Reference Guide for Women

If you are a woman and are looking for information on grants, this user aid will help you in your search. We have selected a few of the most important print and electronic resources for you to begin your search.

Because most private foundations make grants only to incorporated nonprofit organizations, individual grantseekers must follow a different funding path than organizations with tax-exempt status. Some private foundations currently offer support to individuals for their projects; it is up to you to determine which foundations might be interested in your particular subject area or project.

The Foundation Center has identified a range of materials useful to women seeking funding. Feel free to refer to them, read introductions, scan indexes, and think of all the subjects and terms by which you can describe your project. A knowledge of support available from appropriate organizations will also be to your benefit. You need to be both creative and flexible in your approach to seeking funding.

If you are unfamiliar with the process of grantseeking, you may want to start with the Individual Grantseekers area of the Foundation Center's web site. A complete guide to scholarships and financial aid for education can be found in our Reference Guide for Students. Information on proposal writing for individual grantseekers can be found in our FAQ "Where can I find information on proposal writing for individual grantseekers?".

Electronic Resources

Foundation Grants to Individuals Online
(http://gtionline.fdncenter.org)
The Foundation Center's online database of 6,200 grantmakers that provide support to individuals. Available at a low monthly subscription rate.

Michigan State University Library — Grants for Individuals: Women
(http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/3women.htm)
A comprehensive listing of funding opportunities including web sites, databases, books, and announcments.

The Center for Women & Information Technology - Financial Aid Information
(http://www.umbc.edu/cwit/financial_aid.html)
An annotated list of resources on financial aid for education in information technology and other fields.

Resources for Small, Minority, Women-Owned Businesses (http://www.proposalwriter.com/small.html)
A wealth of links to resources designed to help the small, minority, women-owned and other disadvantaged businesses. The site is created and maintained by Deborah Kluge, an independent consultant.

Recommended Books

Edelson, Phyllis, ed. FOUNDATION GRANTS TO INDIVIDUALS. New York, NY: The Foundation Center, biennial. Profiles more than 6,000 foundation programs that make grants to individuals for education, arts and culture, general welfare, and more.

ANNUAL REGISTER OF GRANT SUPPORT: A Directory of Funding Sources. New Providence, NJ: R.R. Bowker, annual. Describes more than 3,500 grant programs in all subjects. Covers government, public and private foundation, corporate, association and other special interest support programs.

AWARDS, HONORS & PRIZES. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, annual. Directory containing information on more than 21,600 organizations and awards recognizing achievement in all fields.

Olson, Elizabeth A., ed. BIG BOOK OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN: THE DIRECTORY OF WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS. Chicago, IL: J.G. Ferguson Publishing Co., 1997.

PATHWAYS TO CAREER SUCCESS FOR WOMEN: A Resource Guide to Colleges, Financial Aid, and Work. Chicago, IL: J.G. Ferguson Publishing Company, 2000.

Schlachter, Gail Ann. DIRECTORY OF FINANCIAL AIDS FOR WOMEN 2005-2007. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 2005. Describes over 1,500 scholarships, fellowships, loans, grants, awards, internships, and state sources of educational benefits for women, high school through postdoctoral and professional studies. Entries include program title, sponsoring organization, availability, purpose, eligibility, financial data, duration, limitations, number of awards, and application deadline. Includes annotated bibliography of general financial aid directories. Indexed by program title, sponsoring organization, geographic area, subject focus, and calendar deadlines. The table of contents and introduction to this Directory are available online.