How to build a grant prospect list
Updated Nov 4, 2026
A prospect list turns grant research into a plan: who to approach, for how much, when and what to do next.
Columns to keep
| Column | Why |
|---|---|
| Funder name and EIN | The EIN identifies the foundation unambiguously when names are similar. |
| Fit evidence | One or two past grants to organizations like yours. This is your reason to apply. |
| Typical grant and range | Sets your ask. |
| Geography | Where it gives, from its grants and its guidelines. |
| Application route | Online form, letter of inquiry, invitation only. |
| Next deadline | Confirmed on the funder's site, with the date you checked. |
| Contact | Program officer or the contact listed on the 990-PF. |
| Connections | Anyone on your board or among your partners who knows the funder. |
| Status and next step | Researching, contacted, applied, awarded, declined - and the date of the next action. |
How to fill it
- Collect. Start from funders that gave to organizations like yours: our funder match gives you a ranked starting list with the grants that support each match.
- Qualify. Remove funders that are invitation only (unless you have a connection), give elsewhere or whose grants are far from your ask. See evaluating eligibility.
- Verify. For the ones left, confirm the current process and deadline on the funder's own website.
- Rank. Put first the funders with the strongest evidence of fit and a deadline you can meet.
How many prospects?
A small nonprofit can usually handle 15 to 30 active prospects a year. More than that and the quality of each proposal drops. Fewer than ten and one decline can sink your budget.
Keep it current
- Review the list monthly: deadlines move and new returns are published through the year.
- Record every decline and any feedback. A decline is often an invitation to apply again next cycle.
- After an award, note the reporting dates and the renewal cycle.
Put it into practice
Search foundations by their real grants, or get a ranked list for your organization.
Find funders for my nonprofit Search funders