Foundation Resources

Most foundations are created to address an unfilled need. Typically, foundations dedicate most of their grants to special interest areas; foundations desire to send their own unique messages by sponsoring educational programs and civic activities and investing in programs and people with a similar focus. 

• Foundation Center (FC) provides resources for nonprofits that are seeking funding. Just a couple of the resources are listed below:
  • Cooperating Collection provides free public access to grantmaker and grant directories, books on fund-raising, grantwriting and nonprofit management, and electronic databases. Find one near you.
  • Foundation Finder offers basic information on grantmakers.
  • Foundation 990 Finder allows you to search by foundation for their IRS 990 reports (includes awards made); and also posts Requests for Proposals.
• Internal Revenue Service - Locate an organization and then search the organization's name to locate their 990 form.
• Council on Foundations provides the opportunity, leadership and tools needed by philanthropic organizations to expand, enhance and sustain their ability to advance the common good. Find a community foundation near you in North Carolina.
• Grantsmanship Center provides information on top grantmaking foundations, community foundations, and corporate giving programs by state. Find local funding sources in North Carolina.

Foundations - Economic Development

• Charles M. & Mary D. Grant Foundation - Supports community and economic development, health and human services, education and literacy. Support is generally project-related.
• Duke Energy Foundation - Commitment to the community with a focus in three areas, specifically economic development.
• Golden LEAF Foundation - Provides grants and investments that will positively affect the long-term economic advancement of the state. It gives priority in its grantmaking to tobacco-dependent and economically distressed counties.
• Kauffman Foundation - Focuses on advancing entrepreneurship.
• Kresge Foundation - Supports communities by building the capacity of nonprofit organizations in health, the environment, arts and culture, education, human services and community development.
• Michael and Laura Brader-Araje Foundation - Supports innovative programs dedicated to children, education, health care, and women's rights.
• Progress Energy Foundation - Supports organizations involved with economic development and education.

Foundations - Education

• Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - Help ensure greater opportunity for all Americans through the attainment of secondary and postsecondary education with genuine economic value.
• Biogen Idec Foundation - Special emphasis on innovative ways to promote science literacy and encourage young people to consider science careers.
• Braitmayer Foundation - Interested in K-12 education.
• Burroughs Wellcome Fund - Advancing the medical sciences by supporting research and other scientific and educational activities.
• Charles M. & Mary D. Grant Foundation - Supports community and economic development, health and human services, education and literacy. Support is generally project-related.
• Golden LEAF Foundation - Provides grants and investments that will positively affect the long-term economic advancement of the state. It gives priority in its grantmaking to tobacco-dependent and economically distressed counties.
• GSK Foundation - Supports programs that promote the sciences, health, and education.
• Kresge Foundation - Supports communities by building the capacity of nonprofit organizations in health, the environment, arts and culture, education, human services and community development.
• Lumina Foundation for Education - Supports efforts to increase awareness of the benefits of higher education, improved student access to and preparedness for college, improved student success in college and increased productivity across the higher education system.
• Michael and Laura Brader-Araje Foundation - Supports innovative programs dedicated to children, education, health care, and women's rights.
• NEA Foundation - Supports efforts to improve student learning in the nation's public education system.
• Progress Energy Foundation - Supports organizations involved with economic development and education.
• RGK Foundation - Funding in the broad areas of community, medicine/health, and education, where the foundation's interests are on programs that focus on formal K-12 education, teacher development, literacy, and higher education.
• Toyota USA Foundation - Supports national programs focused on education, environmental and safety initiatives.

• NC STEM - NC STEM Community Collaborative aligns North Carolina communities’ strengths with state and national needs as well as provides useful information on STEM grant opportunities.
• STEMGrants.com - This website offers a listing of STEM grant opportunities and updates regarding STEM funding.  Individuals can also sign-up to receive the organization’s yearly compilation of STEM funding opportunities.
• STEM Education Coalition - The website offers information on STEM activity in the US and how to support those efforts.  From the website individuals can sign-up for free newsletter or to follow posted information through facebook, twitter, or RSS feed.
• Grants Wrangler - This website offers a free sign-up for a bi-weekly newsletter offering grant and related award information, primarily for schools and teachers.
• Grants.gov - Grants.gov is the portal to over 26 federal agencies and over 9000 programs.  The website provides for easy search of programs by agency and/or keywords and allows sign-up to receive free, customized funding opportunity alerts. 
• FundsNet - FundsNet is a free site with opportunities organized under categories—such as education and community development grants—as well as by region.  Individuals can navigate into the regional grants folder, select North Carolina, and identify those funding sources that focus their award-making in North Carolina.

Foundations - Research

• Burroughs Wellcome Fund - Advancing the medical sciences by supporting research and other scientific and educational activities.
• Michael and Laura Brader-Araje Foundation - Supports innovative programs dedicated to children, education, health care, and women's rights.
• W.M. Keck Foundation - Supports pioneering discoveries in science, engineering and medical research.

*Please keep in mind that the lists above do not include all available grant-making foundations in the areas of economic development, education, and research.

For more information about the Funding Gateway resources, contact Julie King.