Grants & Fundraising for Nonprofits

Search these directories to locate a professional grant writer:

• Association of Fundraising Professionals: Fundraising Consultants and Resource Directory 
  The AFP Consultants and Resource Directory contains paid listings of consultants and organizations that provide products and services to the fundraising and nonprofit community.
• Grant Professionals Association: Consultants Directory 
  The GPA Consultants Directory is a state-by-state list of grant consultants who are members of the Grant Professionals Association.
• Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits: Business Member Directory 
  Find a local grant consultant or grant writer through the OKCNP Business Member Directory.

Do for-profit businesses qualify for cash grants?

Generally speaking, there are no grants available to individual for-profit businesses. There are federal grants for business, but these are awarded to agencies and organizations that assist small businesses, such as Small Business Development Centers, and they regrant the monies locally.  There are also federal programs, such as Sam.gov, that offer contract opportunities to small businesses. However, this type of funding is different from a cash grant.

The following article includes more information about grants and the for-profit sector: 

What is a Social Enterprise?

What is Form 990?

Form 990 is the annual return submitted by most tax-exempt organizations to the IRS as evidence of compliance with tax laws. There are different versions of the 990 form: 990, 990-PF, 990-EZ, and 990-N. An organization's type, gross receipts, and total assets determine which of these it is required to file. Note that churches and some church-affiliated organizations are exempt from filing.

The IRS's Form 990 Overview Course includes a detailed explanation of all 990-series forms and filing requirements. 

Unlike tax returns submitted by individuals, all 990 returns are public records. You can find copies of an organization's submitted 990 returns through the IRS's Tax Exempt Organization Search database, or through sites such as GuideStar or ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. 

What happens if an organization fails to file a 990?

Failure to file a 990 return for three consecutive years will result in the automatic revocation of an organization's tax-exempt status. Under some circumstances, organizations that have had their tax-exempt status revoked may apply for reinstatement. Please see the IRS's publication, Automatic Revocation of Tax-Exempt Status, as well as he Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits's white paper, Reinstating Your Nonprofit Status, for more information. Both of these documents are included as PDFs under Recommended Resources, below.   

How are 990s used by nonprofit organizations?       

A funder's 990 or 990-PF includes a complete list of grants awarded for that fiscal year. Grant seekers often use a public charity or foundation's tax returns to gain insight into its funding preferences, and to determine if it is worthwhile to apply for a grant with that organization. The Foundation Directory Online database provides detailed Funder Profiles that include information about a foundation or public charity's stated funding interests, as well as past projects funded. Funder Profiles are an informative, easy-to-read alternative to a 990 return. Contact the Research Center at rcaskus@tulsalibrary.org to learn more about how the Foundation Directory Online's Funder Profiles can help with your next grant application. 

Recommended Resources