WiSE works to involve middle school girls in science with engaging activities after school. Geography also matters-many foundations fund programs in specific areas where they are located. This is especially true of community foundations, located in several states, counties, and cities. Since education is one of the primary concerns of a community, most community foundations have some kind of program for funding education initiatives. Many foundations have web pages that state their purposes and the programs they fund.
Public libraries have volumes of information to help, along with reference assistance.
Established in 1956, the Foundation Center is an independent nonprofit clearinghouse for information about foundations, corporate giving, and related subjects. The Foundation Center's web page lists hundreds of foundations of all types, with application procedures and links to foundation web sites. A simple search engine makes narrowing down the choices fairly simple-you will be encouraged by the number of programs offering money or equipment for math and science education. The general public can also visit Foundation Center libraries in New York, Washington, DC, Cleveland, Atlanta, and San Francisco for assistance in using their publications and other philanthropy-related materials. In addition to the physical locations and the web site, the Foundation Center also publishes directories and the Guide to Proposal Writing .