GrantSift for nonprofits: government and foundation funding in one place
GrantSift is live for nonprofits and charities in the US and Canada. Find government grants and funders from official sources, with deadlines.
GrantSift is live, and nonprofits are at the heart of why we built it. Nonprofits and charities depend on grants more than almost any other kind of organization, yet most do not have a full-time grants team. This post explains how GrantSift can help your organization find funding and plan its year.
The nonprofit funding challenge
Nonprofit leaders tell a familiar story. The executive director writes grants at night. The development lead juggles ten funders' deadlines in a spreadsheet. Program staff hear about an opportunity two days before it closes. Meanwhile, funding information is scattered:
- US federal grants are posted on Grants.gov, with details on agency pages.
- Canadian federal programs sit across departments such as Canadian Heritage, Employment and Social Development Canada and regional development agencies.
- State, provincial and municipal programs each have their own websites.
- Foundations publish guidelines on their own sites, with their own timelines.
Each source uses different language for eligibility, costs and deadlines. GrantSift brings this together.
What GrantSift offers nonprofits
Search by your cause. Browse nonprofit grants and sector pages for community, health, housing, youth, arts, environment, disability, newcomer and more.
Know your funders. The funder directory helps you understand who funds your kind of work, by type, sector and region. Grants are relationships, and knowing your funders helps you plan beyond one application.
Official sources, linked. Listings link to their official pages so your team verifies details at the source.
Deadlines for planning. See deadlines by month and build a realistic annual calendar. Our guide to planning your grant calendar shows how.
Tools that save time. The cost share calculator, grant budget calculator, letter of support template and proposal outline generator help with the parts of every application that repeat.
Eligibility basics we see nonprofits miss
Status matters. In the US, many funders require 501(c)(3) status. The IRS explains the requirements. In Canada, some funders require registered charity status, while others fund incorporated non-profits too.
Registration takes time. US federal applicants need SAM.gov registration and a Unique Entity ID. Grants.gov advises that SAM.gov registration can take up to 10 business days to become active, and longer if information needs verification.
Cost share is common. Many government programs require matching funds. Plan your match before you apply. See cost share and matching funds.
Indirect costs. Know your indirect cost rate or the funder's rule. See indirect cost rates explained.
Building a healthy grant pipeline
A healthy nonprofit funding mix usually includes:
- Multi-year government funding for core programs, where available.
- Foundation grants for programs, pilots and capacity.
- Corporate and community foundation grants for local projects.
- Individual giving and earned revenue to provide unrestricted support.
GrantSift helps with the first three. Keep a pipeline with stages such as researching, LOI, invited, submitted, awarded and declined, and review it monthly.
Guides for nonprofits
- Nonprofit grants by state
- How to write a letter of inquiry
- How to write a grant application
- What to do after a grant rejection
- Grant reporting after the award
- Environmental grants for nonprofits
Frequently asked questions
Is GrantSift only for large nonprofits? No. Small organizations without dedicated grants staff often benefit most, because GrantSift reduces research time.
Does GrantSift include foundations? GrantSift includes a funder directory. Coverage depends on available sources, and we keep expanding it.
Can volunteers use GrantSift? Yes. Board members and volunteers can use GrantSift to research opportunities for your organization.
Your mission deserves more time than your grant research. GrantSift is live to help nonprofits find the right funders faster and plan with confidence.
How we keep GrantSift trustworthy
A funding database is only useful if you can trust it, so we hold ourselves to a few simple rules.
- Every listing points to its source. We link to the official funder page so you can check eligibility, amounts and deadlines yourself before you apply.
- Official sources first. We build from public sources such as Grants.gov and Government of Canada open data rather than copying third-party lists.
- No promises we cannot keep. We never guarantee that you will receive funding, and we never charge a fee to receive a grant. Funders make their own decisions.
- Plain language. Our guides explain programs in everyday words and link to the official rules for the details.
- Your search stays yours. Searching GrantSift does not send your details to funders.
If you ever spot an outdated detail or a broken link, tell us and we will fix it. Program terms change often, and the official page is always the final word.
Your first 20 minutes on GrantSift
- Write one sentence about your project: what you will do, where, and roughly what it costs.
- Pick your country and region, then the sector that best describes the work.
- Scan eligibility first. Skip anything your organization type cannot apply to.
- Save three to five programs that fit closely, and open each official page.
- Note the deadlines and any registrations you will need, then add them to your calendar.
- Contact one program officer with a short, specific question.
That short routine turns a vague search into a working shortlist you can act on this week.
Come back each month, because new opportunities open and old ones close throughout the year. A regular check, even fifteen minutes, keeps your pipeline full and stops a good deadline from slipping past unnoticed.
Keep exploring on GrantSift
Find the programs that fit you
Official program pages are the source of truth, but finding them is the slow part. GrantSift pulls grants and funders from official sources such as Grants.gov and Government of Canada open data into one searchable database covering the US and Canada across every sector. Each listing links back to the official page, and paid plans unlock funder contacts, deadlines you can track, and filters that match programs to your business or organization. Search grants on GrantSift or see plans and pricing.