Learn How to Search for Grants Like a Pro

Do you want to search for grants like a pro? As a Grant Specialist at GrantWatch, every day I give subscribers personal tutorials on our database. Now, I’d like to share the best search tips for finding grants using the GrantWatch Advanced Search and the GrantWatch AI Grant Finder with all of our readers. Grab a cup of coffee, get comfortable, and put your reading glasses on. You are going to want to bookmark this article as your reference every time you begin a search for grants. In no time at all, searching for grants on GrantWatch will be second nature for you.

How to Search for Grants Like a Pro

Where do We Start?

The first place I like to start is on the homepage. I click the orange button that says, click to search available grants. This takes you to a new screen. From here, you can search using the advanced search filters. To make your search broad, but still very relevant, select from the recipient dropdown box. Your choices are individual, nonprofit, or small business. After you choose the recipient, the next step is to choose your location from the dropdown menu. If you are searching from the U.S. or Canada, you will have states or provinces to choose from. You can also search all of the USA, Canada, or International as well!

Homepage → Click “Search Available Grants” → Advanced Search Filters Opens → Select Recipient → Choose Location → View Grants

Category Search

The next step is to choose your category. I suggest choosing one category at a time. There are a few reasons we suggest not using too many filters at one time. This includes when you search by location or keyword, too.

• You can find out which categories yield the best results.
• If you write grants for multiple programs or organizations, it may be easier to separate them for specific projects.
• If you search for multiple locations (for example, multiple states, or nationally or internationally).

For example, let’s select a nonprofit food pantry located in Georgia. Select the recipient. Then, select nonprofit. For location, select “Georgia.” For category, select “nutrition and food” (for now).

Then I would hit the green search button. It will pull up a listing of grants that used the filters I selected. Then I would save this search to find later under “my search filters.”

Next, I read the brief grant descriptions. For instance, if it says Grant for food research, I would know that isn’t what I’m looking for as a food pantry and would hide it using the eye button in the bottom right corner. This way, when I search again, those irrelevant grants will be greyed out, and I won’t have to review them again. When I see a brief description that looks like it may be a fit, I click on it to see the full grant detail page.

Nonprofit food pantry → Recipient: Nonprofit → Location: Georgia → Category: Nutrition and Food→ Read Description

GrantWatch Search Details

When I start exploring the results of a GrantWatch search, the first thing I look at is the eligibility date. Is it due in an hour? If so, I may not have time to apply, so I check whether there is still time to apply. Then I read the geographic focus. Let’s say I’m in Cobb County, Georgia. Is it all of my state, country, county, or town? Or maybe it includes all of the Atlanta metro area. If my location is eligible, then I will move on and read the grant description. Do I meet the eligibility requirements? If so, I will save that grant to my grant calendar. The little calendar icon save button is next to the deadline date. I can always delete it later if I change my mind.

If I want to bookmark that grant as well, I can also click on the funder’s 990 (if they have one) to see who they have funded in the past. If there are eligibility or application questions, you can always contact the funder by phone or email in the contact information section.

After I review grants in that category and decide the category and filters are a good fit, I will save the search. I hit “save search” at the top of my results. I will also repeat that search for other categories, like community services, which is a broader category. You can do the same for keyword searches or any combination of filter selections. This helps you remember which searches yielded the best results, and you can easily reference them in the future.

Check Deadline → Confirm Location Eligibility → Read Grant Description → Save to Calendar → Review Funder’s 990 → Save Search for Later

Recipient Search

If you really want to dive deep, the recipient search could be your best option. After you find recipients of funders on 990s, this allows you to further explore the types of organizations that were awarded by a particular funder in the past. The recipient search feature also allows you to search for recipients that you may be familiar with and that have similar missions. You may also want to see who funds organizations in your area. This search allows you to do that, too

Foundation Search

Sometimes, there may be a foundation that I know about and think may be a good fit, but it doesn’t come up in my grant keyword or category searches. So I will put the foundation’s name into the foundation search filter. I can also search by keywords that are relevant to my organization, as well as by location, deadline, and type of organization. Any of these filter combinations can be saved as well.

After I review grants in that category and decide the category and filters are a good fit, I will save the search. I hit the “save search” button at the top of my results. I would also repeat that search for other categories, like community services, which is a broader category.

AI and Advanced Grant Search

Next, if I want to narrow down further, I will use our AI search, which is in learning mode, to see the magic suggestions it can come up with! You can also use the advanced search filter to refine further by keywords and filters such as deadline dates, funding source, county, or city. For example, if there is a specific term you want to look for that doesn’t have its own category, like “parents” or “family,” you can put that into the advanced search filter or AI filter as well. You can save those filters for future use.

Final Thoughts

There are many ways to search and use GrantWatch. I have shared my tips from working in Customer Support that I believe have given me the best and most complete results. You may find some of these suggestions helpful, or discover tips and tricks that work best for your needs. Happy searching!

About GrantWatch

Libby Hikind, author of The Queen of Grants: From Teacher to Grant Writer to CEO, founded GrantWatch.com, the largest advanced grant search engine in the United States. The platform features over 10,000 active, verified, and human-curated grant opportunities in more than 60 funding categories. Additionally, it lists grants for nonprofits, grants for small businesses, grants for government agencies, and grants for Individuals.

GrantWatch also offers innovative funding tools like the AI Grant Writing Tool, AI Grant Searching Tool, and My Grant Calendar, making it easier to find grants, track deadlines, and draft proposals. Members can upgrade to MemberPlus+ for complete grant details, eligibility criteria, and application information. With 21 powerful features, live customer support, and weekly GrantTalk podcast episodes, GrantWatch is the go-to resource for finding grants and turning funding opportunities into awarded grants.

Libby is also the author of several children’s books and companion coloring books, available at libbyhikind.com.