Seeking Foundation Grants: Many nonprofit organizations seek funding from local and national foundations to support their programs and services. It’s important to learn the process of grant seeking (see information on the Foundation Center) rather than sending out many generic applications, and how to develop relationships with funders before you begin to apply to their foundations. More and more foundations are requiring organizations to document whether there are other sources in their community for the services for which they want funding, and if so, why duplication is needed. Also, funders more often require evaluation components (goals, objectives and outcomes) and appreciate clear business plans.
The Foundation Center: Established in 1956, and today supported by more than 600 foundations, the Foundation Center is the nation's leading authority on philanthropy, connecting nonprofits and the grantmakers supporting them to tools they can use and information they can trust. The Center maintains the most comprehensive database on U.S. grantmakers and their grants — a robust, accessible knowledge bank for the sector. It also operates research, education, and training programs designed to advance philanthropy at every level. The Center's web site receives more than 47,000 visits each day, and thousands of people gain access to free resources in its five regional library/learning centers and its national network of more than 325 Cooperating Collections.
To find information on foundation funding and how to complete applications for grants, see the Foundation Center's website. The five main libraries are located in Cleveland, Ohio; New York City; Atlanta, Georgia; San Francisco; and Washington, DC.
Near the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, there are Cooperating Collections at the Akron-Summit County Public Library Main Branch, and the Stark County District Library.
