Fewer than 10 percent of foundations make grants to individuals, but that’s still a lot of possible funders—some 8,300! And that means research is equally important for individual grant seekers as it is for everyone else.

As an individual grant seeker, you’ll want to develop a network of colleagues to share information about grants (and much else). Yes, you may end up competing for the same pot of gold, but you’re likely to get more leads that way, too.

The relatively small number of foundations making grants to individuals is supplemented by a large number of nonprofit organizations that raise money each year just so they can give it away. These organizations fund most anything you can think of and then some. The following examples show the range of these programs.

The American Educational Research Association (aera.net) provides small grants, fellowships, and training for researchers who conduct studies of education policy and practice.

American Academy in Rome (aarome.org) offers support for independent study and advanced research in the fine arts and the humanities in Rome.

Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (gcsaa.org) administers a number of different scholarships for students pursuing careers in the golf course industry, future turf grass researchers, and educators.