Tips for finding grants as a new (or even established) nonprofit
When an organization reaches out to me for advice about finding grants to support their programs, one of the first questions I ask is:
“What local organizations have you already connected with or are currently fund your programs?”
One of my best pieces of advice for the grant process: start locally.
Reach out to businesses in the community you serve. Especially those who align with your mission. And, especially if you are in your early stages of pursuing grant funding for your organization. These organizations tend to be more invested in your work because it supports their community. What better way to build a relationship?
For instance, if your organization offers financial literacy classes, research and connect with each and every bank in your community to learn about potential grant opportunities. In addition to providing grant funding, they may also be able to sponsor an event and partner to serve as volunteers.
Here are some potential community businesses to start your grant funding pursuits:
✔️Community Foundations
✔️Banks
✔️Grocery stores and department stores (for example, Target, Walmart, Kroger, or TJX)
✔️Utilities Companies (for example, National Grid or Eversource)
Garnering local support for your mission establishes trust and credibility. Think about it, if funders who have their ear closer to the ground in your community aren’t supporting you, what might that suggest to grantmakers outside the community? And, developing relationships with local partners allows you all to make a greater impact on your community. Who doesn’t want that?
Tap into your local network
Take a look at who’s funding similar nonprofit organizations in your area. Perhaps your programs differ in age group or cities and towns you serve, but you have similar missions or cause areas. Visit their annual report or website to find out which grant makers are supporting their projects. Reach out to the Executive Director or Development Director at the nonprofit. There’s so much potential to support your greater community by having conversations with other nonprofit leaders! Through this conversation, you can discuss a potential partnership that draws on the strength of each organization. I’m also a firm believer in collaboration over competition — why not share insights to pursuing an aligned funding opportunity if it’ll help both (or all three) organizations serve the broader community?