If you work in an emergency situation, such a natural disaster or war, you might need to fundraise quickly and you will not have time to go through the entire process of applying for funding through existing routes. Development agencies and private foundations do normally offer prompt help in emergency, so they might allocate a certain budget to help people in need and explain how to access these resources (for instance, USAID has allocated a special budget for emergency situations).
You should first of all detect the name of the agency that will be more likely to help you and contact your local office to ask for support. You should write a letter or call the office and explain what is happening and how you intend to engage with the problem by offering a series of activities to implement. You could also consider using social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and Blog pages to raise global awareness and to ask for individual donations.
Where to look for funding
This section will guide you through a number of Agencies and Foundations in order to understand who they are, what they do, and also how to approach them.
International Private Foundations
The role of Private Foundations in supporting the NGO sector has become crucial after the economic crisis in 2008, which decreased the governmental allocated budget for civil society. There is an important number of Foundations targeting international development especially in the US and Europe. Also, evidence shows that the number of Private Foundations has increase by 2/3 in the past two decades so it is worth exploring the possibility of accessing this funding option.
American Private Foundations provide grants for organisations working in developing countries such as Africa, China, India, and Latin America. It is worth noticing that more than half of these grants are given to American organisations working abroad. As such, it could be worth considering establishing partnerships or getting in contact with American organisations that could act as main applicants for collaborative projects.
Among top foundations you might consider:
1) Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation focuses on global development and global health. For grant opportunities you should monitor the calls advertised in their website.
2) Ford Foundation focuses on social change by supporting projects in the fields of human rights, democracy, economic development and sustainability, freedom of expression, and reproductive health. The Foundation accepts Grant Enquiries all year long. Link.
3) The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) supports the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions. Proposals are accepted four times a year with deadlines in September, January, April, and June. Link.
European Foundations are smaller in size and the largest concentrations are in Italy and the UK. Among most prominent Foundations there are:
1) Aga Khan Development Network (Switzerland) supports organisations working in the fields of health, education, and rural development with a specific geographical focus on South and Central Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. In order to apply for funding you should contact your regional office and submit a concept note for a first assessment. Link.
2) Compagnia di San Paolo (Italy) sponsors projects in the fields of research, cultural heritage, health, and welfare. There are several schemes funded by this Foundation, which does not accept unsolicited letters. In order to get more information about how to apply for funding, check the “how to present a proposal” section of their website.
3) Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH (Germany) supports projects in the fields of education, health, international relations, science, society, and culture. There are no open calls, but rather a form to fill in for initial assessment (max 2 pages). Link.
