I am forming a non-profit organization. Where can I find pro-bono or contingency grant writers?
459032
Here are some resources to help you find someone to help you in writing a grant:\n\nMinnesota Council on Foundations Writing a Successful Grant Proposal http://www.mcf.org/mcf/grant/writing.htm \nAmerican Association of Grant Professionals http://www.grantprofessionals.org/\nNon profit Guides http://www.npguides.org/ \nGrantExperts.com http://www.grantexperts.com\nAssociation of Fund Raising Professionals http://www.afpnet.org/
656129
There are grant writers around who can help you write a grant. The American Association of Grant Professionals http://www.grantprofessionals.org/ has a listing of grant writers per state. You may want to contact them and hire them to help you write a grant proposal. http://www.grantprofessionals.org/consultant/grant_consultants.php\n\nNote though that these grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments. Most of the federal grants are given to specific target groups with specific requirements (e.g. minority business owners involved in transportation related contracts emanating from DOT - Grant#20.905 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Short Term Lending Program. Individuals especially for personal purposes are not eligible for federal grants. \n\nGrants are also often given to non profit groups or organizations involved in training or other similar activities (grant 59.043 Women's Business Ownership Assistance that are given to those who will create women's business center that will train women entrepreneurs \n\nYou can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov - these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. Browse through the listings and see if you can find any grant that would support your purposes.\n\nEven if you buy books on "how to get grants" or list that supposedly has information on grants -- all of them are mere rehash of what CFDA has, albeit packaged differently.
85847
Start at www.bridgestar.com - devoted to nonprofits but designed with a "business" perspective.  You'll find the link/answer you're looking for.
257395
A good answer depends on what sort of writing you want to do.\n\nA great place to hang out and get help from successful writers is http://www.aboutfreelancewriting.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl\n\nThe group is generous and supportive. Newcomers are particularly welcome.
417042
Here's a site that might help you...a basic book written by a lawyer on starting a non-profit in the US: http://www.lawyeratlarge.com/Common/Previews/NonPro.html\n\nAnd, the For Dummies books has a good book called: \n\nNonprofit Kit for Dummies (With CD-ROM) \nby Stan Hutton, Frances Phillips \n\navailable on Amazon.com as a used book.  Best of luck!
476195
It is hard to find grants to start a business or for personal purposes such as fixing the furnace or fixing teeth. Unlike the myths that some perpetuate, federal government and even private foundations hardly give grant money for a for-profit business. And yes, grants mean PAPERWORK - lots and lots of it, that is why a cottage industry of grant writers was born.\n\nNonetheless, you can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov - these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. Browse through the listings and see if you can find any grant that would support a for-profit venture or personal purposes.\n\nEven if you buy books on "how to get grants" or list that supposedly has information on grants -- all of them are mere rehash of what CFDA has, albeit packaged differently. But still the info is the same - hardly any grants for starting a for profit business.\n\nEven SBA does NOT give out grants. From the SBA website http://www.sba.gov/expanding/grants.html\n\n"The U.S. Small Business Administration does not offer grants to start or expand small businesses, although it does offer a wide variety of loan programs. (See http://www.sba.gov/financing for more information) While SBA does offer some grant programs, these are generally designed to expand and enhance organizations that provide small business management, technical, or financial assistance. These grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments."\n\nMost of the federal grants are given to specific target groups with specific requirements (e.g. minority business owners involved in transportation related contracts emanating from DOT - Grant#20.905 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Short Term Lending Program \n\nGrants are also often given to non profit groups or organizations involved in training or other similar activities (grant 59.043 Women's Business Ownership Assistance that are given to those who will create women's business center that will train women entrepreneurs \n\nFor private grants, you may want to check the Foundation Center's Foundation Grants for Individuals Online. It's a subscription based website ($9.95 per month) but their opening blurb only says that the database is ideal for "students, artists, academic researchers, libraries and financial aid offices." Entrepreneurs are apparently not one of them, so I take it they also don't have listings of private foundations who give grants to would-be entrepreneurs.\n\nhttp://www.cfda.gov\nhttp://www.grants.gov\nhttp://gtionline.fdncenter.org\nhttp://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol66/grants.htm\nhttp://www.sba.gov/expanding/grants.html
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I suggest you check out Foundation Center to help you gain ideas on how to properly establish your non profit organization\nhttp://fdncenter.org/getstarted/tutorials/establish/index.html\n\nThe Michigan Nonprofit Association has a great "How to Start a Nonprofit" report that you can view or download. They also have a lot of resources from grant listings to others that can help you in your goal of starting a non profit organization\n\nhttp://www.mnaonline.org/starting.asp\n\nYour best bet is to seek for private grants or grants from private foundations.\n\nThe best resource for this is Foundation Center http://www.fdncenter.org . They have a very good database covering all organizations giving grants and you can find foundations that are interested in supporting your type of cause. However, it's a subscription based website ($19.95 per month I think is the cheapest subscription price). But it certainly is worth the fee. You can subscribe one month, and make sure you get all the info you need and then stop the subscription.\n\nIf you want to try federal sources, you can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov - these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. \n\nCFDA has several ways to search for grants. I suggest you search by beneficiary and select Private Non Profit Organization and you can find listings of grants available http://12.46.245.173/pls/portal30/CATALOG.BROWSE_BENEF_RPT.show\n\n\n\nhttp://www.cfda.gov\nhttp://www.grants.gov\nhttp://gtionline.fdncenter.org\nhttp://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol66/grants.htm\nhttp://www.sba.gov/expanding/grants.html
357362
It is hard to find grants to start a business or for personal reasons such as fixing the basement or getting cosmetic procedures. Unlike the myths that some perpetuate -- including Matthew Lesko, federal government and even private foundations hardly give grant money for a for-profit business. And yes, grants mean PAPERWORK - lots and lots of it, that is why a cottage industry of grant writers was born.\n\nNonetheless, you can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov - these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. Browse through the listings and see if you can find any grant that would support a for-profit venture.\n\nEven if you buy books on "how to get grants" or list that supposedly has information on grants -- all of them are mere rehash of what CFDA has, albeit packaged differently. But still the info is the same - hardly any grants for starting a for profit business.\n\nEven SBA does NOT give out grants. From the SBA website http://www.sba.gov/expanding/grants.html... \n\n"The U.S. Small Business Administration does not offer grants to start or expand small businesses, although it does offer a wide variety of loan programs. (See http://www.sba.gov/financing for more information) While SBA does offer some grant programs, these are generally designed to expand and enhance organizations that provide small business management, technical, or financial assistance. These grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments."\n\nMost of the federal grants are given to specific target groups with specific requirements (e.g. minority business owners involved in transportation related contracts emanating from DOT - Grant#20.905 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Short Term Lending Program \n\nGrants are also often given to non profit groups or organizations involved in training or other similar activities (grant 59.043 Women's Business Ownership Assistance that are given to those who will create women's business center that will train women entrepreneurs \n\nFor private grants, you may want to check the Foundation Center's Foundation Grants for Individuals Online. It's a subscription based website ($9.95 per month) but their opening blurb only says that the database is ideal for "students, artists, academic researchers, libraries and financial aid offices." Entrepreneurs are apparently not one of them, so I take it they also don't have listings of private foundations who give grants to would-be entrepreneurs.
864130
Sounds like a great organization.\n\nYou may need a lawyer to help your group become a nonprofit.
167731
Go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) and Grants.gov - these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. But you'd be hard pressed to find any grant that would support a for-profit venture.\n\nEven if you buy books on "how to get grants" or list that supposedly has information on grants -- all of them are mere rehash of what CFDA has, albeit packaged differently. But still the info is the same - hardly any grants for starting a for profit business.\n\nMost of the federal grants are given to specific target groups with specific requirements (e.g. minority business owners involved in transportation related contracts emanating from DOT - Grant#20.905 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Short Term Lending Program \n\nGrants are also often given to non profit groups or organizations involved in training or other similar activities (grant 59.043 Women's Business Ownership Assistance that are given to those who will create women's business center that will train women entrepreneurs \n\nFor private grants, you may want to check the Foundation Center's Foundation Grants for Individuals Online. It's a subscription based website ($9.95 per month) but their opening blurb only says that the database is ideal for "students, artists, academic researchers, libraries and financial aid offices." Entrepreneurs are apparently not one of them, so I take it they also don't have listings of private foundations who give grants to would-be entrepreneurs.
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I recommend you read the article "How to be a Grant Writer" http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol121/grantwriter.htm - the article covers how to get started in this business, what you need to start, income potential and links to associations and useful websites.\n\nOther resources you may want to check out are:\n\nTeaching Yourself to be a Grantwriter http://www.grantproposal.com/starting_inner.html\nMinnesota Council on Foundations Writing a Successful Grant Proposal http://www.mcf.org/mcf/grant/writing.htm\nAmerican Association of Grant Professionals http://www.grantprofessionals.org/\nNon profit Guides http://www.npguides.org/ \nGrantExperts.com http://www.grantexperts.com\nAssociation of Fund Raising Professionals http://www.afpnet.org/\n\nI also recommend that you check out the following books to get in-depth knowledge of the grant writing business:\n\n- Demystifying Grant Seeking: What You REALLY Need to Do to Get Grants \n- I'll Grant You That: A Step-by-Step Guide to Finding Funds, Designing Winning Projects, and Writing Powerful Grant Proposals \n- Winning Grants: Step by Step, 2nd Edition \n- Grant Winner's Toolkit : Project Management and Evaluation \n- Grant Writing For Dummies®
84271
Google "professional organizer" and you'll get lots of links to people who do it (whom you can ask for advice) as well as the professional societies (of which there are some).
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What you did was so great. It's nice to hear of these very positive stories.\n\nI have found a website that compiles various resources on starting a non profit. I especially like the Minnesota Council of NonProfits because the site gives information on governance, developing strategic alliances, fund raising and other ingredients of successfully running a non profit. \n\nhttp://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/znpbib.htm\n\nAs for funding your non profit, I suggest you check out Foundation Center to help you gain ideas on how to properly establish your organization and get support from private foundations. They have the most extensive database of private donors, and they publish a magazine that can be very helpful to your new non profit.\n\nhttp://fdncenter.org/getstarted/tutorials/establish/index.html\n\nI was previously involved in the setup of a non profit, and we were able to get a pro-bono lawyer who set up everything for us, including getting the 501c3 tax status. Contact other non profits in your area and check if there are lawyers willing to work for free to get you started. \n\nNon profits are just like any business - you need to get the word out in order to get the needed funding to help support your activities. Here are some tips to help you market your non profit:\n\n1. Determine your your target audiences: who are the groups and audiences that your non profit wants to reach. Remember that one target group may respond differently to a marketing message as another group so make sure that each strategy is tailor made for each audience.\n\n2. Develop a communications strategy, creating timelines for marketing efforts such as newsletters, press releases, special events, and others.\n\n3. Develop a visual image. Prepare your logo and other branding tools - and use them consistently across various mediums. Make sure that you repeat your branding messages, slogans in everything you make from brochures to newsletters.\n\n4. Employ multiple communications tactics: Nonprofit organizations often target several audiences, which may respond to different approaches. Various communications campaigns can help establish and maintain a more widespread positive image.\n\n5. Select and use appropriate media: Plan to use a combination of approaches best suited to reaching your targeted audiences and that make best use of your financial resources. Include a variety of methods including phone calls, letters, e-mail, newsletters, PSAs, press releases, and editorials.\n\nFor detailed information on how to start a non profit, I suggest you read the following books:\n\n- Starting and Running a Nonprofit Organization -- by Joan M. Hummel\n- Starting and Running a Non-Profit Made Easy by Entrepreneur Press, David H. Bangs\n- Starting & Building A Nonprofit: A Practical Guide by Peri Pakroo
457238
Some organization that supports an issue for non-commercial purposes.  They might be related to arts, charities, etc.
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Idealist.org seems to be a good clearinghouse of information about non profit sites.  That might be a good place to start.
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For private grants, you may want to check the Foundation Center. They have databases of foundations who give to other non profits, academics, as well as a different database fo individuals http://www.fdncenter.org \n\n\nhttp://www.cfda.gov\nhttp://www.grants.gov\nhttp://gtionline.fdncenter.org\nhttp://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol66/grants.htm\nhttp://www.sba.gov/expanding/grants.html
1153791
go to to arc.org..under the Online Resource Center there is a link to "preparing grant proposals". You also might want to go to U.T for a weekend grant writing class. Good luck.