While finding grants for your nonprofit can be a daunting task, the right tools can help you hone in on good-fit funding opportunities more quickly and easily.
However, with so many grant databases available, it’s hard to know which ones you can trust and invest your time and resources in.
Thankfully, we did the legwork for you—here’s our comprehensive guide to the 19 best grant databases on the market.
Which Grant Database Is the Best? How to Choose
If you want to jump straight to the point, here’s a quick summary of the databases:
Instrumentl: Best for year-round grant research and grant management
Foundation Directory Online: For information on public and private foundations
GrantStation: For limited budgets and a DIY-approach to prospect research
Local and State Government Websites: For government grants
Grants.gov: For federal grants from numerous sectors
GrantSelect: For research and education funding
Grant Gopher: For small nonprofits with limited budgets
Impala: For data-driven insights for strategic decision-making
Grant Seeker.io: For organizing and scaling grant management programs
Grantmakers.io: For information on private foundations
Foundation Search: For finding foundations who funded similar organizations
GrantWatch: For straightforward yet limited grant searching
GrantScape: For government compliance insights
GrantForward: For research academics looking for funding
Grant Holster: For grant tracking
NIH: For medical research funding
OpenGrants: For a curated marketplace of independent grant writers for hire
Pivot RP: For academic institutes or faculty members
Devex Pro Funding: For data-driven projections and funding analyses
To go even deeper, we’ve evaluated all of the databases based on their:
Main strengths and weaknesses
Their pricing and subscription plans
Who they’re best suited for
Note: Instrumentl was built to solve all of the challenges of grant prospecting for established nonprofits. If you already have a grant program in place but want to find good-fit grants faster and improve your success rate, read about Instrumentl in detail below or start a free trial.
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Instrumentl’s grants database has more than 410,000 funders and 17,000+ active RFPs. It's the most comprehensive source of funding opportunities for nonprofits. The database is always growing, and Instrumentl also provides users with robust end-to-end grant management tools to help bring all grant work within one platform.
Pricing
Instrumentl ranges from $179/month to $449/month depending on the subscription tier you purchase.
Best Suited For
Instrumentl is best suited for:
Nonprofits that research grants year-round, building a diverse portfolio of grant funding opportunities.
Nonprofit consultants that service several clients who need continual updates on new grant opportunities. In fact, the grant trainer Meredith Noble from Learn Grant Writing recommends it to her students as the best grant writing database.
Best Features
Instrumentl’s Smart Matching algorithm automatically matches you with a list of active grants that align with your mission and funding needs.
Instrumentl’s 990 Snapshots analyze data and present it in a way that’s actually helpful for you, breaking down giving history, funding areas, location preferences, and more.
Finally, Instrumentl’s tracking tools streamline all grant phases, including prospecting, application, decision, and award, to help you bring all your grant management work within one platform.
Weaknesses
Instrumentl is a premium tool, so some nonprofits may not be able to make the investment. However, because we streamline the whole grant lifecycle, we offer a high ROI for users:
“I started using Instrumentl and thought - oh my gosh, this is a miracle! This is going to save me weeks! It just does everything for me. I insert the keywords, set up a project, and it magically shows me the most relevant funding matches.”--Dr. Bev Browning, Author, Grant Consultant, & Coach at Bev Browning LLC
Foundation Directory Online (FDO) specializes in public and private foundation funding across the United States, offering nonprofits information on both grants and grantmakers.
Pricing
FDO costs between $36/month (Essential) and $133.25/month for (Pro). The features vary based on your subscription level.
Best Suited For
FDO is best suited for nonprofits who aren’t necessarily looking for active grants and don’t need robust grant management tools. Instead, they are planning on researching and identifying funder information.
Best Features
Detailed search and filtering capabilities on grantmakers and their funding history
Funding trend analyses that illustrate funding patterns
Unique information on key foundations
Weaknesses
FDO puts less emphasis on active grant opportunities, as their database only includes a limited number of open RFPs that you have to manually sort through.
They are highly specialized in their offering, focusing primarily on public and private foundations.
3. GrantStation
Overview
GrantStation’s database includes national and international grants to help you fund your programs and projects. Additionally, they have training resources available to help support you through the process.
Pricing
How much GrantStation costs depends on how long you sign up for. It ranges between $219/quarter to $1,782 for three years.
Best Suited For
GrantStation is best suited for small to mid-sized nonprofits or newer grant writers who have limited budgets, so they’re looking for a basic tool to help with their grant-seeking process.
Best Features
Offers access to federal, state, and private databases of grantmakers at an accessible price point.
Webinars, blog posts, newsletters, grant writing training, and other opportunities to get advice from experts.
Weaknesses
Even with their focus on a grant database, they offer just 7,000+ funders.
The user experience is very fragmented and siloed. It can be difficult to navigate, and you need to manually search across various databases on the platform to gain insights.
4. Local and State Government Websites
Overview
Local and state government websites are a great place to start when looking specifically for government grants. They offer funding opportunities that benefit local communities.
Pricing
These are free, but it’s a manual process.
Best Suited For
Best suited for those who are only seeking local and state funding and already have an idea of who they’d like to work with.
Best Features
The best features will vary based on the local and state government websites; however, you can expect:
Time-savings by listing only opportunities within your geographic location.
Clearly listed deadlines and open RFP windows.
Weaknesses
They are not always user-friendly, and it can be hard to navigate and locate open opportunities.
You typically have to manually search vs. being automatically notified of new opportunities.
5. Grants.gov
Overview
Grants.gov offers a comprehensive database of federal funding opportunities, including some at the state level.
Pricing
Grants.gov is free to use.
Best Suited For
Grants.gov is best suited for nonprofits of all sizes looking to get federal funding.
Best Features
Comprehensive list of federal grants from various sectors
Keyword searches help you narrow down opportunities
Mobile app helps you access and share funding opportunities on the go
Weaknesses
Difficulty to navigate given the broad resources available
Manual search takes time and can be daunting if you don’t have a clear starting point
GrantSelect offers national and international funding opportunities from various sectors, including local, state, and federal grants, corporate grants, and nonprofit grants.
Pricing
The standard subscription is $150/quarter or $495/year for the professional subscription.
Best Suited For
GrantSelect is best suited for researchers and academic institutions looking to secure funding for a single project, including research grants and fellowships.
Best Features
User-friendly search features by subject, funder, and grant type
A diverse group of grant funding opportunities that is updated regularly
Weaknesses
Limited free trial offerings for nonprofits to explore before they buy it, so you’re unable to determine if the platform meets your expectations without subscribing.
Offerings are skewed toward academic institutions or libraries, so it may not be best for nonprofits within other sectors.
7. Grant Gopher
Overview
Grant Gopher is a grant database that pulls together funding opportunities for nonprofits, schools, and cities. You can quickly locate opportunities based on your state, county, and program area to find best-fit grants.
Pricing
The Lite option is free. Pro costs $9/month (with one free month) or Pro Success Path is $49/month.
Best Suited For
Grant Gopher is best suited for smaller nonprofits who are looking to find active grant opportunities.
Best Features
Simple search platform that’s easy to navigate
Search filters to help you narrow down results
Alerts to notify you of new opportunities
Weaknesses
Lists only U.S.-based opportunities, so if you are located elsewhere or looking to fund international opportunities, it may not provide access to relevant opportunities.
The best features, including saved searches and email notifications, are reserved for premium members, causing you to repeat your work until you sign up.
8. Impala
Overview
Impala is a research and networking tool that offers free and premium insights that can help nonprofits win grants.
Pricing
Essentials is free, while their premium package is $5,000/annually per user. There are also enterprise packages available for three or more users.
Best Suited For
Impala is best suited for nonprofits who are looking to network and for data-driven insights to help research funders.
Best Features
Curated 990 data insights into nonprofits and foundations
Intelligent grantmaker matching to help connect you with potential funders
Relationship mapping to funders to help nonprofits make connections
Weaknesses
No smart matching to active RFPs.
No built-in collaboration or grant management features, so you need to use or purchase another platform to help with grant management.
It’s primarily a networking and research platform vs. a robust grant database, so you’ll need to use other tools to help locate opportunities.
9. GrantSeeker.io
Overview
GrantSeeker.io, formerly known as Fluxx, is a grant management software that offers basic prospecting features, customization options, and robust tools to support nonprofits looking to organize and scale their programs.
Pricing
They offer a free membership or a premium subscription for $14.99/month.
Best Suited For
GrantSeeker.io is best suited for nonprofits or grant writers who are only focused on grant management.
Best Features
Basic insights from 990 data with limited recipient profiles and funder data
Task management features, like deadline tracking, reminders, calendar integration, and more
Weaknesses
Manual searching within the platform using 990 data and keywords, which can be tedious and time-consuming.
Manual setup and workflow management, which can lead to a lot of lost hours.
Complicated interface that is not user-friendly, leading many users to become frustrated.
10. Grantmakers.io
Overview
Grantmakers.io is geared toward helping nonprofits with funder research and prospecting. There are no active opportunities listed within this tool.
Pricing
Grantmakers.io is free to use.
Best Suited For
Grantmakers.io is best suited for nonprofits looking to learn more about private foundations and who they are funding.
Best Features
Offers basic stats on potential funders, including past grants and key personnel
You can search by funders or by grants
Weaknesses
No active opportunities are listed, so you need to use other tools to locate grants.
Basic prospecting tools, including funder insights based on previous 990s. If you need deeper insights, you will need to do your own research or use another tool.
No post-award management tools, so you’ll have to use multiple platforms which can complicate workflows.
Foundation Search is a popular database that pulls together foundations, grants, and their recipients. It is focused on providing information and advanced search capabilities for grant seekers.
Foundation Search is best suited for nonprofits who are looking to find foundations that fund similar organizations.
Best Features
Robust grant database featuring opportunities across all funding sectors
Long history and extensive track record of success help nonprofits trust them
Extensive educational resources to help users navigate the interface
Weaknesses
Foundation Search does not filter out outdated grants or mark exclusive opportunities. Instead, users have to sift through opportunities to find ones that are right for them.
Complex interface that is not user-friendly. It has a steep learning curve, which can be frustrating for many users just starting out.
12. GrantWatch
Overview
GrantWatch is a grant database that features grants from foundations, corporations, and federal, state, and local governments.
GrantWatch is best suited for any type of organization that’s seeking grants on a budget.
Best Features
Comprehensive database with more than 8,000 grants from various funding sources
Search filters help you narrow down your search by location, grant category, and funding types
Email alerts share new funding opportunities
Weaknesses
Lacks grant management tools outside of finding grants, which means you’ll have to rely on other solutions and platforms to help manage your awards
Does not offer recipient profiles or intelligent matching, which help streamline the grant search
13. GrantScape
Overview
GrantScape is an online grant database that pulls together funding opportunities across government, corporate, and philanthropic sectors.
Pricing
GrantScape offers tailored pricing plans. Individuals start at $29/month or $348/year. Pro costs $99/month, and there are also enterprise plans available.
Best Suited For
GrantScape is best for those seeking federal government grants as it provides helpful compliance information.
Best Features
More than 180,000 funding opportunities are listed in its robust database, with an emphasis on government grants
Interface is very user-friendly, helping nonprofits search for information quickly and effectively
Weaknesses
Few built-in grant management capabilities, which means you will have to use multiple platforms to manage the entire grant lifecycle
Newer platform with limited reviews and less credibility in the marketplace
14. GrantForward
Overview
GrantForward is an online grant database that was built by academics for researchers, making it easy to find funding opportunities to fuel academic research.
Pricing
GrantForward pricing is not publicly available, but it offers three subscription packages determined by research size and annual research volume.
Best Suited For
GrantForward is best for academics or nonprofits with a research-based focus.
Best Features
Advanced search filters to locate relevant opportunities
Database is constantly updated with new opportunities
Personalized recommendations help simplify the grant search process
Weaknesses
Limited grant opportunities outside of academic or research-based ones, so if you’re not an academic institution, it may not be the best tool for you.
Complex user interface that is challenging to navigate, which can be frustrating for many users, especially less tech-savvy ones.
15. Grant Holster
Overview
Grant Holster is an online tool that helps nonprofits manage grants once they are secured. It was made by an industry veteran to meet the needs of grant seekers.
Pricing
Pricing starts at $10/month for bronze, $49/month for silver, and $89/month for gold.
Best Suited For
Nonprofits who are looking only for grant tracking capabilities.
Best Features
Dashboard helps users see deadlines across all clients
Grant toolkit helps provide resources for grant professionals
Does not offer integrations with other software systems, so you’ll need to manually complete the same process across multiple platforms to keep the data updated.
Outdated interface can be difficult to navigate. For the investment, many users want something more intuitive.
16. NIH
Overview
The National Institutes for Health (NIH) is a great repository for federal grant opportunities. It’s part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which is the medical research agency of the United States.
Pricing
NIH is free to search.
Best Suited For
NIH is best suited for nonprofits seeking medical research grants.
Best Features
Robust database of federal grants, including policy and compliance requirements
Detailed resources for grant professionals who are seeking funding, including information on how to apply for grants
Weaknesses
No post-award grant management or tracking capabilities, so you will need to work on multiple platforms.
Complex interface has a lot of filters that can be time-consuming to sort through.
Primarily focuses on health and medical research opportunities, so if you are looking for funding opportunities outside those sectors, it will not be helpful.
17. OpenGrants
Overview
OpenGrants is a grants database that leverages AI to match nonprofits with funding opportunities.
Pricing
Pricing for OpenGrants starts at $19/month
Best Suited For
OpenGrants is best for those who want to leverage AI to find grants and hire grant professionals to help you write them.
Best Features
Smart matching based on your profile helps you get connected with relevant opportunities.
Funder profiles provide additional insights.
Ability to hire independent grant writers within the platform for those needing additional assistance.
Weaknesses
No advanced features that support end-to-end grant management or post-award needs, forcing you to use multiple platforms.
Simplistic interface that may lack detailed grant descriptions, award and contact information, links to applications, and other relevant information, meaning you have to do additional research off the platform.
Relies heavily on AI and lacks the human support element, so it is difficult to get personalized help.
18. Pivot-RP
Overview
Pivot-RP offers a grant database with funding opportunities and research resources. Its integration with institutions makes it a favorite among the academic sector.
Pricing
Pivot-RP pricing is not publicly available.
Best Suited For
Pivot-RP is best suited for large nonprofits and academic institutions focused on research.
Best Features
Uses AI to match research profiles with potential funders
Database features government, foundation, academic, corporate, and nonprofit funding opportunities
Automatic alerts on deadlines and significant changes to grants
Weaknesses
Opportunities are targeted toward large research institutions or those employed by them, so it can be challenging to access if you don’t fit those categories.
Limited post-award tracking features, so you’ll need to work off multiple platforms to get the same results.
19. Devex Pro Funding
Overview
Devex is a funding database that also keeps users informed about the latest global development news, analyses, and industry-leading insights.
Pricing
Devex costs individuals $83/month when you sign up for the annual plan or $149/monthly. Custom pricing is available for organizations.
Best Suited For
Nonprofits looking to find funding opportunities that are tied to data-driven projections and funding analyses.
Best Features
Tracks current funding opportunities across all sectors
Uses data-driven insights to offer interactive forecast analyses and funding activity projections to help you find grants sooner
Partners with more than 50,000 organizations to offer funding and collaboration opportunities
Weaknesses
Limited task management features, so you can only find funding opportunities on the platform
Inability to save searches or projects means you start over with each search
No items found.
How to Find Your Next 5 Grant Opportunities
With Instrumentl, you can explore available grants for free in your state by using our U.S. Grant Database.
The database will show you key stats on each state’s grant landscape.
Average grant size in that state
Number of grants awarded
Most popular focus areas or causes supported
If grant funding is growing or shrinking over time
For example, in California, you can see that grant funding has been increasing since 2021.
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