Introduction to Grants Research

1. Associated Grant Makers Introduction to Grants Research

2. AGM & the RCP Associated Grant Makers • A regional membership association of grant makers, made up of 126+ public, private, and corporate grant making organizations in Mass. & NH • AGM’s Nonprofit Partners Program includes more than 900 nonprofit organizations • AGM acts as a bridge of communication, interests, and understanding between the grant makers and the grant seekers. Resource Center for Philanthropy • Access to AGM’s Grantmaker Directory & FC Search • Books, journals, reports on philanthropy, proposals, nonprofit orgs • Hours: Open to the Public, Mon-Friday 12 – 5 pm • Martha Moore 617-426-2606 x16 mmoore@agmconnect.org c. Associated Grant Makers, 2008

3. Things you should know… • Lots of competition for grant $ • Most funders fund locally – especially in NE • Individual donors give much more than foundations ($229B vs. $39B) • If you are not a 501(c)3 use a fiscal sponsor • Best results come from knowing the foundation before you ask for $$ • Connections count – use them! c. Associated Grant Makers, 2008

4. Government Funding • Federal http://www.grants.gov • State http://www.mass.gov • search for “grants” • Funding Update http://www.cityofboston.gov/intergovernmental/ • weekly.asp • Resources for Government Funding • http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/2gov.htm • Government/Business Grants Information • http://www.proposalwriter.com/govtgrants.html c. Associated Grant Makers, 2008

5. Individual Donors • BBJ’s Book of Lists • Dun & Bradstreet’s Directors & Executives • Standard & Poor’s Register of Directors & Executives • Forbes Lists http://www.forbes.com/lists • Chronicle of Philanthropy’s Most Generous http://philanthropy.com/stats/donors/ • Who’s Who in America • Mass Library & Information Network www.mlin.lib.ma.us/cgi-bin/remote.pl c. Associated Grant Makers, 2008

6. Basic Steps in Finding Funding • Create a Plan • Background Research • Prospects Research • Proposal Writing • Follow-Up & Re-tooling c. Associated Grant Makers, 2008

7. RFP Sources • The Foundation Center’s RFP Bulletin (http://fdncenter.org/pnd/rfp/) • City of Boston Funding Update Mailing List (join-funding_update@listserv.cityofboston.gov) • Chronicle of Philanthropy’s Guide to Grants http://philanthropy.com/grants/ • Individual foundation’s web sites • Association web site c. Associated Grant Makers, 2008

8. Approaching a Funder Letter of introduction Build Awareness • Introduce your project, your organization • Highlight the synergy between your goals & theirs • Do NOT ask for funding Letter of Inquiry Engage their Interest • A proposal in the form of a letter • All of the above but outline your financial needs as well (broadly) Full formal proposal • Hard copy • Common Proposal Form • Online Application c. Associated Grant Makers, 2008

9. Key Websites • Associated Grant Makers and the Resource Center for Philanthropywww.agmconnect.org • The Foundation Centerwww.fdncenter.org • 990 Finder http://tfcny.fdncenter.org/990s/990search/esearch.php • Guidestarhttp://www.guidestar.org • Boston Indicators Project [statistics on Boston and the region] http://www.bostonindicators.org • Grant Maker Affinity Groups http://www.cof.org/Network/AffinityGroups.cfm?navItemNumber=4168 • Grants for Nonprofits http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/2sgalpha.htm • Grants for Individuals http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/3subject.htm c. Associated Grant Makers, 2008

10. Sample Documents • Tips for Writing Government Grant Proposals http://www.proposalwriter.com/pointers.html • Nonprofit Guides http://www.npguides.org/guide/inquiry_letter.htm • Foundation Center’s List of Common Proposal Forms http://fdncenter.org/findfunders/cga/index.html • FC’s Examples of Proposals http://www.fdncenter.org/getstarted/faqs/html/propsample.html • AGM’s Guide to Grant Maker Research http://agmconnect.org/RCP/guide1.aspx • Grassroots grants http://www.josseybass.com/go/grassrootsgrants c. Associated Grant Makers, 2008