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How to find grants for a small nonprofit

A practical, step-by-step way for a small nonprofit to find grants that fit, check if you qualify, and reach out to funders without wasting weeks.

If you run a small nonprofit, you've probably typed "grants for nonprofits" into a search bar and found thousands of results, most of them for organizations ten times your size. The good news: small groups win grants all the time. They just tend to win them from a different set of funders, and they find them with a steadier process.

This guide walks through that process. It assumes you have a mission, some kind of budget, and not much free time.

Before you search: get three things ready

Funders ask the same handful of questions. Having the answers written down saves you hours later.

  1. A two-sentence mission statement. Who you serve, where, and what changes because of you. "We run a weekend food pantry for families in north Springfield" beats "We fight hunger."
  2. Your basic numbers. Annual budget, number of people served last year, and how many staff and volunteers you have. Rough is fine. Honest is required.
  3. Your paperwork. Your IRS determination letter (or fiscal sponsor agreement), your latest Form 990 or 990-N, and a board list. Many funders won't read past the first page without these.

Where small nonprofits actually find grants

Community foundations

Almost every county or region in the US has a community foundation. They exist to give money locally, and they often have small grant rounds ($1,000 to $25,000) designed for groups like yours. Search "[your county] community foundation" and look for "grants" or "nonprofits" in their menu. Many run free workshops for applicants. Go to one. The program officer will remember you.

State agencies and their divisions

State departments of health, education, agriculture, arts, and public safety all pass money through to local groups. These listings are public but scattered across dozens of agency websites. This is the part that takes the longest by hand, and it's why we built Grant Finder: it reads those public state listings and ranks them by how well they match your mission.

Local businesses and banks

Banks, utilities, grocery chains and hospitals often have giving programs with simple applications. Check the "community" or "about" page of the big employers in your town.

Family foundations

Smaller family foundations often don't take open applications, but they do file a public Form 990-PF that lists who they gave to. If a foundation funded a group like yours last year, that's a strong sign. ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer lets you read these filings for free.

Federal grants

Grants.gov lists every federal opportunity. They're real, but they're usually large, competitive, and heavy on reporting. For most small nonprofits, federal money is easier to get as a sub-grant through a state agency or larger partner than directly.

How to tell if a grant is a good fit

Before you write a word, check five things:

  • Eligibility. Your type of organization, location and budget size. If it says "organizations with budgets over $1 million," move on.
  • Purpose. Does the funder's stated goal match a program you already run? Don't invent a new program to chase money.
  • Size. A $500,000 grant to a $60,000 organization looks risky to a funder. Look for awards somewhere between 5% and 30% of your budget.
  • Deadline. Give yourself at least three weeks for a first application.
  • Past grantees. If they've funded groups like yours before, your odds go up a lot.

Start with a letter of inquiry

Many foundations want a short letter of inquiry (LOI) before a full proposal. A good LOI is one page and covers:

  1. Who you are, in one or two sentences.
  2. The need, with one local number.
  3. What you'll do with the money and what will change.
  4. How much you're asking for and your total budget for the work.
  5. A contact name, email and phone.

Grant Finder drafts a first LOI from your mission and the grant you picked, so you start with something to edit instead of a blank page. Always rewrite it in your own voice and check every fact.

Keep a simple tracker

You don't need special software. A spreadsheet with these columns works: funder, grant name, amount, deadline, fit (high/medium/low), status, and next step. Look at it every Monday. Most small nonprofits that win grants consistently aren't better writers. They just never miss a deadline.

After you apply

  • If you win: Send a thank-you within a week, put the reporting dates on your calendar, and keep photos and numbers as you go so the report is easy.
  • If you're turned down: Ask, politely, if they'd share any feedback. Many program officers will, and a "no" this year often becomes a "yes" next year.

A realistic monthly rhythm

  • Week 1: Search for new opportunities and update your tracker.
  • Week 2: Write or edit one LOI or application.
  • Week 3: Submit, and follow up on anything pending.
  • Week 4: Thank and report to current funders.

Two or three good-fit applications a month will do more for you than twenty rushed ones.

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Updated October 16, 2026.