1. What are grants? Where do I find grants? How do I get grants?
Grant Funding
What are grants?
Where do I find grants?
How do I get grants?

2. Overview What are grants Where to find grant opportunities
Grant Writing Tips

3. What are grants?
Grants are financial donations given to support an organization, project, or program.
Grants are typically awarded to a nonprofit organization from a foundation, corporation, or government agency.

4. Where to find grants
Foundation Center: Foundation Directory Online –
QuickStart: Free- Search grant makers by location and key word
Other options: 2 year, 1 year or monthly- more options for finding funders
GuideStar-
Free search for specific foundation details and 990’s, other paid options

5. Where to find grants…
Oklahoma Grant Watch - $199/year
Foundation & Corporate Funding Advantage – - $288/year
Foundation Search – - $1,000+/year
Oklahoma Foundation Databook – 5th edition $100, 6th edition $200, library

6. Where to find grants…
Local companies – search the business list of your local Chamber of Commerce
Contact community relations department

7. Is it the perfect fit?
Geographic interest (Do they support your region?)
Programmatic interest (What are they interested in funding?)
Limitations? (Do they only fund capital, operating, etc.?)
Previous grantees (What other organizations do they support?)
Previous grant amounts (How much are their grants to other organizations?)

8. Data on Form 990 Organizations basic info Total assets
Total grants given during the year
Description of their work/ interests
Names of their Board members
Who they gave to and how much

9. Getting started Every foundation is different
Can be easy or it can be hard
Don’t assume it is repeat funding
Your purpose: Convince the funder to give you money.

10. Important Steps Organize your thoughts Create a budget Find a funder
Write the proposal
Steward the gift
Build relationships

11. Application Process Letter of Intent or Inquiry (LOI) Full Proposal

12. Grant Writing Tips Follow the instructions! Be compelling Be concise
Develop boilerplate text you can use again and again
Write to a very basic reading level
Don’t use acronyms
Don’t use jargon
Assume they know NOTHING about anything you do

13. Formatting Tips Follow the funder’s guidelines!
Arrange your narrative in the same order as the guidelines
Keep paragraphs short
Use bulleted or numbered lists (unless funder doesn’t want that)
Use Times Roman or Arial 12 point font (or what the funder says)
Use 1 inch margins
Binding: If funder says no staples, then use a clip

14. What is next? Grant request is declined: Contact funder
Thank them for the opportunity to apply
Ask how you could improve your request

15. What is next? Grant request is funded: Do the Happy Dance!
Send a thank you letter, quickly!
Steward the gift
Make sure the money is spent as intended
Be prepared to report back to the funder, even if not required
Get to know the foundation staff and Board just like you would any other donor

16. Questions?
Fran Bevel
Grants Manager, Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma