August 12, 2020

Your Best Grant Sources: The Top 8 for Most Nonprofits

Seeking grant funds? Here’s a chart of the grant sources that are best for most nonprofits.

1. Your Recent Funders

2. Anything Local

Reference: Local Sources available for Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota, Pinellas and Manatee Counties, Florida

3. Your Associations

Grant opportunities with or through your national affiliates, membership organizations, etc.

4. Governments

Local governments, county, city

State Web Sites, usefulto identify departments and potential programs. Once you identify the department, go to individual websites

Federal: grants.gov

5. Regional and National Foundations

Foundation Center, for individual foundations, look up at www.foundationcenter.org via the Foundation Finder

Use FC Search (CD) to identify national and regional foundations; available at regional libraries, expensive to purchase

6. For-Profits/ Corporate Foundations/ Clubs & Religious Groups

Business
Corporate Foundations
Clubs, like Kiwanis
Congregations

7. Hidden Government & Grant-Like Instruments

I.e., proceeds from special taxes, no-interest loans, rebates

8. One-time Opportunities

Opportunities in your mailbox, including Request for Proposals (RFP), Internet Search and Listservs (This moves up to #3. when the opportunity’s focus is on your mission or key goal.)

For more answers, check out this Nonprofit CEO Library.

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Author

Karen Eber Davis

Karen Eber Davis is a nonprofit strategic planning consultant who works with visionary leaders committed to taking their organizations to new heights. She offers customized strategies, assessments, and coaching designed to help leaders lead their organizations to achieve their potential. She is the author of 7 Nonprofit Income Streams and Let's Raise Nonprofit Millions Together.