Some of the requests we receive is for assistance in securing a grant for either opening a business (on/off-line), fund a project by an organization, or securing funds to address personal situations.

Privately Owned Business Venture and other personal requests..
If you are seeking a grant to start a business (for profit) chances are you will not be able to secure the funding you require from a foundation. Foundations, for the most part, provide funding to nonprofit organizations, this means you must have a 501 (c)(3) designation by the Internal Revenue Service. Our suggestion is that you review the "Start Up Kit" posted by the Small Business Administration at their site and see what they have available. Foundations, that we know of, do not provide funding for the purchase of real property, i.e. a house, building, farms, etc. Some foundation do provide funds for Capital Equipment which include purchase or renovations of buildings but you must be a nonprofit organization to apply for these funds.

In terms of printed material, three good books are "Government Giveaways for Entrepreneurs III." This book is not just a phone book of financial assistance. It will also give you tips on how to get government loans and grants. It also preps you for what is to come when starting a business, "Free Money from the Federal Government for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs"  and Free Money to Change Your Life.

If you are seeking funds to either make improvements to your business, pay or assist you pay for private education for your children, assist you in buying a home, or things of this nature, we doubt that a foundation will provide a grant.

You must remember that foundations have guidelines to follow and are, in effect, required either by the Federal Government (IRS) to provide funding to organizations with a 501 (c)(3) designation, or by their founding charter (mission) which states very specifically what they can and cannot fund. If you seeking sources of information on repaying an education loan you can start at the Direct Consolidation Loans site by the Department of Education.

If you are seeking funds because you would like a books published, our best suggestion is that you contact Amazon.com. You will have to pay for the expense of publishing the book, but they have a program in which they would advertise and sell the book for you online - you will receive 45% of the sales.

Illnesses
Quite frecuently we receive messages form visitors who request information about grants to cover surgery expenses or something of that sort. Unfortunately, the sources we are aware of are very few. If you are indigent and are in need of funds to purchase medications, you can visit the Genetech web site. Over the past ten years, Genentech has provided more than $300 million worth of pharmaceuticals free-of-charge through various programs for un- or underinsured patients in the United States.

If you or someone in your family is a Texas Law Enforcement or Fire Protection Personnel, the Fleetwood Memorial Foundation   provides virtually instant no-strings-attached grants of $1,000 to 5,000 to certified Texas Law Enforcement or Fire Protection personnel who are injured in the performance of their duties or to the families of such personnel who are killed in the performance of their duties.

If you live in the San Diego area, and are seeking assistance due to a life-threatening illness to you child, we recommend you visit Conner's Cause for Children. Conner's Cause for Children is a San Diego based non-profit 501 © (3) organization supporting San Diego and Imperial County families who have children with life-threatening illnesses with direct financial assistance, as well as guidance through the insurance system. We will continue to add resource as we find them.

The American Dental Association has a program to assist with dental emergencies in disaster areas. Please make sure you read their requirements

Education Funding 
Requests for information on funding sources for education come to us on a daily basis. Even though we have a scholarship and financial aid section, this is not all inclusive. We recommend that you visit the "Money for School" Section at About.com, they have a fairly complete list of resources that could asist you in your search..

Creating a Nonprofit Organization
If you are planning to create a nonprofit organization, our suggestion is for you to submit all necessary documents to the IRS, get your board together and draft your mission statement among other things. Once you have receive a letter from the IRS indicating that you have been approved for the 501 (c)(3) designation, you can, at that time, begin submitting proposals to foundations. When getting your Board together you should invite an attorney and a key representatives of your local bank and government to be part of the board. If you would like more information on how to start a nonprofit organization please follow this link.

Other Program Related Grants
There are some foundations that do have "Other Program Related" funds available. This means that if your business meets the criteria set by the foundation, you may approach them with a Letter of Inquiry. Be aware, however, that most of these programs are designed to advance the cause of philanthropy.

Very few foundations do provide grants to individuals. You can review the list that we have to see if you meet their requirements.

Our suggestion is for you to approach your local Economic Development Agency and find out from them what projects are eligible for funding. The Economic Development Agencies have a variety of programs available if they fall within an Economic Enterprise Zone. You also have Incubator Programs designed to assist start-up companies in a variety of ways. If you plan on contacting one of these programs you will need to have a well developed business plan.

Museum Funding
We have received several messages (none with return address) regarding funding sources for museums. The resources found on the web are very few ( Museum Loan Network), however, in reviewing their section of sponsors, we found that there are two foundations that provide their support: John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts.

School Systems
If you are associated with a local school system and are seeking funds for school projects, you need to meet with the person designated by the school to seek funding sources. You do not want to duplicate efforts. There are quite a few funding sources that will fund school projects, even though most of them target education related projects. You can review our Community Foundations and Regional Grantmakers section for the names of some of the funders interested in these projects.

Some visitors have asked for our assistance in identifying foundations that would provide funding for school equipment, i.e. playgrounds. We would suggest that you conduct a fundraising campaign to raise the necessary funds rather than approach a foundation. You could also approach a local company such as a bank, a grocery store, etc. If you are seeking financial assistance for your little league, whether equipment or fees, we suggest that you visit the Major League Baseball web site. They have several programs designed for advancing the game. Make sure you either have or develop a solid fundraising plan before you submit a proposal.

Women
If you are seeking funds to either continue or go back to school, there are foundations that have scholarships available. You will find these resources in our Scholarship and Financial Aid section. If you are a female seeking assistance to either opening a business or returning to school, please check our Women Grants and Resources section. There are several organizations that you could approach.

Financial Support from Fundsnet
Lately we have begun to receive requests for financial support from organizations for a variety of good causes. Unfortunately, we do not have the financial means to provide the support you seek. The income we generate through our advertisements is barely enough to maintain the site online. Fundsnet, unlike other sites, does not receive funding from any foundation to stay online. You can support us by "clicking" on the banners and visiting our sponsors.. not much to ask, is it?

Nonprofit Forum
Fundsnet also provides you with the opportunity to join the Nonprofit Forum. The forum was created to provide our members and visitors a vehicle to exchange ideas, post questions, and collaborate with other visitors who may need assistance. By posting your questions on the forum you will be "tapping" into a great resource since many professionals in the nonprofit field visit the forum on a daily basis. The Nonprofit Forum is provided at no cost to our members or visitors.

Finally... if you are contacting us for assistance, you need to let us know what your email is.. we have received many inquiries with no return email address. You can post your question on our message board for other visitors to read and hopefully provide answers or suggestions. Be aware however, that you will need to post your email address for others to see.

If you are seeking information on either the number of nonprofit there are registered, or information on a specific nonprofit organization, you can research the following sites:

• FindIt  
• The Foundation Center
• National Center for Charitable Statistics 
• HandsNet 
• GuideStar
• Internet Nonprofit Center