First Impressions Revisited: A Program for Community Improvement - First Impressions Home Page - Center for Community and Economic Development

This resource list has been compiled by Andy Lewis, UWEX Center for Community Economic Development and Will Andresen, UWEX Resource Development Agent, Iron County. We have attempted to compile a list of resources that would assist individuals, organizations, and communities in sorting through the myriad of public grant/financial assistance programs that might assist with community development initiatives. We have also provided you with some links to assist with grant writing/proposal writing. If you have suggestions for additional resources or have found problems with any of the following resources, please contact one of us by clicking on our names above.

If you are an Extension educator, please review Grant Writing and "The Hare and the Tortoise" by Will Andresen, which provides some insights into the Extension Educator's role in the grant writing process.

Please let us share a few words of caution in terms of using the resources on this web site:

For most organizations and businesses....time is money. In many instances time would be better spent focusing on long-term income earning strategies rather then one-time grant funds.
Grant writing can be time consuming and often unproductive. For Extension educators, time spent on researching and writing proposals, is time that can't be spent on delivering educational programs.
Grant writing/Proposal writing is a skill that often does not come naturally to those that haven't done it.
Don't forget the Golden Rule of Grants: If you apply....remember that you might get it! "Chasing Money" often takes you off course and away from your core mission. Before applying for funds, be sure that the objectives of the program are closely aligned to the mission of your organization.
The authors of this web site are not grant writers or experts on the details of the programs described below.
Public grant programs are constantly changing and some programs continue in "name only" without the required funding.

The following list provides general fundraising/grant writing resources geared towards nonprofit organizations. If you would like to skip to a page listing public funding sources organized by agency, click here.

Never written a proposal before? Check out: "Proposal Writing - Internet Resources" maintained by the Grants Information Center at U.W. - Madison. The Center also has an annotated list of print resources related to the topic of proposal writing.

American Association of Fundraising Counsel - Since 1935, AAFRC Member Firms have served clients of every size and purpose-from local to international-in the arts, culture, and humanities; health; education; human services; religion; advocacy; public/society benefit; the environment and wildlife; and international affairs-in cities, suburbs and rural areas-virtually every type of nonprofit organization. Each year, the Association publishes, Giving USA to provide the latest facts and figures on philanthropic giving (Some of the charts from this publication are available on the web site).

Aspen Institute: Nonprofit Sector Research Fund - The Nonprofit Sector Research Fund supports and disseminates relevant, high quality research to improve the operations of nonprofit organizations and inform public policies affecting them.

Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) - The professional association for individuals responsible for generating philanthropic support for a wide variety of not-for-profit, charitable organizations.

Carnegie Library Foundation Center - The Foundation Center is a resource for nonprofit organizations and individuals seeking information about grants and grantmaking organizations.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance - This very informative resource prepared by the federal government discusses the process required to prepare a grant proposal, the need for community support and the basic elements of a proposal.

Council on Foundations -- Looking for a Grant or Grant Funding? - The Foundation Center is an independent national service organization established by foundations to provide an authoritative source of information on foundation and corporate giving.

Environmental Grant Makers Association - The EGA exists as a voluntary association of foundations and giving programs concerned with the protection of the natural environment.

FirstGov for Nonprofits - The U.S. government's official web portal for nonprofits. Includes links to grants, loans and other forms of assistance for nonprofit organizations.

Foundation Center - The Foundation Center provides a few free web-based short courses on the fundamentals of grant writing, including several useful links.

Foundations On-Line- Foundations and Grantmaker Directory. Provided by the Northern California Community Foundation. This directory lists foundations and grantmakers by name. You can either scroll through the directory, or click on a letter to jump to a specific organization's information or home page.

Fund-raising.com A Source for Fundraising Information on the Internet.

Fundraising Deals - Fundraising Deals lists a variety of ideas, products and resources specific to fundraising. You can search through the directory of fundraising programs in order to find the
fundraising ideas that are best suited for your group. This site also includes some free fundraising guides (See the link at the bottom of the page).

Fundsnet -- Grantwriting Resources - Fundsnet is a privately owned Web site created in 1996 to assist nonprofit organizations find funding resources on the Internet.

Fund$Raiser Cyberzine A FREE digital magazine dedicated to bringing the world the latest and most complete news and ideas in fundraising.

Fund Raising Tips and Tools - Tools and tips to make the fundraiser's life a bit easier (on the "about.com" web site).

Fundsnet Online Fundsnet Online Services provides parents, teachers and non-profit organizations with hundreds of quality resources available on the World Wide Web. This Web site provides you with one of the most comprehensive directories of foundations and funders in existence on the Internet.

Grant Getting Page - Maintained by the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Grants Information Center - An independent national service organization established by foundations to provide an authoritative source of information on foundation and corporate giving. To make this information accessible to the public, it has established a network of approximately 200 cooperating collections throughout the U.S. The Grants Information Center in Madison, Wisconsin, is one of three Wisconsin Cooperating Collections. Elizabeth Breed offers free seminars for nonprofit organizations on the topic "Researching Funding Opportunities."

The Grantsmanship Center - "The nonprofit sector's leading source of training and funding information."

Grant Sources for Educators - Sources of educational grants maintained by Kathy Schrock

Grant Writing and “The Hare and the Tortoise" by Will Andresen - Provides some insights into the Extension Educator's role in the grant writing process.

IRIS (Illinois Researcher Information Service) This service also contains about 7,000 funding entries.

Marquette University - Memorial Library - Funding Information Center - Marquette University's Funding Information Center is one of over two hundred worldwide cooperating collections of the Foundation Center in New York City. A Resource for Nonprofit Organizations, Grantseekers and Fundraisers

Michigan Comnet - Michigan Comnet is an online community and information sharing network for non-profit public service organizations in Michigan.

Neighborhood Fundraising Network - A nonprofit organization that provides hands-on, customized professional resource development and technical assistance to community-based nonprofit organizations with annual operating budgets under $500,000 at below-market rates.

Raising More Money: Free On-Line "Course" - An interesting free course (non-interactive) sponsored by Axelrod Consulting Services that focuses on approaches that build individual giving.

Research Associates - The Grant Experts - Research Associates is a university-affiliated organization founded in 1985. The staff includes experienced researchers, grant writers, trainers, program evaluators, and program administrators who enable us to offer comprehensive grant-related products and services. Their services are designed primarily for school districts and large, private nonprofit organizations affiliated with a school district.

SPIN Sponsored Programs Information Network - The #1 Source of Funding Information. The SPIN database is currently provided through annual subscription to over 650 colleges, universities and industry clients worldwide. It is a computer database with detailed and up-to-the-minute information about thousands of Federal and Non-Federal funding opportunities.

University of Arkansas Little Rock Office of Research and Sponsored Projects - Designed for faculty and staff at UALR to help in identifying potential sponsors for research and service projects. Some outstanding links.

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Foundation Collection - The Foundation Collection at the UW-Stevens Point Library is an affiliate of the primary Foundation Center in New York City. The Collection provides information about foundations, corporate giving, fund-raising, nonprofit organizations, and proposal writing.

Wisconsin Bankers Association 2006 Economic Development Manual (54KB pdf) - A valuable reference of creative financing programs provided by federal, state, and local organizations ($50 members/$75 non-members).

Wisconsin Economic Development Association (WEDA) - WEDA fosters economic development in the State of Wisconsin by providing leadership in defining and advocating economic development initiatives and by continually striving to develop the professional practice of economic development. WEDA provides education, communication and legislative action services to nearly 500 individual and corporate members. If you would like to identify a WEDA member in your region, use the on-line WEDA membership directory to search by name or community.

For a list of public agency funding opportunities....click here

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