Office of Research & Creative Scholarship

External Funding Sources

How Can I Search for Funding?
Major Federal Agency Searches

How Can I Search for Funding?

This is often the first question faculty pose as they begin the grant writing process. Check out the following online tools:

SPIN Searchable Database	This database of funding opportunities (maintained by Infoed International) offers the following functionality: Search by simple keywords. Advanced searches limited by criteria of importance to you (sponsor type, citizenship requirements, etc.). Faculty are welcome to explore the database on their own. Individual training for new users of the database is available. Please contact Liz Demski in ORCS to schedule an appointment.
Request a Custom Search	Emerson College is happy to conduct customized funding searches for you. Please fill out this form to request assistance.
Duke University Funding Opportunities	Searchable resource provided by Duke's Office of Research Support and Office of Research Administration; includes information on funding sources for research and other scholarly projects.
Foundation Center Directory	Developed by the Foundation Center, provides the most current, accurate, and comprehensive information available on U.S. grantmakers and their grants, drawn from reliable sources, including IRS Form 990s, grantmaker web sites and annual reports, and the grantmakers themselves. Emerson College maintains a subscription to the Foundation Center Directory. The system restricts the number of users that can be simultaneously logged in, so please contact Liz Demski for assistance with a search of this system. This directory is also available for public use in the Boston Public Library.
New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA)	NEFA's grant programs provide funding to artists and nonprofit organizations in the areas of dance, performing arts, and public art. Each grant program has its own deadlines, funding criteria, and guidelines.
Philanthropy News Digest (PND)	A daily news service of the Foundation Center, PND is a compendium, in digest form, of philanthropy-related articles and features culled from print and electronic media outlets nationwide, via the PND e-newsletter or PND RSS Feeds.
Quinlan Grants for Higher Education	A free weekly email newsletter that provides timely information on new grant opportunities and funding programs for universities and colleges.

Although each of these tools provides basic summary information, you are encouraged to follow up on any leads by visiting the sponsor's website. Databases, while helpful, may not always have the latest updates from every sponsor.

Major Federal Agency Searches

Grants.gov: Search and find competitive grant opportunities from most Federal grant-making agencies. Subscribe to email alerts »
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH): NEH supports research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities. They sponsor an active Digital Humanities Initiative listserv that provides insight into their funding priorities.
National Endowment for the Arts (NEA): NEA supports nine disciplines in the arts and arts education, including literature, poetry, preservation, access, and translation.
US Department of Education (ED): Search the Forecast of Funding Opportunities for upcoming RFPs.
National Institutes of Health (NIH): U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services' funding opportunities for medical and behavioral research. Sign up for the Weekly NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices listserv.