Sources for funding and grants for Biomedical researchers

The Foundation Center has an extensive subscription database (http://fconline.fdncenter.org), with information on nearly 100,000 foundations, not-forprofit, and corporate giving programs. If your library doesn't subscribe to their services, you can use them for free at any one of their 400 locations nationwide. The site offers guidance on finding and utilizing 990 forms which list an organization's mission, programs, and finances, from smaller grantmakers.

Community of Science (COS) lists over 25,000 funding sources, including international, public, and private funders (www.cos.com). In addition to the typical search activities (free for registered users), COS posts a weekly list of new grants in Health Sciences.

GrantsNet A free compilation site from the American Association of the Advancement of Science (AAAS), this list is especially quick and easy to explore. Users can choose from GrantsNet's thorough list of selection criteria, encompassing 12 experience levels and 38 broad research areas. A quick search for 2009 grants in molecular biology for initial postdocs yielded 50 listings.

University funding pages Some large research universities offer nonrestricted grant information on their Web sites. For example, the funding database from Duke University's medical center is fully accessible to the public at www.researchfunding.mc.duke.edu. Users searching a particular discipline can sort by order of grant amount, or deadline. The Advanced Search function brings up a small, more select list of granters and is simple to specify.

The Medical Foundation (TMF) has advised clients interested in funding outstanding medical researchers for 50 years. They represent a varying number of foundations (currently 11). Several support basic research areas. Grants from most of TMF's funders start at $40,000 per year (www.tmfnet.org).

Source: Finding New Money by Carol Milano. The Scientist.com 23 (4). 70