True, a lot of foundations like to give locally, but more and more foundations are giving beyond their state borders. Thus, if you're trying to find funders for your project, focus on where a foundation gives instead of where it lives. You might find that some of your strongest prospects -- those that have given a lot of grants or dollars for work like yours -- might live elsewhere.

Foundation Directory Online (FDO) subscription plans allow you to search for funders based on where they like to give. Use your state as a term in the "Geographic Focus" field. To find funders based on their location, use the "Location" field instead. Use FDO for free at all Foundation Center libraries and Funding Information Network locations.

Here are additional resources to find funders in your state:

• Foundation Directory Online Quick Start: Search by name, several types of location fields, or EIN to get basic information (contact details, fields of interest, links to recent 990s).
    
• Requests for Proposals (RFPs): Announcements of funding opportunities. Also available as an RSS feed or free weekly e-newsletter.
   
• Check Community Foundation Locator, sponsored and maintained by the Council on Foundations, to see whether there is a community foundation serving your local area.

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