4 Types of Nonprofit Startup Grants to Fund Your Mission

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Starting a non profit takes dedication and handwork but most importantly, funding. It is important to understand primary sources of non profit support to begin to launch your non profit up and forward. To do so, having strong initial support is essential for long-term success because although grants are great and helpful, they are never guaranteed. Having strong initial support with your new non-profit lets you use resources such as an online donation software, to set your non-profit up successfully while also showcasing grant-giving institutions that you're in for the long haul. 


Startup grants are a major source of funding support for new non-profits while grant-giving foundations, government agencies and other funding bodies are there to support both new non-profits and established non-profits as well. 

Corporate Giving Programs for Nonprofit Startups


Corporate Philanthropy is a major part of starting your non-profit and if you are unfamiliar with it, then it is time to educate yourself. Learn more about Corporate Philanthropy here.


There are three main types of corporate giving programs that aid non-profits such as, Matching Gift Programs, Volunteer Grant Programs, and Other Donation Requests.


  • Matching Gift Programs are when companies financially match donations made by their employees to eligible non-profits, learn more here.


  • Volunteer Grant Programs are when companies financially match the hours that employees donate by volunteering. 


  • Other Donation Requests are open doors for new non-profits through other programs or individual policies that many companies happily support these non-profits. 


Here is another resource as a guide to corporate donation requests.


Grant-Giving Private Foundations


Private foundations and grant-giving endowments are a great place to begin researching and familiarizing yourself with the major grant-giving foundations in your area because many privately-funded foundations are more than happy to help non-profit organizations. After researching, you will most likely need to approach the foundation first with key materials in a condensed version that includes and not limited to:


  • A cover letter to inquire about start up funding for your non-profit

  • Your mission statement and the need your non-profit will address

  • A business plan

  • Projected budgets and financial needs 


Here are more resources and a helpful template for your grant proposal.


Federal Nonprofit Grant Programs And Endowments


Federally funded programs are another source of initial support for new non-profits and the first step is to look into these federal grants in the database at grants.gov. This database does require an in-depth registration and application process so it is important to do the necessary steps of research and time set aside for this. Two of the largest and most active grant-giving federal support are national endowments devoted specifically to supporting nonprofit projects which are The National Endowment for the Arts and The National Endowment for the Humanities.


  • The National Endowment for the Arts or the NEA, which funds individual or non-profit projects that creates new American art or increases access to art based activities for communities. They award several major grants annually and focuses on several different types of art engagement.


  • The National Endowment for the Humanities or NEH, which funds organizations that focuses on social, historical, literary, and educational topics. These grants are usually given to larger institutions, established scholars, and public media outlets but the resources and support for smaller organizations are operated by councils in each state by the NEH.


Even if your organization is small, this database is a great option to begin exploring grant options and research to connect to the country’s non-profit network.


State and Municipal Funded Grant Resources


Although grants at a federal level are a great source of finding funding for your non-profit, it is also great to keep your options open and also look for grants at a local level because state and city governments, regional commissions, and smaller foundations are always open to invest in non-profits in their areas/ networks and are even more diverse at this level.


Here are some steps and resources you can take next and also check out online.


  • See your state or city government’s website. This should be your first stop as you research state-level nonprofit startup grants.


  • NEH State Councils. As described above, the NEH councils in each state regularly offer resources and grants to nonprofits.


  • Databases of philanthropic foundations. Searchable databases that allow you to filter by region and state are a great way to identify private foundations, community-based groups, and corporate giving programs.


  • State government agencies and endowments. Most states have their own arts and/or humanities endowments too. Be sure to research every state-level opportunity.


  • Regional and municipal commissions. These groups can be invaluable resources not only for finding new funding opportunities for your community- and social-issue-based mission, but also for familiarizing your new nonprofit with the local landscape.


For more tips and information regarding startup grants to fund your mission, please visit the official article from which this information was pulled from at https://snowballfundraising.com/nonprofit-startup-grants/


Published by Julissa Marquez

Comments

  1. UnknownMay 19, 2021 at 1:20 PM

    I think drawing attention to the ability to gain funding on a local level is so helpful thank goodness someone brought attention to that. I volunteer with a non-profit and while it isn't a great deal of our funding, we do receive income from the state and every penny counts. So definitely keep an eye out for funding opportunities from the government as well as your local community, our governments want to help lend a hand as well and if they can do it through small non-profits instead of having to organize some sort of system then they're happy to hand off that responsibility. Great post.

    ReplyDelete

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