Foundations worth applying to, picked for your nonprofit
Most foundations only give to groups they've already chosen, and you can't tell which from their name. My software reads their IRS filings and websites to find the ones that gave to groups in your field and look open to applications.
What you get
A list of up to 15 foundations, with the ones confirmed on their own websites first. For each one:
- Recent grants to groups in your category and state, with amounts and purposes
- Whatever its filing says about how to apply, deadlines, restrictions and who to contact
- One sentence on why it fits, and the main catch if there is one
Foundations that ticked the IRS box for giving only to preselected groups are already gone, and my software tries to remove, but can miss, ones whose websites say they don't take applications or don't serve your area. Many small foundations have no website my software can read. On the 15 lists I've built for emails, about a third of the foundations were confirmed this way, and those are the lists that came out best. Another list I built had 2 of 15. Some closed funders can still slip through, so check before you apply.
How it works
- Tell me your organization below.
- I email you the list. I aim for two business days.
- If it's useful, pay the $99 invoice that comes with it. If it isn't, ignore the invoice.
It covers 501(c)(3) groups that file a full Form 990 and report $100,000 to $5 million in revenue. If yours isn't in there, I'll tell you, and there's no charge.
Get your shortlist
Questions
What is this, exactly?
A list of up to 15 foundations picked for your organization. For each one you get recent grants to groups in your category and whatever its IRS filing says about how to apply, deadlines, restrictions and contacts, plus one sentence on why it fits and the main catch. Many small foundations have no website my software can read, so expect most of any list to be unconfirmed. On the 15 lists I've built for emails, about a third of the foundations were confirmed, and those are the lists that came out best. Another list I built had 2 of 15.
Where does the data come from?
IRS Form 990-PF, the public return private foundations file every year. I've loaded all 16 batches the IRS released in 2025: 122,583 foundations. 33,986 of them didn't tick the box for giving only to preselected organizations, which is the first filter. That box alone doesn't prove a foundation takes applications, so my software also reads each pick's website, when it can, and tries to remove any that says it doesn't or that it doesn't serve your area. It can miss some.
Could I find this myself for free?
Yes. ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer shows these filings for free, and libraries often offer Candid's directory. What you're paying for is the time: software filters the filings by your state and cause, an AI model reads up to 30 of them against your mission, and then it checks each pick's website, when it has one, for a way to apply.
Who's reading the filings?
Software I run, using Claude, an AI model from Anthropic, to read each foundation's instructions and restrictions against your mission and rule out bad fits. Amounts, grants and instructions are copied from the filings by code. The lines on why each one fits and what to watch out for are written by the AI, and I don't review each list by hand. I'm a software engineer, not a grant writer.
How current is it?
Filings lag. Most of what's in here is for tax year 2024, and a foundation may have filed something newer than the copy I have, so its priorities or deadlines may have changed. Check each foundation's website or call before you apply.
Will I get a grant?
I can't promise that. These foundations gave to at least one group in your field, and the ones marked as confirmed describe a way to apply on their websites. They still turn down plenty of good requests.
Who's behind this?
Nathan Avery, a software engineer near Oklahoma City. It's new, and just me, so I don't have testimonials to show you yet. That's why you see the list before you pay.
Free lists by state
Want to look around first? Browse foundations by state and cause.