Maximizing Your Grant Search: Using Foundation Directory for Arts Education Funding in NYC (Full Transcript)

Speaker 1: When you're researching potential funders, the Grantmaker profile in Foundation Directory provides all the information you need to decide if a funder is a good match for your work. In this example, we are going to look at a profile from the Hyde and Watson Foundation, which comes up as one of the search results when looking for arts education funders in New York City. But where do you start? Before reviewing the entire profile, it's best to check the funder's giving limitations listed in the Applications slash RFPs section. If giving limitations are posted, do a quick check to make sure you qualify. However, not all funders provide their limitations, so don't worry if they're not there. Now that you know you qualify, let's dive a bit deeper into this funder's giving trends over time to see if your priorities are in line. The first chart you see shows the top 10 subject areas this funder has given to. If your work matches a subject area, you'll know you're on the right track. Next, the map in the center shows you if the funder supports work in your region. The darkest states on the map show you where the funder gave most. This map is extremely useful when you're trying to understand if the Grantmaker gives to organizations near you. The last chart shows the size of the grants given by the funder within certain dollar ranges. You can use this as a guide to determine the size of your grant request. Scrolling down, the Grants section will help you tailor your ask even further by showing past grants that match your search. This next section lets you explore detailed information about all of this funder's individual past grants. Let's take a closer look by clicking View All. By default, results are sorted by the most recent year. You can sort by grant amount to quickly see the range of grant sizes and even which organizations get the larger versus the smaller grants. You can also sort by recipient name to see where funders have long-standing commitments to specific organizations by seeing who they have committed to time and time again. Are any of these recipient organizations similar to yours? If the funder has given to your peer organizations in the past, this is a good indication they might give to you as well. Now let's go back to review a few more key parts of the funder's profile. Click About to see the funder's mission, primary interests, and any special program areas. Giving interests can tell you not only what the grantmaker says they fund, but also the type of support they offer. Other funders to consider lists grantmakers with similar giving patterns, which you could consider adding to your list of prospective funders. Now it's your turn. Use Foundation Directory to research and connect with funders who are interested in what you do. Either log in or subscribe to get started.