Grant Applicants
Federal Grants Resources
Please find resources for federal grant opportunities.
Federal support is sometimes available in the form of grants or other funding to assist with projects and programs that implement federal laws. My office is ready to assist you with information on grant availability and guidance in applying for a grant. For assistance with your application, please call my Ontario office at (909) 481-6474.
OVERVIEW
The federal government typically awards grants to universities, researchers, state and local governments, law enforcement, and non-profit organizations and institutions planning and implementing projects that will benefit a specific community or our state as a whole.
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has prepared two reports that provide a general overview for those seeking federal grants. I encourage you to read these two reports before searching for grant programs or preparing grant proposals.
The federal government does not offer grants to individuals to start businesses or cover personal expenses. Websites or other publications claiming to offer "free money from the government" are often scams that should be reported to the Federal Trade Commission. However, there are government websites that outline federal programs assisting with personal needs, student loans,small business development, or finding government business opportunities.
KEY FUNDING SOURCES
The following federal websites list specific grant programs available to the public:
- Grants.gov. This website lists grant opportunities from every federal agency. The website also helps grant seekers obtain a Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS) number and register on the System for Award Management (SAM), a requirement for obtaining most federal grants.
In addition to federal grants, you can also consider securing grants through the following non-federal sources:
- Foundation Center Grant Space. The center’s website is a gateway to information about private funding sources, the grant-seeking process, guidelines on writing a grant proposal, state libraries with grants reference collections and links to other useful websites. The center also offers a variety of training and educational seminars.
- Grantsmanship Center. This organization offers links to California’s foundations, national community foundations and corporate giving programs.
- Council on Foundations. The Council on Foundations’ website has a list of the more than 750 community foundations throughout the nation that award grants.
California Grant Resources
Please find resources specific to the State of California.
Please find resources for grants and programs in agriculture, business, community development, cultural affairs, education, environmental quality, health, law, natural resources, and transportation.
California Workforce Investment Board
This government body was created in 1998 to oversee and guarantee compliance with the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) passed in the same year. This website also includes a list of existing funding opportunities.
California Department of Education
Information about applications, proposals, and other data are updated daily. You can search available funding by fiscal year, type, topic, keyword(s), or any combination.
If you are a California graduating high school senior or recent graduate, or just got your GED, and meet academic, financial, and eligibility requirements you may qualify for a Cal Grant for college, career, or technical school.
California Agency List of Requests for Proposals (RFP)
California State University at Northridge has compiled a webpage that leads to each California agency or department webpage listing active RFPs for all grant programs.
Top California Private Foundation
The foundations below are consistently among the top givers in California. Please note, that each foundation has different needs. Some will only fund in a certain geographical region or a specific area.
This website has comprehensive grants information about current federal, state, city, local, foundation, and corporate grants. You can create a free account to view their archives to get an idea of what types of grants have been awarded in the past.
Grant Resources by State (Grantsmanship Center)
Click on the state map to find links to information about a state’s foundations, community foundations, corporate giving programs, and the state’s home page.