On this page, you will find links to government and private sector resources you can use to find funds, strengthen your organization, and more. If you find a bad link or out of date information on VA Web pages, please let us know. However, VA is not responsible for maintaining the content of non-VA Web sites. If you find errors on non-VA pages, please contact the organization responsible for the page directly.

Outreach Program Toolkit (click here)

The VA Outreach Program Toolkit provides information to individuals and faith-based and community organizations on many programs and services for veterans and their families and how they can partner with VA to participate in these programs.  This information can be reviewed on-line and printed out, or the PDF can be down loaded and distributed to others in your organizations or network.

Find Grantmakers & Get Help with Proposal Writing:

Government Sites:

• Federal funding grant writing tutorial (Environmental Protection Agency site) - although this tool provided by the EPA is geared toward environmental organizations, it is widely useful for any group seeking federal funding
• How to write a federal grant proposal (General Services Administration site) - provided by the Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance

Non-government Sites:

• Grantmakers Locator provided by the Foundation Center
• Community Foundation Locator provided by Council on Foundations
• Common grant applications provided by the Foundation Center
• Tools for grant seekers at The Grantsmanship Center

2008 "Art and Science of Grant Writing Training" Calender and Contact Information:

• HUD list of dates and contacts

Become a Registered Nonprofit Organization

• How to become a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization -  provided by the IRS
• Get Ready, Get Set - a guide on starting a nonprofit organization from the Center for Nonprofit Management

Improve Your Organizational Management

Board Management

• Board Café - tips and tools on nonprofit board management from CompassPoint Nonprofit Services
• BoardSource - tips and tools on nonprofit board management from BoardSource, formerly the National Center for Nonprofit boards

Strategic Planning

• Strategy Development Tools - Articles and publications from the Center for Effective Philanthropy that help bring strategic thinking to philanthropy and nonprofit activity

Organizational Assessment

• Organizational Self-Assessment Tool - Drucker Foundation Self-Assessment Tool from the Leader to Leader Institute

General Resources

• Compassion Capital Fund (CCF) National Resource Center - valuable information from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on increasing the capacity of faith-based and community organizations with a proven track record of serving the needs of at-risk and/or low-income individuals and families
• Faith and Service Technical Education Network (FASTEN) - informational resources and networking opportunities for faith-based practitioners, private philanthropies, and public administrators who seek to collaborate effectively to renew urban communities
• Nonprofit management resources - From the Leader to Leader Institute
• Nonprofit management resources - From The Nonprofit Genie
• Technology resources and training - Technology solutions for faith-based organizations from Breakaway, a community technology consortium

Build Your Community

• Economic Development Reference Guide - From the International Economic Development Council, this is a good source for tools and resources related to a range of urban economic development issues
• Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation - The Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation provides useful material on neighborhood revitalization, lending compliance and more
• Publications & Video Catalogue - From the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, this contains a range of helpful resources pertaining to the full range of issues pertaining to neighborhood and community economic development
• Asset Based Community Development Institute - From the leaders in asset-based thought and development at Northwestern University
• A Community Development Toolbox - From Penn State and Cornell University, this useful step-by-step tool for community economic development is geared toward rural communities but is just as useful for urban neighborhoods
• Establishing a Church-based, Welfare-to-Work Mentoring Ministry: A Practical "How-To" Manual - Written by Amy Sherman, Hudson Institute, this manual helps congregations understand how to serve the public good by helping people find good jobs
• The ABCs of Community Ministry: A Curriculum for Congregations -  Also written by Amy Sherman, Hudson Institute, this manual helps congregations understand how to reach out and meet critical needs in their community

SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business," is a resource partner of the SBA decicated to entrepreneur education.  Nonprofits often need business related skills which experienced SCORE counselors can provide.  SCORE is the premier source of free and confidential small business advice to help entrepreneurs from idea to start-up to success.  For more information, click on the following links below:

• *SCORE Homepage - Is a resources partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration
• *SCORE Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives - Give advice along with business planning tools for non-profits

* The link marked with asterisk (*) is an External Link.  By clicking on this, you will be leaving the Department of Veterans Affairs Website.

Find Government Program Guides & Handbooks

• 10 Things Your Faith Community Can Do To Encourage Home Ownership - Use this U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development guide to discover what you and your community of faith can do to help more people in your neighborhood become homeowners.
• America Career Kit Electronic Tools (PDF format) - This Department of Labor toolkit helps community-based organizations understand how they can join forces with their local workforce development system in helping people find good jobs.
• The Charitable Choice Handbook for Ministry Leaders - Written by Amy Sherman, Hudson Institute, this manual helps faith-based organizations understand the Charitable Choice provision that exists in several federal programs.

Additional Resources

• Technical Assistance Events and Resources - This White House Web site provides intermediaries and faith and community-based organizations with helpful links to information, tools, and resources.
• Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance - This General Services Administration Web site gives you access to a database of all federal programs available to state and local governments (including the District of Columbia); federally recognized Indian tribal governments; Territories (and possessions) of the United States; domestic public, quasi-public, and private profit and nonprofit organizations and institutions; specialized groups; and individuals.
• The Foundation Center - The Foundation Center is an independent nonprofit information clearinghouse established in 1956. The center's mission is to foster public understanding of the foundation field by collecting, organizing, analyzing, and disseminating information on foundations, corporate giving, and related subjects.

Grants Funding

Grants Catalog (White House)
Find Federal grant opportunities suitable for faith-based and community organizations in the grants catalog called "Federal Funds for Organizations That Help Those in Need".

Developing Quality Grant Proposals (White House)
Develop a quality grant proposal with the help of this guide.

DUNS Number (U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services)
All Federal grant applicants are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number.

Available Funding (White House)
Information on how FBCOs can apply now for several Federal grants.