Nonprofit Grants

Nonprofit organizations are one of the largest categories of grant recipients in the U.S. — federal agencies, state and local governments, and private foundations all fund nonprofits doing community work. Unlike most "grants for individuals," nonprofit grants are real, varied, and well-documented. They're also competitive and require careful application.

Federal grants for nonprofits

Federal agencies fund nonprofits across nearly every cause area. Some of the largest sources:

• HHS (Health and Human Services) — health, social services, aging, child welfare
• HUD — community development, housing, homelessness
• Department of Education — K–12 programs, adult education, literacy
• EPA — environmental projects, environmental justice
• Department of Justice — violence prevention, victim services, juvenile justice
• USDA Rural Development — rural community programs
• National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities — arts and humanities programming

Every federal grant opportunity is listed at Grants.gov. To apply, your organization needs to:

1. Register on SAM.gov (free; required for any federal funding)
2. Get a Unique Entity ID
3. Register on Grants.gov and apply through their portal

State and local grants

Most state agencies that mirror federal departments (state department of health, education, environment, etc.) also run their own grant programs. City and county governments often offer smaller community grants for local nonprofits.

Your state attorney general's office or secretary of state typically maintains a directory of charitable organizations and may list state funding opportunities.

Foundation grants

Private foundations are often easier to start with than federal grants. Free databases:

• Candid (formerly Foundation Center) — the largest nonprofit funding database; free access at most U.S. public libraries through Candid's "Funding Information Network"
• Instrumentl — paid tool but offers a free trial
• GrantStation — paid subscription, comprehensive
• Your state nonprofit association — most maintain funding resource lists for member organizations

How to actually win nonprofit grants

• Start small and local. A $5,000 community foundation grant is far easier to win than a $500,000 federal award and helps build your track record.
• Read the funder's priorities carefully. Most grant denials come from misalignment, not poor writing.
• Use the free help. Your local public library, state nonprofit association, and Foundation Directory Online (free at participating libraries) are all genuinely useful.
• Never pay an upfront fee to a "grant matching service" or "grant consultant" who guarantees an award. The legitimate world doesn't work that way.

Where to start

• Grants.gov — federal opportunities
• Candid.org — foundation database
• Your state's nonprofit association — local resources