How can I find funders that offer a particular type of support?

A types of support approach to grantseeking differs from a subject approach in that it focuses on identifying grantmakers that have expressed an interest in providing the specific types of support your organization needs. For example, there is no point in approaching a funder for emergency funds if the foundation only funds research or building/renovation projects.

To identify those funders that offer funding for a specific type of support, consult the types of support index in The Foundation Directory Online or Center print publications. The Center has identified more than 50 types of support in its print and electronic resources. The following is a list of terms in these indexes with their definitions.

Please note: The Foundation Directory Online and FC Search: The Foundation Center's Database on CD-ROM have separate lists of types of support terms for their Grantmaker and Grants files. These are similar but not identical to each other. Unless otherwise noted, the following terms are used in both the Grantmaker and Grants files of these electronic databases.

• Annual campaigns: Any organized effort by a nonprofit to secure gifts on an annual basis; also called annual appeals.
• Awards/prizes/competitions: Grants for artists' awards, prizes, competitions, housing, living space, and workspace. Grants file only.
• Building/renovation: Grants for constructing, renovating, remodeling, or rehabilitating property. Includes general or unspecified capital support awards.
• Capital campaigns: Campaigns to raise funds for a variety of long-term purposes such as building construction or acquisition, endowments, land acquisition, etc.
• Cause-related marketing: The practice of linking gifts to charity with marketing promotions. This may involve donating products that will then be auctioned or given away in a drawing with the proceeds benefiting a charity. The advertising campaign for the product will be combined with the promotion for the charity. In other cases it will be advertised that when a customer buys the product a certain amount of the proceeds will be donated to charity. Grantmaker file only.
• Collections acquisition: Grants to libraries or museums to acquire permanent materials as part of a collection, usually books or art. Grants file only.
• Collections management/preservation: Grants for maintenance, preservation, and conservation of materials. Grants file only.
• Commissioning new works: Grants to support the creation of new artistic works. Grants file only.
• Computer systems/equipment: Grants to purchase or develop automated systems. Grants file only.
• Conferences/seminars: Includes workshops.
• Consulting services: Professional staff support provided by the foundation to a nonprofit to consult on a project of mutual interest or to evaluate services (not a cash grant). Grantmaker file only.
• Continuing support: Grants renewed on a regular basis.
• Curriculum development: Awards to schools, colleges, universities, and educational support organizations to develop general or discipline-specific curricula.
• Debt reduction: Grant to reduce the recipient organization's indebtedness; also referred to as deficit financing. Frequently refers to mortgage payments.
• Donated equipment: Surplus furniture, office machines, paper, appliances, laboratory apparatus, or other items that may be given to charities, schools, or hospitals. Grantmaker file only.
• Donated land: Land or developed property. Institutions of higher education often receive gifts of real estate; land has also been given to community groups for housing development or for parks or recreational facilities. Grantmaker file only.
• Donated products: Companies giving away what they make or produce. Product donations can include periodic clothing donations to a shelter for the homeless or regular donations of pharmaceuticals to a health clinic resulting in a reliable supply. Grantmaker file only.
• Electronic media/online services: Grants for support of projects on the Internet and World Wide Web, including online publications and databases, development of Web sites, electronic networking and messaging services, CD-ROM products, and interactive educational programs. Grants file only.
• Emergency funds: One-time grants to cover immediate short-term funding needs of a recipient organization on an emergency basis.
• Employee matching gifts: Usually made by corporate foundations to match gifts made by corporate employees. Grantmaker file only.
• Employee volunteer services: Effort through which a company promotes involvement with nonprofits on the part of employees. Grantmaker file only.
• Employee-related scholarships: Scholarship programs funded by a company-sponsored foundation usually for children of employees; programs are frequently administered by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation which is responsible for selection of scholars. Grantmaker file only.
• Endowments: Bequests or gifts intended to be kept permanently and invested to provide income for continued support of an organization.
• Equipment: Grants to purchase equipment, furnishings, or other materials.
• Exchange programs: Usually refers to funds for educational exchange programs for foreign students. Grantmaker file only.
• Exhibitions: Awards to institutions such as museums, libraries or historical societies specifically to mount an exhibit or to support the installation of a touring exhibit. Grants file only.
• Faculty/staff development: Grants to institutions or organizations to train or further educate staff or faculty members. Grants file only.
• Fellowships: Indicates funds awarded to educational institutions or organizations to support fellowship programs. A few foundations award fellowships directly to individuals.
• Film/video/radio production: Grants to fund a specific film, video, or radio production. Grants file only.
• General/operating support: Grants for the day-to-day operating costs of an existing program or organization or to further the general purpose or work of an organization; also called "unrestricted grants."
• Grants to individuals: These awards are given directly to individuals, not through other nonprofit organizations. Many grantmakers have a specific limitation stating no grants to individuals. In order to make grants to individuals, a foundation must have a program that has received formal IRS approval. Grantmaker file only.
• In-kind gifts: Contributions of equipment, supplies, or other property as distinct from monetary grant. Grantmaker file only.
• Income development: Grants for fundraising, marketing, and to expand audience base.
• Internship funds (institutional support): Funds awarded to an institution or organization to support an internship program, rather than a grant to an individual.
• Land acquisition: Grants to purchase real estate property.
• Loaned talent: Usually involves employee-loaned professionals and executive staff who are helping a non-profit in an area involving their particular skills. Grantmaker file only.
• Management development: Grants for salaries, staff support, staff training, strategic and long-range planning, budgeting and accounting.
• Matching/challenge support: Grants made to match funds provided by another donor and grants paid only if the donee is able to raise additional funds from another source.
• Performance/productions: Grants to cover costs specifically associated with mounting performing arts productions. Grants file only.
• Professorships: Grants to educational institutions to endow a professorship or chair.
• Program development: Grants to support specific projects or programs as opposed to general purpose grants.
• Program evaluation: Grants to evaluate a specific project or program; includes awards both to agencies to pay for evaluation costs and to research institutes and other program evaluators.
• Program-related investments/loans: Loans or other investments (as distinguished from grants) to organizations to finance projects related to the foundation's stated charitable purpose and interests. Student loans are classified under "Student aid funds." Grantmaker file only.
• Public relations services: May include printing and duplicating, audio-visual and graphic arts services, helping to plan special events such as festivals, piggyback advertising (advertisements that mention a company while also promoting a nonprofit), and public service advertising. Grantmaker file only.
• Publication: Grants to fund reports or other publications issued by a nonprofit resulting from research or projects of interest to the funder.
• Research: Funds to cover the costs of investigations and clinical trials, including demonstration and pilot projects. (Research grants for individuals are usually referred to as fellowships.)
• Scholarship funds (institutional support): Grants to educational institutions or organizations to support a scholarship program, mainly for students at the undergraduate level; the donee institution then distributes the funds to individuals through their own programs.
• Scholarships-to individuals: These are funds awarded to individuals through programs administered by the grantmaker. Grantmaker file only.
• Seed money: Grants to start, establish, or initiate new projects or organizations; may cover salaries and other operating expenses of a new project; also called "start-up funds."
• Sponsorships: Endorsements of charities by corporations or corporate contributions to charitable events. Grantmaker file only.
• Student aid (institutional support): Assistance in the form of educational grants, loans, or scholarships. Grants file only.
• Student loans-to individuals: These are loans distributed directly to individuals through programs administered by the grantmaker. Grantmaker file only.
• Technical assistance: Operational or management assistance given to nonprofit organizations, including fundraising assistance, budgeting and financial planning, program planning, legal advice, marketing, and other aids to management.
• Use of facilities: May include rent-free office space for temporary periods, dining and meeting facilities, telecommunications services, mailing services, transportation services, or computer services. Grantmaker file only.

To learn more about The Foundation Directory Online, see The Foundation Directory Online Guided Tour, attend our free one-hour class, Introduction to The Foundation Directory Online, or our full-day, fee-based Foundation Funding Research.

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