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Who do I talk to about my idea, and how to
get grants for it?
Consultations are only for members of The Grant
Center. Many questions can be answered, however, by reviewing the other
Frequently Asked Questions in this section, and by reviewing the Grant
Process section on our web site.
What are the benefits of being a nonprofit
vs. a for-profit?
Your decision about what kind of organization to
be is quite complex. It involves, for example, business and philosophical
issues, as well as tax considerations. You must make that decision for
yourself; The Grant Center does not provide advice in this area. We suggest
you speak with the Memphis
Business Development Center, as well as other trusted advisors, such
as your accountant or your attorney.
The Grant Center's services are designed primarily for nonprofits. For-profit organizations qualify for some grants, but those opportunities can be limited, especially in terms of foundation funding. If you decide to become a nonprofit agency, and you think grant funding may be helpful to advancing your mission, we hope you will decide to join The Grant Center and use our services.
For-profit organizations also have the opportunity to apply for contracts. These are different from grants. Contracts are procurements by the federal government to provide a specific service for the federal government (whereas grants are the awarding of resources by the federal government to a non-federal entity in order to undertake a specific activity important to that entity). The Grant Center primarily provides information on grants. We are studying in what capacity we may begin providing training and technical assistance on contracts. The Grant Center will provide services to for-profit organizations that meet the needs of the Mid-South community.
What do I have to do to join The Grant Center?
Please review the Membership
information on our site. Then, you can print the application form,
and mail it to The Grant Center along with your 990 tax return, a copy
of your 501(c)(3), and your check for the appropriate membership fee.
Does The Grant Center give grants?
NO. The Grant Center is not a foundation or funding
agency. We are a nonprofit organization that provides information, training
and technical assistance primarily to nonprofit organizations who are
seeking grant funding. Thus, if your agency receives its 501(c)(3) nonprofit
designation from the IRS, you may choose to become a member of The Grant
Center. In that way, we might be able to assist you in your search for
potential funding, and in your specific funding requests to other organizations.
Since the majority of grant funding is available to nonprofit organizations,
we generally do not recommend you join The Center until you have received
notice of your status from the IRS.
How soon after I join am I eligible to apply
for grants? When can I get a grant? How fast can I get a grant?
There are no general timelines for grant funding.
Opportunities may arise at any time, depending on your agency's qualifications,
and the requirements of the funding organizations. Once your agency has
its strategic plan, and its program plan in place, you may decide to apply
for grant funding. The Grant Center can help you evaluate specific grant
opportunities, and decide if they are good options for you. We can also
help you through the grant writing process.
What hours are you open?
The Grant Center office is open Monday - Friday,
from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. We hope that our web site, which is available
24/7 will answer basic questions. The web site also includes the training
calendar, enrollment forms, and our list of publications for sale. In
addition, you can easily email one of the staff, if you need more information.
When can I come and use The Grant Center's
Resource Library?
The Resource Library is available for Grant Center
members to use between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday.
However, you must have an appointment to use the library. To set up a
time to come and do research, email research@grantcenter.org.
The Nonprofit Resource Center of the Main Branch at the Memphis/Shelby County Public Library & Information Center is a valuable resource for researching funders as well as other nonprofit issues. For more information on both their collection and grantseeking for nonprofit organizations, visit them at 3030 Poplar Avenue, Memphis or the Nonprofit Resource Center online. The Memphis/Shelby County Public Library is open seven days a week, including night and weekend hours.
Do you help people get scholarships?
The Grant Center is a resource primarily for nonprofit
organizations and their staff. We do not generally obtain information
about individual scholarships or fellowships.
Am I guaranteed grant funding?
There are no guarantees for grant funding.
The Grant Center focuses on making each grant application as competitive
as possible, but we cannot promise that you will receive a grant award.
The factors that influence the outcome are numerous: quality of the proposal;
reviewers; timing of the project; potential for model applications; government
budget politics; issue awareness; etc. Our experience has been, however,
that with quality ideas and proposals, and persistent contact and application,
eventually the chances for success are quite good.
How soon will I receive my grant dollars
after I apply? How fast can I get a grant? We have had an emergency situation
and need immediate funds; is there a grant for this?
Grant funding is usually a relatively long-term
process. Program planning and proposal preparation take significant amounts
of time; and the decision timeline of most funders is at least ninety
days or more. In many application packets, the funder will explain when
the decision date is, but that date can change at the funder's discretion.
There are also only limited sources for emergency funds. Under special
circumstances, funders may be willing to entertain emergency requests.
Many did so, for example, after the tornado and flooding in Houston left
several nonprofits without buildings or utilities. These cases are exceptional,
and the potential funders are few. It is best to plan your work, and work
your plan, utilizing grant applications for appropriate projects, and
being prepared to wait for the funds.
Is there another place like The Grant Center?
We believe we offer a unique service package.
The Grant Center is the only nonprofit organization, to our knowledge,
that assists other nonprofits from beginning to end in the grant process.
We also offer our members access to immediate, inside information about
grant opportunities; training in research, writing, management of grants;
and specialized technical assistance.
What's the secret to getting grants?
There is no secret. It is a process of
preparing your agency through detailed, thoughtful planning; finding funding
agencies that share your desire to advance a similar mission; and presenting
these funders with a well-crafted, competitive proposal. It is a lot of
hard work.
Where can I get start-up funding for my organization?
I want to start a business/nonprofit; where can I get a grant?
Start-up funding is generally unavailable, or
extremely difficult to obtain. Most funders want to grant funds to established
organizations with a track record of programs and accomplishments. Many
other investors prefer to invest in organizations that already have equity
from the founders. Where there are opportunities to apply for start-up
grants, the competition is fierce, and the amounts awarded may be too
small to fund the desired programs. These kinds of considerations should
be discussed with your advisors.
What do grants fund? What can I do with grant
money? What is the purpose of grants?
Public and private funding agencies generally
seek to award grants to programs or projects that have been developed
to advance their missions. Most funders prefer to fund a program, or a
discrete unit or package of services that meets a community need. Elements
of a program (such as equipment or supplies, or perhaps, personnel) can
be funded by grants. Your grant request depends on your strategic and
program planning, and the specific funding guidelines of the foundation
or government agency.