LTA Fact Sheet Grantseeking There are a variety of places to look for funds; it's often just a matter of knowing where to look. Here are some of our favorites for land trusts: 1. The Foundation Center: http://foundationcenter.org/ The Foundation Center has an extensive database of available grants, The Foundation Directory Online. Subscription plans vary and prices range from $19.95­179.95 per month. If you don't have a subscription, check with your local library to see if they have a copy of the database. You can also sign up to receive the center's free weekly e-newsletter, the RFP bulletin, which contains information on 10­15 recently announced Requests for Proposals from private, corporate and government funding sources. Usually at least one or two are applicable to land trusts. 2. Guidestar: http://www.guidestar.org You can use this website to view the 990 tax form of any tax-exempt nonprofit registered with the IRS, which gives information on the filing organization's mission, programs and finances. The 990 forms are useful for grantseekers to learn if an organization has sup- ported land trusts or environmental groups in the past, as well as whether the organiza- tion usually focuses on local or national efforts, how much money it spends on supported programs, etc. Currently, there are more than 1.5 million organizations in the database, including infor- mation on more than 900,000 public charities and approximately 118,000 private founda- tions. 3. The Chronicle of Philanthropy and their Guide to Grants database: http://philanthropy.com/ The Chronicle of Philanthropy is available online by subscription, with news for nonprofit organizations on grantseeking, foundations, fundraising, managing nonprofit groups, technology and nonprofit jobs. Its "Guide to Grants" electronic database contains all foundation and corporate grants listed in The Chronicle since 1995. Chronicle subscribers can search grants from the two most recent issues; full access is available by separate subscription. 4. Annual Reports By reading different organizations' annual reports, you can see who's funding other con- servation projects in your area. These are often available on the organization's website, or you can call them directly to request a printed copy. 5. Community Foundations in nearby cities These are groups of individuals that join together to fund specific local and regional projects, and may provide opportunities for local and regional land trusts. 6. Small Family Foundations These are harder to find as they may not be listed in the big directories and may not even have a website, although there are some websites related to providing help to small family foundations, which is a good way to learn about them. Land Trust Alliance | 1331 H St., NW Suite 400 | Washington, DC 20009 | 202-6638-44725 | www.LTA.org | www.LTAnet.org LTA Fact Sheet 7. Environmental Grantmakers Association: http://www.ega.org/ The Environmental Grantmakers Association is a forum for funders. With 250 founda- tions as members, it is also a good source of information on environmental funding. Check out their resources for grantseekers: http://www.ega.org/resources/index.php?op=links&issues=8. 8. LTA Grants: http://www.lta.org/resources/ltagrants.htm LTA has a number of grant opportunities throughout the year for land trust members. 9. Other Grants, Loans and Awards on LTA Website: http://www.lta.org/resources/#g_other You should also check out the resources page of LTA's website in the "Other Grants, Loans and Awards" section, which is frequently updated with new information on funding specifically applicable to land trusts. Additional Links: "Fundraising Frequently Asked Questions," Alliance for Nonprofit Management [http://www.allianceonline.org/FAQ/fundraising]. Answers ques- tions such as: "Why are people afraid to ask for money?" "How do I get my board involved in fundraising?" and "How do we select fundraising software?" "Fundraising for the Long Haul," Kim Klein, Chardon Press, 2000 [http://www.lta.org/publications/index.html]. An in-depth look at how nonprofit organizations can create a healthy fundraising program for their futures. Written by a leading fundraising consultant, the book discusses how organizations can learn from their mistakes, overcome common obstacles to success, recognize the characteristics of a healthy fundraiser, and avoid taking donors for granted. "Grantseeking: Tips on Researching & Writing," Illene Roggensack, Rally 2002 session [http://www.ltanet.org/objects/view.acs?object_id=1034]. This workshop provides an overview "how-to" for obtaining grant revenues for a land trust. Areas dis- cussed include: trends in private and governmental grant funding; where to find funders who are interested (and likely to support) a project; researching potential funders; devel- oping and maintaining relationships with funders; and putting together a quality grant proposal. "How to Create a Fundraising Plan," Marc Smiley, Rally 2005 workshop [http://www.ltanet.org/objects/view.acs?object_id=17491]. This presentation explores how to develop a fundraising plan, including steps that link fundraising to other planning and development efforts within a trust. It also examines the strategies that make the most sense for raising money and how groups can implement them. Help With Fundraising Technology Idealware (http://www.idealware.org/) is a new website that provides candid reviews and articles about software of interest to nonprofits. Recent titles include: Ten Common Mistakes in Selecting Donor Databases (And How to Avoid Them) Donate Now: Selecting an Online Donation Tool A Few Good Email Newsletter Tools T Lhains dd Torcuustm Aelnltia insc eo n|e 1o3f 3a1 sHe rSite.,s NoW f f Saucti tes h4e0e0t s| aWnads rheinfg ertoenn,c D e C m 2a0t0 er 0i9 al | s 2 pr 0o2d-66 u 3 c 8 e -4 d 4 7 by2 t5h |e wLw a w n .dL TTrA.uosrt g A|ll iwawnw c .eL.TAnet.org Please contact us for additional information or to order materials.