Funding Resources
This page provides links to organizations that may further assist you with funding for your project and suggested reading for nonprofits seeking support from charitable foundations.
- Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
This is a government-wide compendium of federal programs for the public. Rails-to-trails projects, tourism development, land and wetlands preservation and restoration are types of initiatives which receive funding.
- Conservation Assistance Tools
The Sonoran Institute provides this searchable database of grants and other assistance available for natural resource projects in the West.
- Environmental Grantmaking Foundations Directory
Resources for Global Sustainability publishes an annual directory of over 900 foundations that fund environmental projects. It is an excellent resource for those seeking funding dollars.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The EPA awards a variety of grants to the environmental community. Of note, Sustainable Development Challenge Grants provide funding for grassroots conservation initiatives. Students are also eligible to receive certain grants.
- Foundation Center
This nonprofit clearinghouse of information is designed to assist both grant seekers and grantmakers with funding resources. The Foundation Center offers workshops, an online library, links to over 1,000 grantmaker Web sites and a database of over 10,000 of the nation's largest foundations.
- Grassroots Fundraising Journal
Published every other month for more than 20 years, the Grassroots Fundraising Journal produces much-needed information on how to build successful organizations. Each issue offers practical, how-to instruction on fundraising strategies such as direct mail, special events, major gift campaigns, and online fundraising.
- Green Source
The Green Source is a resource guide prepared by Environment Canada that helps locate numerous sources of funding for environmental projects. It includes information on public and private sector programs and organizations that provide assistance, labour costs or in-kind donations to community groups.
- Harvey McKinnon Associates
This fundraising and consulting company works with a wide range of nonprofit organizations in Canada and the U.S., including many environmental organizations. Harvey McKinnon is the author of the fundraising bestseller, Hidden Gold, and has produced several other fundraising resources. His new book, The Power of Giving, is available for free at www.thepowerofgiving.org.
- Managing in Hard Times
A joint publication of the Environmental Support Center and the Institute for Conservation Leadership. Examines best practices and tools for managers of environmental and conservation nonprofits, including how to track finances, recognize danger signals, assess options, and make tough decisions with the best interests of the organization in mind.
- Online Fundraising Resources Center
This site offers information about online fundraising and provides links to many other online resources.
- Philanthropy Journal Online
A nonprofit journal that offers news about the nonprofit sector. It provides links to many philanthropies, foundations and non-profit organizations.
- River and Watershed Conservation Directory
Produced by the River Network and the National Park Service's Rivers and Trails Conservation Assistance Program (RTCA), this directory contains information on over 3,000 public and nonprofit groups involved in watershed conservation and their funding sources.
- The Chronicle of Philanthropy
The Chronicle of Philanthropy is the No. 1 news source, in print and online, for charity leaders, fund raisers, grant makers, and other people involved in the philanthropic enterprise. Some material is available only to subscribers.
- TheGivingNetwork.com
The Giving Network provides a searchable database of more than 30,000 nonprofit organizations in the Pacific Northwest. You can research financial information, compare and contrast organizations, and read about current projects. If you are a 501(c)(3) organization, you can be included in their database and be eligible for online donations.
Foundations Supporting Conservation in the Pacific Northwest
Below are some of the key foundations that support environmental programs in the Pacific Northwest. As this list is not all-inclusive, we encourage you to visit The Environmental Grantmaking Foundations Directory for a comprehensive compilation of foundations.
- Acorn Foundation
- Alaska Conservation Foundation
- Beldon Fund
- Bella Vista Foundation
- Ben and Jerry's Foundation
- Bullitt Foundation
- Charlotte Martin Foundation
- Common Counsel Foundation's Grassroots Exchange Fund
- Conservation Alliance
- Flintridge Foundation
- Fund for Wild Nature
- Harder Foundation
- Hewlett Foundation, The William and Flora
- Kongsgaard-Goldman Foundation
- Laird Norton Endowment Foundation
- Mead Foundation
- Norcross Foundation
- Northwest Fund for the Environment
- Packard Foundation, The David and Lucille
- Patagonia
- Rockefeller Brothers Fund
- Rockefeller Family Fund
- Russell Family Foundation
- Social Venture Partners
- Surdna Foundation
- Temper of the Times Foundation
- The Pew Charitable Trusts
- Town Creek Foundation
- Weeden Foundation
- Wilburforce Foundation
Important Reading for Grant Seekers
Please Note: The following memos, as well as one version of the Public Support Test, are saved in PDF format. You will need the Acrobat Reader Program installed on your computer to view them. If you do not already have this program, you can install it easily for free.
The Public Support Test
This memo provides details about the Public Support Test. Most grant recipients need to meet a "public support test" under United States tax law. Canadian grantseekers will need to complete this form every year in order to apply for funding from many American grantmakers. If you do not have a copy of this, or if the copy you have is more than one year old, you may download the test as an Excel or zipped Excel document and fill it out on your computer. If you do not have Excel, you can download the test as a PDF document, print it and fill it out by hand.
Restrictions on Lobbying Activities
Private foundations, such as the Brainerd Foundation, are prohibited from earmarking funds for lobbying activities. This memo provides helpful information for grant applicants, particularly advocacy organizations, who must be sensitive to these legal issues in soliciting private foundations for support.