To implement your team’s nutrition and physical activity plan, you will likely need grant funding. This section includes materials and information to help you be successful with grants. You will find:
- guidance on where to start looking for grants
- a form to help you think strategically about which grants to apply for
- a worksheet to help you get organized before writing a grant
- links to online resources that can help you write a grant and
- a checklist to help manage your grants.
Looking for Grants If you don’t have any ideas about possible grant funding sources or if you want to expand your grant funding opportunities, see the list below.
- The Foundation Center is rich with resources to help you find grants. The Foundation Center collects, organizes, and communicates information on U.S. philanthropy; conducts and facilitates research on trends in the field; provides education and training on the grant-seeking process; and ensures public access to information and services through its Web site, print and electronic publications, five library/learning centers, and a national network of more than 200 Cooperating Collections. The website Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section is very helpful. The Foundation Center website
- To find federal grant opportunities, start with the grants.gov website. Grants.gov allows organizations to find and apply for Federal grants electronically. Grants.gov is the single access point for over 1,000 grant programs offered by all Federal grant-making agencies. Grants.gov website
- To find state government grant funding for your team’s nutrition and physical activity plan, conduct an internet search for your state health department. Browse and search the state health department website for possible funding opportunities in your state.
- State foundations are a good resource to help fund local-level programs. Many states have a state council, society, or association of foundations where you can find out about the foundations in your state. Using an internet search engine, such as Google or Yahoo, search for your state foundations. For example, a search for “Iowa foundations” can lead you to the website for the Iowa Council of Foundations, which lists foundations in the state.
Writing Grants Many people are intimidated by grant writing. Fortunately, there are resources available to help write grants including books, workshops, and online resources. Below are some websites that can help you write grants.
- The Foundation Center’s website is comprehensive and has reliable content. For assistance with grant writing, start in the Frequently Asked Questions section with the question, “How can I learn about proposal writing?” The website also includes links to example grant proposals. The Foundation Center website
- The Community Tool Box is an online resource for developing and managing community health programs. The Tool Box has one chapter dedicated to getting grants, and it has information on writing a grant application. The Community Tool Box website. The Grantsmanship Center is a national organization that offers workshops and seminars in researching grants, writing grant proposals, and negotiating with funding sources. Grantsmanship Center website
- State nonprofit associations often have workshops on writing grants. Search the internet for your state’s nonprofit association and consider attending one of its grant-writing workshops.
- Another option is to hire a grant-writing consultant. You can ask colleagues in other community nonprofit organizations about available consultants in your area, or you can search the internet. The Foundation Center has some questions in the Frequently Asked Questions portion of its website on this topic.
