Funding Search Tools

Funding Search Tools

Funding search tools such as funding databases and e-mail alert services facilitate the funding search process.

Funding Databases - Subscription Services

Through funding databases, researchers search for grant sources that match selected criteria such as key words, level of expertise, citizenship, research location, or type of funding. Although a single funding database search is useful, researchers can create a tailored funding alert by subscribing to the database, creating and saving a custom search, and registering for the e-mail alert service. A funding e-mail alert service reads the user's customized, saved search and sends an weekly e-mail of newly available funding sources.

The Office of Research Support subscribes to three online funding databases for use by the Duke community:

• Community of Science (COS)
• Foundation Directory Online (FDO).

Through the ORS institutional subscriptions, all Duke University or Duke Medical Center employees can subscribe to COS via a Duke computer or Duke proxy server at no additional cost.

Community of Science (COS)

COS maintains a database of grants, fellowships, and other funding information from public and private, domestic and international sources. Though the name refers to holdings on science funding, this service also offers a wealth of information on social sciences, humanities & community outreach funding. Creating a COS email alert is an invaluable tool for researchers investigating funding options.

COS web site [2] | COS registration [3] | COS tutorial available [4]

Foundation Directory Online (FDO)

Foundation Center's Foundation Directory Online is the most comprehensive search tool available for locating the funding interests of foundations on local, regional, national, and international levels, as well as past foundation grants and grantees. FDO can be accessed at the ORS Funding Opportunities offices, upon appointment. The Foundation Center publishes the free electronic newsletter, Foundation Center's RFP Bulletin.
Contact ORS Funding Opportunities Staff for appointment [5]

Additional Funding Databases

FundSource
FundSource [6] is an online tool designed to help behavioral and social scientists find research funding. It has been designed to be specific to behavioral and social science research, freely available with no subscription costs.

GrantsNet
GrantsNet [7] focuses on current opportunities for funding investigations in the biomedical, life, physical, and social sciences, as well as mathematics and engineering. Its weekly online newsletter, GrantsNet Express, is available to American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) members at no cost. GrantsNet Express is a weekly listing of science funding opportunities from private foundations and organizations, as well as new U.S. government science grant announcements.