Grant research tools have become big business over the last two decades. Today, there are several competing paid databases you can subscribe to. But not everyone has the budget to spend on a database and a staff member to navigate it. That’s where free grant research tools can come in handy. Luckily, there are more available than you might expect!
The Grant Database Landscape
Candid is a powerhouse in grant research today and for good reason. In 2019, the Foundation Center and GuideStar merged to become a single nonprofit organization called Candid. For many years, the Foundation Directory was the main grant research database out there. It’s the one we’ve personally used the most over our careers. While subscriptions for the Foundation Directory can be expensive, you can get free access by going to a local community access point (often local public libraries).
When it comes to paid grant research databases, Candid is no longer the only game in town, however. Other grant research databases out there include GrantStation, Grant Finder from Inside Philanthropy, Instrumentl, GrantScape, GrantWatch, and Grant Gopher (which has a free membership level).
When selecting a database to use and/or subscribe to, keep in mind that what distinguishes a great grants database from a mediocre one is not all the bells and whistles and data visualizations. What matters is GOOD DATA.
You’ll want to ask questions like:
- How many foundations are in the database?
- Is the information accurate and recent?
- How much information on each funder is cross-searchable?
- How are grantmakers’ programmatic priorities determined and made searchable?
- Can you search by grants made to other organizations?
You can get free introductory access to most grant databases, either through free trials or, as with the Foundation Directory, going to a community access point. If you’re able to set aside a week or two to immerse yourself in grant research, you can make a lot of progress with minimal added cost (besides your time, of course).
Free Newsletters
Many grant research databases provide free newsletters that can help you find funders, keep abreast of funding trends, and discover new requests for proposals (RFPs). Some subscriptions to start with include Philanthropy News Digest and GrantStation Insider.
Some other newsletters you may consider, or folks to follow on LinkedIn that share about upcoming grant opportunities:
- For my NC Peeps: Dogwood Health Trust shares great opportunities, as does BCBSNC
- Jenna Stone with Katalyst Consulting and Justine Krank with Gold Dust Grants Consulting both post great opportunities on LinkedIn (there are truly a ton of fabulous folks sharing ops on LI daily!).
Finding Local and Regional Grantmakers
For organizations whose work is very localized, family foundations, local community foundations, and regional grantmakers can be incredible funders and partners. As opposed to national foundations, these funders are much more familiar with community needs and are looking for local groups to support.
There are several ways to find local grantmakers without ever looking at a database:
- Try a simple online search using terms like “community foundation” and your state, city, or county, can reveal the names and websites of locally based foundations.
- Check out the websites, annual reports, press releases, and event programs of other local nonprofits. Especially in event materials, organizations often thank their biggest funders.
- Find your regional grantmaker associations. You can start with the Council on Foundations and the United Philanthropy Forum. You can also try a simple online search like “regional grantmaker association” with your state or region.These grantmaker associations may not always share the names of member foundations, but you can get leads by looking at board member affiliations, press releases, and other materials.
Finding Government Grants
While government grant funding is going through major changes, it’s still worth knowing where to find grant opportunities. To find federal, state, or local government grants, Grants.gov has a searchable database of current grant funding opportunities. Because of the complexity involved in securing and administering government grants, some grant writers and grant managers specialize in this area.
Other Useful Sites for Free Grant Research
Grant Research Done for You
If doing your own grant research feels overwhelming, it’s understandable! Grant research requires a lot of time online—and familiarity with how to assess and evaluate funding prospects.
If you’re looking for a done-for-you solution, Funding for Good offers a Grant Research Package. We deliver 8-12 well-matched grant funding prospects along with everything you need to get started on building relationships and submitting grant proposals.
