Money really does matter in the humanitarian aid business. Even if we deal in donated product, we still need to pay the bills. But where do we go to find funding?

At the recent Global Hand Consultation in Budapest, Hungary, delegates were asked to share problems they continually come up against in their aid work. The need for funding resources was top of the list for nearly all the groups present.

This need was confirmed at the recent Global Hand Consultation in Budapest, Hungary. Delegates were asked to share problems they continually come up against in their aid work. The need for funding resources was top of the list for nearly all the groups present.

So, in response, the Global Hand team has begun to collect together internet resources to help non-profit organisations connect with financial donors.

The initial offering is available in our funding section. It includes direct links to specific grant trusts, as well as links to websites that already have directories of funding resources. Examples include:

• Department for International Development, UK Government
  http://www.dfid.gov.uk
  (DFID) is the UK Government department responsible for promoting sustainable development and reducing poverty. DfID provides funding for both emergency humanitarian assistance and on-going development programmes, as well as for a range of other initiatives. This website has guidelines for agencies seeking support from the emergency funds of DfID.
• GlobalGiving
  http://www.globalgiving.com
  GlobalGiving makes it possible for donors in the United States to make a difference by directly supporting community development projects in the developing world.
• Information on European Union (EU) Funding
  http://europa.eu.int
  A resource on the EU website, providing information on what funding is available from the EU.
• Idealist.org – Resources for Fundraising Online
  http://www.idealist.org/if/idealist/en/FAQ/QuestionViewer/default?section=0&item=1491
  A huge list of over 200 fundraising websites for non-profit organisations.
• Mango
  http://www.mango.org.uk
  Mango is a UK based charity that provides financial management services (recruitment, training, financial software, networking) to relief and development operations -“we help NGOs do more with their money”.
• Rotary International: Fundraisers’ Resources
  http://www.rotary.org
  An excellent, detailed article on obtaining funding for local projects. It lists funding organisations, texts on grantmaking, and webpages with tips and suggestions on writing proposals.
• UK Fundraising
  http://www.fundraising.co.uk
  Resource for UK charity fundraisers and the fundraising industry. Has a page of links to organisations in the UK that recycle computers for non profit organisations.
• Alertnet article:“How to apply for humanitarian world’s richest prize”
  http://www.alertnet.org
  This article, published on the Alertnet website, details the process of applying for the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, the humanitarian world’s largest award. The $1 million prize is awarded by the Foundation to"an organisation making extraordinary contributions toward alleviating human suffering anywhere in the world". The article also mentions other humanitarian awards, and lists the relevant websites at the end.

You can view these resources and more in the funding section of our library.

Please let us know if you have any suggested additions for these pages.