Grant Resource Center

Grant Resource Center

                             in cooperation with the

 

Morley Library has been designated as a Cooperating Collection by The Foundation Center to provide free access to print and electronic resources useful to staff, board members, volunteers, and friends of nonprofit organizations.  Through this program, our library receives printed materials as well as electronic products to assist the grant seeking library patrons in Northeast Ohio.  To ensure that the collection is available to everyone, the Library does not circulate these materials, but photocopies can be made for 10 cents per page.  Find these resources on the Third Floor.

Morley Library's Grant Resource Center provides information related to sources from which grants may be requested.  Although librarians are available to offer initial directional assistance, users do their own research.  Librarians cannot do your research for you, nor can they write or review your proposals for you.

Collection

The Grant Resource Center contains a core collection of reference materials published by the Foundation 
Center as well as a reference collection of in-depth materials on foundations, government 
agencies, philanthropy and grantsmanship skills.  The collection is found on the Third Floor, next to the Reference Desk.

Print materials in the Foundation Collection include:

  • Directories of information regarding public, private, and corporate funding
  • Specialized funding sources on particular subjects or special populations
  • Reference books on grantsmanship, letter and proposal writing guides
  • Periodicals and newsletters about philanthropy

These databases are licensed to be used in the Library only:

Morley Library's circulating collection also contains numerous titles about grants. 

 

Grant Introduction Workshops

Orientation sessions explaining foundations, proposals and the use of the materials in the Grants Resource Center are offered on a regular basis for representatives of nonprofit organizations. These sessions are free; preregistration is required.   Announcements of these workshops will be made in the Morley Library Presents newsletter, on the library calendar and on bulletin boards within the Library.

 

For Nonprofits:

Alliance for Nonprofit Management
The Alliance for Nonprofit Management is the professional association of individuals and organizations devoted to improving the management and governance capacity of nonprofits - to assist nonprofits in fulfilling their mission.

American Institute of Philanthropy
The American Institute of Philanthropy (AIP) is a nationally prominent charity watchdog service whose purpose is to help donors make informed giving decisions.

Boardsource
BoardSource increases the effectiveness of nonprofit organizations by strengthening boards of directors.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Contains information regarding assistance programs that are available through federal agencies.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy Online version of "The Newspaper of the Nonprofit World." 

Contributions Magazine: The "How-To" Source for Nonprofit Professionals.

This site publishes the feature article from each print issue and lists the titles and authors of the other articles in the issue.

Council Online
Created by the Council on Foundations in Washington D.C., this site gives links to grantmakers, non-profits, and other resources. It also has links to key legislation.

The Foundation Center Serves grant seekers, grant makers, researchers, policymakers, the media, and the general public by providing access to information such as 990-PF tax returns and an online learning lab.  Find Funders, the Foundation Center's directory with basic information on more than 73,000 private and community foundations.  990-PF Search

Grants.gov One-stop resource for information on competitive federal government grants. Includes 900+ programs from 26 grant-making agencies.

GuideStar
National database of non-profit organizations. Includes information about the operations and finances of non-profit organizations, including image files of Form 990 filings. Requires free registration to use.

Idealist
This site compiles resources available on the Internet and arranges them by topic and geographic location. The non-profit directory can be searched by keyword. The site also includes tools for non-profits and links to appropriate tax forms (Adobe Acrobat required for the tax forms).

Internal Revenue Service Use this link for information on achieving 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status for your nonprofit organization.

Kent State University's What to Do Before You Write a Grant Proposal

The NonProfit Times:
The Leading Business Publication For Nonprofit Management
This site publishes a few lead articles from each print issue and lists the titles and authors of the other articles in the issue. Free subscriptions are offered to full time U.S. nonprofit executives. 
 
Ohio Arts Council
"The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically."
A statewide organization dedicated to strengthening the effectiveness of the charitable nonprofit sector in Ohio.

Ohio Grantmakers Forum
Ohio Grantmakers Forum is an association of foundations, corporate contributions programs, and other grantmaking organizations. Its mission is to provide leadership for organized philanthropy in Ohio and to enhance the ability of members to fulfill their charitable goals.
 

Ohio Humanities Council 
The Ohio Humanities Council provides assistance to grant applicants by overseeing programs that promote the humanities in Ohio through collaborations with cultural and educational institutions. 

Ohio Secretary of State

Use this link for information on incorporating as a nonprofit in the State of Ohio.
 
This publication and organization is geared to those who give money rather than those who seek it.

The site has an archive of some articles. Includes information that may be useful to those who want to give planned gifts and to nonprofits that want to pursue planned gifts.

White House/Faith-Based & Community Initiatives
Info on how faith-based organizations can compete to provide government or privately-funded services.

 

For Individuals:

Most foundation grants go to nonprofit organizations, not to individuals. 

Books by Matthew Lesko, Lauri Blum and others oversimplify information and mislead the public.  Most of the "grants" discussed in these books and in related infomercials, are actually entitlement programs, like Medicare and Social Security (please read this article from AARP, and advice from The Foundation Center ).  Because most foundation funding is awarded to nonprofit organizations, the individual grantseeker should expect to encounter stiff competition for grant dollars. In addition, most grantmakers place highly specific limitations on their giving to individuals.  However, the following book and web sites might provide useful information.

Foundation Grants to Individuals 13th ed.  (Print directory from the Foundation Center)

Foundation Grants to Individuals  An online database of more than 6,200 foundation and public charity programs that fund students, artists, and researchers. (Database from The Foundation Center; this database is licensed to be used in the Library only.)

GovBenefits.gov 
Users anonymously fill out a questionnaire to identify government programs for which they may be eligible. Users can also can search at federal & state levels, and by category.

GovLoans.gov
GovLoans.gov is your gateway to government loan information. It directs you to the loan information that best meets your needs.

United Way 2-1-1
2-1-1 can offer access to the following types of services:
Basic Human Needs Resource: food banks, clothing closets, shelters, rent assistance, utility assistance.

Physical and Mental Health Resources: health insurance programs, Medicaid and Medicare, maternal health,  Children's Health Insurance Program, medical information lines, crisis intervention services, support groups, counseling, drug and alcohol intervention and rehabilitation. 

Employment Supports: financial assistance, job training, transportation assistance, education programs.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 
Contains information regarding assistance programs that are available through federal agencies. Many individuals go to this web site expecting to find some way to apply for a grant or loan directly from the Federal Government. While there are a limited number of programs offering direct loans to individuals, most programs provide funds to state and local governments or other organization to manage the distribution of assistance according to local needs. For example, a VA or FHA loan comes from a financial institution such as a bank, credit union, or mortgage company, not directly from the Federal Government.  You cannot apply for an assistance program through this web site.

National Council on Aging 
The National Council on Aging's BenefitsCheckUp helps people connect to private or government programs that help them pay for prescription drugs, health care, utilities, and other needs.

Michigan State University Libraries’ Grants for Individuals 
This list focuses on grants and awards for education and scholarship.

Individual Development Accounts 
Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) are matched savings accounts that enable low-income American families to save, build assets, and enter the financial mainstream. IDAs reward the monthly savings of working-poor families who are building towards purchasing an asset - most commonly buying their first home, paying for post-secondary education, or starting a small business.

HUD lower interest mortgages
While HUD does not offer direct grants or loans to individuals, they do work through local governments and non-profit organizations to make financial assistance and counseling available.  This website provides links to local entities that offer assistance. (By and large, private foundations do NOT make grants to individuals for the purchase of a home. )

Teacher Next Door & Officer Next Door 
Two HUD programs exist to encourage police officer and teacher home ownership. The Teacher Next Door program offers teachers a 50% break on HUD homes in their school district, and the Officer Next Door Program makes the same offer to police officers in their jurisdiction of employment. 

Lifeline to Economically Disadvantaged Consumers, Inc
Lake County’s Community Action Agency, helping families break the cycle of poverty and achieve self-sufficiency.

Needymeds and RxAssist

Needymeds and RxAssist are a directories of pharmaceutical companies with programs to aid people who need prescription medications and who are not covered by government or private insurance.

Together Rx 
The Together Rx Access™ Card was created as a public service by a group of some of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, in order to provide savings on prescriptions to eligible residents of the US and Puerto Rico who have no prescription drug coverage.  They must have incomes no higher than $30,000 for a single person, $40,000 for couples, and $60,000 for a family of four. Savings on brand name and generic drugs vary from 25% to 40%.

 

For Small Business:

By and large, foundations do not make grants to for-profit enterprises.

The U.S. Small Business Administration does not offer grants to start or expand small businesses, although it does offer a wide variety of loan programs. (See https://www.sba.gov/loanprograms for more information)  While the SBA does offer some grant programs, these are generally designed to expand and enhance organizations that provide small business management, technical, or financial assistance. These grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments.  Most funding for small business is in the form of loans or tax incentives.  Please read this document from the New York State Division of Consumer Protection for information about claims made by Matthew Lesko, Laurie Blum and others.

A legitimate federal grant program for small businesses is the SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research Program) for small high tech businesses. This is a competitive grant offered by many federal departments. For more information, see: https://www.sbir.gov

For more information on the SBA programs, see their website at: https://www.sba.gov/loanprograms.

Online Women's Business Center 
The site from the SBA provides information specific to women's business development by promoting the growth of women-owned businesses through programs that address business training, technical assistance, access to credit and capital, federal contracts, and international trade opportunities.

My Own Business: A Free Internet Course on Starting a Business is a 12-session course that is intended for both start-up and already operating businesses. The site is fully interactive with audio sound bytes, quizzes, feedback, and a tool to create your own business plan.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 
Contains information regarding assistance programs that are available through federal agencies. Many individuals go to this web site expecting to find some way to apply for a grant or loan directly from the Federal Government. While there are a limited number of programs offering direct loans to individuals, most programs provide funds to state and local governments or other organization to manage the distribution of assistance according to local needs. For example, a VA or FHA loan comes from a financial institution such as a bank, credit union, or mortgage company, not directly from the Federal Government.  You cannot apply for an assistance program through this web site.

 

Ohio 

State of Ohio Business Gateway

State of Ohio Small Business Development Center