There are many reasons that prompt individuals to start researching grant opportunities. Grant research varies greatly; with some individuals seeking funds to defray educational costs, some desiring to fund social service projects, and some looking for funds to support a small business venture. Despite what you may have heard, grant funds are readily available and do not have to be repaid. However, grant research can be a difficult task. The remainder of this article will examine how to conduct grant research.
Step 1: Beginning Your Grant Research
To begin your grant research, you will need to address how you will use grant funds. Determine the areas of funding you are seeking in order to determine the sources of funding are available to you. Will you be paying for school, paying to support the operations of a non-profit organization or church, or will you be paying for the costs associated with the operation of business? Your answer will provide you with a starting place for your grant research. If you are looking for education grants, you should begin your research with governmental grant funding. If you are looking for non-profit funding, you should research government grant and foundation funding. If you are looking for business funding, you should begin your research by researching government funding.
Step 2: Grant Research by Source
A good starting point and a wealth of educational grant information can be found at the Federal Student Aid website. For additional information visit: https://studentaid.gov/. Nonprofit ventures should consider governmental grant funds located on the Grants.gov website as well as considering foundations. Every foundation is required to complete a 990 tax form, which provides great grant research information and can be searched through Foundation Center, Foundation Center. Individuals seeking grants for small businesses should also visitGrants.govto access the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance and should look into their state governments assistance to businesses.
Step 3: Grant Research: Finding the Funders Who Are Most Likely to Fund You
Once you have located several potential funders, you should begin sorting through all of your grant research. An in-depth look at the grant requests for proposal and the applications will assist you in selecting the ones that you believe are the closest match to your area of need. As you review your grant research, you will need to consider how well you meet the eligibility requirements and whether or not you can complete all of the application requirements.
Step 4: Begin Completing Applications from Grant Research
Now that your grant research is complete, you will need to begin completing the applications for the grants that you believe are the best fit. Consider consulting professional grant writers and asking one to review your grant research before you begin completing applications. As you begin the application process, ensure that you complete all sections of the applications and attach all requested documentation in a logical sequence.