The following is a complete list of the types of support terms included in the Types of Support Index in The Foundation Directory Online with a short definition of each:

Annual campaigns: Any organized effort by a nonprofit to secure gifts on an annual basis; also called annual appeals.

Building/renovation: Grants for constructing, renovating, remodeling, or rehabilitating property. Includes general or unspecified capital support awards.

Capital campaigns: Campaigns to raise funds for a variety of long-term purposes such as building construction or acquisition, endowments, land acquisition, etc.

Conferences/seminars: Includes workshops.

Consulting services: Professional staff support provided by the foundation to a nonprofit to consult on a project of mutual interest or to evaluate services (not a cash grant).

Continuing support: Grants renewed on a regular basis.

Curriculum development: Awards to schools, colleges, universities, and educational support organizations to develop general or discipline-specific curricula.

Debt reduction: Grant to reduce the recipient organization's indebtedness; also referred to as deficit financing. Frequently refers to mortgage payments.

Emergency funds: Onetime grants to cover immediate short-term funding needs of a recipient organization on an emergency basis.

Employee matching gifts: Usually made by corporate foundations to match gifts made by corporate employees.

Employee-related scholarships: Scholarship programs funded by a company-sponsored foundation usually for children of employees; programs are frequently administered by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation which is responsible for selection of scholars.

Endowments: Bequests or gifts intended to be kept permanently and invested to provide income for continued support of an organization.

Equipment: Grants to purchase equipment, furnishings, or other materials.

Exchange programs: Usually refers to funds for educational exchange programs for foreign students.

Fellowship funds: Usually indicates funds awarded to educational institutions to support fellowship programs. A few foundations award fellowships directly to individuals.

General/operating support: Grants for the day-to-day operating costs of an existing program or organization or to further the general purpose or work of an organization. Also called unrestricted grants.

Grants to individuals: These awards are given directly to individuals, not through other nonprofit organizations. Many foundations have a specific limitation stating no grants to individuals. In order to make grants to individuals, a foundation must have a program that has received formal IRS approval.

In-kind gifts: Contributions of equipment, supplies, or other property as distinct from monetary grant.

Internships: Usually indicates funds awarded to an institution or organization to support an internship program.

Land acquisition: Grants to purchase real estate property.

Matching/challenge support: Grants made to match funds provided by another donor and grants paid only if the donee is able to raise additional funds from another source.

Professorships: Grants to educational institutions to endow a professorship or chair.

Program development: Grants to support specific projects or programs as opposed to general purpose grants.

Program evaluation: Grants to evaluate a specific project or program; includes awards both to agencies to pay for evaluation costs and to research institutes and other program evaluators.

Program-related investments/loans: Loans or other investments (as distinguished from grants) to organizations to finance projects related to the foundation's stated charitable purpose and interests. Student loans are classified under Student aid funds.

Publication: Grants to fund reports or other publications issued by a nonprofit resulting from research or projects of interest to the foundation.

Research: Funds to cover the costs of investigations and clinical trials, including demonstration and pilot projects. (Research grants for individuals are usually referred to as fellowships.)

Scholarship funds (institutional support): Grants to educational institutions or organizations to support a scholarship program, mainly for students at the undergraduate level; the donee institution then distributes the funds to individuals through their own programs.

Scholarships — to individuals: These are funds awarded to individuals through programs administered by the grantmaker.

Seed money: Grants to start, establish, or initiate new projects or organizations; may cover salaries and other operating expenses of a new project. Also called start-up funds.

Student loans — to individuals: These are loans distributed directly to individuals through programs administered by the grantmaker.

Technical assistance: Operational or management assistance given to nonprofit organizations, including fundraising assistance, budgeting and financial planning, program planning, legal advice, marketing, and other aids to management.