Federal and State Government Agencies that Fund Prevention | Related Federal Initiatives | Announcement of New National Coordinator Program | Foundations as a Funding Source for Prevention | Ten Tips for Writing Successful Proposals | Identifying a Qualified Grant Writer | Tips for Developing Relationships with Potential Funders |

A foundation is a non-governmental, nonprofit organization that provides financial support to organizations and activities that serve the public good. There are currently more than 45,000 foundations in the United States. They fall into four categories:

1. Independent foundations, funded by a person or family of wealth

2. Corporate foundations, funded by business corporations

3. Operating foundations, which run research, social welfare, or other charitable programs

4. Community foundations, which focus on a specific community or region

There are three main approaches to researching foundations:

• The subject approach identifies foundations that have expressed an interest in funding programs in a specific subject field, such as prevention, higher education, or the arts.

• The geographic approach identifies foundations that fund programs in a particular city, state, or region. Although some give nationally and even internationally, most funders limit their giving to specific geographic areas.

• The type of support approach identifies foundations that provide specific types of support, such as building funds, seed money, scholarships to individuals, or general operating support.

When assessing the appeal of an organization or project, funding officials will first ascertain whether the proposed project matches the funders' interest. They will also want to be see evidence that each of the following is true:

• The proposal addresses an existing need.

• The applicant is well-known in its community.

• The applicant has a history of funding by other sources.

• The applicant has the capacity to successfully complete the project (e.g., a strong, involved board; committed volunteers; qualified staff).

• The applicant's budget is realistic.

Here are some prominent national foundations that have a strong history of providing support to prevention projects throughout the United States:

• The Annie E. Casey Foundation, which provides grants to organizations at the state, city, and community level that address the needs of at-risk children and families. Contact: (410) 547-660 or www.aecf.org.

• The JM Foundation, which provides grants to projects in the areas of rehabilitation for people with disabilities, prevention and wellness, prevention education, early intervention for substance use, and health policy research. Contact: (212) 687-7735.

• The Pew Charitable Trusts, which provides grants to nonprofit organizations in the fields of culture, education, the environment, health and human services, public policy, and religion. Contact: (215) 575-4939 or www.pewtrusts.com.

• The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which provides grants to organizations working toward the following goals: to ensure access to basic health care to all Americans at a reasonable price; to improve services for people with chronic health conditions; and to reduce harm caused by tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs. Contact: (609) 452-8701 or http://www.rwjf.org.

• The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, which provides grants to projects in the areas of health, food systems and rural development, youth and education, higher education, philanthropy, and volunteerism. Contact: (919) 968-0413 or www.wkkf.org.

Additional Resources

• The Foundation Center is an excellent resource for information about foundation funding. You can find their directory, a complete compilation of foundations throughout the country, at "cooperating collections" (free information centers in libraries, community foundations, and other nonprofit resource centers that house Foundation Center publications and other supplementary materials) in your state.

• Regional Associations of Grantmakers (RAGs) is a nonprofit membership association of foundations and related organizations that work to strengthen philanthropy in each geographic region. Each RAG produces a directory of local foundations, which it sells for a reasonable price. Visit the RAG website for a listing of local contacts.

• Join Together, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting community-based efforts to prevent substance abuse and gun violence, provides information on both government and non-government funding for prevention.

References

The Foundation Center. Available online at http://foundationcenter.org/

The Northeast Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies. Available online at www.northeastcapt.org/science/faq/faq-07.asp.