All About Research and Development grants

Researching and finding grants takes time. However, the rewards are worth the effort because there are millions of dollars awaiting grant seekers looking for grants for research offered through federal grants, state grants, private foundations, corporations and individuals. You should be realistic in your search and focus your efforts on a list of funders that are offering grant monies specifically for the kinds of research you are involved with.

If you are already affiliated with a local university or college, they may be able to help you find grant opportunities for your research programs. You could also check with other peers or colleagues at the university or college to find out where they receive funding for their projects. There are also national organizations with local chapters that may offer research grant funds. Finding a sponsorship arrangement with another non-profit organization that is working on similar research programs is also a good idea to get you qualified for additional funding program opportunities. Remember that approaching a funder for a research grant is serious business, and you must present your proposal in a well-organized manner that meets the funder’s guidelines in order to receive a grant award from them.

You may want to register on the grants.gov website as well as other philanthropically websites that offer lists of grant funders such as the Foundation Center. Some websites are free to grant seekers, while others offer membership packages. Using a local grant library’s resources is also a great place to search for research grants. Most cities have a grant library where grant seekers can go and use their books or take advantage of their membership websites to research grants.

Types of Grants Available for Research

A research grant is offered for people to complete a research project that generally benefits the community or provides a global benefit. Typically these grants are offered for the following types of research:

• Medical research to find cures for diseases such as cancer, diabetes, dementia, and other disorders and diseases
• Lab internships
• Studies for nursing
• Energy efficiency
• Green technologies
• Environmental projects
• Wildlife projects
• Patents and inventions
• Multimedia projects and documentaries
• Small business technology and innovation

Types of Funders

Medical funders are typically hospitals, medical schools and private foundations. Universities are good sources for environmental research projects and medical research. Federal, state and local governments and corporations are good sources of funds for small business technology and innovation research programs. Private charitable trusts are also another resource for funding. If you know someone in the community that has a charitable entrust for a specific cause that relegates to your program, you may want to contact them to see if they have a funding program.

Foundations and governments typically send out Request for Proposals (RFP’s) which have specific guidelines for the types of research programs they are interested in funding. RFP’s are great sources of locating funding for your research project. You should be aware of application submission deadlines and pay close attention to the funder’s guidelines to make sure your research program meets eligibility requirements.

You may have to submit several proposals before you are successful in receiving funding. However do not get discouraged if you receive rejection letters. There is a lot of competition for funds for research, and you need to be aggressive in getting your applications completed on time and submitting the require documentation and information about your program as well as addressing the community or global needs of your research in order to be successful in obtaining funding.