There are hundreds, if not thousands of sources available online to help you find grants. Grants are sources of funding offered by institutions, businesses, and other entities for projects that are of interest to the funding institution. For example, if you are an elementary school teacher, your local utility company may offer grants that will help you promote use of technology or ‘green’ proposals in the classroom. If you are a writer and are looking for some money to help fund your research, there are grants available. The key is finding them.

Step One

The very first stop you need to make is the Internet. Search engines like Google or Ask will become your friend in this process. Type in keywords like “Grants for Elementary Educators” or “Grants for Writers” or “Small Business Grants” or “Government Grants.” You get the idea – you can narrow your search with specific keywords or search broadly with more generic terms, but start the search. You will end up with thousands of ‘hits’ to browse through.

Step Two

Refine your search. Once you have browsed the thousands of grant ideas out there, focus in on the ones that will meet your needs. If you want to start a homeless shelter, you will need to find funding agencies that typically fund that type of project. There are websites that will help you refine your search and provide resources for your grant search. Keywords to find these sites are ‘find grants,’ ‘grant information,’ ‘grant help,’ etc. Spend some time on this step to find the information you need.

Step Three

Read the RFP (Request for Proposal). This document is the key to the grant. It will tell you exactly what the money from the grant will cover and how it will be disbursed. If the requirements of the RFP do not fit your idea, go on to the next grant offering. There is no point in spending the time to complete an application for a grant if what you want to do is not covered in the grant.

Step Four

When you find a grant or grants that you feel are a fit, take the time to properly complete the application. Read my companion article: How to Write a Grant Proposal for some tips on the grant writing process.

• Search carefully and diligently for grants that meet your needs closely.
• Check the references of the funding source before spending time applying for a grant.
• Do not ever pay to read an RFP. Agencies that charge for their RFPs may not be totally legitimate.