Grant Research: Finding the Right Funder is the Path to Proposal Success!

Grant Research for Nonprofits: How to Find and Evaluate Funding Opportunities

Grant research is one of the most important steps in developing a successful nonprofit funding strategy. Before writing a grant proposal, organizations need to identify funding opportunities that are relevant to their mission, programs, location, and organizational capacity.

Effective grant research is more than searching for organizations that give money to nonprofits. It involves understanding potential funders, reviewing their previous grants, studying their priorities, confirming eligibility, evaluating the level of competition, and determining whether an opportunity is worth the organization's time and resources.

A thoughtful research process can help nonprofits focus on better opportunities instead of submitting applications simply because funding is available.

This Grant Research resource provides educational information to help nonprofit professionals identify potential funders, research grant opportunities, evaluate prospects, organize research, and develop a more strategic approach to finding nonprofit funding.

What Is Grant Research?

Grant research is the process of finding and evaluating potential funding opportunities for a nonprofit organization.

Research may involve identifying:

• Foundations
• Corporate funders
• Government agencies
• Community foundations
• Family foundations
• Grant programs
• Funding announcements
• Recurring opportunities
• Potential funding partners

The goal is not simply to create a long list of funders. Effective research helps an organization determine which prospects are most relevant and worth pursuing.

Why Is Grant Research Important?

Nonprofit organizations have limited time and resources. A poorly matched grant application can require hours of research, writing, budgeting, editing, and administration without producing funding.

Grant research helps reduce this problem by allowing organizations to evaluate opportunities before committing significant resources.

Good research can help nonprofits:

• Identify better funding prospects
• Confirm eligibility
• Understand funder priorities
• Discover potential grant cycles
• Estimate likely funding levels
• Prepare more relevant proposals
• Prioritize opportunities
• Build relationships with appropriate funders

Start With Your Nonprofit's Needs

Grant research should begin with the nonprofit rather than the funding database.

Before searching for grants, identify what the organization needs funding for.

This might include:

• A specific program
• Program expansion
• General operations
• Equipment
• Staff
• Capacity building
• Research
• Community services
• Technology
• Capital improvements

Understanding the need makes it easier to identify relevant funding opportunities.

Know Your Mission

A nonprofit's mission provides an important starting point for grant research.

Funders often organize their giving around particular causes, populations, geographic areas, or outcomes.

Clearly defining your mission can help narrow research to opportunities that are genuinely relevant.

For example, an organization focused on youth workforce development may search for funders supporting employment, education, workforce readiness, youth development, or economic mobility rather than searching for every funder that supports nonprofits.

Define Your Programs

Grant research should also consider the specific programs the organization operates.

Document:

• Program names
• Services provided
• Target populations
• Geographic areas
• Program goals
• Expected outcomes
• Annual costs
• Number of people served

This information helps determine which grant opportunities are relevant to the organization's actual work.

Identify the Type of Funding You Need

Not every grant solves the same financial problem.

Organizations may research funding for:

• Project support
• Program support
• General operating expenses
• Capacity building
• Capital projects
• Research
• Planning
• Technology
• Community initiatives

Understanding the type of funding required can make research significantly more focused.

Search for the Right Grant Funder

Potential funders can be found through many sources.

These may include:

• Funder websites
• Government grant portals
• Grant databases
• Community foundations
• Corporate giving programs
• Foundation directories
• Professional associations
• Nonprofit networks
• Funder newsletters

Search terms should reflect the nonprofit's mission, programs, population, geography, and funding needs.

Research the Funder, Not Just the Grant

Finding a grant opportunity is only the beginning.

Research the organization behind the opportunity.

Look for:

• Mission
• Funding priorities
• Geographic focus
• Previous grants
• Typical award amounts
• Eligible applicants
• Application process
• Deadlines
• Funding restrictions
• Reporting expectations

A grant opportunity may appear relevant at first but prove unsuitable after the funder's full priorities are reviewed.

Study Previous Grant Awards

A funder's previous grants can provide useful evidence about what it actually supports.

Look for patterns involving:

• Organizations funded
• Program areas
• Geographic locations
• Award amounts
• Types of projects
• Repeat recipients
• New recipients

Previous awards should not be treated as a guarantee of future funding, but they can provide useful context when evaluating a prospect.

Examine Funder Geographic Priorities

Geography can be one of the most important grant eligibility factors.

A funder may support:

• One neighborhood
• A city
• A county
• A state
• A region
• Multiple states
• A country
• International programs

Always confirm whether your organization and proposed project fall within the funder's current geographic priorities.

Review Eligibility Requirements

Before adding a grant to the active prospect list, confirm basic eligibility.

Requirements may address:

• Nonprofit status
• Organization type
• Geographic location
• Program area
• Population served
• Organizational size
• Partnership requirements
• Project type

If an organization does not meet the basic requirements, there is little value in moving forward with a full application.

Evaluate Mission Alignment

Mission alignment is one of the most important factors in grant research.

Ask:

**Does what we do directly relate to what this funder wants to support?**

Strong alignment means the nonprofit's existing work naturally fits the funder's priorities.

Weak alignment often requires an organization to stretch its program description or reshape its proposal simply to appear relevant.

A strong research process should identify weak-fit opportunities before staff spend significant time on them.

Look at the Funder's Funding History

Funding history can help organizations understand a funder's typical behavior.

Research questions may include:

• How many organizations does the funder support?
• What is the typical grant amount?
• Does it make large or small grants?
• Does it fund the same organizations repeatedly?
• Does it support new applicants?
• Which program areas receive the most funding?

This information can help nonprofits assess whether the opportunity appears realistic.

Consider Grant Size

The size of a potential award should be considered alongside the nonprofit's needs and the funder's typical giving.

A nonprofit should be cautious about requesting an amount far outside a funder's normal range unless the guidelines clearly indicate that larger requests are appropriate.

Similarly, a grant may not be worth pursuing if the maximum award is too small to make a meaningful contribution relative to the application and reporting requirements.

Research the Application Process

Application complexity should be part of prospect evaluation.

Some funders may require:

• Letters of inquiry
• Short concept notes
• Full proposals
• Detailed budgets
• Supporting documents
• Interviews
• Site visits
• Multiple stages

Understand the process before assigning staff time to the opportunity.

Track Grant Deadlines

Grant deadlines should be recorded as soon as a relevant opportunity is identified.

Track:

• Letter of inquiry deadline
• Full application deadline
• Decision date
• Grant period
• Reporting deadline
• Renewal date

Remember that deadlines can change. Always verify the current deadline with the funder before submitting.

Build a Grant Prospect List

A grant prospect list organizes potential funders and opportunities in one place.

Useful fields can include:

| Field | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Funder | Identify the funding organization |
| Program | Identify the relevant funding area |
| Mission fit | Assess alignment |
| Geography | Confirm location |
| Award range | Estimate potential funding |
| Deadline | Plan application work |
| Eligibility | Confirm qualification |
| Contact | Track relationship information |
| Status | Monitor progress |
| Next step | Assign action |

The format can be as simple as a spreadsheet or as advanced as a grant-management system.

Score Grant Prospects

A scoring system can help nonprofits prioritize opportunities.

For example, prospects can be evaluated based on:

• Mission alignment
• Eligibility
• Funding potential
• Geographic fit
• Relationship strength
• Competition
• Application effort
• Organizational capacity

Organizations can assign simple scores to each category and use the combined result to determine which opportunities deserve priority.

Prioritize High-Value Opportunities

Grant research should eventually lead to decisions.

Consider categorizing prospects as:

**High Priority:** Strong fit, eligible, realistic funding opportunity, manageable application.

**Research Further:** Potential fit but additional information is needed.

**Watch:** Interesting future prospect but not currently actionable.

**Do Not Pursue:** Poor fit, ineligible, or not worth the required effort.

This approach can help prevent a long prospect list from becoming an unmanageable workload.

Search for Recurring Opportunities

Some funding programs operate on recurring schedules.

Research previous funding cycles to identify:

• Annual deadlines
• Seasonal opportunities
• Recurring application periods
• Renewal opportunities
• Multi-year programs

Past cycles can provide useful planning information, but nonprofits should always confirm current details before acting.

Use Funder Websites as Primary Sources

Third-party grant databases can be useful research tools, but the funder's own website should generally be treated as the primary source for current requirements.

Information from databases can become outdated.

Before applying, verify:

• Current eligibility
• Deadline
• Funding amount
• Application instructions
• Program priorities
• Required documents

Use Grant Databases Strategically

Grant databases can save research time by helping nonprofits search across many funders.

They may allow users to filter by:

• Geographic area
• Subject
• Organization type
• Funding amount
• Funder type
• Program category

However, databases should be used to **discover prospects**, not as a substitute for reviewing the funder's current information.

Research Government Grants

Government grants are another major area of nonprofit grant research.

Depending on location, opportunities may be available from:

• Municipal governments
• County governments
• State agencies
• Provincial agencies
• Federal agencies

Government opportunities can have detailed eligibility, reporting, budgeting, and compliance requirements.

For more information about public funding and government relationships, explore our [Government Relations and Grants resources.

Research Corporate Funders

Corporations and corporate foundations can provide funding through grants, sponsorships, employee giving, matching programs, and other initiatives.

Research should consider whether the company's community investment priorities align with the nonprofit's work.

Explore our Corporate Relations and Grants resources for additional information about corporate funding and nonprofit-business relationships.

Research Community Foundations

Community foundations can be valuable prospects for nonprofits serving a specific geographic area.

Their funding may focus on:

• Local community needs
• Specific populations
• Regional priorities
• Community development
• Education
• Health
• Arts and culture

Review the foundation's current programs rather than assuming that every community foundation supports every local nonprofit.

Look for Funder Connections

Existing relationships can make grant research more informed.

Connections may come through:

• Board members
• Staff
• Volunteers
• Community partners
• Other nonprofits
• Professional associations
• Previous funders

A connection does not guarantee funding, but it may help an organization understand a funder's priorities or preferred approach.

Research Before Building a Relationship

Good research should come before outreach.

Before contacting a funder, understand:

• What it funds
• Who it supports
• How applications work
• Whether inquiries are encouraged
• What questions remain unanswered

This allows nonprofit professionals to have more meaningful conversations.

For additional education about communicating with funders and building relationships, explore our [Grant Funders resources.

Keep Research Organized

Grant research becomes difficult when information is stored across emails, spreadsheets, documents, and personal notes.

Create a consistent system for recording:

• Funder details
• Research findings
• Eligibility
• Deadlines
• Contacts
• Application requirements
• Previous communications
• Next steps

Consistency makes it easier for multiple staff members to collaborate.

Review Prospects Regularly

A funder's priorities can change.

Organizations should periodically review their prospect lists to determine whether opportunities are still relevant.

Remove or update prospects when:

• Funding priorities change
• Programs close
• Deadlines pass
• Eligibility changes
• Funding programs end
• Contact information changes

A smaller, accurate prospect list is usually more useful than a large list filled with outdated opportunities.

Avoid the "Spray and Pray" Approach

Grant research should not be about submitting as many applications as possible.

Sending generic applications to poorly matched funders can waste staff time and potentially weaken relationships.

Instead, prioritize opportunities where there is a genuine connection between:

**Your mission + Your program + The community need + The funder's priorities**

That alignment is one of the strongest foundations for effective grant seeking.

Research Is More Than Finding Money

Good grant research can also help nonprofits understand the funding environment around their mission.

Research may reveal:

• Emerging community priorities
• New funding programs
• Potential partners
• Common program outcomes
• Typical funding levels
• Competitive trends
• Potential gaps in services

This information can contribute to broader organizational strategy.

Connect Grant Research to Grant Planning

Research becomes more useful when it feeds into a structured grant plan.

Once prospects have been evaluated, organizations can add priority opportunities to a grant calendar and assign responsibilities.

Our Grant Planning resources provide additional information about grant calendars, prospect pipelines, application planning, deadlines, and funding strategy.

Connect Research to Organizational Readiness

Research can also reveal whether an organization is prepared to pursue certain funding opportunities.

For example, a funder may require detailed outcome data, audited financial statements, matching funds, or specific organizational documentation.

If those requirements expose gaps, the nonprofit can address them before applying.

Explore our Grant Readiness resources for more information about preparing an organization to pursue and manage grant funding.

Learn From Grant Research Results

Grant research should become an ongoing learning process.

Track:

• Which prospects were successful
• Which applications were declined
• Which funders provided feedback
• Which opportunities were not worth pursuing
• Which funding areas appear promising

Over time, this information can help the organization develop a more informed prospecting strategy.

Grant Research for Small Nonprofits

Small nonprofits may not have a dedicated grant researcher.

A manageable process can begin with:

• Defining the mission
• Identifying program needs
• Finding a small number of relevant funders
• Confirming eligibility
• Reviewing previous grants
• Recording deadlines
• Prioritizing the strongest opportunities

It is usually better to thoroughly research a small number of promising prospects than to collect hundreds of names without evaluating them.

Grant Research for New Nonprofits

New nonprofits may face additional challenges because they have limited funding history.

Organizations should focus on opportunities that explicitly support newer or smaller organizations when possible.

They should also build basic organizational readiness, documentation, financial systems, program descriptions, and outcome information while continuing to research appropriate funders.

Grant Research for Established Nonprofits

Established nonprofits can use historical funding data to improve their research.

Review:

• Previous funders
• Renewal rates
• Grant amounts
• Program funding
• Successful applications
• Declined applications
• Funder relationships

This information can help identify patterns and guide future prospecting.

Create a Sustainable Grant Research Process

A sustainable process does not require constant searching.

Instead, organizations can establish recurring research activities.

For example:

**Weekly:** Review new opportunities and deadlines.

**Monthly:** Qualify new prospects and update existing records.

**Quarterly:** Review the prospect pipeline and funding priorities.

**Annually:** Evaluate the overall grant strategy and funding portfolio.

The exact schedule should reflect the organization's capacity.

Learning More About Grant Research

Effective grant research helps nonprofits make better decisions about where to invest their fundraising time.

The process starts with understanding the organization's mission, programs, needs, and capacity. From there, nonprofit professionals can identify potential funders, study funding histories, confirm eligibility, evaluate alignment, prioritize opportunities, and organize prospects into a manageable pipeline.

Nonprofit.Courses provides educational resources covering grant research, prospect identification, funder research, grant databases, funding opportunities, and related grant-development topics.

For an introduction to the broader grant process, explore Grant Basics.

For information about understanding and developing relationships with funders, visit Grant Funders.

For organizing researched opportunities into an actionable funding strategy, explore Grant Planning.

For assessing whether your organization is prepared to pursue funding, visit Grant Readiness.

You can also browse the Fundraising Content Search for a broader collection of nonprofit grant and fundraising courses, podcasts, videos, and other educational resources.

Grant research is most effective when it leads to informed choices. The objective is not to find every possible funder. It is to identify the opportunities that genuinely fit the nonprofit and deserve the organization's time, attention, and resources.

See the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).