Finding Funders

When first diving into a high-quality funder research database, you’ll probably feel giddy with relief. With only a few clicks you can find “go” and “no-go” indicators to flush out those grantmakers most likely to support your work. But relief will soon morph into disappointment as one synopsis after another warns that the funder does not accept unsolicited proposals.

When you’re looking for grantmakers to support your organization’s work, a Google search won’t do the job. Most private foundations don’t have websites and most don’t have staff.

When looking for the grantmakers most likely to support your organization’s work, start close to home. The idea of a fat grant from a large national-level foundation is alluring, but unless your organization is doing work of national importance, these large funders probably aren’t a good bet.