Grant Resources Online has been developed by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) as a tool to assist not only state and local governments, but also for community agencies, faith-based organizations, other non-profits, and individuals to find and apply for assistance programs. ADECA was created by the Legislature in 1983 with the primary purpose to “encourage comprehensive and coordinated planning and programming of economic and community affairs”.  Over the years the wide range of ADECA programs have been administered with this purpose in mind.  As budget belts tighten and the demands for increased services arise, the need for more assistance is overwhelming.

The vision of the Grant Resource Center (GRC) was developed and realized with the dedicated, hard work of current ADECA staff.  In addition to their regular jobs at ADECA these volunteers from each division spent many hours discussing and reviewing available resources.  The Grants Task Force wanted to provide Alabamians the most comprehensive grant resource available. 
The GRC is available to assist users in researching, writing, and winning grants.  An added benefit to the site is the improved communication between all facets of government, non-profits, for-profits, and individuals.  The department now provides a single location where local governments, non-profits, and all citizens within the state can come for assistance with their community and economic development issues.  It contains financial and non-financial assistance programs administered by departments and establishments of the government and foundation organizations.  Throughout this site there is general information about the grant process.  The site also provides tips, ideas, sample proposals, useful links, a Grant-tionary, and a searchable database of available opportunities.  The site provides the user with access to programs as the notifications are identified and listed. Regular distribution of grant information will be sent to a list-serv of recipients (city, county, state, non-profit, and individuals) as grant solicitations are added to the database. Other sections of the site provide users with regional and local offices, definitions of the types of assistance under which programs are administered, general proposal writing techniques, various grant application procedures, and additional sources of information.

In order to continue to strengthen our citizens, community, and our state, ADECA is seeking to establish a method of identifying applicants for all grants, so that the citizens of Alabama can be assured that we are leaving no stone unturned when looking to generate economic growth for our state.