Finding Funding

Grants Bethel's Process

Finding Corporate and Foundation Funding

The Office of Foundation Relations provides access to both free and subscription-based online databases that collect and organize information about foundations and government agencies offering grant opportunities. Upon submission of the Request to Initiate form, faculty and staff may request an appointment to receive support in researching and evaluating various grant opportunities against the needs of your project or program.

Contact the Foundation Relations Officer to utilize these subscription-based resources:

  • GrantWatch.com is a database of currently funded grants. 
  • FoundationSearch.com is a database that provides current information on nonprofit organizations including top prospects for projects based on keywords.
  • MCN Minnesota National Foundations - Annual Booklet

Tips for Evaluating Corporate and Foundation Funding Opportunities

Making personal contact with a foundation's program officer is often an important step in evaluating whether a grantor's funding priorities sufficiently match your funding needs. This exchange of information early in the process helps ensure grant seekers focus their efforts most efficiently, and it can also help refine your funding idea or better conform it to the funder's guidelines.

If you would like to contact a foundation or corporation, it is important to first contact the foundation relations officer, to coordinate your approach. In all cases, the Request to Initiate form must be submitted prior to requesting direct contact (formal or informal) with a grantor regarding funding opportunities. This helps ensure that any long-standing relationships with foundations are not jeopardized by disjointed contact or requests by Bethel. Furthermore, the university may have a pending proposal or active grant agreement that could affect, or be affected by, your new proposal.

Seminars

MN Council on Foundations provides seminars on finding funding, developing proposals and more. Please contact the Foundation Relations Officer for possible cost coverage.

Finding Government Funding

  • Government funding is available at the federal, state, and county levels. As the Office of Sponsored Research becomes aware of grants, they will either publicize on the faculty email lists or direct it to the person for whom it would be a good fit. They encourage faculty as much as possible to use professional associations and contacts to be aware of potential grant funding. The following websites offer searches for available federal and state grant sources:

  • grants.gov
  • MN Department of Education Current Opportunities
  • MN Department of Education Grant Directory
  • MN Legacy Fund