Where is My Funder?

Thanks to all of the 21st Century CLC participants who attended the two DOE sponsored grant development workshops earlier this month; it was a pleasure to meet each of you and learn about your challenges, your successes and your ideas for sustaining your programs at the conclusion of federal funding.

As we discussed in the second workshop, prospecting for the right set of funders is equally important to writing good grants. It is also a bit complicated as most of the information you need is not found in one place.

What do you need to identify a good prospect? You need to know that the funder is interested in your mission (seeks to make the change you are creating in the world) but also you need to know where, when and how they make contributions (more accurately, investments) in nonprofits as partners in making that change.

We discussed using the Foundation Center's Foundation Directory Online as a tool. The Associated Grantmakers of Massachusetts also maintains a database which is helpful. Here is a listing, courtesy of www.agmconnect.org which shows where you can access these databases [see below].

When you access them, try searching by putting the name of your town/city into the Keyword box. This enables you to find grantmakers who prefer to give in your specific location and can yield some lesser known family and corporate foundations.


Boston:
Martha Moore
Associated Grant Makers
55 Court Streets, Suite 520
Boston, MA 02108
617-426-2606 x16
www.agmconnect.org

Boston:
Marta Pardee-King
Boston Public Library
Social Sciences Dept.
700 Boylston St
Boston, MA. 02116
617-859-2261
www.bpl.org

Cape Cod:
Jean Marie Frasier
Cape Cod Community College
2240 Iyannough Rd.
West Barnstable, MA 02268
508-362-2131 x4343

New Bedford:
Gabrielle Simmons
Community Foundation of Southeastern Mass.
227 Union St., Suite 609
New Bedford, MA 02742
508-996-8253
www.cfsema.org

Access to AGM Directory Database Only

Lowell:
Peter Bull Lowell Telecommunications Corporation
246 Market Street
PO Box 803
Lowell, MA 01853-0803
978-458-5400 x11
www.ltc.org

Springfield:
Western Mass Funding Resource Center
Alumnae Library, Elms College
291 Chicopee St.Chicopee, MA 01012
413-265-2280
www.diospringfield.org/wmfrc

Access to FC Search Only

Pittsfield:
Berkshire Athenaeum
1 Wendell Ave
Pittsfield, MA 02201
413-499-9480

Worcester:
Jane Peck
Grants Resource Center
Worcester Public Library
160 Freemont Street
Worcester, MA 01608
508-799-1654
www.worcpublib.org