Foundations and Funders

Communicating with Funders

1. Research: Read their website, tax forms and other materials to learn what project/programs the funder typically works with.
2. Relationships: Communicate with the funder and broaden your personal relationship to better understand how the funder's staff operate.
3. Stories with Numbers: Communicating stories about your organization built upon solid facts and evaluations will better win over grantmakers.
4. Be Clear: Knowing what you are trying to accomplish with your project/program ahead of time will help you throughout the entire process.

Foundation Center Funding Information Network

ONEplace@kpl is a Network Partner. This gives all Kalamazoo County nonprofits access to search the vast database of grantmakers across the country from any computer located within the Kalamazoo Public Library.  Simply follow the link below to get started. 

Access the Foundation Center Funding Information Network (must be on KPL computer)

Foundation Directory Online Search Assistance

Foundation Directory Online (FDO) is a research tool to help nonprofits find the grantmakers most likely to fund their projects. 

Search By Phrase in FDO

Learn about FDO’s global search bar and open-ended search to find funders.

Navigating Search Results in FDO

Learn about FDO’s search functionalities and how FDO helps you find the best matched funders.