Not knowing exactly where to start a search for funding is a problem for many Safe Communities coalitions. According to the Foundation Center, the percent of grant dollars given to health care ranks second, right after education. With millions of dollars available for health funding (including injury prevention) and thousands of private foundations, corporate grantmakers and public charities giving, it pays to know how to begin a search for funding.

According to "Where to Begin the Search for Funding: What Grantseekers Need to Know," among other things you should start locally, try to match missions with a foundation, train your board and coalition members to be effective fundraisers, and use outcome evaluation to sustain funding.

The following are Web sites that have many free or low cost resources to assist grantseekers and non-profit organizations:

Where to Begin the Search for Funding: What Grantseekers Need to Know
The HHS Office of Minority Health published this excellent newsletter. While some of the information deals specifically with minority populations, most of the issue is germane to anyone searching for public or private funding of community activities. To go to the funding directory page CLICK HERE.

Grants.gov allows organizations to electronically find and apply for competitive grant opportunities from all Federal grant-making agencies. Grants.gov is THE single access point for over 900 grant programs offered by the 26 Federal grant-making agencies. The US Department of Health and Human Services is proud to be the managing partner for Grants.gov, an initiative that will have an unparalleled impact on the grant community. To learn more about this, CLICK HERE.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy is a newspaper available in print and online format for charity leaders, fundraisers, grant makers, and other organizations involved in the philanthropic enterprise worldwide. To learn more about this, CLICK HERE.

GrantsNet is a service of the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services for learning more about HHS grants and other federal funding opportunities, getting information on application processes and grant management, as well as finding other grant resources. For more information CLICK HERE.

Safe Communities Self Sufficiency The CDC National Center for Injury Prevention and Control's 2004 Federal Assistance Funding Book (FAFB) is now available, CLICK HERE to request your copy. The FY 2004 FAFB will contain most new competitive opportunities; however, additional grant and cooperative agreement opportunities may become available because of programmatic planning and Congressional action. CDC is committed to maximum competition for its grants and cooperative agreement opportunities, and they are striving to provide support for all eligible entities that seek to apply for their financial assistance programs. Fiscal year (FY) 2003 awardees will be listed in the October edition of "What's New at CDC's Injury Center. Future notifications like these go out routinely through the NCIPC Announcement Listserv. Sign up is easy; CLICK HERE to be added to the email database.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance This searchable database gives you access to all Federal programs available to State and local governments, Indian tribal governments, domestic public, quasi-public, and private profit and nonprofit organizations and institutions, specialized groups, and individuals. For more information CLICK HERE.

Foundation Center Online has a mission to support and improve institutional philanthropy by promoting public understanding of the field and helping grantseekers succeed. For more information CLICK HERE.

Internet Nonprofit Center offers information for and about nonprofit organizations in the United States. For more information CLICK HERE.

National Center for Nonprofit Boards is dedicated to increasing the effectiveness of nonprofit organizations by strengthening their boards of directors. For more information CLICK HERE.

Regional Associations of Grantsmakers RAGs can provide current listings of foundations in specific geographic areas and some offer grantseekers other resources. For more information CLICK HERE.

This web page is a work-in-progress and more information and links to resources will be added as they are identified. If your Safe Communities coalition has a success story on fundraising or sustainability you would be willing to share with others, please email details to the Safe Communities Service Center at Safe.Communities@nhtsa.dot.gov.