Business and Association Funding
Organizations can start looking for private sector funding sources by looking at the websites of local businesses to see if they have a corporate foundation or other formal giving program, and what the priorities of that program are. Even companies without an advertised formal giving program may be open to helping fund a project, especially if it relates to the company’s business, has a positive impact for employees, or helps the company demonstrate that it is a good community member and corporate citizen. While many foundations do not fund operational or program expenses, for-profit companies may be more likely to do so. Building relationships and finding personal connections to a company your organization would like to approach for funding is highly effective.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Local Initiative Funding Partners (LIFP) focuses on local efforts to begin collaborative community-level projects to improve the health of vulnerable people. The LIFP is especially interested in projects that reach people who are not adequately served by traditional health and social services. Their “Focus on Funders – Corporate Partners” page provides further detail on reaching out to private companies and their associated foundations.
The Direct Care Alliance is a coalition of long-term care consumers, providers, and workers, who seek to improve the quality of care for consumers through the creation of higher quality jobs and working conditions for direct-care paraprofessional workers. Their small grants program, Empowering Direct Care Worker Voices, awards up to $5,000 to support the building and sustaining of direct care worker associations and/or coalitions that bring together direct care workers, disability and aging consumers, and employers.