Many smaller NGOs, often grass-roots, with small budgets, have difficulty finding funds for their projects. Their capacity to research donors is limited. They also feel that most donors prefer giving large grants to well-known NGOs. At the same time, thousands of small NGOs around the world are successfully attracting small grants from interested donors. How do they manage this?
This short guide provides answers on funding and successfully applying for small grants.
What is a small grant?
Although there is no formal definition of a small grant, for the purpose of this guide we will assume small grants to range from $100 to $25,000. We will also assume that small grants are typically earmarked for small local NGOs with limited budgets.
Why would funders give to small NGOs?
Many small NGOs feel that they are at a great disadvantage when it comes to fundraising compared to large high-capacity NGOs and that few donors give out small grants. Our research indicates that this is not necessarily the case and that donors around the world are providing small grants to NGOs (see below).
What could be some of their reasons?
- The donor has limited resources and only gives away small amounts
- The donor is interested in helping small NGOs that work at the grassroots level
- The donor feels small organizations are more nimble and can work more effectively
- The donor feels they will be more influential funding a smaller NGO
- Smaller NGOs work in the specific area the donor is interested in
- The donor wants to spread its wealth (give small amounts to many NGOs) and many more…
Where do I start?
What do I need funding for? 
Make sure that you clearly develop the program that requires funding. In order to identify a good donor and submit a successful application, you need to be very clear about what it is you are going to implement and what results (impact) the program is going to achieve.
How much do we need?
Also, budget out the program and identify the total resources needed. Can one small grant cover the entire program or do we need several donors to do this? Before we can ask a donor for funding, we need to know for what and how much we are asking.
Research
While it is difficult to find accurate statistics on the number of small versus large grants, a review of US Foundation grants to Tanzanian NGOs is instructive. From some 490 grants given to Tanzanian NGOs since 2003, almost 60% were small grants (8% were under $5,000; 19% under $10,000; 41% under $15,000; and 58% under $25,000). Though only one example shows that many donors are in fact effectively providing small grants to NGOs.
So now we know that donors do give small grants, but how do we find them?
- Check websites and annual reports of NGOs that are of a similar size and scope to your NGO to check who funds them
- Check databases of funders (e.g. the Foundation Center Directory of Foundations in the US)
- Check donor websites for guidelines and funding criteria
- Ask peers and colleagues for suggestions
- Sign up for newsletters that provide funding information on small grants
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Next steps
How do I contact these donors?
Once you have identified a list of potential donors, reach out to them. Email or phone them and request a meeting in person (if they are located in the country/city where you work) or by phone/Skype (if they are located elsewhere). Once you make contact, be sure to ask more about their goals and strategies – what is it they want from an NGO? Next, provide information on your NGO and project, and then propose to send to them a short concept note that outlines a program in which they could be interested.
What shall we send them?
Send the donor a concept note that summarizes the program and budget. Do not send them a big proposal with annexes unless they have asked for this specifically. Set a date to follow up with this donor. Answer any questions they might have, and ask for feedback.
Getting to a “yes.”
If the donor is not interested, thank them for reviewing your proposal and indicate you will get back to them in the future. Try again with a revised or different proposal six months or so later. “No” often means – not now – so don’t give up too quickly. If the donor is interested, they will often ask you for a more detailed proposal. Keep your fingers crossed for them to say yes!
Foundations that provide Small Grants to NGOs
GEF Small Grants Programme
The GEF Small grant program was established in 1992, the year of the Rio Earth Summit. The GEF Small Grants Programme is missioned towards sustainable development by “thinking globally acting locally” by providing financial and technical support to projects that conserve and restore the environment while enhancing people’s well-being and livelihoods. United Nations offers the grant on the annual basis to developing countries of up to $50,000 directly to local communities including indigenous people, community-based organizations, and other non-governmental groups. The Small Grants Program has provided over $580 million to more than 21,500 projects around the world.
Rufford Small Grants Foundation
The Rufford Foundation is the UK registered charity that funds nature conservation projects across the developing world. The Foundation encourages the sharing of knowledge and best practices throughout the conservation world. The Rufford Small Grants Foundation provides funds to individuals or small groups like NGOs and CBOs of developing countries. The grant is given in a staged funding process with five different types of grants: Rufford Small Grant (up to £6,000), 2nd Rufford Small Grant (up to £6,000), Booster Grant (up to £12,000), Continuation Grant (up to £25,000) and Completion Grant (up to £25,000).
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Humanitarian Innovation Fund
The Humanitarian Involvement Fund (HIF) was established in the year 2011, it aims to provide small grants for those countries, which are in humanitarian needs. Most developing countries are not able to focus on the needs of people such as food health, shelter, security. The HIF has been playing an important role by supporting organizations that work to address the issues of humanitarian needs in developing countries. HIF encourages partner organizations and the private sector for positive changes.
Nederlands Albert Schweitzer Fund
Respect for all life by Albert Schweitzer, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952. The philosophy is continued by the Dutch Albert Schweitzer Fund (NASF). It supports small-scale health projects in Sub-Saharan African countries. Various diseases that could have been prevented have led to the death of people due to a lack of resources in Africa. Nederlands Albert Schweitzer Fund aims to implement the projects related to healthcare for the improvement of people’s health and healthcare system in Africa.
Rufford Small Grants Foundation
Destruction of nature has emerged as one of the critical issues in the world. The foundations such as Rufford have an important role in the conservation of nature. Rufford Foundation is the UK registered charity that funds and supports projects, for nature conservation in developing countries. To date, the foundation has granted over 4000 projects around the world. In the past years, it has granted to the projects related to the building various partnership, building schools to cooperation which has been part of policies implementation and procedures that supports in conserving resources.
Research projects are also entertained given that current environmental issues will be undertaken.
Go. Go Love
Go. Go Love is a privately funded foundation that aims to create a little more love to share through the world, where Injustice and inequality have been critical. We believe that, as long as poverty, injustice & inequality exist in this world, none of us can share the love with each other and move to the path of progress. We need to love all people, our innovation, ideas and passion, our surrounding for a positive change in the world.
We support small to medium non-profit and non-government organizations working in developing countries. We believe, working together is the most valuable tool for community development work. To provide organizations and communities the means to work together in achieving positive changes and improving the overall quality of life is our mission.
SGP The Small Grants Program
SGP small grant program was established in the year 1992, the year of the Rio Earth Summit, it signifies the core of sustainable development by “thinking globally acting locally”. With consideration of environmental degradation as the degradation of the ecosystem, SGP aims for the balance between human needs and environmental imperatives. Through the support of those projects that work for the conservation and restoration of the environment while enhancing the people’s well-being and livelihood.
The program encourages reducing the life-threatening challenges that endanger every species depending on and surrounded by the environment. It directly provides grants of up to $50,000 to local communities including indigenous people, community-based organizations, and other non-governmental groups for projects in Biodiversity, Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, Land Degradation and Sustainable Forest Management, International Waters, and Chemicals.
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