40 free funding finders. That’s useful!
April 2020: This article has been updated by the EM Editor to include an additional resource for schools:
Full article Originally posted on Linkedin here…
Visit the Resource Hub for 100s of links to free resources, then join the free Charity Excellence Framework online toolkit, which has 3000+ links, including to 200+ organisations that provide free goods/services to charities.
A big thank you to Claire Jefferis, Katherine Holmes, Susan Thompson, Nichola Brown, Angela Knezivich, Joy Morozov and Bronwen Edwards whose input made this final list far better.
Arts, Culture and Sport
Arts Council – funding finder.
IETM – funding finder arts and culture in Europe.
Musicians – Help Musicians funding wizard.
Sport England – funding programmes.
London Sports Funding Finder – search and an interactive map.
UK Country Specific
WCVA Funding Search – funding support in Wales.
Sport Wales – funding for sports
Funding Scotland – database of Scottish funders.
Grant Tracker – funding toolkit (Northern Ireland).
Regional
UK Community Foundations – network of local grant making bodies.
Open 4 Community – available in some local authority areas, including Notts, Leics and Hull.
DSC – has lots of very comprehensive directories and online databases. These are normally paid for but, if you visit their London office, you can have free access. However, please contact them in advance.
Local Councils – search facility to find links to your local council for community project funding. England and Wales only.
General
Charity Commission – funders are usually charities, so you can run searches against the register to find them.
Funding Central – NCVO grants and contracts funding database, free if income under £100k.
Grin – not free, but only £15 pa.
Beehive Giving – matches your project to funders, charity run, but you only get 3 funder matches free, albeit not expensive.
Grant Nav – includes directories for different sectors to make your search easier.
Specific Sectors/Funders
Funding Finder – Big Lottery funding programmes search tool
Disability – community grants, charities and trusts.
My Community – grants for voluntary and community groups.
Wellcome Foundation – grants scheme finder, mainly research, science and medicine.
Grants4Schools – free searches, but full list only for paid subscribers.
Individuals
Turn2Us – benefits and charitable grants
Disabled Children – grants to families
Social Enterprises
SSE – social enterprise funding
Entrepreneur Handbook – list of UK small business grants
Charitable Grants – a useful article by Katy Holmes, including trusts that fund social enterprises.
Government
Contracts Finder – public sector contracts and e mail alerts
Supply Change – platform for social enterprises to access public sector contracts
Grant Finder – government grants for companies
Open Ops – commercial, but contract data is free, claims to have more that Contracts Finder and it works globally.
GovGrantsHub – non-profit and business grants.
Innovation Funding – Government innovation competitions.
Global
UK Government – DfID international development funding.
Nuffield Trust – 2012 report on UK foundations supporting international – Table 6 on page 50 lists them, with details.
Bond – international development funding sources.
Triple Funds – government, foundations etc, developing countries, paid for, but with free monthly funding e mail.
Europe
European Foundation Centre – search by sector area and also country.
Eurofunding Toolbox – all EU funding programmes.
US
FDO Quick Start – search 100,000 US foundations.
Fundraising Help – 101 sources of auction donations in the US.
FUNdraising & Donations – US Pinterest account.
Africa
Africa Grant Makers – database searchable by country/region and funding area.
And, did you know that Twitter has an advanced search facility? Or follow your favourite funders, so you hear about any new grants or changes to criteria immediately. Here are some of the big ones – @BigLotteryFund, @esmeefairbairn, @LBFEW, @comicrelief, @GarfieldWFdn, @BBCCiN, @wolfsonfdn, @SRausingTrust, @phf_uk, @thetudortrust, @RankFoundation.
And here’s an even easier way to achieve much more
My free online toolkit for trustees/management will enable you to increase impact, financial resources and overall performance, including fundraising, with 4000+ resource links, including to 200+ organisations that provide free goods, services and help to non-profits. The toolkit, its resources and quality mark are completely free to non-profits.