12 Best Free Grant Database for Nonprofits in 2025

Securing funding is the lifeblood of any nonprofit, but the process of finding the right grant opportunities can be a significant drain on limited resources. While many powerful grant databases are locked behind expensive subscriptions, a wealth of high-quality, free resources exists for organizations willing to dig a little deeper. This guide eliminates the guesswork, providing a comprehensive list of the best free grant database for nonprofits available right now. We've done the research to help you spend less time searching and more time applying.

This curated roundup moves beyond simple descriptions. For each platform, we provide a detailed analysis of its core features, specific use-case scenarios, and an honest assessment of its limitations. You'll find practical tips for maximizing each tool, from navigating massive federal portals like Grants.gov to uncovering niche opportunities in foundation directories. Every entry includes direct links and screenshots to streamline your workflow. This resource is designed to help your development team, program managers, or executive director identify the most promising funding streams to advance your mission. Let's dive in and unlock your next funding opportunity.

1. Grants.gov

Grants.gov serves as the centralized, official portal for all U.S. federal grant opportunities, making it an indispensable free grant database for nonprofits seeking government funding. This platform is the authoritative source for discovering and applying for competitive grants from all federal agencies, from the National Endowment for the Arts to the Department of Health and Human Services.

What truly sets it apart is the integrated application ecosystem. The Grants.gov Workspace provides a collaborative environment for teams to prepare and submit complex federal applications together, managing forms and assigning roles. For those new to federal funding, the site offers extensive free applicant training, webinars, and quick-start guides to navigate the process.

Navigating Grants.gov

The platform is completely free to use, but nonprofits must complete a multi-step registration process that includes getting a Unique Entity ID (UEI) and registering with the System for Award Management (SAM.gov). This process can be time-consuming, so it is crucial to start well before any application deadlines. The search functionality is robust, allowing users to filter opportunities by agency, eligibility, and category.

Feature AnalysisAssessmentScopeLimited to U.S. federal grants only.User ExperienceThe website can feel dated, but the application Workspace is a powerful tool.Cost100% free to search and apply.SupportExcellent; offers a 24/7 help desk and comprehensive training resources.

Website: https://www.grants.gov

2. SAM.gov Assistance Listings

While Grants.gov is for active opportunities, the SAM.gov Assistance Listings catalog is the essential precursor for strategic federal grant seeking. This free grant database for nonprofits, maintained by the General Services Administration (GSA), details all federal financial assistance programs, including grants, loans, and cooperative agreements. It’s the best place to research the purpose, objectives, and eligibility requirements of recurring federal programs before they even announce a new funding cycle.

What makes this tool unique is its focus on the program landscape rather than individual deadlines. Nonprofits can use it to identify which federal agencies and sub-agencies consistently fund work in their mission area. This proactive research is a critical step in writing grant proposals for nonprofits that are well-aligned with a funder's long-term goals, giving your organization a strategic advantage over those only chasing active postings.

Navigating SAM.gov Assistance Listings

The platform is entirely free and does not require the full SAM.gov registration to search the listings. Its powerful search function allows filtering by agency, applicant type, and subject, making it easy to survey the federal funding landscape. Users can follow specific listings to receive updates and explore historical funding patterns through archived annual catalogs, which provides invaluable intelligence for long-range fundraising plans.

Feature AnalysisAssessmentScopeComprehensive catalog of U.S. federal financial assistance programs.User ExperienceA functional, government-style interface focused on deep search and data.Cost100% free to search and access.SupportRelies on the broader SAM.gov help desk and federal support resources.

Website: https://sam.gov/assistance-listings

3. USAspending.gov

While not a direct application portal, USAspending.gov is an invaluable research tool and a powerful free grant database for nonprofits focused on prospect intelligence. Run by the U.S. Treasury, this open data site provides comprehensive details on all federal awards, allowing you to see which agencies have funded organizations similar to yours, for what amounts, and in which locations.

What makes this platform unique is its focus on historical data. Instead of searching for open opportunities, you are analyzing past funding patterns. This strategic approach helps identify likely federal funders, potential partners who have received subawards, and geographic funding trends, which is a critical step in learning how to find grants for nonprofits. The visual tools and bulk data downloads empower deep analysis for a data-driven fundraising strategy.

Navigating USAspending.gov

The platform is completely free and requires no registration to search. Its strength lies in its advanced search filters, which let you dissect federal spending by agency, award type, recipient, and geographic area. By reviewing past awards, you can better understand an agency’s priorities and tailor your future proposals on Grants.gov to align with their demonstrated funding interests.

Feature AnalysisAssessmentScopeComprehensive U.S. federal spending data (grants, contracts, etc.). Not for active opportunities.User ExperienceModern interface with powerful data visualization tools; can be complex for new users.Cost100% free with no registration required.SupportOffers an online help section with FAQs, data dictionaries, and user guides.

Website: https://www.usaspending.gov

4. Philanthropy News Digest (PND) — RFPs

Philanthropy News Digest (PND), an arm of the respected organization Candid, offers a specialized and highly curated list of Requests for Proposals (RFPs) from foundations and corporations. It stands out as a premier free grant database for nonprofits focused specifically on private-sector funding, providing a constant stream of new opportunities directly from the source. The platform is an essential daily or weekly stop for development professionals tracking private philanthropic trends.

What makes PND’s RFP section invaluable is its simplicity and focus. Unlike massive databases, it presents opportunities in a clean, blog-style format that is updated almost daily. Each listing provides a concise summary, key deadline information, eligibility requirements, and a direct link to the funder’s official guidelines. This straightforward approach saves nonprofits significant time by cutting through the noise to deliver relevant, actionable funding leads.

Navigating PND's RFPs

The platform is entirely free, requiring no login or registration to access the listings. Users can immediately begin searching and filtering opportunities by subject area (like arts, education, or health) and by geographic scope. To maximize its utility, nonprofits should subscribe to the free weekly RFP Bulletin e-newsletter, which delivers a roundup of the latest opportunities directly to your inbox, ensuring no deadline is missed.

Feature AnalysisAssessmentScopePrimarily U.S.-based private and corporate foundation grants.User ExperienceClean, simple, and very easy to navigate; similar to a news feed.Cost100% free with no registration required.SupportNot applicable as a direct support service; it's a content resource from Candid.

Website: https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/rfps

5. Foundation Directory by Candid

Foundation Directory by Candid is the gold standard for researching U.S. foundations, corporate giving programs, and grantmaking public charities. While its full online version is a premium subscription service, it secures its place as a top-tier free grant database for nonprofits through its unique free access models, making it an essential tool for serious prospect research.

What makes it unparalleled is the depth of its data. Users can access detailed funder profiles, review past grants awarded (including amounts and recipients), and analyze 990-PF tax forms. This level of insight allows fundraisers to build a highly targeted list of prospects whose missions and past giving align perfectly with their own, a critical first step for anyone serious about grant writing for beginners.

Navigating Foundation Directory

The free access options are key. The "Quick Start" tool provides limited online searches, but the real value is the full version available at over 1,200 Candid Community partner locations, often found in public libraries and community foundations. Nonprofits can visit these sites and use the powerful professional-tier database completely free of charge. Planning a research day at a local partner is a highly effective, budget-friendly strategy.

Feature AnalysisAssessmentScopeUnmatched database of U.S. private and corporate funders.User ExperienceThe professional interface is powerful but can have a learning curve for new users.CostFree online via "Quick Start" or full access at physical partner locations; full remote access requires a paid subscription.SupportStrong support at partner locations and extensive online training resources from Candid.

Website: https://fconline.foundationcenter.org

6. Grantmakers.io

Grantmakers.io provides a powerful, data-driven approach to foundation prospect research, making it a standout free grant database for nonprofits. It leverages publicly available IRS 990-PF data to create a searchable index of millions of grants from over 156,000 private foundations. This makes it an invaluable tool for identifying funders that have a history of supporting organizations similar to yours in mission, size, and location.

What makes Grantmakers.io unique is its commitment to open data. There are no subscriptions, paywalls, or sign-ups required. The platform offers transparent access to foundation profiles, complete with detailed grant histories, allowing you to quickly assess a funder’s giving patterns, average grant size, and geographic focus. It’s an ideal starting point for building a highly targeted list of potential foundation partners.

Navigating Grantmakers.io

The platform is incredibly straightforward and free to use from the moment you land on the site. Its strength lies in its simplicity; you can search by foundation name or dig into the grant data to see who is funding which nonprofits. For effective use, search for nonprofits with missions similar to your own to see which foundations have supported them, providing a direct path to warm prospects.

Feature AnalysisAssessmentScopeLimited to private U.S. foundations that file a 990-PF.User ExperienceClean, minimalist, and data-focused interface that is very easy to navigate.Cost100% free with no registration or fees required.SupportSupport is minimal as the platform is designed to be self-service.

Website: https://www.grantmakers.io

7. OpenGrants

OpenGrants brings a modern, tech-forward approach to grant seeking, combining an AI-powered search engine with a freelance marketplace. While not entirely free, its initial 7-day trial offers a robust glimpse into a powerful free grant database for nonprofits, making it an excellent platform for organizations looking to test a premium service. It aggregates thousands of both public and private grant opportunities across the United States.

What makes OpenGrants stand out is its intelligent matching system and integrated support. After creating a single "Common App" style profile for your nonprofit, the platform's AI scours its database to recommend best-fit funders. If you lack the capacity to write proposals, you can directly hire vetted freelance grant writers through its built-in marketplace, creating a streamlined, all-in-one grant acquisition ecosystem.

Navigating OpenGrants

The free 7-day trial provides full access to its features, allowing you to experience the AI matching and explore the grant writer marketplace. After the trial, continued access requires a low-cost subscription. The platform is user-friendly with a clean interface, making it far less intimidating than many older databases. For best results, fill out your organizational profile with as much detail as possible to improve the quality of your AI-generated grant matches.

Feature AnalysisAssessmentScopeStrong mix of U.S. public (federal, state, local) and private foundation grants.User ExperienceModern, clean, and intuitive with a helpful AI assistant.CostFree 7-day trial, followed by an affordable paid subscription.SupportGood; offers platform support and access to a marketplace of professional writers.

Website: https://opengrants.io

8. GrantWatch

GrantWatch is a massive, frequently updated grant listing service that aggregates opportunities from foundations, corporations, and government entities. While it's a commercial platform, it offers a "freemium" model that makes it a useful starting point, qualifying it as a partial free grant database for nonprofits. Users can browse grant summaries, deadlines, and eligibility requirements for free, which is often enough to determine if an opportunity is worth pursuing further.

The platform’s real value lies in its extensive filtering capabilities, allowing nonprofits to narrow down thousands of active grants by geographic location, funding area, and keyword. This powerful search functionality, combined with daily updates and an email newsletter, helps organizations stay on top of new opportunities without the manual effort required by other platforms. Although full access requires a subscription, its free browsing feature serves as an excellent discovery tool.

Navigating GrantWatch

To get the most out of GrantWatch for free, use its search and filtering tools to identify promising grants. You can then search for the funder or grant name directly online to find the official application portal, bypassing the need for a paid account. While a subscription unlocks direct application links and funder details, the free preview is robust enough to significantly aid your initial grant prospecting efforts and determine if the paid version is a worthwhile investment.

Feature AnalysisAssessmentScopeComprehensive; includes foundation, corporate, and government grants across the U.S.User ExperienceThe interface is modern and easy to navigate, with powerful search filters.CostFreemium model; free to browse summaries, but a paid subscription is needed for full details.SupportSupport is available for paid members; free users rely on site FAQs.

Website: https://www.grantwatch.com

9. Instrumentl

While primarily a premium service, Instrumentl offers a 14-day free trial that functions as a powerful, albeit temporary, free grant database for nonprofits. It's an all-in-one platform that merges grant prospecting with comprehensive workflow management. Instrumentl is designed for serious grant-seeking teams that need robust tools to not only find funding but also track deadlines, manage tasks, and analyze funder histories.

What makes Instrumentl unique is its integration of data and workflow. Beyond matching projects to funders, it provides deep 990 data insights, shows who else a foundation has funded, and includes a built-in calendar and task management system. This transforms the grant search from a simple lookup into a strategic, managed process, making it ideal for organizations looking to scale their grant-seeking efforts efficiently.

Navigating Instrumentl

The platform is exceptionally user-friendly, offering a clean interface and excellent onboarding support. Nonprofits can use the trial period for an intensive research sprint, leveraging the advanced matching and funder analytics to build a strong pipeline of prospects. While access requires a subscription post-trial, the initial free access provides significant value for targeted, short-term grant research projects.

Feature AnalysisAssessmentScopeExtensive; covers foundation, corporate, and government grants.User ExperienceModern, intuitive, and highly functional with integrated project management.CostFree for a 14-day trial; paid plans are premium-priced.SupportStrong support during the trial and for paying customers.

Website: https://www.instrumentl.com

10. FundsforNGOs

FundsforNGOs operates on a freemium model, offering a wealth of free grant news, articles, and new opportunity alerts for nonprofits worldwide. While it has a paid tier, its free content alone provides significant value, making it a useful resource for organizations wanting to stay informed about the latest funding trends and newly announced grants, positioning it as a viable free grant database for nonprofits.

The platform's key distinction is its blend of educational content and grant listings. The free version is excellent for discovering opportunities passively through its news feed and email updates. For those needing a more active search tool, the Premium membership unlocks a searchable database, a grants calendar, and customizable alerts at a cost-effective annual price point compared to many competitors.

Navigating FundsforNGOs

The free resources are immediately accessible without registration, making it easy to start exploring. To access the advanced features, organizations must subscribe to the annual Premium plan. A practical approach is to use the free content to gauge the platform's relevance to your mission before committing to a paid subscription, which frequently has promotional discounts available.

Feature AnalysisAssessmentScopeGlobal, with a mix of U.S. and international opportunities.User ExperienceThe website is clean and simple to navigate for both free and premium users.CostFree access to grant news and alerts; Premium is a low-cost annual subscription.SupportStandard email-based support for subscribers.

Website: https://www.fundsforngos.org

11. Grant Gopher

Grant Gopher is a U.S.-focused grant listing service specifically designed for smaller nonprofits, schools, and municipalities that may not have dedicated development staff. While it operates on a freemium model, its free Lite search tier makes it a valuable starting point and a functional free grant database for nonprofits looking for a simplified, accessible entry into grant seeking. The platform aims to reduce the complexity often found on larger, more comprehensive sites.

What makes Grant Gopher particularly useful for smaller organizations is its focus on local and regional funding opportunities that are often overlooked by national databases. The platform's paid Pro subscription unlocks more powerful features like email alerts, saved grant tracking, and a library of proposal samples, which can be a crucial resource for teams building their grant writing skills from the ground up.

Navigating Grant Gopher

The free "Lite" plan allows users to search the database by location, category, and deadline, providing a good overview of available grants. However, full grant details and application links are reserved for paid subscribers. The user interface is straightforward and less intimidating than larger, more feature-heavy platforms, making it easy for beginners to start their search immediately without a steep learning curve.

Feature AnalysisAssessmentScopeU.S. grants, with a strong focus on local, state, and smaller private foundations.User ExperienceSimple and clean, designed for ease of use rather than advanced features.CostFreemium model; a free Lite tier for basic searching and paid Pro subscriptions for full access.SupportStandard email-based support; a smaller operation compared to major platforms.

Website: https://grantgopher.com

12. Submittable Discover

Submittable Discover is a unique public marketplace of opportunities, including grants, residencies, and awards, making it a valuable free grant database for nonprofits. Unlike traditional databases, it exclusively features opportunities from organizations that use Submittable's powerful software to manage their application and review processes. This direct integration creates a seamless user journey from discovery to submission.

The platform’s key advantage is its unified ecosystem. Nonprofits can find a grant and often apply for it directly through the same interface, streamlining the application process significantly. Users can follow specific organizations to get notified of new calls for submission and save opportunities to a personal list, helping to organize the grant-seeking workflow.

Navigating Submittable Discover

The Discover platform is completely free for anyone to browse and search. While you can view listings without an account, creating a free Submittable account is necessary to apply for opportunities, save them, or follow funders. The search function is straightforward, with filters for keywords, deadlines, and various tags, though it is not as exhaustive as dedicated grant databases.

Feature AnalysisAssessmentScopeLimited to opportunities hosted on the Submittable platform.User ExperienceModern, clean, and highly intuitive, with a seamless search-to-apply process.Cost100% free for applicants to search and submit applications.SupportStrong applicant-focused help center and technical support for submission issues.

Website: https://discover.submittable.com

Beyond the Database: Automating Your Path to Grant Success

Navigating the landscape of grant funding can feel like an overwhelming task, but as we've explored, the right tools can transform this challenge into a structured, manageable process. From the comprehensive federal listings on Grants.gov to the community-focused RFPs on Philanthropy News Digest, a powerful free grant database for nonprofits exists to fit nearly every organization's unique needs and capacity.

The key takeaway is that no single platform is a silver bullet. Your organization's success hinges on building a diversified and strategic approach to grant prospecting. A small, community-based nonprofit might find its most valuable leads on Grantmakers.io, while a larger organization seeking federal funding will need to master the intricacies of SAM.gov. The most effective fundraising teams learn to integrate several of these tools into a cohesive workflow.

Putting Your Knowledge into Action

To truly leverage these resources, your next steps should be deliberate and strategic. Don't just sign up for every platform at once. Instead, start by clearly defining your funding needs and team capacity.

• Assess Your Needs: Are you looking for large federal grants, smaller family foundation support, or corporate sponsorships? Your answer will guide you toward the most relevant databases. For instance, if your focus is on federal opportunities, prioritize mastering Grants.gov and USAspending.gov. If foundation grants are your goal, start with Foundation Directory and Grantmakers.io.
• Allocate Your Time: Grant research is a significant time investment. Assign a team member (or a dedicated volunteer) to regularly monitor two or three of the most promising platforms. Create a standardized process for vetting opportunities and entering them into a central tracking system.
• Establish a Workflow: Finding the grant is only the first step. The real work lies in managing deadlines, tailoring proposals, and reporting on outcomes. A simple spreadsheet or a dedicated project management tool can help you track each opportunity from initial discovery to final report submission.

Moving from Searching to Winning

Ultimately, a free grant database for nonprofits is a starting point, not the final destination. These platforms excel at providing leads, but they don't manage the complex, time-consuming grant lifecycle that follows. The administrative burden of tracking deadlines, customizing proposals, and managing compliance can quickly consume the very resources you're trying to secure.

This is where a strategic shift from manual searching to automated grant management becomes a game-changer. By embracing modern tools that assist with the entire process, you can free up your team’s most valuable asset: time. This allows you to focus less on administrative tasks and more on what truly matters - building relationships with funders and delivering impactful programs. The goal isn't just to find more grants; it's to win the right grants more efficiently.

Ready to move beyond endless searching and start building a predictable grant funding pipeline? Fundsprout uses AI to automate the entire grant lifecycle, from finding perfectly matched opportunities to helping you draft compelling proposals and manage reporting. Discover how you can save hundreds of hours and increase your funding success by visiting Fundsprout to learn more.