How to Find Community and Human Services Grants

Throughout the world there are thousands of nonprofits that are committed to providing community and human services to disparate populations in need. For nonprofits engaged in this vital work, finding the right grant opportunities can be a challenge. 

Luckily, Instrumentl has a comprehensive set of tools and resources to help you find best-fit community and human services grants so you can grow your organization and sustain your operations. 

In the following article you will learn:

• What community and human services grants are 
• Why community and human services grants are so important
• How to use Instrumentl to find them fast

Let’s dive in!

Let’s start at the very beginning: when we talk about community and human services grants, what exactly do we mean? 

Community and human services grants refer to grant opportunities designed to fund organizations and programs working to meet basic needs, provide critical social services, and/or remediate disparate community challenges. 

Community and human services captures a broad field of work that can encompass various and complex issues, including but not limited to: 

• Youth services, 
• Family services,
• Health and wellness services,  
• Counseling, 
• Violence prevention,
• LGBTQ+ services, 
• Harm-reduction programming, 
• Educational programming, 
• Workforce development, 
• Asset building, 
• Immigration services, 
• Reentry services, 
• And much more. 

Community and Human Services grants are available from a variety of funder types including private foundations, family foundations, corporate grantmaking programs, and government entities including municipal, state, and federal grants. 

For example, many government agencies provide community and human services grants to nonprofit organizations who fill in gaps that cannot be met directly by the public sector. 

In fact, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the largest grantmaking agency in the country, awarding grants and contracts to other government agencies, states, nonprofits, tribes, territories, community organizations, and other eligible human services providers. 

Community and human services grants are important to ensuring organizations can provide crucial social services and help vulnerable and historically marginalized populations meet their basic needs. 

Oasis is one such nonprofit, providing women and children with a continuum of critical social services including: 

• Education
• Social services
• Emergency food 
• Clothing 
• Youth development
• And more. 

As a client of Instrumentl, identifying well-aligned community and human services grants has been vital for the sustained impact of the organization. 

“[Instrumentl] has helped me curate more current grants that we have, spend more time cultivating the relationship with current funders that we have, and devote more time to writing grants for best-fit funders.”

Hundreds of funders, including private foundations, corporations, and government agencies, award community and human services grants. Here are a few examples of funders who are investing in human services and their communities through grantmaking: 

Huntington Bank Impact Investment Philanthropy Program

Huntington Bank and its Impact Investment Philanthropy Program is a major corporate grantmaking program that has made significant philanthropic contributions to a variety of human services and community causes including housing, economic development, and community services programming. According to Huntington’s ESG report, philanthropic contributions across these priority areas totaled over $15 million. 

Polk Bros. Foundation 

The Polk Bros. Foundation is a Chicago-based funder that aims to serve communities in Chicago to strengthen the city’s communities and ensure all Chicagoans have the opportunity to reach their full potential. Within the field of human services, the Polk Bros Foundation prioritizes organizations and projects centered on: 

• Housing, 
• Community and economic development, 
• Legal services, 
• Youth and adult justice, 
• Community violence intervention initiatives, 
• Family violence prevention and remediation, 
• Youth development programs, 
• And more. 

The Gupta Family Foundation

Grants made the Gupta Family Foundation focus on helping people who have experienced poverty, physical and/or mental disability, social alienation, or other forms of marginalization and vulnerability become self-reliant. The majority of their giving is focused on making awards to smaller organizations helmed by leaders with a deep and personal connection to the organization’s mission. 

By now, it should be clear how critical community and human services grants are to funding nonprofit organizations. Keep reading to learn how Instrumentl can help you find the right community and human services grants for your organization.

You can find grants in many areas. There are funders who announce their grant opportunities on their websites, grant databases that aggregate similar opportunities, and government portals. You can also learn about grant opportunities through the grapevine of conferences and networking events.

The most efficient way to cut through the noise and find only the most relevant community and human services grants is to use Instrumentl.

To start finding community and human services grants: 

• Create a free Instrumentl account and get access to Instrumentl’s grant management platform for 14 days. 
• Search over 400,000 funders on Instrumentl and 15k+ active RFPs to find the most relevant community and human services opportunities.
• Once you find relevant grants, Instrumentl also provides competitive insights on each funder, like where and who they fund, how open they are to new grantees, how much they give, and the causes they support most. 

This section will guide you through a step-by-step process of finding grants using Instrumentl.

After you’ve signed into Instrumentl, you’ll start creating a new project. You’ll have three steps to complete:

1.  Share details about your organization and its location.

2.  Create a project name.

3.  Set up your grant search.

You will start by entering your organization’s information.

Fill in Details on Your Organization

In the “1. Organization” section, you’ll fill in details on your nonprofit, such as your location and fiscal year. 

You will also want to choose your state and what specific counties your nonprofit serves. That way, Instrumentl can share only relevant grants to your area.

Click “Save and Continue” to complete this first section.

Provide an Overview of Your Project

In the next section, “2. Overview,” you’ll create a project. Think of a project in Instrumentl as similar to a “saved search.” 

You can title your project anything you would like that is related to your field of work. For the purposes of this example we have named our project, “Community and Human Services Grants”. 

Next, you will select “Matches & Tracking'' because it will provide you with both a tracker and funding opportunity matches. You will want to select this type of project if you are seeking out new funding opportunities. 

Choosing “Tracking” is only best if you already have grants and you just want to track them in Instrumentl.

Once done, click “Save and Continue.”

Specify the Types Of Grants You’re Looking for

In the last section, “3. Matches Setup,” you will specify the following:

• The type of nonprofit you are (most commonly, just “Nonprofit” rather than “College/University” or “Zoo”).
• If you’re a faith-based nonprofit and only want to see grants specifically for that purpose.
• The geographical areas you serve.
• Your fields of work.
• The grant size you’re looking for.
• What you intend to use the funding for (projects, programs, operating expenses, etc.).

We chose “Nonprofit” for our applicant type. 

Additionally, we selected “No” when asked if we would like grants specifically for faith-based organizations.

Then, you will want to select your location based on the state and counties you serve. This is so you can focus on state and local government funding options in your geographic area.

In our example, we chose Pennsylvania, specifically the counties surrounding the state capital of Harrisburg. Simply search your state and then select the counties that are relevant to your nonprofit.

Now, you will select the field of work you operate in to ensure you get matched with grants from funders who support nonprofits that do the work you do.

It’s best practice to select 2-3 fields of work so you have a wide enough scope of relevant grants.

When clicking “+Select fields of work,” search the cause you support and select 2-5 keywords from the drop-down that fit your mission. 

In our example, we selected four fields of work related to community and human services, including Basic Human Needs, Food Access & Hunger, Human & Social Services, and Social Justice/Human Rights.

Next, set a minimum or maximum type of grant you would like to be matched with. This will filter out grants that are either too small, making them not worth pursuing, or too large, making them too competitive.

In our example, we set a minimum of $1,000 and no maximum. Our medium- to large-nonprofit will take all the funding we can get!

You will then need to choose what you will be using these funds for if awarded. 

We chose “General Operating Expense” and “Project / Program.”

Finally, you will choose the kind of funders that you would like to see grants from. 

You may select all that apply. For this example, we have chosen all the available options to cover the most possible results. 

Invite Your Team Members

Don’t worry about having to research community and human services grants all on your own, as Instrumentl allows you to invite up to 9 team members to collaborate on your grant research.

Once you have finished following these steps, Instrumentl will display all of the top grant matches for you to review.

You now have a wide range of grant results to choose from–Great! 

But you may be wondering how you can narrow it down even further. After all, 255 results is quite a large amount and it can take a while to sort through each query. 

Luckily there are some tried and true strategies for specifying the search even further so you can find the best-fit community and human services grant opportunities possible. 

Briefly Review Your Grant Matches

First thing’s first, take a moment to briefly review your Funding Opportunity Matches that came up right away. You will see your matches on the left and details about each on the right. 

Funding Opportunity Matches are active grants that aligned with your search criteria. As you can see, our search has yielded 255 grant matches! 

Briefly Review Your Funder Matches

Next, you will want to review your “Funder Matches”. These aren’t active grants, but are instead funders whose missions and funding priorities align with those of your organization.  

These could be funders without websites, or even funders who are invite-only. Just because a funder doesn’t have an active grant posted doesn't mean they don’t want to partner with you and support your organization with funding! 

For more details on how to get noticed by invite-only funders, check out our in-depth guide.

Filter Your Results 

Don’t be overwhelmed if you’re matched with hundreds of opportunities. You can use Instrumentl to filter your results to identify the crème de la crème of grant opportunities based on:

• Funding use
• Field of Work
• Location of Project
• Location of Residency
• Past Giving
• Funder type
• Location
• Saved or hidden on other projects

To narrow your search down further simply click on the “filter” drop down tab near the top of the screen. 

For example, if you didn’t filter your original search to “Human and Social Services,” you can do so within your Matches and select “Exact Matches Only”. 

With these filters chosen, you will notice that your results have been significantly reduced. This will make it easier to evaluate opportunities that are most likely to align with your nonprofit’s funding needs, saving you valuable time. 

Now that you have filtered and sorted your results, you can start prioritizing your funding opportunities by digging deeper into each potential grant. 

As we mentioned before, you can simply click on one of your matches and the grant’s details will pop up on the right. 

These details contain essential information that will help you evaluate whether a grant is worth pursuing. 

Review the Grant Guidelines

One of the first things you will want to do is review the “FUNDER OPPORTUNITY” tab. This tab will provide you with an overview of the grant, including its focus area, amount, support type, eligibility requirements, guidelines, and more. 

In this example, when selecting the PNC Foundation Grant, you can scroll down and find:

• Foundation overview 
• Grant program overview 
• Eligibility requirements
• Ineligibility 

Gather Insights on Funders From Their 990s

Once you’ve reviewed the grant’s guidelines, you can select the “FUNDER 990 REPORT” tab to view a summary of data from the organization’s 990 filings with the IRS. 

Instrumentl distills information pulled from 990s into easy-to-read snapshots so that you can gather invaluable insights into a funder’s:

• Average grant size 
• The number of grants awarded 
• Geographic focus 
• Openness to new grantees 
• Nonprofits previously funded 
• Giving by NTEE codes 

This information is critical for helping evaluate the funder or grant for alignment with your funding needs, how much capacity they have to give, likelihood of them awarding your organization a grant, and how to get in touch with key people at the organization.

After evaluating the results of your Community and Human Services grant search, you should be ready to designate which grant opportunities you would like to pursue further.

You can go ahead and click “Save” on the grants that catch your attention. That way, you’ll have a saved list of all the grants you may want to apply for in one place and don’t have to search for them later.

Once you have saved the grant, you can find it anytime by accessing the project you created, in addition to taking notes and assigning a status. 

Assign a Status To Stay Updated on It

Once you have clicked save on the grant opportunity, another window will pop up allowing you to categorize this opportunity so you can track it. 

First, you will need to assign a status to the opportunity so you can quickly identify which stage in the grant process you are in. 

We will go ahead and assign this opportunity as “Researching” since we have only just identified it and will want to evaluate it at further length. 

Leave Notes on Your Saved Grants

When you save a grant opportunity, you can also leave notes on it for your whole team to access. For example, maybe you’ve worked with a particular funder in the past and want to make note of that so that you can mention your previous partnership in your proposal. 

Once you have completed this stage you can click “Save” and this opportunity will be available in the grant tracker.

Now that your grant opportunity is saved it will be stored in the Grants Tracker. You can view the Grants Tracker by clicking on the “Tracker” tab at the top of the page. 

From this page you can track the grant opportunity at every stage of the grant process, making it an effective way to manage all of your funding opportunities in one place for easy access and organization. 

Update Your Grant Details 

Once you have started pursuing an opportunity or made progress you can make notes or change the status of the opportunity so you can track each step in the grant lifecycle. 

In the example above, the status has been changed to LOI submitted. You can choose from a drop down menu with various status updates including: 

• Researching
• Planned
• LOI in progress
• LOI submitted
• Application in progress
• Application submitted
• Declined
• Abandoned
• Awarded - Active
• Awarded Closed

You can also update the Notes section as needed throughout the grants process. For this example we have updated the notes section with additional supporting information. 

Set Fundraising Goals

You can also set fundraising goals within your Tracker to align your grants with your financial targets. In our example, we set a fundraising goal of $100,000 over the next year.

Simply click on the “Edit” button under “Goal” in the top left hand corner of the grants tracker. 

Setting a fundraising goal can help you develop a strategy for best fit funding opportunities based on the ask amount. It can help you decide how much to ask for certain opportunities and identify gaps where funding is still needed. 

Never Miss a Deadline

Key to Instrumentl’s grant tracking system is the deadline tracker. 

Deadlines are updated based on information pulled directly from the funder’s website and updates are sent directly to your email so you can stay on top of deadlines for each grant. 

Instrumentl also allows you to organize your saved grants by deadline. That way, you can focus on the most pressing applications first. 

Assign Tasks To Your Team

Via the grant tracker’s “task” tool, you are able to assign responsibilities to members of your team. 

Click “+Add Task” to assign various duties to your team and ensure that you keep your project moving along through every step in the proposal process.

Report on Your Progress

Finally, Instrumentl also makes it easy to generate reports for internal and external stakeholders. 

You can develop reports for your grant opportunities, the awards that you have won, any tasks, and the contact information of funders. These reports are great for keeping your Executive Director or Board of Directors in the loop. 

Want to learn more about applying for community and human services grants? Look no further! Here are a few commonly asked questions and answers: 

What is the typical application process for community and human services grants?

The typical application process for community and human services grants can vary dramatically depending on the type of opportunity and funder. 

Typically, most grant opportunities will follow a very straightforward application process most often starting with a Letter of Inquiry followed by an invitation to submit a full proposal. 

Are community and human services grants typically recurring or one-time funding?

Community and human services grants are available as both recurring or one-time funding. It really just depends on the funder. 

If you are interested in multi-year grants or simply looking for a grant to fund a one-off program or pilot, be sure to consider this when researching grant opportunities. 

Are there specific reporting requirements for community and human services grants?

Yes, almost all community and human services grants have specific reporting requirements. These requirements will vary depending on the opportunity and your organization’s field of work. 

Can small nonprofits apply for community and human services grants?

Yes, of course! Small nonprofits are often encouraged to apply for community and human services grants. 

What are the common mistakes to avoid when applying to community and human services grants?

Some typical mistakes can be: 

• Not following directions: Ensure that your proposal follows all requirements and guidelines prior to submitting. 

• Misalignment with funder: Be sure to thoroughly research the funding organization and have a strong grasp of their mission and priorities before submitting an application. 

• Weak writing: Developing a cohesive and impactful narrative that addresses funder’s concerns and speaks to their priorities and values can make your proposal immensely competitive and bump you up to the top of the list of potential awardees. 

Eager to learn more about how Instrumentl can streamline your grants process and help you secure more funding? Consider signing up for a free trial for 14 days to try it out yourself.