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Foundations

Support from private foundations plays an essential role in enabling and sustaining the work of universities and the communities they serve. Private foundations provide more than just funding—they drive innovation, amplify impact, and strengthen credibility.

What We Do

Foundation Relations supports efforts to secure funding for university-wide priorities, institutional strengths, emerging faculty and innovative research.

  • Facilitate relationships with foundations
  • Conduct prospect research
  • Consult on strategy and positioning
  • Assist with proposal development and solicitation approaches

We are always available to answer questions, provide advice, and offer assistance in building your case and helping pitch your idea.

Contact Jill Bond (jillbond@umd.edu)
 

Build Your Case

Start with your pitch. Being clear about your goals makes identifying the right funders much easier.

  • What problem are you trying to solve?
  • Who are you solving it for?
  • How will you solve it?
  • How will you measure success?
  • How is your approach unique or novel?
  • What resources, timeline, and budget will it require?
  • Why are you qualified to solve this problem?

Find the Right Funder

No two foundations are alike. Understanding their priorities and processes is key to an effective strategy.

  • What are the foundation’s program priorities?
  • Do they accept unsolicited proposals or only open calls?
  • Do you know anyone on the staff or board, or colleagues who have worked with them?
  • Have they funded programs similar to yours?
  • What size grants do they award, and is this aligned with your needs?

Building a Strong Proposal

Tailor your proposal to each foundation’s priorities.

  • A clearly defined problem (with supporting data)
  • Your proposed theory of change or approach
  • Evidence of novelty or innovation
  • Why you/your team are uniquely qualified
  • How your project aligns with the foundation’s mission

Stewarding Foundations

Foundations typically want partnerships, not just transactions. Maintaining strong relationships can lead to future funding.

  • Share relevant articles or publications
  • Invite funders to events where you present their supported work
  • Send updates when reaching major milestones
  • Extend invitations to visit campus or meet when nearby
  • Submit interim and final reports on time
  • Schedule wrap-up calls at the end of the award period

Resources for Funding

Newsletters

Databases

  • Foundation Directory Online – a searchable database of foundations and their funding. Through the University Library (requires a CAS login)
  • SPIN – a master database of RFPs across government, corporate, and foundation sources.
  • Limited Submissions – internal competitions when funders restrict the number of proposals.

Additional Resources

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The University of Maryland (UMD) is not a 501(c)(3); however, some sponsors will accept applications submitted through the university utilizing UMD’s 170(c) exempt tax status. In addition, the University works with two 501(c)(3) organizations as needed: the University of Maryland College Park Foundation and the University System of Maryland Foundation. Depending on the type of award, there are two options:

  • If it is sponsored research: Work with the Office of Research Administration (ORA) and make sure they are aware of the requirement. They will confirm with the sponsor whether UMD’s exempt tax status meets their requirements or will work with the University System of Maryland Foundation to properly route and submit your application.
  • If it is a gift: Contact the Office of Development in your school or unit to assist you in applying through the University of Maryland College Park Foundation.
     

It depends.

If the foundation is requesting a brief description of your research question, methods, and desired outcomes, it may not need to go through ORA. However, if institutional information is required and/or if an authorized official’s signature is needed, the application may need to be routed.

You can reach out to your departmental Contract Administrator to confirm. You may also want to route it through your department’s budget officer to ensure the information you provide is accurate.

Some limited submissions are similar to mini-proposals and may include a preliminary budget. In those cases, you will need to route the submission through ORA.

Philanthropic gifts from organizations and individuals are handled by the University of Maryland College Park Foundation on behalf of the University. Contact your college’s University Relations Development team for assistance.

If it is a research-related gift, it must be routed through KB UMD Researcher Gift Routing. Open Kuali Build, choose UMD Research Gift Routing, and click NEW at the top right.

If the gift is made to a named individual, it must also be disclosed in the inTERP system.

Limited submissions are funding opportunities where the number of applications is restricted by the sponsor. The Research Development office manages these opportunities and hosts an internal competition before any submission to the funder.

For more information, visit: UMD Limited Submissions (https://research.umd.edu/research-development/limited-submissions).

Yes. The following tools can help you identify funding opportunities:

  • Foundation Bulletin: A bi-weekly newsletter distributed by the Research Development office. It provides a curated list of funding opportunities along with the latest philanthropy news. You can sign up to receive the newsletter here: Sign-up Form
  • Foundation Directory Online: Provides information about foundations, including their funding priorities and past awardees.
  • SPIN: The university’s largest database of current funding opportunities.
  • ProPublica: Offers access to organizations’ IRS Form 990 filings, which include information about endowment size, annual giving, and awards made within a specific year.
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