Search them all (the master portals)
Start here. The databases that let you search thousands of grants and RFPs at once — Grants.gov for all federal grants, SAM.gov for federal contracts, Candid for foundations.
Grants.gov Search portal
U.S. federal government
The single front door to every federal grant — search by agency, category, and eligibility, then apply. Free. If you want U.S. government grant money, you start here.
▸ All ~26 federal grant-making agencies in one search
Go to the official source →
SAM.gov Search portal
U.S. federal government
Two things in one: the official list of federal contract opportunities (RFPs), and the entity registration (free UEI) every organization must complete before it can receive any federal grant or contract.
▸ Federal contract opportunities + the registration you MUST have to receive federal $
Go to the official source →
Candid — Foundation Directory Search portal
Candid (Foundation Center + GuideStar)
The authoritative database of foundation grants — who funds what, how much, and to whom. The paid Foundation Directory is the deep version; much is free, and many public libraries provide full access.
▸ The database of U.S. private & community foundations and their grants
Go to the official source →
USAspending.gov Search portal
U.S. Treasury
The record of every federal award. Before applying, look up who won similar grants/contracts and for how much — the best free competitive intelligence there is.
▸ See who already got funded (research before you apply)
Go to the official source →
Instrumentl Search portal
Instrumentl (private)
A popular grant-discovery and deadline-tracking tool that matches your org/project to live opportunities (federal + foundation). Paid, with a free trial — useful if you apply often.
▸ Grant discovery + deadline tracking (free trial; paid)
Go to the official source →
GrantWatch Search portal
GrantWatch (private)
A large, frequently-updated listing of grants across sectors and geographies. Subscription-based; handy for a quick scan of what's open in your field/state.
▸ Broad listings across federal/state/foundation (paid)
Go to the official source →