These people have keys to many funds. If you are affiliated with education or a non-profit entity at all, you have your foot in the door already. You can partner with these people, give them some credit, and get your project done, book written, or research funded. Another thing, remember that grants and funds are not solely given by government groups. Foundations are wonderful at this and a lot more flexible in their awarding of money.
Foundations exist purely to raise, manage and give away money for good causes.
And they range from local small foundations, to state focused, to regionally based, to nationally broad. Here in SC, we have Sisters of Charity and the Mary Babcock Foundation. Endowment is another word for this type organization. Government grants are the more time consuming, paper pushing grants to apply for, while the foundations sometimes accept no more than a one or two page concept paper. Corporations have tons of money, but of course, they channel theirs to those that can best promote them.