5 Best Grant Gopher Alternatives & Competitors

When it comes to managing and prospecting grants, finding a tool that is comprehensive, user-friendly, and cost-effective is crucial. If you’re feeling frustrated with Grant Gopher and believe there might be a better solution out there, you’re not alone. Many nonprofits are on the lookout for software that offers enhanced features, greater usability, and better value for their money.

In this blog, we’ll explore five alternatives to Grant Gopher:

• Instrumentl
• Foundation Directory Online
• GrantStation
• FoundationSearch
• GrantWatch

We’ll evaluate each tool based on a few key criteria, including:

• Features
• Types of funders listed
• User-friendliness
• Popularity
• Pricing

Get ready to discover tools that can transform your fundraising efforts.

Let’s go!

While Grant Gopher offers valuable resources for grant seekers, there are several common criticisms and limitations that might prompt users to look for alternatives. Here are a few key reasons why you might end up exploring other options.

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Reason 1: Focus Solely on Grant Search

Grant Gopher is well known for its basic grant search and prospecting features.

However, it lacks tools for managing the application and post-award phase. Users seeking comprehensive solutions that can support the full grant lifecycle, such as budget spend-down tracking, reporting, and compliance, will need to invest in additional software for these functionalities, which is not cost-effective.

Exploring alternatives with end-to-end capabilities is essential for a more integrated approach to grant management.

Reason 2: Database Limitations

Grant Gopher’s database includes grant opportunities from:

• Private foundations
• Community foundations
• Corporations
• Federal, state, city, and county programs
• Local opportunities, such as service clubs

This database, however, has the potential to be outdated. According to their website, some funder records are reviewed daily, while some are only reviewed quarterly or annually.

This inconsistency means that users might spend time reviewing and applying for grant opportunities that are no longer active or relevant.

Additionally, Grant Gopher does not disclose how comprehensive its database is or where it sources its grant information, which leaves users uncertain about the breadth and reliability of the opportunities listed.

Reason 3: User Interface and Experience

The user interface and overall user experience on Grant Gopher can feel outdated or less intuitive compared to more modern alternatives. Navigating the site and extracting the most relevant grant information might not be as seamless, automated, or user-friendly as it is on competing platforms. Users should consider exploring more intuitive solutions for a more streamlined and visually appealing experience.

By understanding these limitations, grant professionals can make more informed decisions about the tools that best meet their needs, ensuring they have the right support throughout the entire grant process.

In this section, we’re going to dive into five alternatives to Grant Gopher, evaluating each based on several key criteria:

• Features
• Types of funders listed
• User friendliness
• Popularity
• Pricing

By the time we’re done, you should have a good grasp of the various Grant Gopher alternatives and which might be the best fit for you and your nonprofit. Let’s dive in!

Instrumentl is a powerful platform that offers a comprehensive solution for managing the entire grant process. Let’s explore it in more detail.

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Features

Instrumentl streamlines the grant process with a suite of features, including:

• A comprehensive database of grant opportunities that includes grants from government entities, corporations, and foundations.
• Smart matching technology that helps you narrow your focus to only the best-fit opportunities.
• A submission tracker and grants calendar to keep you—and your team—organized and on track.

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• Multi-user collaboration tools to ensure seamless collaboration with your colleagues.
• Automatic deadline updates and reminders so no grant deadline is ever missed.
• Advanced funder insights and 990 snapshots.

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Instrumentl’s platform integrates grant prospecting, tracking, and post-award management, making it easier than ever to handle the many complexities of the grant lifecycle in one easy-to-use tool.

Types of Funders Listed

Instrumentl is truly a one-stop-shop for finding funding opportunities, as its database lists countless different types of funders and active grants from:

• Local, state, and federal government agencies
• Corporations
• Associations/Societies
• Foundations

Boasting over 400,000 funders, 17,000 live RFPs, and 150+ new opportunities each week (yes—each week!), Instrumentl’s grant database is unmatched by competitors.

User Friendliness

Instrumentl is known for its intuitive and easy-to-use interface, regardless of your level of tech proficiency. The platform features simple navigation, automated notifications for upcoming deadlines, and tools for collaboration, streamlining your grant processes from start to finish.

But you don’t have to take my word for it—there are countless happy Instrumentl customers out there willing to share their testimonials.

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Popularity

Instrumentl stands out among grant professionals as a popular tool for its comprehensive coverage of the entire grant lifecycle. Unlike other tools that focus primarily on prospecting, Instrumentl streamlines securing and managing grants from start to finish—increasing efficiency and revenue.

Maureen McGuire, Grants Manager at Habitat for Humanity DuPage Chicago South Suburbs, shares:
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"I love the ability to track everything in Instrumentl. Take deadlines for reports and email reminders I get, for example. I don’t have to wake up in the middle of the night and think—oh my gosh, did I miss it?"

Check out more Instrumentl success stories on our website!

Pricing

Instrumentl offers a 14-day free trial, with no credit card required, allowing you to experience its benefits and features first-hand.

After the trial, Instrumentl offers a variety of different pricing options that you can choose from, depending on whether you’re a nonprofit, university, or fundraising consultant.

Plans range from $179 per month to $499 per month, depending on the number of projects and features you need access to. Visit Instrumentl’s pricing page for more information.

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Side Note: We know that our pricing might be higher than some of the other tools listed here. However, we offer a comprehensive solution that provides a higher ROI and support throughout the whole grant lifecycle—from prospect research to post-award management. This means that you don’t need to invest in multiple other tools which can be costly.

Foundation Directory Online (FDO) by Candid is a leading resource for nonprofits, offering an extensive suite of tools to help organizations connect with potential funders. This platform provides a wealth of resources designed to streamline the process of finding and securing grants.

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Features

FDO offers a range of powerful tools designed to support grant seekers in their funding endeavors, including:

• A foundation database which has advanced search capabilities and search filters
• Funding alerts to ensure timely notification of new opportunities
• Data on previously awarded grants and other historical funding trends

It’s important to note that while FDO offers information on active grants and RFPs, its primary focus is on maintaining a robust funder database. Users have to manually search for RFPs, as FDO does not offer the same level of smart matching to good-fit funders as some of its competitors.

FDO also lacks robust post-award grant management features, meaning users will also need to invest in other solutions to manage awarded grants.

Types of Funders Listed

FDO showcases opportunities from a wide range of funders, including:

• Foundations
• Corporations
• Government agencies

User Friendliness

The FDO platform is designed to be user-friendly, featuring intuitive search functions and a simple-to-use interface. Through our research, we identified some limitations in searching for open and upcoming RFPs; however, the detailed profiles and historical data on foundations make it easy to find relevant funders.

Popularity

FDO is widely recognized and utilized in the nonprofit sector, particularly by organizations with robust fundraising programs. Its comprehensive database and user-friendliness make it a popular choice among grant professionals.

However, its limited focus on RFPs and lack of smart matching means users may need to invest more time and effort into identifying relevant opportunities than they would with some other Grant Gopher alternatives.

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Pricing

FDO offers various subscription tiers to meet different needs and budgets:

• Essential Plan: Starts at $54.99/month and provides access to a substantial portion of the database.
• Professional Plan: $219.99/month, offers enhanced search capabilities and additional funder data.
• Enterprise Plan: Tailored for larger organizations—pricing is available only upon request.

Foundation Directory Online offers a robust suite of tools for grant seekers, but the cost and manual searching requirements may be factors to consider when comparing it to other Grant Gopher alternatives.

When it comes to finding diverse funding opportunities, FoundationSearch stands out as a comprehensive tool. Below, we dive into its unique features to give you a thorough understanding of why it might be a good Grant Gopher alternative for your nonprofit.

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Features

FoundationSearch offers a host of features designed to aid grant seekers in finding and securing funding. Notable tools include:

• Advanced and customizable search filters for US foundations
• A comprehensive database with detailed funder profiles
• A user-friendly search wizard that allows you to search foundation profiles by deadline and keyword

It’s important to note a few things about this platform.

First, its focus is primarily on foundations, meaning you won’t find information about any other types of funding opportunities on this platform.

Additionally, FoundationSearch doesn’t offer any post-award grant management features or support, which means that you’ll need to invest in another tool or software to support your grant management efforts.

Types of Funders Listed

FoundationSearch—as its name suggests—focuses its databases on US foundations only.

According to its website, the database contains information on over 190,000 foundations; from 1999 to 2022, more than 18 million grants were uploaded to FoundationSearch, representing over $833 billion in funding.

User Friendliness

The platform is designed with user experience in mind and features an intuitive interface and easy-to-use search functionalities.

The inclusion of a search wizard and sidebar filters make it accessible even for those who are new to grant searching, while detailed funder profiles and historical funder data provide in-depth insights for all users.

Popularity

In the interest of full transparency, the only reviews of FoundationSearch that we could find come from their website, where many clients share positive feedback about the helpful search functions and easy-to-navigate interface.

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Pricing

FoundationSearch does not publish their pricing publicly. Instead, they require organizations to contact them for more information. Their sales team will work with you to evaluate your nonprofit’s needs and see if their services will be a good match for you and your organization.

However, we did some digging to try to uncover more information on the cost associated with this platform. You can read all about it in this article about which FoundationSearch pricing plan is right for you.

GrantStation offers a comprehensive suite of tools and resources tailored to the needs of grant seekers. With a focus on supporting organizations in finding and securing funding, GrantStation stands out for its extensive database, strategic planning aids, and educational materials. Let’s take a look at GrantStation in more detail.

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Features

GrantStation offers a suite of features designed to enhance your grant-seeking efforts:

• An extensive database with a wide range of grant opportunities
• Grant strategy-building tools to help you set objectives and create a grant calendar
• Resources to help you craft winning proposals, including templates and examples
• Notifications, alerts, and updates so you never miss an opportunity or a deadline
• Webinars, on-demand learning, and newsletters to provide you with ongoing education

Like many of the Grant Gopher alternatives on this list, GrantStation lacks grant management features to support you in the post-award phase. This means that this alternative may not be as cost-effective since you’ll need to invest in another grant management tool to support you and your team in managing your awarded funds.

Types of Funders Listed

GrantStation provides access to grants from a diverse array of funders, including:

• Charitable foundations
• Government agencies
• Corporate funders
• International opportunities

User Friendliness

GrantStation is designed to be as user-friendly as possible and offers intuitive navigation and easy-to-use tools, such as:

• Search Functionality: Advanced search filters help users quickly identify relevant opportunities
• User Interface: The platform is structured to be easy to navigate, even to those who are new to grant-seeking or lack technical skills

Popularity

One of the best ways to learn about a platform is to hear about it from current users. Most users of GrantStation have positive reviews of the software. On their Featured Customers page, they have an overall rating of 4.8/5 stars.

This trend continues on other review pages, including G2:

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However, some users have concerns about the platform's user-friendliness and the database’s lack of comprehensiveness as compared to its competitors.

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Pricing

GrantStation offers several pricing options to accommodate different needs and budgets:

• One-Year Membership: Regularly priced at $699/year, but is often available at a promotional price. For example, GrantStation is currently running a summer sale, with a one year membership priced at $179.
• Two-Year Membership: Priced at $249/year.

GrantWatch stands out as a dynamic resource for grant seekers, offering a trove of tools and resources to support your grant search and grant writing efforts.

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Features

GrantWatch is packed with features designed to streamline your grant search:

• Comprehensive Database: Boasting over 8,000 grants from a variety of different funding sources.
• Advanced Search Filters: Filters allow you to tailor your search based on criteria such as location, grant category, and funding type, making it easier to narrow your search.
• Email Alerts: Personalized notifications ensure you stay informed about new opportunities.

It’s worth noting that GrantWatch also lacks robust post-award grant management features.

Types of Funders Listed

GrantWatch includes opportunities from a range of funders, including:

• Foundations
• Corporations
• Government Agencies
• Community Foundations
• Associations

User Friendliness

GrantWatch is designed with the user experience in mind:

• Intuitive Navigation: The platform allows users to browse listings and apply search filters with ease.
• Detailed Listings: Each grant listing includes relevant details, such as eligibility criteria, funding amounts, deadlines, and application process.
• Support Resources: The platform offers educational resources to help users understand and navigate the grant application process effectively.

Popularity

GrantWatch has earned a solid reputation in the grant-seeking community. When it comes to user reviews, we found a pattern of positive comments across the web, with users expressing their satisfaction with how easy it is to find grants with this platform.

Check it out: On Quora, one user vouches for GrantWatch’s “excellent service”.

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This testimonial from the GrantWatch website also speaks to the power of this tool.

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Pricing

Like many Grant Gopher alternatives, GrantWatch offers several pricing plans to accommodate different organizational needs and budgets.

• Weekly $18
• Monthly: $45
• Quarterly: $90
• Annually: $199

We know we might be biased—but we think that Instrumentl is a standout alternative to Grant Gopher. Not only can Instrumentl help you with your grant search efforts, but it can help with your post-award management needs too! It’s basically a one-stop-shop for all things grant-related.

Ready to learn more? Let’s go!!

Automagical Deadline Reminders

One of my favorite Instrumentl features is the automatic deadline reminders. Any time a funder changes a deadline, you’ll get an email right to your inbox, meaning you’ll never miss a deadline again.

This feature is so beneficial in helping to keep me and my team organized. Things can move quickly in the grant world, and missing a deadline means missing out on money. These reminders are a lifesaver!

Don’t just take my word for it—here’s what Cynthia Ceilan, Director of Institutional Giving at Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan had to share:
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"I love the ability to track everything in Instrumentl. Take deadlines for reports and email reminders I get, for example. I don’t have to wake up in the middle of the night and think—oh my gosh, did I miss it?"

Integrated Information from IRS 990 Forms

Instrumentl takes information from a funder’s IRS 990 form and analyzes it, turning it into easily digestible 990 Snapshots. These snapshots offer insights into funders’ financial health and grantmaking patterns, helping grant professionals make informed decisions about which opportunities to pursue—and which to leave behind.

Check out this screenshot of the Bank of America Foundation’s Funder Profile in Instrumentl to get a sense of the key data pulled from the 990 Form.

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Intelligent Matching to RFPs and Funders

Instrumentl’s intelligent matching algorithm connects users with good-fit funding opportunities based on their specific needs.

Here’s how it works: You tell Instrumentl about your nonprofit—where you’re located, what you do, and what kind of funding you’re looking for—and the tool does the rest of the work. Before you know it, you’re looking at a list of curated funding matches, with new opportunities sent to your inbox every week. Amazing!

This curated and tailored approach helps you focus on opportunities that have a high potential ROI by weeding out opportunities that aren’t a good match before they even land on your desk.

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Easy Collaboration and Task Management

Instrumentl’s platform facilitates easy, seamless collaboration and task management among your entire team. You can assign tasks, track project progress, and collaborate with colleagues all within the platform, which makes it easier to coordinate your efforts and ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

Team work makes the dream work, right?

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Find Foundations Open to New Grantees

There’s nothing more frustrating than starting to work on a grant application that seems like a good fit, only to realize that the funder isn’t open to working with new grantees.

Instrumentl shows you data upfront to determine if a funder is open to working with new grantees so that you don’t find yourself wasting your valuable time and energy.

The Openness to New Grantees report shows you the percentage of grants that get awarded to new versus repeat grantees, as well as the average grant award for new versus repeat grantees. These insights will help you determine if pursuing an opportunity is worth your time.

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While Grant Gopher is a valuable tool for grant prospecting, its limitations, such as the absence of post-award management tools, database limitations, and potential for outdated information, can prompt users to look for more comprehensive solutions.

If you’re looking for a robust, all-in-one grant management solution, consider signing up for Instrumentl. With its unmatched database, smart matching technology, and multi-user collaboration tools, Instrumentl streamlines the entire grant process, ensuring you never miss an opportunity—or a deadline.

Start your 14-day free trial today and experience the benefits of Instrumentl’s powerful platform firsthand.