Foundation Directory Online Discount Code

Foundation Directory Online (FDO) is a popular funder database that makes it easier for nonprofits to identify and learn about different foundations.

FDO does come with a cost, and despite the fact that many nonprofits want to try it out before they invest in it, there’s no free trial. There also aren’t any active discount codes available.

However, there are still some ways that you can save money on an FDO subscription. Keep reading and we’ll show you how.

While there aren’t any active discount codes for FDO, here are three ways you can save money to make it a more affordable option for your organization:

1. Lock in Annual Plans

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FDO offers three different subscription tiers: professional, essential, and enterprise. You are able to subscribe month to month at the professional and essential level, but to get the best bang for your buck, you’ll want to pick an annual plan.

• FDO’s Professional monthly plan costs $219.99/month. However, if you make a one-time annual payment of $1,599, that would break down to $133.25/month. That’s a savings of more than $1,000 over the monthly cost.
• FDO’s Essential monthly plan costs $54.99/month, while its annual plan is a one-time payment of $449, which breaks down to $37.42/month. That’s a savings of more than $200/year if you pay annually.

While monthly plans give nonprofits the flexibility, they do come at a cost. If you’re looking to save money in the long term, you may consider investing in an annual plan.

Previously, FDO offered multi-year plans that gave an even better discount, but you’ll want to contact their customer service team to see what discounts they can offer you for multi-year plans. These options are not currently listed publicly.

For larger nonprofits, you can also contact them to price out FDO Enterprise.

2. Find a Local Library That Has Access

FDO partners with select local libraries to offer free access to their grant database, which is great for nonprofits who don’t yet have the budget to invest.

Check your local library to see if it has FDO on its computers. Not all libraries are partner organizations with FDO, so you’ll want to confirm before you head out. You can do so by using this tool.

This will allow you free, limited access to some of FDO’s tools to start your search and to see if you like the interface enough to invest in it. Some small nonprofits may get what they need just from the free version.

3. Earn a Seal of Transparency From Candid

Candid has a promotion going on for smaller nonprofits to get one free year of access to FDO Essential.

If your nonprofit’s annual revenue is less than $1 million, and you update your nonprofit’s profile on the platform to receive a Gold Seal, you can qualify for one free year of FDO Essential.

All you need to do is upload your nonprofit’s information, including:

• Board chair name
• Leadership demographics
• Audited financial reports
• Basic financial information

Simply follow the steps outlined to earn a Bronze, Silver, and Gold seal. You must have a Gold seal to qualify for the free year. Nonprofits who have a seal of transparency often see an increase in contributions, so it’s worth it for multiple reasons.

Not ready to invest in a grants database?

We’ve got some good news! You can browse grants and funders for free with Instrumentl’s U.S. grants database.

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Within this free view, you can see basic information on each grant. This includes the:

• Grant name
• Funder
• Grant amount
• Field of work

For full details and application links, you’ll need to sign up for a 14-day free trial or create an account. However, this free feature can give you a taste of what you can expect from Instrumentl.

While we might be biased, we believe that Instrumentl is a better alternative to FDO—and here’s why:
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Instrumentl is an all-in-one, easy-to-use grant prospecting, tracking, and management tool. Unlike competitors, Instrumentl streamlines the entire grant lifecycle—making it easy to discover active grant opportunities, identify good-fit funders, track your grants, manage your awards, and create custom reports all in one place.

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Unlike FDO, which makes users manually search for RFPs, Instrumentl uses a Smart Matching tool to automatically curate a list of good-fit grants for you based on your organization’s:

• Area of focus
• Location
• Funding needs
• And so much more

This feature makes it incredibly easy to locate active grant opportunities that you have the best chance of winning.

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And when you click into a foundation’s grant within Instrumentl, you’ll get access to 990 snapshots with in-depth funder insights.

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These insights include:

• Total giving
• Average and median grant sizes
• Openness to new grantees
• Key contacts
• Giving by NTEE codes
• And more.

All of these snapshots make it easy for you to quickly evaluate whether a funder is worth pursuing—keeping you from wasting time developing proposals for funders where you weren’t a good fit to begin with.

FDO may have an impressive rating, but we are proud to boast a 4.9 out of 5-star rating. Below are just two happy customers and their experiences with Instrumentl.

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You can check out even more reviews and success stories here.

FDO does not have any active promo codes to help nonprofits get a discount on their services; however, you may be able to score a deal if you sign up for an annual plan, visit a library that has it for free, or earn a Gold Seal of transparency from Candid.

However, we believe Instrumentl is the superior tool. We’re more than just a database. We match you with actual grant opportunities and empower you to win them.

Instrumentl can:

• Curate a list of relevant grants for you using its intelligent matching algorithm.
• Provide intuitive workflows that break barriers and silos to streamline your ways of working and drive efficiencies.
• Integrate with leading software and offer personalized support to help you find, track, and win grants faster.

That’s just the start of what makes Instrumentl the best alternative to FDO, but don’t take our word for it.

Sign up today for our 14-day free trial so you can see how we can transform your nonprofit’s funding strategy.