Funding Research
Find Your Optimal Funding Opportunities
Finding grant opportunities is only the beginning. Choosing the right ones to pursue is vital for protecting your organization’s resources.
I provide focused funding research to help nonprofits, higher education institutions, and other grant-seeking organizations identify promising sources of support and make informed decisions about where to invest their time. Depending on the scope of the engagement, research may include private foundations, corporate funders, government programs, and other institutional funding sources.
The process begins with a structured assessment of your organization, project, funding needs, service population, and geographic reach. I then research potential funders and opportunities using appropriate databases, public sources, funder websites, and targeted search strategies. Each opportunity is reviewed for factors such as eligibility, mission alignment, geographic and population focus, funding priorities, typical award size, deadlines, application requirements, and evidence of past giving.
For smaller organizations, this may mean identifying a manageable group of well-aligned prospects for a specific project. For larger nonprofits or higher education institutions, the work can expand into a broader funding pipeline that compares multiple opportunities, establishes priorities, tracks deadlines, and supports long-term planning.
The goal is not to produce the longest possible list. It is to narrow the field to opportunities that deserve serious consideration.
Example Deliverables
A typical funding research engagement may include identification and assessment of 5 to 10 prospective funding sources, with the scope adjusted for the organization and project.
A Funding Research Memorandum may include:
Funder name and organizational overview
Funding opportunity name and summary
Eligibility requirements
Mission, geographic, and population alignment
Funding priorities and supported activities
Typical or available award amounts
Application deadlines and timing considerations
Relevant application or technical requirements
Preliminary assessment of competitiveness and practical fit
Key advantages, limitations, or issues to investigate before proceeding
Expanded engagements may also include:
A prioritized prospect list
A 12-month grant submission calendar
Recommendations for sequencing applications
Funder contact information and outreach considerations
Preliminary outreach strategies
Ongoing monitoring for new or updated opportunities