Grantseeking and Fundraising
In this page: Workshops - Web resources - Foundation books and grant databases
Workshops for Grantseekers: Sessions for non-profit organizations
Grant Proposal Writing Basics
Learn the basics of writing a proposal for your nonprofit organization
- How the proposal fits into the overall grantseeking process
- What to include in a standard proposal to a foundation
- Tips for making each section of your proposal stronger
- What funders expect to see in your proposal and attachments
- Tips for communicating with funders during the grant process
- Additional resources on proposal writing, including sample proposals
No workshops currently scheduled - check back for updates
For other organizations that offer grant seeking classes, see:
- The Foundation Center in San Francisco
- The Foundation Center online training and free tutorials
- The Foundation Center free webinars
- Resource Center for Nonprofits from the Volunteer Center of Sonoma County
- Resource Center for Nonprofits current workshop schedule
For More Information About Grants
- The Foundation Center - fdncenter.org
- The Foundation Center now offers free public access to IRS Form 990 search - foundationcenter.org/findfunders/990finder
- GrantSpace.org - tutorials, sample proposals, videos, online courses, and more. Search the knowledge base to find answers to grant seeking questions, or click Chat Now to ask a Foundation Center librarian a question.
- Community Foundation of Sonoma County - www.sonomacf.org
- California Funding Sources from The Grantsmanship Center - www.tgci.com
- California Endowment - www.calendow.org
- California Arts Council Grantfinder - www.calarts.ca.gov
- Federal Grants - www.grants.gov
- NOZA (data from the former Grantsmart) - www.nozasearch.com
- Poets & Writers grants for readings/workshops - www.pw.org/funding
- Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance - www.cfda.gov
- ScanGrants database of health and medicine grants and scholarships - www.scangrants.com
See also:
California Charities - from the California State Office of the Attorney General. Use this site to find laws and regulations that apply to your non-profit in California. For basic information on forming and running a non-profit, download the 60-page Guide for Charities. Donors can use the Registry Search to get information about California registered charities.
Tax Information for Charities & Other Non-Profits - from the Internal Revenue Service. Includes forms and instructions for tax-exempt organizations, how to file for tax-exempt status, online filing for small exempt organizations, and lists of recognized tax-exempt organizations.
B Corporations - starting in 2011, an alternative to starting a non-profit in California is to form a benefit corporation. B corporations operate as businesses rather than as non-profit agencies, which enables them to engage in a range of for-profit activities, but they have a public benefit as a principal goal. This can be a good option for the "social entrepreneur."
Foundation Center Books and Database
Sonoma County Library is a cooperating collection with the Foundation Center. As a member of this nationwide network of libraries, community foundations, and other nonprofit agencies, Sonoma County Library provides visitors with free public access to grantmaker directories, books on fundraising and nonprofit management, and the Foundation Center's electronic databases:
- The Foundation Directory Online - The fully searchable database includes detailed profiles of all active U.S. foundations, as well as an extensive file of recent grants awarded by the nation's top funders.
- Foundation Grants to Individuals Online - Find funding for education including scholarships, fellowships, student loans, and research grants; locate support for artists and grants for special needs such as general welfare funding.
- Philanthropy In/Sight - Use this to combine Foundation Center data with Google maps. Overlay grant data with your choice of over 150 demographic, socio-economic, and other data sets to create visual portraits showing where philanthropy has made an impact and where opportunities exist to fill critical needs.
These databases are available at the Central Library in Santa Rosa only.
Books on fundraising and directories of grants are available at several of the branches. Ask your librarian for assistance in finding them.
You can always ask a librarian at the Central Library reference desk for help with our Foundation Center subscription, and other grantseeking & fundraising resources.