Start with your fit criteria, not the search
The most common mistake is searching before you know what you're searching for. Before you open a directory, write down five things: the program you're funding, the amount you need, your geography, the population you serve, and the org requirements you can actually meet (501(c)(3) status, operating budget, years in operation). These become the fit screen you run every prospect through — and they keep you from burning weeks chasing funders who were never going to fund you.
Not sure you'd pass a funder's bar yet? Start with how to get grant-ready.
The main sources, by type
| Source type | What it's good for | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation directories | Searchable databases of private and family foundations, with priorities and past grants | Candid / Foundation Directory, Instrumentl |
| Funder 990s | Seeing who a funder actually funds, typical grant size, and giving patterns | Public IRS Form 990 / 990-PF filings |
| Federal government | Large, structured grant programs across agencies | Grants.gov (requires SAM.gov registration) |
| State & local government | Place-based funding and pass-through federal dollars | State agency and city/county grant pages |
| Community foundations | Local, relationship-driven grants for your region | Your area's community foundation |
| Corporate giving | Sponsorships, foundation grants, and employee-match dollars | Company foundation pages and CSR programs |
Foundation directories
Directories are the fastest way to see the landscape. Candid's Foundation Directory indexes hundreds of thousands of funders with their priorities, grant ranges, and recent grants — and many public libraries offer free access. Instrumentl is a paid platform that matches your profile to live opportunities and tracks deadlines, mainly buying you research time. Use directories to build a long list, then filter hard against your fit criteria before anything goes on your pipeline.
Research funders with their Form 990
This is the step most nonprofits skip — and the one that wins grants. Private foundations file an IRS Form 990-PF that lists every grant they made: who got it, how much, and for what. Reading a few years of a funder's 990 tells you more than any mission statement. You'll see their real grant range (not the inflated one on their website), whether they fund organizations like yours, and whether they tend to renew the same grantees or rotate.
- Confirm the real grant size — apply for an amount in line with what they actually award.
- Look for organizations like yours in the grantee list; similarity is a strong fit signal.
- Spot the pattern — do they fund new grantees, or mostly renew? That tells you your odds.
Federal, state & local government
Government is the largest source of grant dollars, but it asks the most up front. Federal opportunities live on Grants.gov, and to apply you'll first need to register your organization in SAM.gov and obtain a Unique Entity ID — a process that can take weeks, so start early. State agencies and city or county governments also run their own grant programs and pass through federal funds; check the relevant agency and your local government's grants page. Government grants are more compliance-heavy, so weigh the reporting burden against the award.
Community foundations
If you serve a defined region, your community foundation is one of the best places to start. These funders exist to support local organizations, their guidelines are usually public and approachable, their grant sizes fit smaller nonprofits, and the relationship is personal — a program officer who knows your work can become a long-term champion. Many also administer donor-advised funds and field-of-interest funds that quietly fund causes like yours.
Corporate giving & employee match
Companies give in several ways: corporate foundation grants, event and program sponsorships, in-kind donations, and employee matching-gift programs that double your supporters' donations. Start with businesses that already have a tie to your community or cause, read their corporate-giving or CSR page for guidelines, and make it easy for your existing donors to route a company match your way. Corporate dollars often come with visibility and partnership opportunities beyond the check.
Build a prioritized prospect list
Once you've gathered prospects, turn the pile into a pipeline. Score each funder, drop the weak fits, and protect your staff time for the strongest matches.
- Define your need and fit criteria — program, amount, geography, population, and the org requirements you meet.
- Search the major sources — directories, federal and state portals, community foundations, and corporate programs.
- Research each funder's 990 — confirm real grant size, look for grantees like you, and read the giving pattern.
- Screen each prospect for fit — score mission match, grant range, geography, and eligibility; cut anything that fails.
- Prioritize and schedule — rank surviving prospects by fit and effort, log every deadline, and assign owners.
The four-question fit screen
- Does your program match a stated funding priority?
- Is your ask within their typical grant range (from the 990, not the website)?
- Are your geography and population eligible?
- Can you meet their org requirements and deadline?
Good research takes staff hours you may not have.
Finding and applying for grants well is real work — and it competes with running your programs. A recurring, unrestricted funding base buys back that time. With Good Circles, supporters pick your cause once and a share of their everyday local spending funds you automatically — conservatively about $72 per active supporter per year (≈ $36,000/year from 500 supporters), no fundraising required. Free to join.
Claim a Founding Nonprofit spot →Found your prospects? Next, learn the structure funders reward in our guide to writing a grant proposal.
Sources & tools
Free first
- Candid — Funder & nonprofit search (free with registration) — Combines Foundation Directory and GuideStar data; search funders, grants, and 990s free after registering, with deeper access via many public libraries.
- Grants.gov — Search Grants — The free, official search for live federal funding opportunities across 25+ agencies, filterable by eligibility and category.
- Candid — Foundation Directory — The largest searchable database of foundations and their priorities, grant ranges, and recent grants; free at participating libraries (Funding Information Network).
- IRS — Tax Exempt Organization Search (990 filings) — Free public access to funders' Form 990 / 990-PF filings so you can see who a funder actually funds and typical grant size.
- SBA — Grants for community organizations — Plain-language pointers to government grant sources and a realistic primer on which grants nonprofits actually qualify for.
Paid — optional labor-savers
- Instrumentl — Matches your org profile to live grant opportunities and tracks deadlines, replacing hours of manual directory searching. Worth it when You want curated, good-fit matches and deadline tracking rather than building prospect lists by hand.
- Candid — Foundation Directory subscription — Paid tiers add advanced filters, key-people search, and side-by-side funder comparison. Worth it when Your nearest free-access library is inconvenient and you research funders often enough to justify a subscription.
Last verified 2026-06-16. Figures and rules change — verify at the source before you act.
FAQ
Where do nonprofits find grants?
The main sources are foundation directories like Candid's Foundation Directory and Instrumentl, federal portals (Grants.gov), state and local government, community foundations, and corporate giving and employee-match programs. Researching funders' IRS Form 990s shows who they actually fund.
Are there free ways to find grants?
Yes. Grants.gov is free for federal opportunities, funders' Form 990s are public, and many community foundations publish their guidelines openly. Many public libraries offer free access to Candid's Foundation Directory. Paid tools like Instrumentl mainly save research time.
How do I know if a grant is a good fit?
Screen every prospect on four things: does your mission match a stated funding priority, is your ask within their typical grant range, are your geography and population eligible, and can you meet their org requirements. If any answer is no, move on.
How many grants should I apply for?
Focus beats volume. A short pipeline of well-matched funders you've genuinely researched will out-perform a stack of long-shot applications. Prioritize by fit and the effort each requires, and protect staff time for the strongest prospects.