Grant Research/Writing
By Linda OrlandoLesson 2: Searching for Funding
Every year, countless government agencies, private foundations, corporations, and individuals provide funding for charitable purposes. Sometimes these dollars fund research, sometimes they provide equipment and other permanent fixtures, and sometimes they provide funds for operation.
Once you have completed Lesson 1 and defined your project, you need to begin the research process
Federal Funding
If you are planning to pursue funding through the federal government, your primary sources of information will be the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance and the Federal Register. Both of these guides are available through public and university libraries, or you can order your own copies of each. In addition, both of these guides are available on the internet, through links available on the NonProfit Guides website (www.npguides.org/guide/links.htm).
Once you have searched through the CFDA and identified grant programs that might provide funding for your specific project, target at least three of these potential funding sources. Contact the funding source for information on who is eligible to apply and when the Request for Proposals (RFP) will be published in the Federal Register.
Instructions for creating a form to assist in managing this information will be provided as part of the assignment that accompanies this lesson.
The Federal Register is a record of all activity happening in the federal government on any given day—executive orders, agency rules and regulations, and any other documents that are required to be published (including RFPs). This is where you will find specific details on what you need to do to apply and be considered for funding.
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