9Findingfunds.md

Finding Funding

Now that you have started to form:

• a more refined project idea;
• a wider awareness of the ecosystem of existing projects in your field;
• a sense of the national, local, or institutional demand for your project;
• and a clearer sense of the resources at your disposal

... the next step is to find an appropriate funding source. Below you will find some suggestions as to where to begin the search for funding. As you look for possible funders, below are some guidelines for the process:

1. Check federal, state, and local grant-making agencies, and local foundations for possibility of grants.

   • Federal agencies list all of their available grants on http://grants.gov.
   • States also have opportunities for grants, such as state humanities councils.
   • Private foundations are also possible areas to look. The following may prove useful:
     • The Foundation Center: [http://foundationcenter.org] (http://foundationcenter.org)
     • A Directory of State and Local Foundations: [http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/topical/sl_dir.html] (http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/topical/sl_dir.html)
     • The Council on Foundations Community Foundations List http://www.conf.org/whoweserve/community/resources/index.cfm?navitemNumber=15626#locator
   • The USDA offers a valuable Guide to Funding Resources [https://www.nal.usda.gov/ric/guide-to-funding-resources] (https://www.nal.usda.gov/ric/guide-to-funding-resources)

2. Check your institution’s eligibility for a potential grants before beginning the application process. Eligibility requirements and restrictions are often found in grant guidelines.

3. Review the types of projects this program funds, and consider how your project fits with the agency or foundation’s mission and strategic goals.

4. Review a potential grant program’s deadlines and requirements (including proposal requirements and format for submission).

5. Identify funding levels/maxes, and keep them close at hand as you develop your budget.

6. Jenny Furlong Director of the Office of Career Services will be here tomorrow, and she is an excellent resource for those interested in external fellowships.

Activity

Find one or two grant opportunites in your subject area. Consider also looking for fellowship opportunities.

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