
As we note in , one of the most frequent questions we receive in the grants office is “Where do we find the grants!?”
The Foundation Center is one of those places.
The website ( ) offers a comprehensive database of grant opportunities, along with profiles of all active U.S. foundations and recent grants awarded by the nation’s top funders.
If you’re interested in finding funding for a specific program or idea, this is a good place to start.
However, Foundation Center requires a $$$ subscription, which the Roanoke Main Library provides free of charge to the public.
If, like me, you’re curious about how to make the most of this service, please join me on a field trip on Thursday, Dec. 13, when the library’s Virginia Room hosts a hands-on class about Foundation Center.
The class begins at 2 p.m., but I will be leaving Virginia Western at 1:30 p.m. If you would like to carpool, please let me know: sseagle@virginiawestern.edu.
And please don’t forget to register for the workshop by email at main.library@roanokeva.gov.
Foundation Center Basics
What: Learn how to find grants for your nonprofit in this hands-on class.
When: 2 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 13
Where: Virginia Room, Roanoke Main Library
Register: main.library@roanokeva.gov



Shelley Lyons is glad to be back on campus as she is a Virginia Western alum, and has served as the Administrative Officer for Grants Administration at Virginia Western since early 2022. Prior to 91Ó°ÊÓÆÆ½â°æ, her career focus was within the Human Services and Arts fields. She wrote her first grant in 1996 on a whim and has continued to plan and learn since that time. She most enjoys  seeing a well-planned project come to fruition, where funder, project manager and beneficiaries can all feel success and see impact.