Reference Guide for Researchers

If you are an individual seeking grants to conduct research, this user aid will help you in your search. We have selected a few of the most important print and electronic resources for you to begin your search.

Because most private foundations make grants only to incorporated nonprofit organizations, individual grantseekers must follow a different funding path than organizations with tax-exempt status. Some private foundations currently offer support for individual projects; it is up to you to determine which foundations might be interested in your particular subject area or project.

The Foundation Center has identified a range of materials useful to individual researchers seeking funding for the support of their own creative pursuits. Feel free to refer to them, read introductions, scan indexes, and think of all the subjects and terms by which you can identify your project. Knowledge of support available from local and national research organizations will also be to your benefit. You need to be both creative and flexible in your approach to seeking funding.

If you are unfamiliar with the process of grantseeking, you may want to start with the Individual Grantseekers area of the Foundation Center's web site. Here, you will also be able to access Foundation Center Worksheets for individual projects, which help you develop a statement of purpose and funding and affiliations profiles.

Information on proposal writing for individual grantseekers can be found in our FAQ "Where can I find information on proposal writing for individual grantseekers?".

Electronic Resources for Individual Researchers

Foundation Grants to Individuals Online (http://gtionline.foundationcenter.org/)
The Foundation Center's online database includes more than 7,000 grantmaker programs that provide support to individuals. Available at a low monthly subscription rate.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (http://www.cfda.gov)
Contains information on categories of federal assistance to the public, such as loans, research grants, donations, and technical assistance, and includes objectives, eligibility, application process, financial information, and the names of related government programs.

Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov)
The "electronic storefront for Federal grants," organized by topic. Selecting a topic provides links to funding pages for federal agencies.

National Endowment for the Humanities (http://www.neh.gov/)
Supports learning in all areas of the humanities and funds research and education.

National Institutes of Health (http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm)
The Office of Extramural Research offers grants in the form of fellowships and support for research projects in the field of biomedicine.

National Science Foundation (http://www.nsf.gov)
Funds research and education in sciences, mathematics, and engineering through grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements.

Social Science Research Council (http://www.ssrc.org)
Supports fellowships and grant programs in the social sciences. The Fellowship section of the web site provides access to information on current funding opportunities and online applications. There is also a useful guide to writing research grant proposals, The Art of Writing Proposals: Some Candid Suggestions for Applicants to Social Science Research Council Competitions, available in full text.

Recommended Books for Individual Researchers

Foundation Grants to Individuals. New York, NY: The Foundation Center, annual. Profiles more than 7,000 foundation programs that make grants to individuals for education, arts and culture, general welfare, and more.

Annual Register of Grant Support: A Directory of Funding Sources. . Medford, NJ: Information Today, annual. Describes over 3,500 grant programs in all subjects. Covers government, public and private foundation, corporate, association and other special interest support programs.

Grants Register: The Complete Guide to Postgraduate Funding Worldwide. New York, NY: Palgrave Publishers LTD, annual. Lists more than 3,500 scholarships, fellowships, and awards at all levels of graduate study. Fellowships and awards span a variety of subjects.

Directory of Biomedical and Health Care Grants*. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, 2006. Contains descriptions of over 2,300 funding programs which support research grants in health-related areas.

Directory of Research Grants*. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, 2006. Features about 3,500 listings of programs that offer research funding for projects in medicine, the physical and social sciences, humanities and the arts, and education.

Financial Aid for Research and Creative Activities Abroad 2008-2010. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, annual. Lists scholarships, fellowships, loans, grants, awards, and internships abroad.

Fulbright U.S. Student Program: Grants for Graduate Study, Research or Teaching Assistantships Abroad. New York, NY: Institute of International Education, annual. Lists financial assistance programs administered by the Institute of International Education and available to U.S. graduate students for study and research abroad.

Research Projects and Research Proposals: A Guide for Scientists Seeking Funding. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2004. Directed to scientists who wish to design and write proposals for funding agencies. Includes project planning, information about specific government funders (as well as more general recommendations about researching private foundations), and grants management.

*Also available on the library computers as GRANTSELECT.

For other articles and books for individual researchers, check under the subject heading "Research--directories" in the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature.