You have determined a project idea and are ready to begin the research to find the RFP that is the best match your project. 

There are many viable approaches to searching for and  locating project funding, but the most effective are those that utilize  appropriate technologies. With the specifics of your project in mind,  look for RFPs using the state, federal, and foundation grants  databases/search engines listed in this week’s Learning Resources. This  is an important step, so take your time in identifying grant providers  that issue grant awards that align to your organization’s specific cause  or need. Bookmark these websites to your own computer and keep notes in  the Process Development Template. Each website offers a wealth of  varied information for grant seekers that can greatly enhance your  developing understanding of grantsmanship. 

When reviewing RFPs, look specifically for the following information: 

• Who is eligible to apply?
• How many awards/grants are being given?
• Dollar amount of the grant/award
• Collaboration/partnership requirements
• Length of the grant period
• For private funders, who is on their board and does the applicant have any existing relationships with anyone?

Keep in mind:

• RFPs that refer to online applications may tend to be less complicated.
• RFPs for multi-year projects will be more complicated than those for a one-year time period.

Note: For purposes of this course, please adhere to the following parameters:

• Do not use RFPs for a research project.
• Do not worry about submission dates that appear on the RFP.

As you examine various sites, document where  you searched and the keywords you used. Keep in mind that if you do not  find an appropriate and applicable RFP (there isn’t always a funder for  every project), you may need to adjust your project or your project  plan. Assess your project honestly to determine whether or not you need  to explore another course of action. 

For this Discussion, analyze your search results for  state, federal, and foundation grants, and select the RFPs that best  match your project. 

Post a link (URL) for each of the  three RFPs that best align to your project(Helping single mothers become self sufficient to take care of their family without the help of welfare). Include a brief summary that  provides a rationale for each of your choices. The rationale should  address the alignment of the RFP to your project idea as well as  alignment of the funder itself. Why is this a good match? 

Required Readings

Ward, D. (2012). Writing grant proposals that win (4th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Chapter 4, “Understanding Federal RFPs” (pp. 35–44)
Chapter 6, “Private-Sector Funding” (pp. 51–61)
 

Cook, A. (2008). Global dimension in service learning: A collaborative grant-writing project. International Education, 37(2), 6–16.
 
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
 

Minnesota Council on Foundations. (n.d.-b). Overview of the grantseeking process. Retrieved September 29, 2016 from http://www.mcf.org/nonprofits/grantseeking-process
 

Websites for Grant Seekers

Catalog of Federal and Domestic Assistance. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2016, from www.cfda.gov
 

Center for Nonprofit Excellence. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2016, from www.thecne.org
 

Efficient Gov. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2016, from http://efficientgov.com/subscribe/
 
Note: Please ignore the warning.
 

Note: This subscription service carries a fee, but is a useful resource to bookmark.
 

Grant Gopher. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2016, from www.grantgopher.com
 

Grants.gov. (n.d.-a). Retrieved September 29, 2016, from www.grants.gov
 

GrantsAlert.com. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2016, from www.grantsalert.com
 

Grantspace. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2016, from http://grantspace.org/
 

The Chronicle of Philanthropy. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2016, from https://philanthropy.com/?topics=grant+seeking#mostrecent
 

Note: This subscription service carries a fee, but is a useful resource to bookmark.
 

The NonProfitTimes. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2016, from www.thenonprofittimes.com/grants
 

U.S. Department of Education. (n.d.). Apply for a grant. Retrieved September 29, 2016, from www2.ed.gov/grantapps