Descriptions of the sponsor typically include legal name of the organization, address, phone number, primary contact person, purpose and activities, fields of interest, limitations or restrictions, application information, publications available, number of staff, officers and directors, and number or list of awards made by the sponsor. Many sponsors encourage preliminary correspondence with a potential applicant because it saves wasted effort on both sides. E-mail is a particularly effective method of communication between faculty members and program officers. Sponsor web sites are another excellent source of information on funding priorities and deadlines. Professional journals and association newsletters are a good source of information about sponsors, as are the acknowledgement lines of articles in your field.
Sponsors also announce upcoming competitions in professional journals.
Electronic newsletters from such sources as National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health are a great tool for keeping abreast of upcoming competitions. For information on subscribing to the NSF Bulletin or NIH Guide, call 2836. Colleagues are often a good source of information about funding opportunities. Faculty who have served on proposal review panels are particularly good sources of information as they can explain how the review panels work, what instructions the panels receive, and how their recommendations are handled by the program staff.