The variety of opportunities is nearly endless. Fortunately, a few places online are available for individuals seeking grants to discover opportunities just right for them.

The Foundation Center’s directory of grants to individuals (gtionline.fdncenter.org) covers scholarships, research grants, and other means of support in all areas. The online version is less than $20 per month, which may be all the time you’ll need to research a project.

Researchers at Michigan State University (staff.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/prospect.htm) have compiled an extensive list of websites, interactive databases, and books pertaining to grants for individuals. Because it’s a university, the site is particularly rich in sources for scholarships.

The Medical University of South Carolina (research.musc.edu/ord/granttips.htm) has compiled a page of links to grant-writing guides, focusing on medical research proposals.

The Community of Science (cos.com) offers information for the “global research and development community.” You can sign up for a free weekly e-mail alert of new opportunities.

In the arts, NYFA Source (nyfa.org/source) is the one-stop resource for artists in all disciplines. Created and maintained by the New York Foundation for the Arts, this database contains information on nearly 4,200 organizations and nearly 8,000 opportunities for artists. It’s free and updated daily. You’ll find that it’s more comprehensive in opportunities for creative artists (such as composers, choreographers, and painters) than it is for performing artists (such as actors, dancers, and musicians).

Writers might also want to search Grants and Awards Available to American Writers (pen.org). PEN’s directory is widely recognized as the most comprehensive resource for opportunities of all kinds for writers, from grants to writing contests to artist colonies. An online database is available with only a small access fee. The Writers Union of Canada (writersunion.ca) offers a similar resource for Canadian writers for free.