Volunteer: Foundation Grant Prospect Research

About the role

This is a volunteer opportunity provided by Taproot Foundation, a nonprofit creating social change through pro bono connections.

The Satellite Archaeology Foundation supports archaeological research, remote sensing and satellite-based investigation, scientific testing, field research, preservation, and public education. We do not currently have a compiled, research-backed pipeline of foundation and grant prospects and are seeking a skilled volunteer to help us build one.

Project Goal: Develop a targeted list of approximately 20–30 highly qualified foundation and grant prospects that we can pursue over the next 12 months.

Desired Deliverables: The completed prospect pipeline should include, where available: foundation or funding organization name; relevant grant program or funding opportunity; funding priorities and areas of interest; why the opportunity is a strong fit for our mission; typical or estimated award size; application deadline or funding cycle; eligibility requirements; contact name, role, and publicly available contact information; application or funder website; recommended priority level; notes on potential approach or next steps. The opportunities should be organized into a 12‑month solicitation calendar to prioritize applications and outreach based on deadlines, funding potential, organizational fit, and likelihood of success.

What Success Looks Like: At the end of the project, we would have a practical, prioritized fundraising pipeline that allows us to move directly from prospect research into outreach, relationship development, and grant applications rather than beginning each funding search from scratch.

Responsibilities

• Research and compile a prioritized list of 20–30 foundation and grant prospects aligned with our work, including each funder’s name and a short note on mission alignment and eligibility.
• For each prospect, identify a primary contact, such as a program officer or appropriate staff member, including their role/title and publicly available contact information when available.
• Document typical award sizes or giving ranges, relevant funding priorities, geographic limitations, eligibility requirements, and other significant restrictions.
• Record upcoming application or LOI deadlines occurring within the next 12 months and indicate whether submissions require an LOI, full proposal, invitation, or other preliminary materials.
• Assign a recommended priority level to each prospect based on funding potential, mission alignment, eligibility, and likelihood of fit.
• Produce a 12‑month solicitation calendar mapping prospect deadlines and recommended outreach or relationship‑building timing.

Requirements

The volunteer should have grant prospect research and nonprofit fundraising expertise.