How do I start an organization that awards grants to disabled people?

Q. As a disabled person, I am becoming more and more convinced that there is no organized group that specializes in grants for disabled people. I want to start a foundation to address these needs. Can you give me some ideas on how to start this?

A. Let’s start with the possibly erroneous premise of your question. While it may be true that there is no single, national-level umbrella group that specializes in awarding grants to individuals of all types of disabilities, there are certainly many organizations that focus on specific disabilities or work in particular regions or cities. The Michigan State University Library maintains an online listing of grant makers that support charities that aid disabled people.

But if you still haven’t found the particular foundation you envision, you can learn a lot about starting one yourself through the Council on Foundations, a national group that educates new grant makers through training events and publications. You should also check out the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers; to find umbrella groups that cover particular regions of the country and may offer training sessions in your city.