I am confused — do I need to complete both an online
Grant Funding Search Order Form and the credit card order?
Yes, ordering is a two-step process.
The online Grant Funding Search Order Form tells us about your agency and your program so that
we can perform the search. The credit card (or pay by check page)
processes your payment to us. back to
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I am writing grant proposals for two
separate programs. Do I need two searches?
Yes, each program will have its own focus and search
criteria and will therefore need a separate search. Note that our pricing
includes a reduced rate for more than one search done at the same time.
For example, a retreat center in Maryland, near Washington, D.C.,
operates a summer camp for inner city youth and also sponsors
international forums for discussions of global issues. If the retreat
center is looking for grants to help fund both of these programs, they
should request two separate searches— one
focused on inner city youth programs and one focused on international
affairs. To be most effective, each search should include funders in two
states — Maryland and Washington,
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We have a small budget. Do you
have any tips on how we can save money?
Yes, here are some ideas:
- Order a search for only the state in which you are
located. Unless you are a large national
organization, you are more likely to be funded by a local foundation or
corporation.
Therefore, we suggest you select the state report rather than the national
one. If you still have questions about this, we can talk about it and make
recommendations during our pre-search consultation.
- Only perform a search for a specific program and keep
your search criteria very well defined. More isn't necessarily better.
We can advise you on the best search terms for your funding needs.
What is PayPal? Do I have to sign up
for this service? Is it free?
PayPal is the leading online
service that allows anyone with an email address to safely, securely and
cost-effectively send payments online. Their network uses the existing
global infrastructure of bank accounts and credit cards to create a
global, real-time payment solution. PayPal is part of eBay and the winner
of 2002 SIIA Codie Awards winner for "Best eCommerce
Solution." You may use your existing credit card. There are
no fees to the buyer. If you are not registered with PayPal, when you
process your order with us, you will be asked to register. This is a simple
process where you will enter your email address and a
password, along with your credit card information. Note that if you are
using an agency credit card you will enter your first and last name along
with the card number. Do not enter the agency name. Please talk to us if
you have any concerns about using PayPal. back to top
How long will it take for me to get
the funding search results?
We can begin your search process immediately if you pay
by credit card. If you pay by check, we must wait for your check to clear.
Our pre-search consultation is a critical piece of our service so we must
allow time to schedule that conversation. In order to make sure we have
enough time to review your search criteria, discuss your funding needs
with you and perform a thorough search and create your reports, you should
allow 10 business days from when we receive your order form and payment.
If you have a time constraint, please let us know.
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Why do we need to provide our agency mission and
activities?
The information on your organization's mission and activities will help us understand your
organization and its funding needs. This means we are in a better position
to help you select the best search criteria.
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The online Grant Funding Search Order Form
is not working. What should I do?
You may need to update your browser. Older browsers sometimes are not
able to handle forms well. You can also use the
printer-friendly form (MS Word format, 34 KB).
Print it out, fill it in and email, fax or US mail the form to us.
Do not hesitate to call us if you are having technical
difficulties, as we can always discuss your funding search needs over the
telephone. Our Web site is here to help our clients, but we are primarily
a person-to-person service. back to top
Can you
guarantee you’ll uncover funding sources I haven’t already found?
No, but we do have a lot of experience scouring
information from 70,000 foundations and corporate funders and often have
good luck locating unexpected new leads. Plus, we save you the time
you would have spent organizing your funding leads by providing our
easy-to-use Executive Summary of Funding Opportunities.
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Do you
search for government grants and contracts? No, we
search corporate donations programs and private, community and operating
foundations. For information on government funding sources, go to
http://www.cfda.gov/federalcommons/index.
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Can you find
a grant for me to start a business or go to school?
No, the corporate donations programs and the private, community
and operating foundations we review generally fund only groups that have an IRS
designation as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit corporation or have a
fiscal sponsor with a 501(c)(3) tax-exemption. To receive a 501(c)(3)
tax-exempt designation, a group must prove it provides educational,
charitable, scientific, religious or literary services to the community.
Grants are rarely given to individuals to start a business. College
financial aid offices, school career counseling offices and public
libraries can help you find sources of academic or trade scholarship and
loan programs.
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Where can
I find a good grantwriter (or fundraiser, or advice on how to start or run
a nonprofit organization?) Contact us . The Non-Profit Assistance Group provides a
wide range of services to help non-profits raise
money, run smoother and provide better services to their clients.
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How often
should I do a funding search?
We update our funding
database twice a year. We suggest you conduct a new search at least once a
year.
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