So unless a corporation has a presence in your area, it is probably not a good candidate for providing funding to your organization. Corporations rarely provide support for anything controversial or that might prove to be embarrassing to them either about the project needing funding or the organization seeking support. In choosing a charity to support, corporations place value on the name recognition of the charity, the charity's trustworthiness, and the effectiveness of the organization in carrying out the project they are supporting. Researching Corporations To find a listing of U.S. corporations that operate in your country, contact the Commercial Section of the American Embassy. Another source of information is the local U.S. Chamber of Commerce, if there is one in your country.
Corporations typically list where their plants and offices are located.
Once you have a list, unless your organization had a previous relationship with a corporation, you may want to start with the largest corporations first. Also, take note of those companies that that may have a special interest in your project or activities because of their area of business. Finally, seek out possible direct connections to a corporation that might establish a relationship and vouch for the credibility of your group. Look for such things as whether one or more of your board members is known to the corporation, whether your organization does business with the corporation, or whether one or more of the corporation's employees volunteers for your organization. To further research corporations you have identified as potential funders, request a copy of the corporation's latest annual giving report and application guidelines.