Grant Proposal Writing Links and Resources
The UC Davis Office of Vice Provost--Academic Affairs and Distinguished Professor Emerita Suad Joseph of the Department of Anthropology and Program in Women and Gender Studies have provided the information below on grantsmanship to assist UC Davis faculty with understanding the fundamental components of a proposal, networking with potential granting agencies, and learning about available resources.
Many of the resources cited are of special interest to Humanities and Social Sciences faculty, who might need more assistance with understanding the fundamental components of a proposal, networking with potential granting agencies, and learning about available resources.
Below you will find the following information:
Research Funding (Sorted alphabetically by organization name)
Additional Resources (Includes articles and information on funding guides, directories and catalogues)
On the right in the "Further links and resources" box are additional items for further browsing, including a link to the UC Davis Office of Research. The Office of Research website contains comprehensive information on policies, procedures, and resources that are specific to the UC Davis community.
Materials on how to write proposals and on funding agencies and foundations are also available at the web page of Distinguished Professor Emerita Suad Joseph. Most of the information on this page regarding grant funding in the social sciences and humanities has been collated by her, and we thank her for lending her expertise in this area.
Helpful Links and Resources for Research Funding
BIG Online is North America’s most comprehensive source of fundraising information, opportunities, and resources for non-profit organizations. The website includes a funding database, writing resources, client support, and grant development services.
California Council for the Humanities posts information about programs in California.
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) is a helpful source on federal grants.
Community of Science offers a searchable database for grant seekers.
The Council on Foundations has an excellent website with links to grant-writing information and resources.
The Department of Defense (DOD)
The Department of Energy (DOE) is one of the largest sponsors of basic and applied research and development in the United States.
The Ford Foundation offers a database of grants and foundations which is searchable by keyword and year.
The Foundation Center provides a searchable database of funding sources.
- The Foundation Center’s “Prospect Worksheet” will help you record possible funding sources and match them with your own research interests.
- The Foundation Center’s “Common Grant Applications” is a time saver as many grant makers have adopted a single format for their applicants.
- The Foundation Center’s “Proposal Writing Short Course”
Funders Online is a European website which seeks to facilitate access to online funding information. This site may be helpful for those interested in research in Europe.
“A Grantseeker’s Guide to the Internet” is an online article that provides assistance and information on seeking grants via the web.
Grant Spy is a site that does the legwork for grant-seekers across the nation in non-profits, government agencies, schools, etc. The site also includes information on California state grants.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
The National Institute of Health (NIH) is a major funder of medical and behavioral research grants.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) funds research and education in science and engineering, through grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements.
Additional Resources
The Directory of Grants in the Humanities (Oryx Press) is a nearly exhaustive directory of grant programs in the humanities and social sciences, updated every year. It is available in Shields Library in Humanities/Social Sciences Reference, AZ188.U5 D57.
A Concise Guide to Getting Grants for Nonprofit Organizations (Nova Science Publishers) by Mark Guyer is available in Shields Library, HG177.5.U6 G89 2002.
Finding Funding: The Comprehensive Guide to Grant Writing (Bond Street) by Daniel M. Barber is available in Carlson Health Science Library Reference, Q 180.3 B27 2002.
The First-Time Grantwriter’s Guide to Success (Corwin Press) by Cynthia Knowles is available in the Ag and Resource Econ Library, LC243.A1 K56 2002.
The Foundation Center’s Guide to Proposal Writing (Foundation Center) by Jane C. Geever is available in Shields Library Reserves, HG177.5.U6 G44 2001.
The Grantsmanship Center® offers training and a variety of other resources for grantseekers. {Centered} is the Center’s free monthly online publication. Classic articles from this publication are archived online.
Minnesota Council on Foundations: “Writing a Successful Grant Proposal” is a useful article on grant-writing.
Scholarly Arguments: Strategies for Writing Persuasive Proposals in the Humanities by Christina Gillis is a publication of UC Berkeley’s Townsend Center for the Humanities and may be ordered for $5 from the Townsend Center, 460 Stephens Hall, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720.
Social Science Research Council: “The Art of Writing Proposals: Some Candid Suggestions for Applicants to Social Science Research Council Competitions”.
University of California, Berkeley: “The Making of a Successful Proposal”.
The University of Michigan Division of Research Development and Administration (DRDA) site offers proposal writing assistance specifically for the arts and humanities.
- The University of Michigan DRDA also offers a general grant-writing guide, “The Proposal Writer’s Guide” by Don Thackrey.
Washington State University at Vancouver: “Successful Grant Writing: Six Steps to a Winning Proposal through Collaboration and Teamwork”.