Grant Prospecting and Research

1. Several states provide grants guides or databases. For example, the Colorado Grants Guide is a comprehensive resource that includes up-to-date profiles of national foundations, Colorado foundations, trusts, corporations, state agencies and religious institutions. If you plan to purchase only one resource guide, purchase this one. Book format and online database available for purchase.
2. The Foundation Directory Online is a comprehensive tool for carrying out foundation and corporate grant prospecting. Subscribe to the Foundation Directory Online, or visit the Foundation Center's listing of libraries around the country that provide free access to the onl. The Foundation Center also has established a foundation finder tool, but that tool does not provide as detailed information as the subscrption-based database.
3. Guidestar and the Foundation Center provide online access to foundation tax returns. The tax returns always include a list of grants awarded by the foundation.
4. Grants.gov is the federal government's online portal for searching for open grant opportunities. The federal government also provides usaspending.gov, a searchable database of prior grants awarded. Most federal agencies (Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Education) also maintain grants pages, and can be easier to navigate.
5. The Chronicle of Philanthropy is a twice-monthly magazine describing new giving trends, foundation resources, requests for proposals. Their website provides additional resources, and a weekly email update for subscribers.
6. A site maintained by the Michigan State University Libraries has one of the most extensive website-based resources about grant proposal writing, research, nonprofit fund-raising, and other related topics.