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Funding Search Tips

1. Choose your keywords wisely.

  • Use specific keywords. Funding searches for specific projects are usually more successful than searching on a broad or general topic. To narrow your search, try one more specific keywords. For example, instead of searching the funding databases using the keyword “chemistry”, you may refine your searches by using more specific keywords, like “organic chemistry”, “polymer chemistry”, or “photochemistry.”
  • Try several different searches. If at first you don’t succeed, try again! You may want to try different keywords, search parameters, and maybe even different combinations of keywords. Oftentimes, different keywords come to mind as funding searches are performed. Try these out! You may also want to consider other qualifying characteristics to search under (i.e., gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, degree status).
  • Try a general search. If you are getting few results from your funding searches, you may be using keywords that are too specific. For example, if the keywords “family behavior” or “group behavior” are not producing results, try a more general term, like “social psychology.”

2. Try different funding databases

Although most funding databases contain some degree of overlap, you may find that some databases have opportunities that others do not. For example, some databases are more specific to the sciences (the National Science Foundation website), some are more specific to the social sciences (FundSource), and others are more specific to the arts (Illinois Arts Council). See our Funding Source Database for a list of funding databases.

3. Don’t ignore opportunities with expired deadlines!

Many opportunities with expired deadlines can be found in several funding databases and several agency websites. Opportunities with expired deadlines are typically kept around because many of them are renewed annually. So, if you see an opportunity that matches your interests (but has an expired deadline), check with the agency to see when (or if) it will be renewed.

4. Get the most current information you can on the opportunity

Once you have found an opportunity, review the agency’s website and the application guidelines for the most current information. Contact the funding source for more information, for examples of previously funded proposals, or to determine whether your project truly fits their interests.

5. Have your advisor apply for funding for you

Faculty sometimes fund students through grants that they receive for their own projects. So, keep an eye out for opportunities that may benefit both you and your advisor!