How do you find a Christian foundation that will support your work?
There are over 80,000 foundations in the country today. Some of them do not accept applications. They give only to those organizations which they choose to support. Generally, the only way an organization might receive a grant from one of these foundations is if you know someone on their board.
For those that do accept applications, the majority of those foundations do not identify themselves as Christian or as supporting Christian organizations. The fact that they do not identify themselves as Christian, however, does not mean that a Christian organization is prohibited from receiving a grant. The key to receiving a grant from these foundations is first relationship. Do you know anyone on staff? Do you know anyone on the board? Or you can simply call up the staff and ask for an appointment. In any event, the key is to study the grantmaking history of the particular foundation. That history will tell you the likelihood of receiving a grant from that foundation. For instance, if the foundation has only given to the symphony or the art museum but never to a Christian organization, they are probably not your best candidate to submit a grant proposal.
There are foundations that identify themselves as explicitly Christian. They are the best candidates. As with the other foundations, it is important to emphasize the relationship aspect. Similarly, keep in mind that even with Christian foundations, they generally have a particular area of emphasis, whether it is international, homeless, evangelism etc. It is important to understand the grant history of these foundations.
The message? Research your foundations. A targeted grant request is much more efficient than a shotgun approach. So start your research with the right database search.
--William High is the President of the Servant Christian Community Foundation -- www.servantchristian.com. Christian Foundation Grants (www.christianfoundationgrants.com) is subscription database of foundations that provide grants to faith based organizations. iDonate.com is a website (www.iDonate.com) that allows ministries to receive non cash gifts online.