Grant Research Tools for Your Nonprofit: Candid

Knowing where to find nonprofit funding opportunities is half the battle when it comes to securing grants for your organization. Using the right tools can help you research potential funders, build a strong prospect list and connect with the right decision-makers.

Why Finding the Right Grant Is Important

When it comes to grant writing, quality ranks higher than quantity. Often, teams will spread themselves thin by applying to every opportunity that comes across their desk. This leads to rushed proposals, overwhelming reporting, and a “forced fit.”

In contrast, organizations that receive consistent funding apply to grants strategically. Finding the right grants starts with the right tools.

How to Tell if a Grant Is Right for Your Organization

A grant should fit the needs and capabilities of your organization or program, not the other way around. The right grant will align with your:

• Mission

• Existing programs

• Actual budget needs

• Organizational capacity

Grant Research Tools

There are several top-rated grant research tools. Some require a paid subscription, while others are free or may be available through your local library. One of the most expansive databases available is Candid.org.

Candid offers different subscription levels. Nonprofits are eligible discounted and even free subscription tiers with varying search features. Select libraries even offer access to more advanced features for free. Candid requires a paid subscription but is available for free through select libraries. Candid lists thousands of funder profiles as well as millions of grants, offering an extensive database for users to pull from. Users also have access to funder profiles, giving history, and past recipients along with contact information for key decision makers.

Using Database Filters for Your Grant Search

When using the Candid database, you can narrow your grant search using filters.

Subject Area

The subject area filter allows you to select specific industries and topics like agriculture, arts, education, and health. You can then narrow the broad parent topic to a more specific one. For example, “Arts and Culture” may be narrowed to “Arts Education” or “Arts Councils.”

Geographic Focus

The geographic filter refers to where the funding will be used. This can be as broad as the country, down to the state, region, city, or metro area. Take, for instance, the state of Pennsylvania. This can be broken down into the broader Northwest or Southeast regions, or more specifically Erie County or the City of Erie.

Population Served

Similar to the subject area filter, the population filter allows you to select a broad demographic and narrow it down. These include age, ethnic and racial groups, family relationships, gender and social identity, health, religious groups, social and economic status, and more. Multiple demographics can be selected at a time. For example, if your program primarily serves young women from a lower socioeconomic status, you can specify this in your search.

Understanding Your Search Results

Once you have set your filters to align with your organization’s needs, Candid will break your search results into grantmakers, and grants and recipients

Grantmakers

The grantmaker search result provides you with a list of funding organizations that have given to similar organizations in the past. Candid provides data on the organization, their total giving amount, the number of grants they have distributed, past recipients of their grants, and contact information for key decision makers. This information will help you research potential funders and build a funder prospect list.

Grants & Recipients

With your filters, the database will find specific grants that would align with your project as well as past recipients. With this information, you can better understand the types of projects and organizations a grantmaker is interested in supporting. Candid also provides contact information for the recipient organizations. This provides a potential connection to reach out to with questions about the grant process and experience working with the funder. 

After the Research

Platforms like Candid can be a valuable grant research tool as you seek funding that aligns with your organization. But what happens once the research is done?

Understanding the giving priorities and past projects of grantmakers will help you to choose the best fit for your organization. Analyzing what grants similar nonprofits have received can also reveal additional funding opportunities that you may qualify for. Use this information to craft a funder prospect list as you identify potential funders and grant opportunities.

Before reaching out to funders or developing your proposal, prioritize your prospects based on mission alignment, geographic fit, and giving history. Once you have identified your ideal funders, see if any of them offer an opportunity to submit a letter of intent. This allows you to submit a smaller, more manageable version of your grant and ensure there is alignment with the funder’s giving priorities.

How Elevate Consulting Services Can Help

What can Elevate Consulting Services take off your nonprofit’s plate? From prospect research, to funder qualification, to proposal development, Elevate has the experience and expertise to bring your grant journey to the next level.

Working with intention doesn’t mean applying to countless grants. It means crafting quality proposals with purpose.