ACRL College & Research Libraries News

College & Research Libraries News

INTERNET RESOURCES: Grant resources on the Web: Where to look when you need funding

by Dawn Ventress Kight and Emma Bradford Perry

About the authors

Dawn Ventress Kight is manager of Systems and Technology, e-mail: dawn@subr.cmq.com; and Emma Bradford Perry is dean of libraries at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, e-mail: eperry@subr.cmq.com

In this technological age and on the eve of the new millennium, few libraries have the resources to purchase, maintain, and support all of the programs and technological services offered at libraries, especially with escalating costs and declining budgets. It has become necessary to identify creative ways to support expanded library services. Many libraries have sought external grants from local, state and government agencies, and from corporate and private foundations.

Identifying the right funding source to submit proposals to can become cumbersome. The value of the Internet in identifying funding sources cannot be underestimated. There is a plethora of resources available on the Internet that can significantly enhance one’s ability to receive funding for libraries.

Through a team approach, The John B. Cade Library at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has been successful in identifying and writing technology and distance learning grants that have been funded. A significant amount of information, which has facilitated the successful completion of the grant process, came from the various Web sites.

This selected list of searchable databases, electronic publications, foundations, government agencies, and newsgroups should be of great interest to the beginner as well as the seasoned grant writer. These resources cover various aspects of funding and successful grantwriting.

Interesting starter sites

• The Society of Research Administrator’s (SRA) GrantsWeb.A research grant seeker’s heaven, SRA’S GrantsWeb provides links to various government, foundation, and private funding resources. Access: http://web.fie.com/ cws/sra/resource.htm#us.

• The Grants Keyword Thesaurus. TheGrants Keyword Thesaurus™ is a classification system for categorizing research opportunities. Initially funded by the federal government, the Grants Keyword Thesaurus^™ provides a structured method by which agency personnel, faculty members, and research administrators may identify such opportunities. The more than 3,000 keywords in the 8th edition of the thesaurus have been examined by professional library scientists to ensure consistency with leading discipline dictionaries in each research field listed. Access: http://www.rams-fie.com/ Keyword.htm.

• Sponsored Programs Information Network (SPIN).This commercially produced database of funding opportunities contains current and comprehensive information on thousands of funding opportunities for projects that cross all interest areas. With SPIN Services and Links, the user can locate funding for research and development, international projects, collaborative projects, fellowships, academic programs, exchange programs, travel, endowments, equipment, outreach, and service delivery projects. Access: http:// spin.infoed.org/.

Online databases—federal grants

• The Commerce Business Daily.This site lists notices of proposed government procurement actions, contract awards, sales of government property, and other procurement information. Access: http://www.ld. com/cbd.html.

• The Federal Web Locator.The Federal Web Locator is a service provided by the Center for Information Law and Policy and is intended to be the one-stop shopping point for federal government information on the Web. Access: http://www.law.vill.edu/fedagency/fedwebloc.html.

• Notices of Funding Availability.Notices of Funding Availability (NOFAs) are announcements that appear in the Federal Register, printed each business day by the U.S. government, inviting applications for federal grant programs. This page allows you to generate a customized listing of NOFAs. Access: http://ocd.usda.gov/nofa.htm.

• Federal Information Exchange (FEDIX).This site is a free online information retrieval service of federal opportunities for the education and research communities. Access: http://web.fie.com/fedix/.

• TRAM Research Funding Opportunities and Administrations.TRAM is a service initially developed by the Texas Research Administrators Group (TRAM). It contains a search engine for locating funding opportunities from many different agencies. The funding information is updated daily. TRAM also contains a set of grant application forms collected from various sources, as well as standard agreements for subcontracts, non-disclosures, licenses, and links to other servers related to research funding and administration. Access: http://tram.east. asu.edu/.

• U.S. Department of Education Grants & Contracts Information.This site provides detailed information on grant and other programs at the department, applications, regulations for administering grant programs, and information for new grant-seekers. Access: http://gcs.ed.gov/.

Foundations

• Council on Foundations.This site provides information about research, publications, conferences, and workshops. The following links are available at this site: Community Foundations, Corporate Foundations and Giving Programs, Family and Public Foundations, and International Grantmakers. Access: http// www.cof.org/index.htm.

• Foundation Center.This searchable database serves as a gateway to philanthropy on Web. It includes an online librarian, foundation finder, foundation profiles, and much more. Access: http://fdncenter.org/.

• Foundations.org.This site is a directory of charitable grantmakers. Browse the directory, choose a foundation, and search the organization’s homepage. Fundraising software and products are also available. Access: http// www.foundations.org/.

• The National Science Foundation (NSF) Grants & Awards.The NSF funds research and education in science and engineering through grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements. Access: http://www.nsf.gov/ home/grants.htm.

Electronic publications

• The Chronicle of Philanthropy.Featuring grant-related conferences, seminars, and workshops. The journal also includes current issues, funding announcements, and a “Guide to Grants.” Access: http:// philanthropy.com/.

• COS Funding News.COS Funding News is published each week and includes a sampling of new and updated award information from the Community Of Science Funding Opportunities. COS Funding Opportunities is one of the most comprehensive sources of funding information available on the Web. Access: http://fundingopps2. cos.com/news/

• Philanthropy Journal Online.This nonprofit publication provides news and numerous topics, such as “Fundraising, Foundations, Corporate Giving,” etc. Access: http://philanthropy-journal.org/.

• RAMS Federal Information Exchange Newsletter.This funding opportunities newsletter focuses on federal agency, foundation, and legislative funding issues affecting the academic and research community, including Electronic Research Administration developments and other issues that impact the grants administration process. Access: http://www.rams-fie.com/seminars/newsletter/.

Electronic mail lists and newsgroups

• American Philanthropy Review Discussion Forums.This forum allows you to join more than 15,000 of your colleagues to discuss such topics as grants and foundations, the law of tax exempt organizations, college and university advancement, health care philanthropy, arts and social organization fundraising, international fundraising, mentoring, and more. Access: http:// philanthropy-review.com/forums/.

• Grants-1.Promotes external funding for education and research. Access.http://tile.net/ lists/grantslto. html.

• OVCR-CG. Individuals involved in administration of research contracts and grants. Access: http://tile.net/lists/ovcrcg.html.

• NIHGDE-E.A mail list covering NIH guide to grants and contracts. Access: http:// tile.net/lists/nihgdel.html.

• National Science Foundation Newsgroup(moderated): National Science Foundation grant information. Newsgroup server: gov.us.fed.nsf.grants

• Grant Opportunities for Research (moderated).News pertaining to grant opportunities for research. Newsgroup server: gov.us. topic, grants .research

Grant writing

• The Body Heart & Soul of Grant Writing.Judith Prebyl takes an in-depth look into grantwriting. Covering topics such as “What is a Grant,” “The Search For Grants,” and “The RFP/Application.” Access: http://www. friendcalib.org/f3grant.htm.

• A Proposal Writing Short Course.Published by The Foundation Center, this site offers excellent tips and strategies for grantwriting. Access: http://fdncenter.org/ onlib/shortcourse/prop 1. html.

• Proposal Writing Tips.Written by the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, Office of Grants, this document offers useful information in getting started and developing the proposal concept. Access: http:// www.uwosh.edu/departments/grants/ tips.html.

• Polaris Grants Central.This site provides the following information: grants resources; grants funding resources; grants links; grants publications and books, including the bestselling Grantseeker’s Toolkit from John Wiley and Sons, publishers; periodicals; grants information sources for K- 12 education, colleges, and universities; grantsmanship hints; proposal writing guidance from Polaris Grants Central, and more. Access: http://www.polarisgrantscentral. net/index.html.

Strategy.This site covers strategies in the proposal-writing process. An excellent howto guide that defines proposal structure. Access: http://www.montclair.edu/pages/ ORSP/strategy.htm ■