The hardest part of grant seeking isn't writing — it's finding the right opportunity. The good news is that almost every authoritative grant database is free to search. This page lists the federal, state, and foundation sources that professional grant writers actually use in 2026 and how to combine them.
Federal grant sources
Grants.gov — the federal master catalog
grants.gov is the official catalog of federal discretionary grants. Every federal Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is posted here. Set up a free account to:
- Search by agency, eligibility, category, and funding instrument.
- Save searches and get email alerts for matching new NOFOs.
- Submit applications through Grants.gov Workspace.
SAM.gov — required registration
sam.gov is the federal System for Award Management. Every organization applying for federal grants needs an active SAM.gov registration and a Unique Entity ID (UEI). Registration is free and takes about 1–2 weeks. SAM.gov also lists federal contract opportunities and assistance listings (formerly CFDA).
USAspending.gov — see who has been funded
usaspending.gov shows every federal grant, contract, and loan awarded. Use it to:
- Identify which agencies fund work like yours.
- See typical award sizes by program.
- Look up specific organizations' federal funding history.
Agency-specific portals
Many federal agencies operate their own grant systems for their programs:
- NIH — grants.nih.gov and ASSIST.
- NSF — research.gov.
- Department of Education — G5 and grants.gov.
- USDA — usda.gov/grants.
- HUD — hud.gov/grants.
- SBA — sba.gov for the limited SBA grant programs (most SBA funding is loans, not grants).
- SBIR/STTR — sbir.gov for small-business R&D grants.
For an agency-by-agency breakdown, see our grants by agency page.
State grant sources
Each state runs its own grant portal and program pages — usually under the secretary of state, department of commerce, department of education, or the state's higher-education aid agency. Examples:
- California — California Grants Portal at grants.ca.gov.
- New York — state agency program pages and grantsmanagement.ny.gov.
- Texas — agency-specific (TWC, TEA, TxDOT, GLO).
- Florida — agency-specific (FDOE, DEO, FDOT).
State higher-education aid agencies (Cal Grant, TAP, Bright Futures, TEXAS Grant, Illinois MAP, PHEAA, HOPE) are listed in types of grants for college and on the state grants hub.
Foundation grant sources
Candid (formerly the Foundation Center + GuideStar)
candid.org maintains the Foundation Directory, the largest database of U.S. foundations. The full Directory is paid, but most U.S. public libraries provide free access at branch locations as part of the Funding Information Network. Candid also publishes free learning resources at candid.org/learn.
Other foundation resources
- 990 Finder (free, from Candid) — search every U.S. foundation's IRS Form 990-PF to see what they fund and at what level.
- Foundation websites — most foundations publish their funding priorities, application process, and past grants directly.
- Community foundations — your local community foundation lists scholarships, grants, and donor-advised funds available to your area. Find yours through cfleads.org.
Nonprofit and academic resources
- Council of Nonprofits — Grantseeking basics — short practical overview.
- State associations of nonprofits — most run their own funder libraries and trainings.
- University grants offices — many state university extension offices share federal NOFOs and foundation databases with the public.
Scholarship and student-aid sources
For students rather than organizations:
- studentaid.gov — federal student aid.
- CareerOneStop Scholarship Finder — U.S. Department of Labor.
- BigFuture — College Board.
- Free databases like Fastweb and Scholarships.com.
See college scholarships and free scholarships.
How to apply (a workflow that uses these sources together)
- Identify the kind of grant you need — federal, state, or foundation; for an organization or for a student.
- Search grants.gov for any federal program that matches your work; save your search.
- Check USAspending.gov to see which agencies and programs have funded similar work.
- Check your state's grant portal and state agency program pages.
- Search Candid for foundation funders matching your project area; cross-check on funder websites.
- Register on SAM.gov if you'll apply for federal grants — well before any deadline.
- Read every NOFO carefully before drafting; confirm eligibility, deadlines, page limits, and required attachments.
- Apply only where there is a clear fit. Mass-applying to ill-fitting programs wastes time and damages your reputation with funders.
There is no application fee for any legitimate government grant or grants database listing. Any service charging to "match" you to federal grants is selling what grants.gov already provides for free. Report scams to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Common questions
Is there one database that lists every grant? No. Grants.gov covers federal discretionary grants. State portals cover state grants. Candid covers foundation grants. No single database covers them all — combining sources is the job.
Do I have to pay for Candid's Foundation Directory? The paid subscription gives full home access. Most U.S. public libraries provide free in-branch access — find a participating library through Candid's Funding Information Network listing.
What's the difference between a grant and a contract on SAM.gov? A grant funds a project the recipient designs and runs (under federal rules). A contract pays the recipient to deliver a specific deliverable defined by the agency. Both flow through SAM.gov, but the application and reporting rules differ.
Are grant-matching services worth paying for? Usually no — they repackage information already on grants.gov, agency sites, and Candid. A grant writer or fundraising consultant who actually drafts proposals (paid hourly or per project) is a different service and may be worth the cost.
Where do small businesses look? Federal: grants.gov, sbir.gov, sba.gov. State: state economic-development agencies and SBDC offices. See business grants.
The sources are public. The skill is matching the right ones to your work and reading each opportunity carefully before you apply.