For example, a number of environmental groups won't accept grants from oil companies or their corporate foundations - even when courted by those companies. While I understand this position, I urge a broader view. Virtually all foundation and corporate money comes from wealthy people. Wealth is generally acquired by exploiting natural resources or other human beings. All of us are culpable to some degree, depending on where we shop, what products we buy, and where we bank, so I'm not sure we can simply blame the rich and absolve everyone else.
Foundations generally invest their assets and distribute the interest in the form of grants.
Even better, stick with grassroots fundraising and skip the grant proposals altogether. Okay, that's the frustrating part. Now let's talk about why grants are attractive, useful, and worth the trouble. Grant proposals are guilt-free. Most charitable foundations exist to give away money.