The Office of Foundation Relations

We’re here to help you!

The Office of Foundation Relations (OFR) works with Northwestern faculty and administrators across all schools and units who seek funding from private foundations. Our goal is to help you put together a compelling proposal for your research or outreach project and submit it to a foundation where it has a reasonable chance of being funded. In partnership with the Office for Research, we coordinate and track all foundation activity on behalf of Northwestern University.

Explore the links on the left side of the page in order to learn more about how OFR can help you with:

Finding Funders

We can meet with you to learn about your project and identify potential foundation funders.

Developing Proposals

We can provide guidance on writing an effective letter of inquiry or proposal and will review drafts from a foundation perspective. We can also supply supplementary application materials, such as financial information and tax documentation.

Planning Foundation Visits

We can help you plan and coordinate foundation visits, whether meeting at Northwestern or the foundation's office.

Managing Your Grant

We can assist you with award processing, foundation stewardship, and grant reporting requirements.