Fundraising: A Beginner’s Guide to Locating Grants for Small and Mid-Sized Non-Profits

Locating grants for non-profits is an interesting volunteer position.  Anyone can do this task, which requires only a bit of time here and there to spend fishing around on the Internet.  By the way, I have gleaned this knowledge from years of volunteer work with my son’s academic and sports activities, and I want to pass it on. 

It’s been my observation over the years that it’s easy to assemble a talented and seasoned grantwriting staff.  Grantwriting involves both writing and creative talent, and for some reason a disproportionately greater number of people want to do this, versus hunting down likely sources of grants.  And once the grant is finally awarded, it would seem as if the grantwriter is the one who gets to bask in all the glory.  But that isn’t the whole picture.  Everyone within the non-profit realizes the importance of tracking down potential leads.  And if you can provide your non-profit with even a handful of solid leads, you will be noticed and greatly appreciated within your organization.

So how does one go about tracking down potential grantors?  Well, let’s look at why people or organizations grant money in the first place.  In the case of a foundation, which is comprised of one or more affluent families who wish to share their good fortune with others, they are trying to achieve a particular social objective, such as mitigating the effects of poverty, or extending scholastic or athletic opportunities to a socioeconomic group that would otherwise not have access to them.  Many are interested in bettering the situation of a particular culture, such as a particular religious or ethnic group.  In the case of a corporation, it is usually seeking to improve its standing within the community in which it operates, or to improve its public relations in general, by rounding out its philanthropic profile.  A third, but scarcer, source of grants would be the city or town in which your organization is located, and the objective here is to use public funds in the most effective manner possible – by outsourcing the task.  Typically these types of funds cover such general social issues such as afterschool activities for kids or addressing domestic violence.  And fourth, the United States government awards grants, but I should warn you that you will be competing with the rest of the country for these.  Don’t be deterred by this – I’m just saying that it does take some patience and a lot of effort.