Nonprofit Grants
How to Get Grants for Nonprofits: The Process Step by Step
Grant Writing Service Editorial Team
June 12, 2026 · 4 min read
Table of contents
Key takeaways
- Most foundation grants require 501(c)(3) status; a fiscal sponsor is the standard route if you do not have it yet.
- A first grant usually comes from a local funder that already knows your work, not a national foundation.
- Follow each funder's front door exactly: some want a letter of inquiry, some an online form, some only invitations.
- Reporting well on the first grant is how you get the second one.
Nonprofits get grants by confirming they are eligible (usually 501(c)(3) status or a fiscal sponsor), preparing the documents funders ask for, choosing a short list of funders whose priorities and grant sizes match their work, approaching each one the way it asks to be approached, and submitting a proposal that answers the funder's questions with evidence. The first grant is the hardest; after that, good reporting and a relationship with the funder do much of the work.
Finding the funders is its own task, covered in how to find grants for nonprofits. This page picks up from there and walks through the rest of the process.
Step 1: Confirm you can legally receive the money
Most foundation grants go only to organizations recognized by the IRS as 501(c)(3) public charities. Check your status and that it has not been revoked for failing to file Form 990s: the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search shows both. Funders check it too.
If your group does not have its own determination yet, a fiscal sponsor (an established charity that accepts the grant and oversees its use for a fee) lets you apply now. Funders accept fiscal sponsorship routinely as long as the agreement is in writing. Newer groups will find more on this in our guide to grants for nonprofit startups.
Government grants add their own requirements: an active SAM.gov registration with a Unique Entity Identifier for federal funding, and often a state vendor registration for state money.
Step 2: Put your documents in order
Funders ask for much the same set of attachments, so build it once and keep it current:
- IRS determination letter
- Most recent Form 990 and financial statements (audited, if you have an audit)
- Current year operating budget and a project budget
- Board list with affiliations
- Short descriptions of your programs with numbers served and results
Organizations that cannot produce these quickly should start with our nonprofit grant readiness guide, which explains what funders check and how to close the gaps.
Step 3: Pick winnable first targets
A nonprofit with no grant history rarely wins a national foundation grant on its first attempt. The realistic first funders are local: your community foundation, a family foundation in your town, a United Way request for proposals, a corporate giving program run by a nearby employer. They fund smaller amounts, they know the community, and they are more willing to take a chance on a new grantee.
Size the request to the funder and to yourself. Look at the funder's recent grants (its website or its Form 990-PF) and ask for an amount inside that range. A request larger than a sizable share of your annual budget raises questions about whether you can manage it. Our guide to how much money you can get from a grant explains how funders think about request size.
Step 4: Approach the funder the way it asks
Every funder has a front door, and using the wrong one is one of the fastest ways to be ignored. Read the guidelines for which of these applies:
- Open application. A published deadline and an online form. Apply as instructed.
- Letter of inquiry first. A short letter, usually one to two pages, summarizing the need, the program, and the request; a full proposal comes only by invitation. See our guide to the letter of inquiry and a sample letter of inquiry.
- Invitation only. The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. You can only get in through a relationship, such as a board member or peer who knows the trustees, or by attending events where its staff are present.
Where the funder welcomes contact, a short call or email to the program officer before you apply is worth more than any amount of polishing. Ask whether your project fits current priorities, then listen. If the answer is no, you have saved yourself an application.
Step 5: Write the proposal the funder asked for
Answer the funder's questions in the funder's order, within its limits. Most proposals cover the same core ground: a case for need backed by local evidence, a program description, measurable outcomes, how you will evaluate results, a budget and budget narrative, and how the work continues after the grant. The section-by-section craft is in how to write a grant for a nonprofit.
Tailor every submission. Reviewers read many proposals and recognize recycled language immediately.
Step 6: After the decision
If you are funded, read the grant agreement before you sign it: it sets the reporting dates, what you can spend money on, and what needs approval to change. Send a thank-you, put the report deadlines on the calendar, and report on time with real numbers. Funders renew grantees who are easy to work with and who show results. Our guide to what grant reports ask for covers the details.
If you are declined, ask politely whether the program officer can share any feedback, and whether you may apply again. Many funders decline first-time applicants and fund them on a later cycle once they know the organization.
How long it takes
From first research to money in the bank is typically months, not weeks. Many foundations review on a fixed schedule, quarterly or a few times a year, and a letter of inquiry adds a round before the full proposal. Federal grants have the longest gap between deadline and award. Plan your search so you are applying for next year's budget, not this month's shortfall.
If you have the funders and want the letter of inquiry and proposals written for you, our nonprofit grant writing service takes it from there.
