Non-Profit Funding Opportunities Go Green

Non-profit organizations are facing tight times. The number of clients needing services are rising, individual donations and corporate sponsorships have fallen off, operating costs are skyrocketing and competition between other non-profits is as tough as the Obama/Clinton race for the Democratic nomination. If you are a non-profit manager, fundraiser or board member you might want to consider going green as a way to generate more funding and reducing expenses. There are an increasing number of funding sources from foundations and corporations to government agencies that are awarding grants to organizations that green up their missions and operations.

Opportunities exist to apply for green grants in the following areas:

• Job training in green collar fields- ie., construction, alternative energy and landscaping
• Veterans green collar job training
• Urban planning - sustainable low and moderate income housing
• Education - programming to teach and promote sustainable living to children
• Energy conservation - investments in upgrades to improve energy efficiency
• Construction, renovation and building operations - sustainable building practices (LEED)

For a listing of possible funders for green initiatives, review this article from the Foundation Center that highlights grant opportunities for museums. Though the article is two years old, its content is even more relevant in today's environment.

A Green Collar Jobs Fact Sheet is provided by Wider Opportunities for Women to give you an idea of the types of funding that is available for job training and economic development in the green economy.

So, with that folks, we have a new twist on the 1851 quote that encouraged young men to head west in their search for opportunity, "Go Green, Non-Profit, Go Green".