How to Find Foundation Grants

Foundations give millions of dollars away. Here are tips for how to find foundation grants.

Instructions

1. Community Foundations: These are devoted to help entities within certain communities and typically have boards made up of local business and community leaders. One of the easiest ways to find out about grants made by these foundations is to contact your local chamber of commerce which is in touch with the business community.

2. Public Foundations: These are established for specific purposes. You can typically locate these with an internet search about your specific business type.

3. Billionaire Foundations: There are between 50 and 60 private family or independent foundations that have assets of over a billion and make millions in grants annually. They can be difficult to reach at times. One of the best ways to identify them is to contact your local United Way and county Council of Governments.

4. Requesting Guidelines: A good way to identify foundations in your area is to request a catalog or CD from your Regional Association of Grantmakers (RAG) or information from the Council on Foundations. Once you have identified foundations that may be interested in you, submit a request for guidelines to them. This is a short letter that describes your business purpose, your project, and asking for a copy of their guidelines. It should be less than one page and in standard letter format with 12 point font.

Tips & Warnings

• Give it time, it can take a bit to find the right grant.