Getting grants for your non-profit organization is a time consuming process, but well worth the effort. The key is finding out about grants that are a good match for your organizational needs. Here are a few of my favorite free places to look:
Grants.gov – There are new federal grant opportunities coming out every day. You can search through the database on grants.gov and if you decide to apply, can complete applications online. Try to find out about deadlines early, because federal grant applications are complicated and take a long time to complete.
The Philanthropy News Digest’s RFP Bulletin – This site provides information about grants in the areas of arts/culture, children/youth, disabilities, education, environment, health, medical research and science/technology. They tend to be smaller grants.
COMMBUYS – In addition to posting opportunities for vendors to do business with the state of Massachusetts, Commbuys posts RFPs from state agencies such as the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Department of Public Health, the Department of Early Education and Care, and others.  More and more state agencies are requiring programs to complete an online application through COMMBUYS.
Foundation/Corporation websites:  If you know the name of specific foundations or corporations that may support your program areas, go on their websites and look for information about their priorities, grant programs and deadlines.
GOOGLE – It’s always worth doing a Google search to find out about potential funding sources for your programs.