Northeast/Mid-Atlantic Project Resources:
Funding may be available for your project. Many local, state, and federal agencies offer funding to community organizations, neighborhood groups, homeowners, and others. Navigating the funding process is not easy. Here are some resources to get you started. When speaking with representatives from one funding source or non-profit organization, make sure to ask for other recommendations and potential funding sources. Network!
The U.S Environmental Protection Agency Clearinghouse for Environmental Finance is a searchable database for communities needing information for air, land and water infrastructure projects including funding sources, reports, websites, and training on financing mechanisms and approaches.
The National Wildlife Foundation Nature-based Solutions Funding Database is an interactive database for communities interested in pursuing federal funding and/or technical assistance for nature-based solutions.
To help restore clean water and healthy ecosystems to Southeast New England, Restore America’s Estuaries launched the Southeast New England Program (SNEP) Watershed Grants. With financial support from the EPA, the grants target water pollution, habitat degradation, and other high-priority environmental issues, in order to foster sustainable coastal and watershed communities.
The Living Shorelines Group of the Northeast Regional Ocean Council (NROC) facilitates regional knowledge-sharing around living shorelines and coastal green or natural infrastructure. It is one of two NROC groups engaged in Resilient Shorelines, along with the Marsh Migration Group.
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation administers many other competitive grants to protect and conserve our nation’s fish, wildlife, plants and habitats.
Foundation Directory Online, from the Foundation Center, lists 140,000 foundations and other donors worldwide. Some basic information is free; more requires a subscription. Get access at your local library.
NOZAsearch has a large searchable database of charitable donations. Searches for foundation are free. Individual and corporate philanthropy searches require a subscription. Get access at your local library.
Contact local banks, businesses, and community foundations. Many have money budgeted for community service.
Consider crowdfunding through social media, individual donations from members of your organization, or a special event.
Candid, a service of Foundation Center, offers in-person and online classes on finding and writing grants, a knowledge base, examples of winning proposals and other documents, and more.
The Grantsmanship Center offers training and resources to help find grants and write effective grant proposals.
Classes. Many community colleges and universities offer classes on grant writing. Check the catalogs and academic schedules for your local schools.
Books. There are many books on grant writing. Check out your local library to see what might be available.
We need your help to improve the Toolkit by completing our easy, 3-minute survey. Your insight is valuable to us.