How do I find grants for my nonprofit organization?

To find grants for your nonprofit: 1) Define your organization's mission, programs, and budget. 2) Search federal opportunities on Grants.gov and SAM.gov. 3) Research private foundations using IRS 990 filings to identify giving patterns. 4) Use a grant matching platform like GrantAuthority to compare source-backed opportunities by eligibility, geography, and program area. 5) Filter results by funder type, award amount, deadline, and geographic focus.

What AI features does GrantAuthority provide for grant writing?

GrantAuthority is an AI-powered grant writing platform that helps nonprofits discover relevant funding and generate compliant applications. Its 4-stage wizard (Confirm, Generate & Edit, Verify, Submit) produces first drafts of foundation LOIs in under 30 minutes and federal proposal frameworks in 2-4 hours. It includes NSF PAPPG compliance checking, foundation 990 analysis, and AI fit scoring. AutoGrant agents can autonomously write and refine complete grant applications.

What is the difference between federal grants and foundation grants?

Federal grants are funded by U.S. government agencies (NSF, NIH, DOE, USDA, DOJ) and posted on Grants.gov. They require SAM.gov registration, have strict compliance requirements like the NSF PAPPG, and involve detailed budgets and narrative sections. Foundation grants come from private or community foundations, are tracked through IRS 990 filings, and typically have simpler processes including letters of inquiry (LOIs). Foundation grants often focus on specific geographic areas or causes aligned with the foundation's mission.

How long does it take to write a grant proposal?

A typical federal grant proposal takes 40-80 hours to write manually, while foundation letters of inquiry take 4-8 hours. AI-assisted grant writing tools can reduce this significantly. GrantAuthority's 4-stage wizard can produce a foundation LOI first draft in under 30 minutes and a full federal proposal framework in 2-4 hours, though all AI-generated content requires human review and customization before submission.

What grant data does GrantAuthority index?

GrantAuthority indexes source-backed opportunities from federal agencies, private foundations, corporations, and state programs. Foundation intelligence may include IRS 990 filings, giving history, board composition, and grantee data when those records are available. Live search reflects the currently available index.

How do I check if my nonprofit is eligible for a specific grant?

Grant eligibility depends on your organization type (501(c)(3), government, tribal, educational institution), geographic location, program focus area, and budget size. Federal grants list specific eligible applicant types on Grants.gov. For foundation grants, review the foundation's 990 Schedule I to see past grantees similar to your organization. GrantAuthority's AI fit analysis automatically scores your eligibility against each grant's requirements and flags potential disqualifiers before you invest time applying.

How much does grant writing software cost?

GrantAuthority offers Explorer for free, AutoGrant from $99/month, Professional from $499/month, and Enterprise custom pricing. Explorer includes live-index grant search and basic AI matching. AutoGrant adds AI application generation, fit analysis, and document vault. Professional adds funder intelligence, multi-organization workspaces, and team seats. Enterprise offers custom integrations and dedicated support, and a fully managed Hire Us service is available with custom pricing.

Is there a free grant search engine?

Yes. GrantAuthority's Explorer tier is free and provides access to the live grant index across federal agencies, private foundations, and state programs. Free users can search by keyword, filter by funder type and award amount, and view grant details including deadlines, eligibility criteria, and award ranges. AI-powered application generation requires a paid plan.

Can AI write a grant proposal?

AI can generate first drafts of grant proposals that require human review and customization. GrantAuthority's 4-stage wizard generates section-by-section drafts for letters of inquiry (LOIs), full proposals, pre-proposals, and funding reports. The AI uses your organization's profile, grant requirements, and vault documents to produce contextual drafts. All AI-generated content should be reviewed for accuracy and tailored to the specific funder's priorities before submission.

Pricing — GrantAuthority AutoGrant™ & DIY Plans

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Pricing

Pricing that pays for itself.

One won grant covers years of GrantAuthority. Start free, scale when it's working.

Explorer

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✓Unlimited source-backed grant search

✓Basic grant matches + fit score (1–5)

✓Eligibility pre-check

✓3 starter application credits

✓Document vault (1 GB)

✓Grant alerts on searches you're watching

✓Free weekly live grant-writing training

AutoGrant

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Matching grants found and drafted for you, on autopilot.

$99

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Monthly creditsStart with AutoGrant

5 credits/mo · unused roll over (bank up to 15) · +5 your first month.

✓5 application credits/mo (bank up to 15)

✓Automated sourcing + drafting

✓Unlimited document auto-fill

✓Advanced fit score (1–100) + difficulty

✓Application status tracking

✓Compliance reporting + pre-submission checks

✓Budget builder + narrative library

✓Every claim verified by ZH Protocol

✓Document vault (10 GB)