can be found in the Foundation Center, which
can be accessed by logging onto <a href="http://www.foundationcenter.org" target="_blank">www.foundationcenter.org</a>. There is a small catch to conducting
research through this source. Unlike <a href="http://Grants.gov" target="_blank">Grants.gov</a> or the CFDA, the
foundation Center is primarily a fee-based research portal. It
does provide a free service in its “Foundation Finder” which can
be accessed at <a href="http://www.foundationcenter.org/finder.htm" target="_blank">www.foundationcenter.org<WBR>/finder.htm</a>, which can be used to search for grants
from particular foundations by name, city, state or zip code.</p>
<p>Here are four different types
of Foundation Grants that will encompass your grant research on a non-governmental
level:</p>
<ol type="1">
<li><b>Private Foundations:
</b>These are non-profit, tax-exempt organizations designed under the
federal tax code and endowed under federal tax law to have a mission
to maintain or aid social, educational, religious or other charitable
activities. These activities must be intended to serve the common
welfare, primarily through the establishment of grants. Private
foundations must give away at least 5% of their assets each year in
order to maintain their tax-exempt status with the IRS.</li>
<li><b>Community Foundations: </b>
These are non-profit organizations, classified as public charities,
which award grant funds for charitable purposes in specific geographic
areas, usually local communities or regions. These foundations
are governed by the same federal tax laws that govern private foundations,
and the contributions of donors to the community foundations are tax-deductible.
Community foundations are generally created by and for local people
with a common interest in improving the quality of life in their own
communities through support of the issues that they deem important.
Donors contribute to these foundations, and the funds are held in an
independently administered endowment. The foundations use the
income earned by the investments of the endowment in order to award
grants. The community foundations are overseen by local volunteers
who serve on the Board of Directors of the foundations which feature
personalized service, local expertise, and community leadership.</li>
<li><b>Public Charities: </b>
These are non-profit, tax-exempt organizations that primarily operate
grant programs. Also known as “Public Foundations,” they receive
foundation and corporate grants, and are not regulated by the IRS, so
they are not mandated to meet any IRS requirements.</li>
<li><b>Company-sponsored
Foundations: </b>These are private company foundations, and their
funding is derived from contributions made by private businesses. Also
known as “Corporate Foundations,” these foundations are separate
entities from their parent companies, even though they still may have
close ties. These foundations have their own endowments, and are
subject to the same rules and regulations as private foundations.
Their funds, however, are drawn from for-profit businesses. Another
type of company-sponsored program is the corporate-giving program.
These programs are typically established and administered within a business
organization. Their annual grant totals reflect the profits enjoyed
by the company, because the programs have no endowments. Additionally,
corporate-giving programs are not subject to the same reporting requirements
as corporate foundations. There are some corporations that make
charitable contributions through both corporate-sponsored foundations
and corporate-giving foundations.</li>
</ol>
<br>
<h2>Researching
Foundation Funding</h2>
<p>For the best results in researching
available foundation grant opportunities, you should familiarize yourself
with the Foundation Center’s database search process, policies and
overall system. Here are some tips on searching the database efficiently
and effectively:</p>
<ol type="1">
<li>Browse the Foundation
Center’s database for familiarity.</li>
<li>Review the indices,
and practice by combining a keyword with an index entry.</li>
<li>Acquire an understanding
of the type of search and writing style that will enable you to perform
accurate and time-saving searches on the Foundation Center’s website.</li>
<li>Use the search terms
in the same manner as the data appears in the database.</li>
<li>Avoid commonly used
words and phrases in your search. Entering keywords such as “foundation”
and “giving’ will be of no use to you in your search because these
words appear in most database records.</li>
<li>Use the “Grants
to Individuals Online” tab because it gives you access to over 6,000
grantors that provide funding for individual grantseekers.</li>
</ol>
<br>
<h2>“Grants
to Individuals Online” Sample Searches</h2>
<p>“Grants to Individuals Online”
(GTIO) is a tremendous tool in order to research grants for individuals.
The GTIO covers diverse areas of interest, and the following are some
samples of topical searches for grants that can be conducted through
this resource:</p>
<ul type="DISC">
<li>A student looking
for college tuition assistance</li>
<li>An established visual
artist who has recently suffered a financial setback, and needs a grant
appropriation in order to complete a pending project</li>
<li>A doctoral student
who plans to write a book on women’s issues upon graduation, and is
looking for financial assistance during the course of the project</li>
<li>A working mother
who works for a discount chain, and is looking to find out if the parent
company gives scholarships to family members of employees</li>
<li>A history teacher
who intends to take a teaching sabbatical in order to undertake a research
project relating to the Revolutionary War, and is seeking additional
funds to support her research.</li>
</ul>
<br>
<h2>Researching
Specific Non-Government Grant Sources</h2>
<p>If you know what you’re looking
for, you can conduct a more advanced and focused research. By
utilizing additional resources and techniques, you will be better able
to hone in on grantors who are your best match for grants.</p>
<p>This advanced search is a ten-step
process which will lend clarity to your endeavor and crystallize the
focus of your search for the best potential grantors.</p>
<ol type="1">
<li>Visit a potential
grantor’s website, and review the information about its grant program.
If there is a match in mission and goals with you and your organization,
then research the grantor’s priority goals. Also, review the
members of the Board of Directors and their areas of interest.</li>
<li>Identify the grantor’s
contact person for each particular grant, and contact that individual,
via telephone, regarding your interest in grant collaboration.
This personal contact has the following advantages: You will be able
to get a clearer picture of how good a match this potential grantor
really is; it opens up lines of communication with this potential grantor;
your application will be reviewed more positively because of the personal
contact you have established with the potential funding source.</li>
<li>Investigate the
application procedure, including but not limited to the types of forms
used, method of submission, etc. In contrast to government proposals,
the non-government grant sources have no standardized forms for submission.</li>
<li>Familiarize yourself
with the funding sources’ Annual Report in order to identify its directors,
trustees, and other leaders whose interests and background could be
important in the decisions affecting your grant application. You’ll
able to review the mission statement and organizational goals of the
potential grantor, the total grant appropriations given annually, and
you may learn the names of the grant recipients. The Annual Reports
are usually available on the funders’ websites.</li>
<li>Research a grantor’s
history of grant awards that are similar to the one you are seeking.
By researching a grantor’s history, you can pick up bits of information
that could be vital to the success of your proposal. The Annual
Report tells you the amount of grant money the grantor awarded that
year, and you can pick up ideas on how to write your proposal to suit
the needs of the grantor. </li>
<li>Research the history
of the level of involvement of the grantor once a grant has been awarded.
You can get this information from other grant recipients who have worked
with the grantor. </li>
<li>Make a concerted
effort to meet with the grantor’s representatives face-to-face.
Personal interaction is the best way to project the type of relationship
you will have with the grantor.</li>
<li>Attend seminars
and other informational sessions offered by grant programs about themselves
and the opportunities for proposals. </li>
<li>Familiarize yourself
with the grant application process and with the policies regarding submission.
Nowadays, many grantors insist on electric online submissions for their
grant applications.</li>
<li>Ensure that the
grantor’s objectives are aligned with those of yourself and your agency.</li>
</ol>
<br>
<h2>Other Online
Search Engines</h2>
<p>You can search for foundation
and other non-government grants through search engines such a Yahoo
and Google. If you choose a search engine as the vehicle to conduct
your grant search, the following is the advised protocol you should
follow in order to achieve easy access to the information you desire:</p>
<ul type="DISC">
<li>Start your search
by inserting keywords that describe the particular program category
or functional area that best matches your needs.</li>
<li>Refine your search
by inserting a keyword denoting a particular geographic location, if
appropriate.</li>
<li>Enter names of agencies,
organizations, corporations, and other entities that may offer grant
appropriations.</li>
<li>Enter the name of
specific population groups, such as senior citizens, developmentally
disabled, youth, women, minorities, or veterans.</li>
<li>Browse recent newspaper
articles or other media reports for grant opportunities. The article
will mention the name of the grantor, the recipient, the purpose of
award and the amount awarded. </li>
</ul>
<br>
<h2>Looking Overseas</h2>
<p>With the development of the
Internet, seeking grant appropriations is now an international experience.
Grant applications and grantors are located worldwide, and applicants
in the U.S. can apply for overseas grants, although there may be eligibility
requirements. The European Union, in particular, has thousands
of charitable organizations that offer grant funding.</p>
<p>As an example, The European
Foundation Center (EFC), located in Brussels, Belgium, can be accessed
on the ‘Net at <a href="http://www.efc.be" target="_blank">www.efc.be</a>, and it is the gathering point for
independent grantors in Europe. Its membership is comprised of
foundations and corporations throughout Europe and the world.
There are more than 50,000 organizations linked to it through a network
of 58 information and support centers worldwide. The EFC also
hosts the Worldwide Initiatives for Grantmaker Support (WINGS), a global
network of grantmaker associations and support organizations.
Similar to its counterpart in the U.S., the Foundation Center, the EFC
offers its own publications and resources both online and in hard copy.
Other online tools for discovering international funding sources are
the U.S. International Grantmaking website, located at <a href="http://www.usig.org" target="_blank">www.usig.org</a>, and Wingsweb, found at <a href="http://www.wingsweb.org/index.cfm" target="_blank">www.wingsweb.org/index.cfm</a>). The Foundation Center also
includes international resources that can be accessed on the site. <br>
<br></p>
<h2>Frequently
Asked Questions</h2>
<p><b>Q: What is an RFP?</b></p>
<p><b>A: </b>
RFP is an acronym for “Request for Proposal,” the grantor’s announcement
that funding is available.</p>
<p><b>Q: What is a CFDA number?</b></p>
<p><b>A: </b>
A CFDA number is a unique number created in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) database assigned to each grant offering. The
CFDA number allows for uniform tracking of all federally funded programs
in the CFDA catalog.</p>
<p><b>Q: Is the Internet
the best place to initiate my grant funding research?</b></p>
<p><b>A: </b>
Yes, it is the best place to start. Follow the directives on Internet
grant research as outlined in this Chapter.</p>
<p><b>Q: Where can I find
grants in my state?</b></p>
<p><b>A: </b>
As described in this Chapter, every state has grant funding programs,
including state-funded grants as well as grants provided by the private
sector, non-profit grant offerings and foundation and corporation grants.
An Internet search is helpful in locating state-funded programs or specific
agencies, organizations and corporations. Try using search engines
and inserting keyword terms like “grants” or “financial assistance”
and your location, and see what you find.</p>
<p><b>Q: Where can I find
grant-funding programs in my city or county?</b></p>
<p><b>A: </b>
This Chapter presents search engines that will enable you to begin your
search for local and county grant-funding programs, including non-profit
organizations and local government agencies, the Grantsmanship Center
at <a href="http://www.tgci.org" target="_blank">www.tgci.org</a>, and many other sources with website
addresses.</p>
<p><b>Q: Is it true that
there are thousands of grants available in a multitude of categories?</b></p>
<p><b>A: </b>
Yes, it is absolutely true! In fact, thousands of grant opportunities
are available from federal, state, and local government agencies, foundations,
corporations, and non-profit organizations. It is through your
grant research that these grant opportunities can come to fruition.</p>
<p><b>Q:
Where can I find current grant opportunities?</b></p>
<p><b>A: </b>
Opportunities for government grant funding can be accessed at <a href="http://www.grants.gov" target="_blank">www.grants.gov</a> and the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance at <a href="http://www.cfda.gov" target="_blank">www.cfda.gov</a>. There are many opportunities
for non-government grants that are referenced in this Chapter.</p>
<p><b>Q: What are the IRS
regulations regarding non-profit organizations?</b></p>
<p><b>A:</b> Starting in
2008, The IRS will require all non-profit agencies with profits over
$25,000 to submit Annual Reports and tax returns on Form 990 or 990-PF.
All non-profits with less than $25,000 in revenues must electronically
file a Form 990-N. You can access IRS information on non-profit
organizations by logging on to websites like Guidestar (<a href="http://www.guidestar.org" target="_blank">www.guidestar.org</a>) and Grantsmart (<a href="http://www.grantsmart.org" target="_blank">www.grantsmart.org</a>).</p>
<p><b>Q: Where can I find
more money from non-profit organizations, foundations and charitable
organizations?</b></p>
<p><b>A: </b>
Refer to this Chapter and the resources located in the Foundation Center.</p>
<p><b> </b> <br>
<br> <br> <br> <br></p>
<?include('footer.php');?>