Use this guide as a starting point for grants research. If you have questions after consulting these resources, contact a librarian by visiting your local Monroe County Library System library, calling a reference librarian (use the Member Library Directory to find phone numbers), or by completing the Ask a Librarian online form.

This guide answers the following questions:

	Do I really need a grant, or something else?
	Where can I find information on grants for nonprofit organizations?
	Can I do any of my research on the Internet?
	Where can I find information on government grants?
	What about grants for individuals?

DO I REALLY NEED A GRANT, OR SOMETHING ELSE?

Various programs exist to provide financial assistance for specific purposes.

	If you are a college student looking for financial aid (scholarships, grants, etc.) for education, see Find Financial Aid for Colleges and Universities.
	If you are interested in start-up funding for a small business, see Start a Small Business.
	If you want assistance with home improvements or first-time home ownership, and you live in Rochester, see City of Rochester Bureau of Housing and Project Development. If you do not live in the city, check with your local government for similar programs. Use the listing of local government websites to find your town or village.
	If you have an urgent personal need, such as emergency housing, transportation issues, or legal questions, see the Health Association's website for information about 2-1-1 Finger Lakes Region, NY Resource Database.

People are often surprised to discover that foundation grants generally are awarded to nonprofit organizations, rather than to individuals, and that the application process takes time. Experienced grantseekers allow six to 12 months from the time a proposal is submitted until funding is secured, and know that not every proposal will be successful. For a closer look at some of the realities of grantseeking (and some possible alternatives), see Should We Apply for a Grant?

WHERE CAN I FIND INFORMATION ON GRANTS FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS?

Every library in the Monroe County Library System has a copy of the "Guide to Grantmakers in the Rochester Area." This directory is published by the Rochester Grantmakers Forum to help local nonprofit organizations identify potential funders. Many public libraries also have the "Foundation Directory" as well as books on fundraising, proposal writing, and nonprofit management. Use the Member Library Directory to find the Monroe County library nearest you. Call to ask about their grants resources.

The Rochester area's largest grants information collection is located at the Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County, on the fourth floor of the Bausch and Lomb Public Library Building (115 South Avenue, Rochester, NY  14604). The Grants Information Center is part of the Foundation Center's national network of over 200 Cooperating Collections. To schedule an orientation for yourself or your group, call (585) 428-8120.

The Central Library provides free access to the Foundation Center's major electronic database, the "Foundation Directory Online." This database contains a file of over 70,000 private and corporate foundations, is updated biweekly, and may be searched using multiple categories, such as field of interest, type of support, and geographic focus.

Library staff will help you start your grant search by suggesting appropriate resources and teaching you to use them. Staff cannot recommend specific funders or write proposals.

CAN I DO ANY OF MY RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET?

The Foundation Center's website is the best place to start. These features especially are helpful to beginners:

	The Virtual Classroom which features online tutorials, including Orientation to Grantseeking, Guide to Funding Research, and Proposal Writing Short Course.
	Frequently Asked Questions which covers such questions as What are 990-PF's and where can I find them? Where can I find examples of grant proposals? How do I establish a nonprofit organization?
	Links to Nonprofit Resources which provides an extensive list of other websites for grantseekers.

To generate lists of foundations that may be a good match for your proposal, you will want to use one of the Foundation Center's online databases: "Foundation Directory Online" or "Foundation Grants to Individuals." Both are available by paid subscription on the Center's website. However, free access is provided at the Grants Information Center at the Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County. (Note: The electronic databases are more current than their print counterparts found at many libraries.)

You can also use search engines such as Google (see the Google Tutorial to learn how to do a search) using keywords such as grants, foundations, or fundraising combined with words defining your areas of interest (education, youth development, health services, etc.) to find even more websites.

WHERE CAN I FIND INFORMATION ON GOVERNMENT GRANTS?

There are many governmental websites containing information on grants. Start with:

	Grants Action News, a bimonthly publication from the New York State Assembly Speaker's Office, announces some state and federal grant opportunities.
	Grants.gov is intended to provide a single comprehensive website where grantseekers may find, apply for, and manage federal grant opportunities electronically.
	FirstGov, the U.S. Government's official web portal, includes information on federal benefits and grants for individuals.
	FirstGov for Nonprofits allows users to identify grant programs by the sponsoring cabinet department or federal agency as well as by type of support.
	The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance lists all federal assistance programs available to state and local governments, nonprofit organizations, specialized groups, and individuals.

WHAT ABOUT GRANTS FOR INDIVIDUALS?

If you are a college student, you may be eligible for scholarships and educational grants from a variety of sources (see Find Financial Aid for Colleges and Universities).

For federal programs that assist individuals, including persons with disabilities, seniors, teachers, veterans, workers and others, check the "For Citizens" section of FirstGov.

Some foundation grants may be awarded to individuals, but these grants have very specific limitations placed on them by the IRS. Because of these regulations, most of the recipients are established artists, writers, musicians, filmmakers, and researchers. For more details on seeking this type of grant, see Frequently Asked Questions for Individual Grantseekers on the Foundation Center's website. The best resource to search is the Foundation Center's publication, "Foundation Grants to Individuals." Some public libraries in Monroe County have this directory in print; the Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County provides free access to the electronic (and more up-to-date) version.

Library staff will help you start your grant search by suggesting appropriate resources and teaching you to use them. Staff cannot recommend specific funders or write proposals.