How to Find Grants for Your Nonprofit
A practical guide to finding grant funding for nonprofits. Learn where to search, how to evaluate funder fit, and how to build a sustainable grant prospecting pipeline.
The funder landscape
There are over 140,000 private foundations in the United States, distributing more than $100 billion annually. Add government grants, corporate giving programs, and community foundations, and the total funding available is staggering. The challenge isn’t a lack of money — it’s finding the right funders for your specific organization and programs.
Most nonprofits pursue three main categories of grants:
Foundation grants
Private and family foundations, community foundations, and corporate foundations. These typically have simpler applications than government grants, shorter decision timelines, and more flexibility in how funds can be used. Award sizes range from $1,000 (small family foundations) to millions (large national foundations like Ford, Gates, or MacArthur).
Government grants
Federal agencies (NIH, NSF, USDA, HHS, DOE, NEA, etc.), state agencies, and local government programs. Government grants tend to be larger but come with more compliance requirements, longer application processes, and stricter reporting. Federal grants are listed on Grants.gov and SAM.gov.
Corporate and other grants
Corporate giving programs, United Way, donor-advised funds, giving circles, and other institutional funders. These vary widely in size, process, and requirements. Corporate grants often prioritize geographic proximity to company operations or alignment with business interests.
Where to search for grants
IRS 990 data
Every private foundation files an IRS Form 990 that lists their grants — who they funded, how much, and for what purpose. This is public information and is the most reliable source of data on foundation giving. Services like Candid (formerly GuideStar) compile 990 data, and Grantable’s funder search analyzes it directly.
The key insight: look at who a foundation has actually funded, not just what their mission statement says. A foundation’s 990 reveals their real priorities — the types of organizations, geographic areas, and program focuses they consistently support.
Funder databases
Several databases aggregate grant opportunities and funder profiles:
- Grantable — AI-powered funder matching using 990 data, with fit scoring and research automation
- Candid/Foundation Directory Online — comprehensive database of US foundations
- GrantStation — curated funder profiles and grant opportunities
- Grants.gov — official portal for all federal grant opportunities
- State grant portals — many states maintain their own grant listing sites
Your network
Some of the best funder leads come from peers. Talk to other nonprofits in your space, attend funder briefings and networking events, and join professional associations like the Grant Professionals Association (GPA) or your state’s nonprofit association. Program officers at foundations you’ve already worked with can often suggest other funders who might be a good fit.
Funder websites
Once you’ve identified potential funders through databases or 990 research, visit their websites directly. Look for:
- Current funding priorities and focus areas
- Application deadlines and submission windows
- Geographic restrictions
- Eligibility requirements
- Recent grantee lists
- Program officer contact information
How to evaluate funder fit
Finding a funder that accepts applications in your field isn’t enough. You need strong fit — alignment across multiple dimensions that makes a compelling case for why this funder should invest in your organization.
Mission alignment
Does the funder’s stated mission and giving history align with your organization’s work? Look beyond surface-level keyword matches. A foundation that funds “education” might focus specifically on early childhood literacy, STEM for girls, or workforce development for adults. Your project needs to fit their specific theory of change, not just their broad category.
Geographic match
Many funders restrict giving to specific regions, states, or cities. National funders may still prioritize certain geographies. Check both the stated geographic focus and where they’ve actually made grants in the past.
Financial fit
Compare the funder’s typical award size with your project budget. If a foundation typically gives $10,000-$25,000 grants, don’t request $200,000. Similarly, don’t request $5,000 from a funder whose minimum grant is $50,000. Look at the range and median of recent awards.
Organizational fit
Some funders prefer established organizations with long track records. Others specifically seek out newer or smaller nonprofits. Check whether the funder has minimum budget requirements, how long your organization needs to have been operating, and whether they require specific certifications or accreditations.
Capacity to apply
Be realistic about your capacity. Federal grants require extensive compliance infrastructure. Some foundations require site visits or detailed evaluation plans. Make sure you can meet all requirements before investing time in an application.
Building a grant prospecting pipeline
Effective grant seeking isn’t a one-time search — it’s an ongoing pipeline. Here’s how to build one:
Tier your prospects
Organize potential funders into tiers based on fit and likelihood of success:
- Tier 1 (High fit) — Strong mission, geographic, and financial alignment. These get your best proposals and most attention.
- Tier 2 (Good fit) — Solid alignment in most areas, but may require more cultivation or a stretch in scope.
- Tier 3 (Exploratory) — Worth tracking but not ready for a full proposal. Monitor for changes in priorities or new program areas.
Track deadlines and cycles
Most funders have annual or semi-annual application cycles. Map these into a calendar so you can plan your writing schedule months in advance. This prevents the last-minute scramble that produces weak proposals.
Cultivate relationships
Before applying, engage with the funder:
- Attend their webinars and information sessions
- Read their annual reports and strategic plans
- Follow them on social media
- If appropriate, reach out to a program officer with a brief inquiry about fit
Document everything
Keep records of every funder interaction, application, decision, and feedback. This institutional knowledge is invaluable for future applications and helps new staff get up to speed.
Using AI to accelerate funder research
AI fundamentally changes the speed and depth of grant prospecting. Instead of manually searching databases and reading 990s, you can:
Automated matching — AI analyzes your organization’s profile against thousands of funders to surface the best fits, ranked by alignment score. What used to take weeks of research happens in minutes.
990 analysis at scale — AI can read and summarize hundreds of 990 filings, identifying giving patterns, trends, and relationships that would be impossible to spot manually.
Funder intelligence — Beyond basic matching, AI can analyze a funder’s full giving history to predict priorities, identify emerging interests, and flag changes in leadership or strategy.
Pipeline management — AI-powered tools can monitor funders for new opportunities, upcoming deadlines, and changes to guidelines — automatically keeping your pipeline current.
Grantable’s funder search and prospecting engine is built specifically for this workflow. It combines 990 data analysis, AI-powered fit scoring, and automated monitoring to help grant teams build and maintain a robust funder pipeline without the manual research burden.
Next steps
- How to write a grant proposal with AI
- Grant writing for beginners
- Best AI tools for grant writing
- Funder research in Grantable — step-by-step product guide
Ready to try Grantable?
Start finding funders and writing proposals with AI — free forever for funder discovery.