How to find grants for small nonprofits (for free)

How do small nonprofits find grants?

Most grants come from three places: the federal government, private and community foundations, and companies. You find them by searching free public databases, reading each funder's own rules, and matching your mission to what they fund.

You do not have to check every source at once. Start with the free federal database and one free foundation search. Then add funders your peers already have. Small, steady searching beats one big scramble.

Here is a smart shortcut: find the foundations that already fund nonprofits like yours. A peer's annual report or website often thanks its funders by name. A peer's own Form 990 usually will not name them, because the IRS lets charities keep donors' names off the public copy. A private foundation's tax return, the Form 990-PF, lists every grant it paid and who got it. A community foundation files a regular Form 990 instead. One section of it, Schedule I, lists each US group it gave more than $5,000 that year. You can look up both kinds of return for free with the IRS's Tax Exempt Organization Search. Foundations that fund a peer may fund you too.

• Federal grants: search grants.gov, the official free government site.
• Foundation and corporate grants: use Candid search (free version or free at partner libraries).
• Peer research: note the funders your peers thank. If one is a private foundation, read its Form 990-PF to see who else it funds.
• Local help: your state association of nonprofits often shares grant alerts and tool discounts.

Where can I find grants for free?

You can find real grants without paying for a single tool. Here are the free sources worth your time, and what each one is best for.

One honest note: free databases show you the opportunity, not a guarantee. Every grant has its own eligibility rules, deadlines, and priorities. Always read the funder's own page before you spend time applying.

• Grants.gov, the free official site listing federal grant opportunities. Nonprofits can apply, and each listing spells out who is eligible.
• Candid search, a free version plus full free access at Candid partner libraries. Candid says it holds 304,000+ funder profiles and 29 million+ grants.
• IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search, the IRS's free lookup for nonprofit tax returns. Search a funder's name. If its returns are Forms 990-PF, it is a private foundation, and each return lists the grants it paid and who got them.
• Your state association of nonprofits, often offers grant alerts, state-specific lists, and member discounts on paid research tools.
• Regional grantmaker associations, their member lists point you to local foundation websites.

What is Google Ad Grants?

Google Ad Grants gives eligible nonprofits up to $10,000 USD a month in free search ads on Google. It is not a cash grant. It is free advertising you can use to reach people searching for your cause, recruit volunteers, or drive donations.

To get it, you first join Google for Nonprofits. In the US that means your group must be a registered 501(c)(3) and get verified by Google's validation partner, Goodstack. Some groups do not qualify, including government entities, most hospitals and health care organizations, and most schools and universities.

This is general info, not legal or tax advice. Confirm your own eligibility with Google and, if you are unsure about your status, a professional.

• Worth up to $10,000 a month in free Google search ads.
• Requires enrolling in Google for Nonprofits first.
• US groups need 501(c)(3) status and verification by Goodstack.
• Best for awareness, volunteer recruiting, and donation pages, not general operating cash.

Start with grants.gov for federal money

Grants.gov is the free, official site where federal agencies post grant funding opportunities. If your work touches areas like health, education, housing, the environment, or the arts, a federal program may fit.

Each opportunity includes a notice of funding opportunity, or NOFO. The NOFO tells you exactly who can apply and what the funder wants. Read it before anything else, because federal grants often have strict rules and real paperwork.

Federal grants tend to be larger and more competitive, so many brand-new nonprofits start with smaller foundation grants first and build toward federal ones.

• Search by keyword, category, or eligibility.
• Read the NOFO to confirm you qualify before applying.
• Note that federal grants usually need extra registration and reporting.

Use Candid search for free

Candid search, which replaced the Foundation Directory, is one of the biggest databases of foundations and corporate donors. The full tool is a paid subscription, but you have two free paths.

First, the free version lets you do basic searching. Second, you can use the full tool at no cost in person at one of Candid's partner locations, such as a library or nonprofit center. Many let you just walk in and start researching.

Use it to find foundations whose giving matches your mission, size, and location, so you spend your limited time on funders that actually fund groups like yours.

• Try Candid's free version online for basic searches.
• Use the full tool free at a Candid partner location, often a library.
• Filter by cause, geography, and grant size to find realistic matches.

A simple free grant-search routine

You do not need to do everything. You need a small routine you can repeat. Try setting aside one hour a week and rotating through these steps.

Keep a simple list of funders you find, their deadlines, and their focus. That running list becomes your grant pipeline, and it makes each application faster than the last.

• Week 1: Search grants.gov for federal programs that fit your mission.
• Week 2: Search Candid's free version or visit a partner library.
• Week 3: Check the annual reports or websites of two or three peer nonprofits and note the funders they thank. If a funder is a private foundation, read its Form 990-PF to see who else it funds.
• Week 4: Check your state association of nonprofits for grant alerts and local lists.
• Every week: Add new funders and deadlines to one running list.

Watch out for grant scams and fees

Real grant listings are free to find. Be cautious with anyone who promises a guaranteed grant, asks for a fee to "release" grant money, or wants payment for a government grant application. Applying for federal grants on grants.gov does not cost money.

When in doubt, go straight to the source: a .gov site, the foundation's own website, or Candid. If an offer feels off, it usually is.

• Never pay a fee to receive or unlock a grant.
• Apply through official sites, not third parties promising quick approval.
• Verify any funder on their own website before sharing your details.