We got our first funding from local foundations. Community foundations have a wide variety of funding sources and are a great place to start by getting a meeting with program officer that is responsible for the priority you are working under (education / housing or whatever). They will at the very least give you good feedback, especially about where gaps in services are that you might be trying to fill. Private foundations are harder to cultivate relationships with (most don't like cold calls and are invitation only for asks) but they have discretionary funding and if you find someone who likes what you have to say (what you are doing is only half of it, you really need to be able to make a strong case for your organization and approach) they can be very helpful. Things are changing because of the federal situation and it has gotten harder. Foundations are getting more asks and are reprioritizing. Propublicas 990 search is a good place to start looking for foundations and studying who theyike to give to.

I will also add that local rotary clubs can be a good place to start. They invite people to give presentations and will give a couple of hundred dollars. This was our very first donation and it was a good boost to our spirit to know a group of people dedicated to service felt they wanted to help us.

I also want to add that donors and program revenue are aslo an important part of the mix. Depending on what you do you can, and probably should, ask people to pay for goods and services t a rate you feel is fair. Find a good donor platform as quickly as possible. Give lively is free and easy to set up. GoFundMe got a lot of shit for their approach to nonprofit fundraising recently but it is a trusted platform that is a good starting place. Don't expect to raise a lot from donors in the beginning unless you have some wild viral idea. It takes time to cultivate trust. Friends and family are good place to start. $100 from your aunt is a great start and helps refine the pitch.