Finding Funding

There are over 70,000 foundations in the United States, plus thousands of corporate giving programs, government giving programs, and giving programs through associations, councils, and other organizations.  With so many potential sources of funding, where does one begin?  Successful grantseeking requires thorough research to match applicant needs with funder interests.  This page contains annotated links to some of the many web-based resources available to assist grantseekers in their search to find the right funders. 

• Cross-Source Grant Information
• Foundation Grant Information
• Government Grant Information
• Corporate Grant Information
• Other Sources

Cross-Source Grant Information

Illinois Researcher Information Service (IRIS) (CSB/SJU network users only)
The subscription to this database is paid by CSB/SJU and thus is free to all users on our networked computers.  This database, specifically developed for higher education users (undergraduate and graduate students, and faculty), contains over 8,600 government and private funding opportunities in 25 disciplines.  The database is updated daily, and every record is reviewed/edited at least once per year.  It  is searchable by discipline, deadline, academic qualifications, and other criteria.  This site also includes access to listings in the Commerce Business Daily/FedBizOpps and Federal Register.  Use the IRIS Help file or contact Diane Calabria to get started.

Grantsnet
Thanks to support from Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, registration is free.  The site has a graduate and undergraduate database, containing 1,200 funding opportunities in the physical sciences.  It is searchable by type of applicant, discipline, and other variables, and has funding opportunities for individuals and organizations. 

GrantsAlert
This site is devoted to grants for education at all levels.  Under Find a Grant, you can select grants for colleges and universities to limit the results.

Charity Channel
This site has discussion lists on a wide range of topics relevant to philanthropy.  Within the site, there is a page for Don Griesman's Grant Opportunities, where grantseekers can find grant opportunities using a keyword search.

Grantsmanship Center Alumni Database (CF Staff Only)
This database contains information on corporate, foundation, and government giving programs.

Independent Colleges Office (CF Staff Only)
This organization has assembled a directory of individual and institutional grant opportunities, by discipline.

H-Net Online 
This site provides information on funding opportunities in the humanities and social sciences.

Foundation Grant Information

The Foundation Center
The Foundation Center website contains a wealth of information on grantseeking, including a Foundation Finder tool (useful if you have the name of a foundation and need contact info) and a RFP Bulletin of grant opportunities organized by subject.  CF Staff Only:  Foundation Directory On-Line Database

Minnesota Council on Foundations
This is a Minnesota version of The Foundation Center site.  The site contains grantmaker links and deadlines, and grantseeking news and information. 

Minnesota Foundation Directory (CF Staff only)
This paid database subscription contains the most detailed information on Minnesota foundations, including complete grants awarded lists.

Government Grant Information

Grants.gov
The federal government is the biggest grantmaker of all, making over $350 billion in grants each year.  This site became operational in 2003 with the goal of becoming the single portal through which grantseekers can find and apply for all currently available federal discretionary funding opportunities from all 26 federal grantmaking agencies. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)
This is a searchable database of all federal assistance programs, for individuals and organizations.  It is the ONLY place where all recurrent federal assistance programs must be published, and is thus the most complete source of information on federal grant programs.  It is searchable by many different variables; the keyword search will produce the most complete results.   Note that while the database identifies opportunities, additional research will be required to discover the timing of the next competition.

The Grantsmanship Center Federal Register Archives
The Grantmanship Center specializes in training for program planning and proposal writing, with emphasis on federal programs.  This link is to their page of federal grant announcements gleaned from the Federal Register.  Registration is free and easy.   This link will be useful if you know the federal program you want to apply for and are looking for the official announcement for the next competition. 

Minnesota State Register
This is the Minnesota version of the federal register.  Published weekly, it contains notices of state grant competitions and other state government business.  This link will be useful if you know the state program you want to apply for and are looking for the official announcement.

Corporate Grant Information

Hoover's Online
Subscription provided by CSB/SJU Libraries for computers on our network.  Provides information on public and private companies worldwide.  This site can provide useful background information for company-sponsored foundations.

Securities and Exchange Commission EDGAR Database
EDGAR, the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system, is a free database designed to provide easy access to corporate information.  This database is another resource that can provide useful background information for company-sponsored foundations and/or corporate giving programs. 

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