Grants for nonprofits: frequently asked questions
46 plain-language answers about finding, qualifying for, applying for and managing grants, written for nonprofit staff and board members. Updated Oct 30, 2026.
Grant basics
What is a grant? #
A grant is money given to an organization to carry out a defined purpose, with no expectation of repayment. Unlike a donation, a grant usually comes with an application, an agreement that says what the money may be spent on, and reporting on what was done. Government grants are funded by taxes and bonds and awarded under published rules; foundation and corporate grants come from private money and follow the funder's own priorities.
What is the difference between a grant, a contract and a cooperative agreement? #
A grant supports your project; the funder's involvement is mostly oversight. A contract buys a service the funder has specified, usually with tighter deliverables and payment terms. A cooperative agreement is a grant where the funder stays substantially involved in carrying out the work. Many 'grants' from state human-services agencies are structured as contracts, which matters for how you budget, invoice and report.
Who can apply for grants? #
It depends on the program. Government portals code eligibility by applicant type: nonprofits, public agencies, tribal governments, businesses, individuals and others. Most grants for nonprofits require 501(c)(3) status or an equivalent recognized charity status, though some state programs accept other nonprofit forms, and unincorporated groups can often apply through a fiscal sponsor. Every listing on this site shows the applicant types the grantor entered.
Do I need 501(c)(3) status to get a grant? #
For most foundation and federal grants, yes, or a fiscal sponsor that has it. State programs vary: some accept any nonprofit corporation in good standing, some require 501(c)(3), and a few are open to community groups through a sponsor. Read the eligibility field and the applicant notes on each listing rather than assuming.
What is a fiscal sponsor? #
A fiscal sponsor is an established 501(c)(3) that receives and manages grant funds on behalf of a project or group that doesn't have its own tax-exempt status, typically for a fee of 5-15% of funds. Many funders accept fiscally sponsored applicants; some explicitly don't. Community foundations, arts service organizations and larger nonprofits in your field are common sponsors.
How much money do grants provide? #
Anything from a few hundred dollars to tens of millions. On the California Grants Portal, open programs that state a total range from under $100,000 to more than $1 billion, but most individual awards to nonprofits fall between $10,000 and $500,000. Foundation grants to small organizations are often $1,000-$25,000. Listings on this site show the total available and, where the grantor states it, the expected amount per award.
What are grants typically for? #
Programs and projects (the most common), capital projects such as buildings and equipment, capacity building, planning, research, and general operating support. General operating grants, which can be spent on anything in your mission, are the most valuable and the rarest; they come mostly from foundations rather than government.
What is general operating support? #
Unrestricted funding for an organization's overall work rather than a specific project. It can pay for rent, salaries, and whatever the mission requires. Government grants almost never provide it; some foundations, especially community foundations and those that have adopted trust-based practices, do. Filter foundation lists for 'general operating' or 'unrestricted' to find them.
Finding grants
Where do I find grants for my nonprofit? #
Four places. State grants are on your state's portal if it has one (California, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois do) or on individual agency sites if it doesn't. Federal grants are on grants.gov. Foundation grants are on each foundation's website and in 990-PF filings. Corporate grants are on company giving pages. This site lists California state grants in full and has guides to the other sources by state.
What is the California Grants Portal? #
The California State Library's central listing of every grant and loan offered by state agencies on a competitive or first-come basis, at grants.ca.gov. State agencies are required to post there. It also publishes the listings as a public-domain dataset updated daily, which is what this site rebuilds from.
Does every state have a grants portal? #
No. Of the ten largest states by nonprofit count, five run a public central portal (California, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois) and five post agency by agency (Florida, Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina). Several states have systems with 'grants' in the name that are actually application or reporting tools behind a login, not public listings. The state guides on this site say which is which.
How do I find federal grants? #
grants.gov lists every federal funding opportunity. Filter by eligibility to 'Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status' and by funding category. Note that much federal money reaches nonprofits as pass-through funding administered by state agencies, which appears on state portals rather than on grants.gov. Victim services, workforce, housing and public-health programs are largely federal pass-through.
How do I find foundation grants? #
Start with community foundations in your area; they fund locally and publish their programs. Then look at private foundations that have funded organizations like yours: their Form 990-PF, which is public, lists every grant they made and often states whether they accept applications. Free sources include ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer and Candid's basic search; state nonprofit associations often keep funder lists.
What is a community foundation? #
A public charity that pools donations from a region and makes grants to nonprofits there. Most counties or regions in the US are covered by one. They usually run open, published grant cycles, fund small organizations, and know the local landscape, which makes them a realistic first funder. Every state guide on this site links to that state's community-foundation network.
Should I pay for a grant database? #
Only if your team will use it enough to justify the cost. Databases save time by collecting listings and funder profiles, but the grants themselves are public and free on the grantor's site, and no legitimate funder puts its application link behind a paywall. Government listings in particular are free everywhere; this site exists so you don't pay to see a deadline.
How often are new grants posted? #
On the California portal, roughly one to three new opportunities a week, with bursts after the state budget passes in late June and when bond funds are released. Federal postings are continuous. Foundation cycles are usually annual or semiannual. Email alerts are the practical way to keep up without checking daily.
What does 'ongoing' or 'rolling' deadline mean? #
The grantor accepts applications continuously, or runs cycles it announces separately rather than through a fixed deadline on the portal. On the California portal, more than two-thirds of open grants are listed as ongoing. For these, the grantor's own page is where you find the actual cycle dates.
What is a forecast or forecasted grant? #
A program the agency has announced but is not yet accepting applications for. Forecasts give you time to prepare partnerships and documents before the notice opens. This site marks them with a 'Forecast' badge; grants.gov and several state portals list them separately.
Eligibility and requirements
What does 'open to nonprofits' mean on this site? #
The grantor listed 'Nonprofit' among the eligible applicant types on the California Grants Portal. It's the grantor's classification, not ours. Read the applicant notes: 'nonprofit' sometimes means a specific kind, such as a land trust, a legal-aid provider or a workforce-board partner.
What is a matching requirement? #
A requirement that you contribute funds or in-kind resources alongside the grant, usually expressed as a percentage of the project cost. A 50% match on a $100,000 award means a $200,000 project with $100,000 from you. Capital, conservation and infrastructure programs commonly require a match; service programs rarely do. Every listing here shows the match requirement, and you can filter to 'No match required.'
What is a letter of intent (LOI)? #
A short preliminary application, usually one to three pages, that a funder reviews before inviting full proposals. It saves both sides time. If a listing says an LOI is required, the LOI deadline is the one that matters first, and it's often weeks before the application deadline.
What is a NOFA or NOFO? #
Notice of Funding Availability (common in housing and state programs) or Notice of Funding Opportunity (federal usage). It's the formal announcement that a program is open, containing the rules, scoring criteria, deadline and application instructions. The guidelines linked from each listing on this site are usually the NOFA.
What are indirect costs, and can grants pay them? #
Costs that support the whole organization rather than one project: rent, accounting, leadership, IT. Federal grants allow a negotiated indirect cost rate or a de minimis rate (currently 15% of modified total direct costs under the Uniform Guidance). State programs vary widely, and some cap or disallow indirect costs. Check the guidelines before budgeting; an unfunded 20% overhead can turn a grant into a loss.
What is reimbursement vs. advance funding? #
Reimbursement means you spend first and the grantor pays you back after you submit invoices, sometimes months later. Advance means funds are paid before or as you spend. Most California state grants are reimbursement-based, which means your organization needs the cash flow to carry the project. Each listing on this site shows the funding method.
Do I need a SAM.gov registration or UEI? #
For any federal funding, including federal pass-through administered by a state, yes: a Unique Entity ID from SAM.gov, which is free. Some states, such as Illinois, require it for all state grants. Registration takes days to weeks, so do it before you need it.
What is a disadvantaged community designation? #
A classification used by many California programs to prioritize or require benefit to communities facing environmental, economic or health burdens, typically based on CalEnviroScreen scores or income thresholds. Different statutes use different definitions and some add 'severely disadvantaged' or 'priority population' tiers. If your community qualifies, programs tagged 'Disadvantaged Communities' on this site score that in your favor.
Applying
How long does a grant application take? #
A small foundation application can take a few hours. A state or federal application typically takes 40-120 hours of staff time across narrative, budget, attachments and partner letters, plus whatever registrations are required. Plan backward from the deadline and treat the first application to any funder as the expensive one; renewals and repeat applications reuse most of the work.
What documents do funders usually require? #
IRS determination letter, most recent Form 990, audited or reviewed financial statements, current budget, board list, bylaws or articles, proof of state charity registration where required, and a program description. Keep these in one folder and update them annually; several state systems ask you to upload them once during prequalification rather than per application.
What are my chances of winning a grant? #
For well-matched applications to open competitive programs, roughly 10-30% is typical, higher for renewals and for programs with few applicants. State formula and pass-through programs can be far less competitive than their size suggests. Chances are near zero for programs whose eligibility you don't meet, which is why filtering first matters more than writing well.
Should I hire a grant writer? #
A good grant writer helps most when you have identified the right opportunities and need capacity to execute. Pay a flat or hourly fee; the major professional associations consider contingency fees (a percentage of the award) unethical, and most funders disallow paying them from grant funds. No writer can guarantee an award, and anyone who does is selling something else.
Can I apply for more than one grant at a time? #
Yes, and most organizations should. Just be sure your budgets don't double-count the same costs across funders, and disclose other funding where the application asks. Some funders won't fund a project that already has full funding from elsewhere.
What happens after I submit? #
Review periods run from a few weeks (small foundations) to six months or more (large state and federal programs). Each listing on this site shows the expected award announcement date where the grantor states one. If you're declined, ask for reviewer comments; many agencies provide scores, and the feedback is the most useful input for the next cycle.
After the award
What reporting do grants require? #
Almost all require at least a final report on spending and results; larger ones require quarterly or semiannual progress and financial reports. Federal and federal pass-through funds add Uniform Guidance rules, and state funds above certain thresholds can trigger audit requirements (North Carolina, for example, requires a Yellow Book audit above $500,000 in state funds). Missed reports can disqualify you from future funding, so build reporting into the project calendar from day one.
Can grant funds be used for salaries? #
Usually yes, for staff time spent on the funded project, documented with timesheets or allocations. Some programs cap salary amounts or exclude executive compensation, and general operating support can fund salaries broadly. Check the allowable-costs section of the guidelines.
What is a grant agreement? #
The contract you sign after an award, setting the budget, period of performance, allowable costs, reporting schedule and conditions. Read it before signing; award conditions can differ from the application guidelines, especially after a risk assessment. Changes to budget or scope usually require written approval from the grantor.
Can a grant be renewed? #
Many programs run annual cycles and welcome repeat applicants; some multi-year awards include renewal options contingent on performance. Treat the first award as the beginning of a relationship: meet every reporting deadline, communicate problems early, and ask the program officer what a competitive renewal looks like.
Scams and safety
How do I know if a grant is real? #
Find it on the official source (the state portal, grants.gov, or the funder's own site), confirm the application is free, confirm you applied rather than being 'selected', check that the sender's domain is the agency's real one, and make sure the guidelines are public. Our 60-second checklist walks through this in order.
Is it ever legitimate to pay a fee to apply for a grant? #
No. Government agencies and legitimate foundations never charge application, processing, or release fees, and never ask for payment by wire, gift card or prepaid card. Paying a grant writer or buying a research tool is a service you choose to buy, not a condition the funder sets.
I received an email saying my nonprofit was selected for a grant. Is it real? #
If you didn't apply, it's a scam: grants are awarded to applicants, not to organizations chosen at random. If you did apply, verify through the contact information published on the original listing, not the contact in the email, and never click a 'claim your award' link. See our page on fake award notices.
Is Grants for Nonprofits a government site? #
No. We're an independent directory with no affiliation to any state or federal agency. We don't award grants, review applications, or ask for any personal, financial or organizational data. Every listing links to the real grantor; if you want to double-check one, search its portal ID on grants.ca.gov.
About this site
Where does the data come from? #
California listings come from the California Grants Portal dataset on data.ca.gov, published by the California State Library in the public domain and updated daily. We rebuild the site from a fresh copy every day and show the grantor's own text without rewriting it. State guides are researched and link-checked by hand; the date of the last check is on each page.
How current are the listings? #
Every listing page shows the date of the current build in the summary at the top, and each grant page shows when the grantor last updated it. Grants whose deadlines have passed are removed on the next daily build. Deadlines and amounts come from the grantor via the portal, so confirm them on the grantor's page before you apply; agencies occasionally extend or amend notices without updating the portal immediately.
Why is this free? #
Because the information is public and the organizations that need it most are the small ones least able to pay for it. The site carries no advertising, takes no money from grantors, grant writers or databases, and has no paid tier. If that changes, the home page will say so.
Why doesn't the site list my state yet? #
We only list a state's grants when there's an official dataset we can refresh automatically, so nothing goes stale. Most states don't publish one; California is the main exception. For states without a dataset we publish a guide to the official sources instead, and we're evaluating federal listings from grants.gov, which does have a daily feed.
How do I report an error or a dead link? #
Email us with the grant's portal ID, which is on every grant page. We fix listing errors on the next build and forward grantor-side problems to the agency contact on the listing.
Can I use the data from this site? #
The California listings are public-domain state data; use them freely and cite the California Grants Portal as the source. Our own text (guides, category and FAQ copy) is ours; link to it rather than copying it. A JSON export of the current listings is at /grants.json.
Answers describe common practice and California and federal rules as of the date above; program guidelines always control. Nothing here is legal or accounting advice.