In addition to federal grants, many private companies and foundations offer grants for specific projects or issues. The three websites below can help you get started in locating a non-governmental organization that may be able to offer you a grant.
1. The Foundation Center provides a gateway to information about private funding sources, the grantseeking process, guidelines on writing a grant proposal, addresses of state libraries with grants reference collections, and links to other useful websites. The Center maintains a comprehensive database on foundations; produces print and electronic directories and guides; conducts research and publishes studies in the field; and offers a variety of training and educational seminars. Click the links below for more information.
• Guide to Funding Research: An overview of the funding research process for those seeking
grants from foundations, corporations, and grantmaking public charities.
• Proposal Writing Short Course (also in Spanish, French and other languages).
• Foundation Finder: Search for information about more than 70,000 private and
community foundations.
• Requests for Proposals: Daily postings of requests for proposals (RFPs) from private funding
sources by broad subject category.
• Foundation Center Cooperating Collections: Free funding information available in
libraries, community foundations, and other nonprofit centers nationwide.
2. The Grantsmanship Center was founded in 1972 by Norton J. Kiritz to offer grant training to nonprofit and government agencies. Today, the Grantsmanship Centers conducts some 150 workshops annually in grantsmanship training, as well as earned income strategies for nonprofits. Click here to find information on grants offered in Tennessee at the state, community and corporate levels.
3. The Council on Foundations is a Washington, DC, area-based nonprofit membership association of more than 2,100 grantmaking foundations and corporations. The assets of Council members total more than $307 billion. Click here to read about the six Tennessee-based community funds and foundations that offer grants.