Local and Regional Funders

Along with researching foundations, corporations, and government grantmakers, you can also take a good look at the medium-sized businesses in your region. Many of these funders won’t have a philanthropic program per se, but often make gifts—cash, product, or services—to local nonprofits.

There are two big no-no’s when it comes to raising funds from local or regional businesses. The first thing to avoid is approaching them without knowing enough about the business and the second is submitting a request without finding the link between your work and the company. Building a profile on each potential donor allows you to tease out that connection between your organization and the business, and to use the additional information you uncover to help you craft a powerful request for...