Private grants are offered by private foundations, corporations, corporate foundations or associations or even private trusts for various purposes. These grants are generally available to organizations such as small business, education institute, non-profit firms and other groups for some mission. People seeking for these funds are often the ones whose interests match with that of their funders. If you belong to the category seeking for private grant, then you must know the right procedure of finding and applying for it.

There are different sources through which you can find information on private foundations offering grants. You can visit IRS website and look out for publication 78 in order to find a list of charitable private firms. It is a searchable database that will provide you with a list of organizations with charitable status. From the list you can identify or locate the organizations offering private grants. If you want you can also locate particular organization and look out for their non profit foundations. There are many big firms like Microsoft, Ford and many others that have individual foundations providing grants or funds. Through online search you can find the respective company’s websites and links to their private foundations.

While seeking for a charitable foundation, make sure to research the foundation’s requirements and objective. Generally these foundations known for offering private funds are very project-specific. Hence it’s important to get yourself informed about the foundations prior enquiring or applying for grant money. Once you are satisfied that it can offer you fund, find out the necessary details like deadline for grant proposals and also about the respective contact person whom you will mail in your request.

For availing private grants, a letter of enquiry is required to be submitted to the concerned foundation. Most private foundations ask for letter of enquiry prior considering the proposal and accepting it for offering grant. If you want to apply for grants, make sure your letter of enquiry clearly expresses how your project matches with the objective of the foundations program. Also state the amount required and how you plan to spend the same.

If the foundation accepts your letter of enquiry, it will ask you for a grant proposal for further consideration.