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\n How to Develop and Write a Grant Proposal Congressional Research Service 3

\nIdentifying Funding Resources

\nOnce the project has been specifically defined, the grant seeker needs to research appropriate funding sources. Both the applicant and the grantor agency or foundation should have the same interests, intentions, and needs if a proposal is to be considered an acceptable candidate for funding. It is generally not productive to send out proposals indiscriminately in the hope of attracting funding. Grant-making agencies and foundations whose interest and intentions are consistent with those of the applicant are the most likely to provide support. An applicant may cast a wide, but targeted, net. Many projects may only be accomplished with funds coming from a combination of sources, among them federal, state, or local programs and grants from private or corporate foundations. The best funding resources are now largely on the Internet. Key sources for funding information include the federal government’s

\nCatalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

\n (CFDA), http://www.cfda.gov, and the Foundation Center, http://www.foundationcenter.org, the clearinghouse of private and corporate foundation funding. For a summary of federal programs and sources, see CRS Report RL34012,

\n Resources for Grantseekers

\n, by Merete F. Gerli, and other CRS reports on topics such as community or social services block grants to states, rural development assistance, federal allocations for homeland security, and other funding areas. A review of the government or private foundation’s program descriptions’ objectives and uses, as well as any use restrictions, can clarify which programs might provide funding for a project. When reviewing individual CFDA program descriptions, applicants may also target the related programs as potential resources. Also, the kinds of projects the agency or foundation funded in the past may be helpful in fashioning your grant proposal. Program listings in the CFDA or foundation information will often include examples of past funded projects. Many federal grants do not go directly to the final beneficiary, but are awarded through “block” or “formula” grants to state or local agencies which, in turn, distribute the funds. For more information, see CRS Report R40486,

\n Block Grants: Perspectives and Controversies

\n, by Robert Jay Dilger and Eugene Boyd; and CRS Report R40638,

\n Federal Grants-In-Aid: An Historical Perspective on Contemporary Issues

\n, by Robert Jay Dilger. There are many types of foundations: national, family, community, corporate, etc. For district or community projects, as a general rule, it is a good idea to look for funding sources close to home, which are frequently most concerned with solving local problems. Corporations, for example, tend to support projects in areas where they have offices or plants. Most foundations only provide grants to nonprofit organizations (those registered by the Internal Revenue Service as having 501(c) tax-exempt status), though the Foundation Center publishes information about foundation grants to individuals. Once a potential grantor agency or foundation is identified, an applicant may contact it and ask for a grant application kit or information. Federal agencies may refer applicants to the website Grants.gov. Later, the grant seeker may ask some of the grantor agency or foundation personnel for suggestions, criticisms, and advice about the proposed project. In many cases, the more agency or foundation personnel know about the proposal, the better the chance of support and of an eventual favorable decision.

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