Introduction
In 1994, the Texas Cancer Council (TCC) contracted with The University of
Texas at Austin School of Nursing to develop a directory that would help
community groups and organizations focus their searches for private
foundation funding. While the number of private foundations has increased
in the past several years, so has the number of organizations seeking
funding. The search for foundations can be a time-consuming and sometimes
frustrating process. To assist community groups target their funding
efforts most appropriately, we sought foundations willing to consider
funding cancer prevention and control projects
Because the Texas Cancer Council received numerous requests for the
directory, the Council's Board decided to contract with The University of
Texas School of Nursing to update it in 1998. We recontacted the
foundations profiled in the initial directory and asked them to update
their information. In addition, we reviewed multiple sources of
information in a search for new foundations (or established foundations
that were now interested in cancer control) to add to the directory. The
updated directory profiles 32 and lists 45.
Perhaps the biggest change since the development of the initial directory
has been the explosive increase
of information about foundations available on the Internet. Many
foundations now have web sites that provide
not only general information about the foundation, but in many cases also
grant application forms and answers
to questions most frequently asked about the foundation's funding
policies. In addition, much general information about funding sources,
both public and private, is now available on-line. Consequently, we have
added a new section to the directory on helpful Internet sites.
How the Directory was Developed
In developing
the initial directory, we began with a review of national and state
foundation directories and computer databases using key words like
"cancer" and "health." This review yielded approximately 400 foundations,
which we then investigated in greater detail. Foundations were excluded
if they didn't accept proposals from Texas or funded only medical
research. While not including foundations that fund only medical research
was consistent with the Texas Cancer Plan's emphasis on cancer prevention,
this decision excluded many traditional sources of disease specific cancer
funding. Consequently, readers of this directory may not find some
funding sources with which they are familiar, such as the American
Institute for Cancer Research.
We next
reviewed information available in the Hogg Foundation Library about
funding patterns. Promising foundations were then contacted by phone or
mail to determine what type of projects would fit their funding
guidelines. The telephone conversations expanded our understanding of the
foundations' attitudes toward the funding process. We discovered, for
example, that key words we use to categorize cancer control projects, such
as direct service or prevention/detection, are not necessarily meaningful
to these foundations. Important key words to them include underserved
populations or community projects. We also learned that most foundations
prefer to keep their stated funding criteria general, so that they have
the flexibility to change focus at will. After synthesizing this
information, we attempted to check back with those we had contacted, to
determine if our written profiles were accurate from their perception.
Only a few
foundations are dedicated to cancer prevention and detection (ex: Cancer
Research Foundation of America, the Komen Foundation). Although those
dedicated specifically to cancer prevention and detection are few, many
have funded cancer-related projects. Other foundations would consider
cancer projects if they serve a priority population, e.g. underserved
women, youth, or children, or concentrate on an area of interest, e.g.
tobacco use, health promotion, nutrition education, or a geographic region
of Texas. Still other foundations were more general in their funding
priorities and encouraged a phone call to see if a specific proposal might
be a good fit for them. The following pyramid illustrates the relative
size of these three groups.
How the Directory is Organized
This directory groups foundations according to whether they give
nationally, statewide, or regionally in Texas. In each group there are
profiles and a table with an abbreviated listing of foundation
information. Profiled foundations were identified as more promising
sources because of previous funding for cancer programs or because of
stated interest for cancer prevention and control programs.
Profiles are
divided into three sections: Background, Grants Analysis, and Application
Guidelines. The Background section includes information about the
foundation's focus of giving from either the foundation literature or the
directories (philosophy/focus). If available, this section also includes
a listing of key words related to cancer prevention and control (major
fields of interest) which was compiled from reviewing published directory
entries for the foundation, past annual reports, or from talking with
foundation staff. Any restrictions on giving are also listed (grants
restrictions). To help users identify the size of a foundation, the
profile also includes information (if available) on the number of staff
and the assets for the last year information was available (year ended).
The next
section, Grants Analysis, includes total dollars and numbers of grants,
typical range and a listing of funded cancer prevention and control
projects, all representative of the year listed under the "assets"
heading. The final section, Application Guidelines, includes information
that is helpful in the grant application process. Some foundations are
receptive to a telephone call to determine whether an idea fits within
their guidelines. Those who prefer to be contacted by mail rather than
phone have only a mailing address listed.
The profiles
are followed by a table listing foundations that would consider a
proposal. These foundations were listed rather than profiled because they
may give only a small percentage of grant dollars to cancer-related
projects; because their geographic region is very limited; because most of
their funds go to pre-selected organizations, or because they are very
small. All the foundations listed in the directory have indicated they
would be receptive to cancer prevention and control proposals.
How to Use the Information in this Directory
Foundations listed in this directory are not a guaranteed source of
funding. Some proposals may fit certain foundations better than others.
Foundation priorities, levels of funding, and requirements are not static.
We were reminded of this fact when we contacted foundations to update the
directory. Many foundations had changed focus, and we were pleased to
discover that some are now more receptive to cancer prevention and control
projects than they had been five years ago.
Users of this
guide will need to do further research before sending a proposal to a
foundation. Information from directories such as this one become dated
quickly, so seek out additional information before submitting a proposal.
Many foundations now have web sites that will provide the most timely
information. If the foundation welcomes such inquiries, you may want to
make an initial contact to determine if a specific project might meet that
foundation's current priorities. Several foundations may need to be
contacted before a match is found.
Concerning
proposals, several points were repeatedly mentioned by foundation staff.
More organizations are applying for foundation funding than ever before.
A proposal that receives positive review will need to be well-conceived to
compete. This requires careful attention to writing, planning, and
budgeting. In planning, know that foundations prefer proposals that show
coordination of services rather than duplication. A proposal that
indicates cooperation among community organizations will be viewed more
favorably than one that indicates duplication of services.
Another aspect
to consider when planning your proposal is the population served. Many
foundations prefer to fund projects that will help meet the needs of
underserved populations. Before developing a proposal, assess your target
population against the interest areas for the foundation. When presenting
your proposal, identify who your target population is and how they will
benefit from your project.
Some
foundations stated they do not fund disease-specific programs, but would
consider a project if it were a model that could be replicated with
another population. In this case, the proposal would need to emphasize
the needs assessment, the model program, and the general outcomes rather
than the cancer focus. For example, a proposal for a breast cancer
screening project for underserved women might emphasize the method for
targeting and educating these clients instead of emphasizing the breast
cancer screening itself. The methods of interacting with the clients
successfully or adapting the service to their needs could be replicated
with other prevention programs. In other words, be creative in thinking
about how to market your funding request.
Recognize that
large national foundations tend to have a different funding agenda than do
state or local funders. National foundations support projects which have
a broad impact, while state and regional ones support those which affect
their own state, a certain geographic area or a community. Be sure to
consider this distinction when deciding whom to target.
In the last
section of the directory, we have provided additional aids to locating
funding information and to enhancing funding chances. These resources
include a list of governmental funding sources, lists of regional
foundation libraries and community foundations, tips on successfully
applying for private sector funding, and references on the grant
application process. While this is primarily a listing of private funding
sources, the federal and state agency information provides a good start in
looking for governmental funds. The reference list includes other
directories (such as the National Guide to Foundation Funding in Health)
that identify funders of health projects, although they do not necessarily
have a cancer focus. We have indexed funding sources by key words. A
program seeking funding for a pediatric cancer education, for example,
might look under key words such as children or public education to
identify possible funders.
Remember that
seeking funding from private foundations can be a frustrating process,
given their often idiosyncratic patterns of giving. A foundation that
appears to be an excellent fit from the available written information may
discourage your submission because they have changed priorities, already
allocated all their funding for that year, or received too many other
attractive proposals on your topic. Don't be discouraged! Remember:
Many excellent proposals are seeking too few dollars, so continue to
pursue every appropriate opportunity for funding. Good luck in your
efforts!