Through the Looking-Glass for International Grant Opportunities

Here are 23 web sites listing funders for international grant opportunities. They are not funders. But each has significant listings. They are in no particular order. At the end I have provided several descriptions and links to toolkits.

1. The Foundation Center in the United States has a great listing of major US foundations that provide funding internationally. Their March 27, 2001 special issue of Philanthropy News Digest is devoted to online resources in the field of international philanthropy.

http://fdncenter.org/pnd/specialissues/item.jhtml?id=3000057

http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/international/

Links to international resources and international philanthropy -

http://foundationcenter.org/gainknowledge/nonprofitlinks/int.html

The Foundation Center’s funding trends reports provide the latest data available on every aspect of U.S. foundation philanthropy. Their team of research experts analyzes and interprets the data on foundations that we collect — providing a national data source unique for its scope, depth, and historical value.

http://foundationcenter.org/gainknowledge/research/internationaltrends.html

2. Jon Harrison of Michigan State University Libraries has created an incredible listing of International/Foreign Grant Makers and Related Philanthropic News
http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/privint.htm

3. There is another helpful listing at NonProfitExpert, http://www.nonprofitexpert.com/international.htm

4. International Grants with funds from the lottery the UK Big Lottery Fund are responsible for giving out half the money for good causes raised by the National Lottery, giving us a budget of about £630 million a year. They have a section on international funding.
http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_international_communities?regioncode=-uk&fromsearch=-uk

http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/

5. International grants with a human rights focus: The International Human Rights Funders Group (IHRFG) is an association of grantmakers devoted to supporting efforts to achieve the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the treaties and laws it has generated so that all people may enjoy a truly and fully human existence. The IHRFG began in 1994 as a group of U.S. foundations with "International Human Rights" programs that addressed human rights issues in other parts of the world. Reflecting important advances in the field of human rights, the Group no longer treats human rights as a matter "out there" but rather recognizes the value of human rights work even in the U.S. Now it is IHRFG itself that is international, with members in Canada, Europe and the global South.
http://www.hrfunders.org/funders/funder.php?op=list

6. The United Nations Information Technology Service (UNITeS) is a global volunteer initiative to help bridge the digital divide. UNITeS both supports volunteers applying information and communications technologies for development (ICT4D) and promotes volunteerism as a fundamental element of successful ICT4D initiatives. They have a useful Source for Researching Grants and Funding Resources Online with Links http://www.unites.org/Html/Resource/knowledge/07grants.htm

7. The Inter-American Foundation (IAF) is an independent agency of the United States government that provides grants to nongovernmental and community-based organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean for innovative, sustainable and participatory self-help programs. The IAF primarily funds partnerships among grassroots and nonprofit organizations, businesses and local governments, directed at improving the quality of life of poor people and strengthening participation, accountability and democratic practices. http://www.iaf.gov/index/index_en.asp

8. US Agency for International Development US Federal Assistance with Free E-Newsletter with Grant Information http://www.usaid.gov/

9. The U.S. Deprtment of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service with E-mail Notice of Grant Availability http://www.fas.usda.gov/

10. Source for all US Federal grants and e-mail notices about grants http://www07.grants.gov/applicants/email_subscription.jsp

11. U.S. AID Microenterprise Development limits its definition of microenterprises to businesses with less than 10 employees including unpaid family workers. Other defining characteristics are a low level of assets and low income of the owner. Often microenterprises involve only one person, the owner-operator. Microenterprises exist on the fringe of most formal economies, increasing in number when formal unemployment rises or when economic hardship strikes. http://www.usaidmicro.org/ or http://www.microlinks.org/ev_en.php

12. US International Grants International grants and hints on grant writing for grant seekers http://www.usig.org/

13. United Nations An excellent source for researching grants and funding resources online with links http://www.unites.org/Html/Resource/knowledge/07grants.htm

14. United Nations Development Programs International development grants and resources http://www.undp.org/

15. Grantmakers Without Borders is not a funding organization, so they cannot review proposals from grantseekers. However, they can offer some helpful resources for fundraising, The following websites contain listings of foundations and other organizations interested in international grantmaking: http://www.internationaldonors.org/advicegs/index.htm

16. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) provides grants on a discretionary basis in support of technically sound and cost-effective interventions for the prevention of infection and the treatment, care and support of persons infected and directly affected by HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. http://www.theglobalfund.org/en/apply/rcc/application/

17. The majority of the Global Fund for Women grants range between $500 to a maximum annual grant of $20,000. Their funding is primarily devoted to flexible, general support grants that address universal issues such as reproductive health and choice, access to education, economic independence, political participation, the rights of sexual minorities and the prevention of violence against women and children. In their efforts to link women's rights groups outside the United States, the Global Fund also funds a limited number of small, time-sensitive grants to participants and organizers of conferences that bring together and build the capacity of women's rights activists.
http://www.globalfundforwomen.org/cms/

18. The Global Greengrants Fund has provided over 3,000 grants in 120 different countries. They believe that grassroots groups are a key to solving the intractable problems of poverty, powerlessness and environmental destruction. Their experience has shown that there is no better investment than supporting passionate people with great ideas. They make small grants (typically $500 to $5,000) to grassroots groups around the world working to help people protect the environment, live sustainably, preserve biodiversity and gain a voice in their own future.
http://www.greengrants.org/

19. Main Street at Charity Village®, Canada's supersite for the nonprofit sector --- 3,500 pages of news, training, jobs, information and resources for executives, staffers, donors, and volunteers. If philanthropy and volunteerism are part of your world, this is your place. The web site contains links to online databases and directories of funding agencies and foundations of interest to Canadian individuals and organizations, plus online tools and resources of value to those involved in prospect research and other areas of fundraising
http://www.charityvillage.ca/cv/ires/fund.asp

20. Africa Grantmakers Affinity Group Information about Possible Grants for African NGOs - The feature linked below provides BASIC information on AGAG member foundations and the countries or regions in Africa where they have programs and the broad areas they support. Please note that some foundations may not have a geographic focus and some foundation may fund in broad thematic areas. All foundations operate differently and their funding priorities change, so this information is presented only to be used as a starting point. http://www.africagrantmakers.org/index.asp?PageURL=24

21. For nearly three decades, Funders for Lesbian and Gay Issues has studied and strengthened philanthropy to secure LGBTQ rights and advance racial, economic and gender justice

LGBTQ Funders Directory Search for LGBTQ funders that support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people and issues.

LGBTQ Community Foundations and FundsIdentify an LGBTQ community foundation or fund in your community.

Global LGBTI FundersFind out which grantmakers are supporting LGBTI communities in the Global South and East.

http://www.lgbtfunders.org/seekers/index.cfm

22. Funders Online from the European Foundation Centre has as one of its major goals to facilitate access to online funding information. However, having the information better organised and easily accessible will not relieve you from the hard task of reviewing carefully all the details about a funder’s areas of interest and ways of work. Do your homework first, before approaching a funder for support - that's the key to successful fund-raising.http://www.efc.be/membership/alphabetically.asp?status=full and http://www.fundersonline.org/grantseekers/

23. Fundsnet Online Services is a privately owned Web site created in 1996 for the purpose of providing Nonprofit Organizations, Colleges and Universities with information on financial resources available on the Internet. The link below is to their list of international funders.
http://www.fundsnetservices.com/showcats.php?sbcat_id=10

Toolkits

The CIVICUS Toolkits - Grant Writing, Media, Capacity Building material in this toolkit has been drawn from existing materials prepared by civil society organisation. CIVICUS aims to help civil society organisations to build their capacity and achieve their goals. Based on requests from members, CIVICUS has produced several toolkits to enable organisations to improve their capacity in a number of areas. From communications and planning skills to writing funding proposals, we hope that you will be able to get many useful tips, tools, and ideas to help strengthen your organisation... The toolkits are available in English, French, Spanish and Russian in MS Word and PDF formats.
http://www.civicus.org/resources?07c23fc490fb56da28db023ad7e04d9d=3cb81edd35ffb1247b8581aac28edb88

The HIVTools Research Group is a multidisciplinary academic research group doing HIV/AIDS-related research in resource-poor settings. Based in the Health Policy Unit at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the group carries out research and training in modeling and economic analysis. http://www.hivtools.lshtm.ac.uk/links_funders.htm

Global Development Network has an extensive Toolkit: Proposal Writing and Fundraising available. The Toolkit is divided into six sections – Before you start, Writing the proposal, Budgeting, Guide to donors, Institutional insights and Networking. GDN supports and links policy research institutes in eleven regions and more than hundred countries. http://www.gdnet.org/middle.php?oid=362

Idealist is a project of Action Without Borders, a nonprofit organization with offices in the United States and Argentina. Idealist is an interactive site where people and organizations can exchange resources and ideas, locate opportunities and supporters, and take steps toward building a world where all people can lead free and dignified lives. Action Without Borders connects people, organizations, and resources to help build a world where all people can live free and dignified lives. AWB is independent of any government, political ideology, or religious creed. Their work is guided by the common desire of their members and supporters to find practical solutions to social and environmental problems, in a spirit of generosity and mutual respect. http://www.idealist.org/ and http://www.idealist.org/tools/tools.html

fResource has been developed for both fundraisers and researchers from around the world, from small local non-profit organisations, right through to large national charities and universities. They provide comprehensive information on fundraising resources and products from around the world. So whether you're looking to develop existing funding, search for new funding or simply confirm an address, locate an individual or find a consultant, fResource is a place to do it. Free log in is required. You may want to start at the site map. My thanks to Finbar Cullen for the information. http://www.fresource.info/

Grant Writing Tools Web Sites - http://www.idealist.org/npofaq/19/64.html

If you have other links that offer additional and timely information to international grants please let me know. You can post them here. Thank you.