Grants and scholarships are widely available.
Grant-making institutions -- including the federal government, corporations and private foundations -- give away hundreds of billions of dollars each year to support a wide variety of projects that serve a public interest. Grants are available to support art, science, education, social services, environmental improvement, public safety, local communities and a host of other areas. Funding is generally provided to schools, local governments, nonprofit groups and other organizations, although grants to individuals are also available. There are several key tools you can use to help find grant opportunities.
Grants.gov
Information on more than 1,000 grant programs that provide more than $500 billion in federal grant money is available through Grants.gov. This "one stop shopping" site coordinates information from dozens of federal agencies, provides guidance on grant eligibility and provides access to the grant application process.
The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE)
DSIRE is a comprehensive resource for grants and other forms of financial assistance in support of renewable energy and energy conservation projects including solar energy, wind energy, geothermal, biomass and weatherization projects. The database, despite its name, goes beyond state programs and includes information on federal and private-sector grants.
The Foundation Center
The Foundation Center is a nonprofit organization that coordinates information on thousands of grant programs from government, businesses and foundations. The Center operates five free resource libraries in major cities like New York and San Francisco as well as hundreds of "Cooperating Centers" in libraries across the country.
Foundation Directory Online
The Foundation Center has an online subscription service that allows users to search their inventory of grant-making organizations. The directory can search funders by topic area, geographical coverage, eligible recipients and other factors. You can use the directory at no charge by visiting one of the Center's libraries.
Scholarships
A large number of grants in the form of scholarships are available to support academic attendance, performance and research. Sites like scholarships.com and books such as "The Scholarship Book" offer an up-to-date overview of scholarship programs, eligibility and application procedures.
