How to research private foundations
Updated Nov 4, 2026
Fifteen minutes of research on a foundation tells you whether to spend fifteen hours on a proposal. Here is what to check and where to find it.
Start with the foundation's tax return
Every private foundation files Form 990-PF each year. It is public and shows what the foundation actually did, which is more reliable than a website that may not have changed in years. On Grantvello each funder profile summarizes the latest return and links to the source.
Six questions to answer
1. Does it accept applications at all?
Part XV of Form 990-PF has a checkbox for foundations that give only to preselected organizations. If it is checked, an unsolicited proposal will almost certainly be declined. These are shown on our site as Invitation Only. The way in is a relationship: board connections, introductions from current grantees, events.
2. Where does it give?
Look at the recipients' states and cities. A foundation that gave 95% of its grants in one county is not a prospect for an organization 500 miles away, whatever its mission statement says.
3. What does it really fund?
Read the purposes of the grants, not just the foundation's name. "General support" grants to food banks tell you more than a vague mission.
4. How big are its grants?
Look at the typical (median) grant and the range. If the median is $5,000, a $100,000 request signals that you did not do your homework. Notice too whether it makes many small grants or a few large ones.
5. Does it fund new grantees?
Compare recipients across several years. If the same organizations appear every year, new applicants have a harder road. Some new names each year is a good sign.
6. Is it still active?
Check the year of the latest return. A foundation with no return in three or more years may have closed or changed. Assets matter too: a foundation with $500,000 in assets typically gives about $25,000 a year in total, because the law requires roughly 5% annual payout.
Then check the foundation's own channels
If it has a website, read its guidelines and current deadlines there - they override anything on a tax return. Look for annual reports, lists of past grantees and whether it uses an online application portal. If there is no website, the application section of the 990-PF is usually all there is: follow it exactly.
Red flags
- Grants mostly to the same few organizations year after year, often with board members' names.
- Most grants to individuals or to organizations far outside your field.
- No grants at all on the latest return, or grants far below the 5% payout level.
To read the return itself, see how to read Form 990-PF.
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