Where to find grants for your nonprofit
The hardest part of grant writing is often just finding the right grant to apply for. Below is our curated list of free and low-cost grant databases small nonprofits actually use — organized by category so you can start where it makes the most sense for your work.
Where to start if you've never written a grant:
- Register on SAM.gov now — it takes 2–3 weeks.
- Find your local community foundation — usually the easiest first win.
- Check Walmart Community Grants — short application, fast turnaround.
Federal grants
Federal grants are the largest single pool of funding in the U.S. They're competitive and the applications are long — but the databases are free and searchable.
- Grants.govFree
The official database for every federal grant opportunity across all 26 federal grant-making agencies. Filter by eligibility (nonprofit 501(c)(3)), category, and deadline.
- SAM.govFree w/ registration
Required registration before you can apply for any federal grant. Free, but allow 2–3 weeks for your UEI and registration to activate.
- USASpending.govFree
See who actually received federal grants in your category last year. Goldmine for identifying which agencies fund work like yours.
Foundation & private grants
Foundations give away over $100B/year in the U.S. Most don't publish open calls — you find them by researching what they funded last year and matching it to your program.
- Candid Foundation Directory (Free)Free tier
The most comprehensive U.S. foundation database. Free access is available at 400+ Funding Information Network libraries nationwide — find one near you at candid.org/find-us.
Free lookup of any foundation's IRS Form 990, which lists every grant they made last year — amounts and recipients. Use it to find foundations funding similar work.
- Instrumentl (free trial)Free tier
Matches your nonprofit to relevant foundation grants. Paid tool, but the 14-day trial alone usually surfaces 20–50 prospects worth tracking.
- GrantWatchFree tier
Aggregates federal, state, foundation, and corporate grants. Free to browse summaries; paid to see full application details.
Community & local foundations
Community foundations are often the easiest first win for small nonprofits — smaller applications, local reviewers, faster decisions.
Find every community foundation in your state. Start with the one in your county — they almost always have an open grant cycle.
Your local United Way often runs annual grant cycles for health, education, and financial stability programs.
Google '[your county] community foundation grants'. Most post their open RFPs directly on their site with simple application portals.
Corporate grants
Large companies run grant programs as part of their corporate social responsibility. Many are surprisingly easy applications with quick turnarounds.
$250–$5,000 grants from local Walmart and Sam's Club stores. Cycle runs Feb 1 – Oct 15 annually. Excellent first grant for new nonprofits.
Two cycles per year focused on workforce development, basic needs, and community development.
- Lowe's HometownsFree
Up to $100K for community improvement projects — playgrounds, gardens, building renovations.
Right-to-Work areas have local Amazon community grants. Check the Amazon in the Community page for active programs.
State & regional sources
Every state has its own grant portal — often less competition than federal because fewer nonprofits know to look.
Search '[your state] DHHS grants' or '[your state] grant portal'. Most states aggregate every state-funded grant on a single site.
If any part of your work involves arts, culture, or humanities, your state arts council has annual grants — usually smaller pools, less competition.
If you serve a rural area (population under 50K), USDA Rural Development has 40+ grant programs across community facilities, housing, and business development.
Newsletters & alerts
The most efficient way to stay on top of new grants is to let them come to you.
Free subscription to daily or weekly emails when new grants matching your keywords are posted.
Free weekly RFP digest — curated foundation grants from around the country.
Sector news plus occasional funding roundups. Good for staying current on what funders are prioritizing.
Found a grant? We'll help you write it.
GrantDraft turns your mission, program details, and the funder's RFP into a structured, funder-ready proposal — Statement of Need, Goals, Methods, Evaluation, Budget Narrative — that your team can polish and submit.
Know a great free grant resource we missed? Email us and we'll add it.