Articles by
GrantCue Team
Grant Metrics and KPIs: Examples of Metrics for Grants and How to Report Them
Examples of output, outcome, financial and process metrics for grants, with targets and a reporting rhythm.
Foundation 990 Lookup: Where to Search by EIN and What You Get
Where to run a free foundation 990 lookup, why to search by EIN, how to find the number first, and what each free tool returns from a 990-PF.
List of Private Foundations by State: Build Your Own From 990-PF Data
Build your own list of private foundations in a state from public 990-PF filings, with the columns worth keeping.
Best Foundation Directory for Grant Writers
Foundation directories for grant writers compared on price, seats, export rights and data quality, free options too.
Formula Grants Examples vs Discretionary Grants: How Each One Is Awarded
Formula grants follow statute, discretionary grants are won. Examples of each, and how nonprofits reach formula funds.
Allocating Indirect Costs to Programs by FTE
How to split indirect costs across programs by FTE, with a worked example and when a funder says no.
Your Complete Guide to Federal Grants: Navigating Grants.gov and Beyond in 2026
A tour of Grants.gov, small business and nonprofit funding, SBIR and STTR, and how to build a mix of funders.
Grant Budget Template: How to Build a Spreadsheet That Adds Up
Build a grant budget spreadsheet with live formulas for personnel, fringe, travel, equipment and indirect costs.
Candid Premium vs Foundation Directory Online
What Candid Premium kept and lost from Foundation Directory Online, and how daily funder research changed.
Funder Fit Check Before Applying: Geographic Alignment in Grant Search
Check geographic alignment in a grant search first, filter foundations by where they give and by grant size, then run five fit screens before you apply.
Grant Evaluation Methods: How to Choose the Right One for Your Grant
What each grant evaluation method proves, what it costs in staff time, and which one fits your award.
Best Grant Finder for Nonprofits: Free and Paid Options Compared
Free and paid grant finders for nonprofits compared on price, download caps and the team size each one fits.
Project Evaluation Examples: An Evaluation of a Project Example You Can Adapt
Three worked project evaluation examples with indicators, baselines, targets and data sources you can adapt.
Grant Payroll Allocation Spreadsheet: A Template for Splitting Salaries Across Grants
How to set up a grant payroll allocation spreadsheet for staff on several grants: the effective dated table, the 100 percent check and the upkeep rules.
Foundation Proposal Template: What Private Funders Expect in Each Section
The eight sections in the order a program officer reads them, with a filled-in $25,000 request as a model.
Foundation Directory Online Cost: What Candid Charges in 2026
The Premium and Ultimate prices that replaced Foundation Directory Online, and the free routes that cut the bill.
Grant Writing Examples for Nonprofits: Weak and Strong Versions, Side by Side
Weak and strong versions of seven proposal sections side by side, plus the phrases that mark a weak draft.
Should We Apply for This Grant? A Go/No-Go Framework
Five tests and a weighted scorecard to decide if a grant is worth the staff time, and when the answer is no.
Sample Grant Proposal for Faith Based Organizations: A Section by Section Church Example
A church's fundable request: eligibility without a determination letter, and a ministry versus program cost split.
Grant Database Pricing Comparison: What Each Tool Costs in 2026
One dated table of what Instrumentl, Candid, GrantStation, GrantWatch and Kindora charge, with seats and export caps.
Sample Grant Proposal for Veterans Nonprofit Organizations: A Full Example
A veterans nonprofit proposal built section by section, including how to answer why the VA does not already cover it.
Allocating Salaries Across Multiple Grants: Method and Rules
How to split one paycheck across awards: choose an allocation base, keep time records, and follow a worked example.
Sample Grant Proposal for Library Literacy Program: Full Example and Free Download
A $38,000 library literacy request built from county literacy data, down to tutor and childcare budget lines.
Cancel a Candid Subscription and Get a Refund? Renewal Checklist and Terms
If you cancel a Candid subscription, is there a refund? The published terms, the notice deadline, and a checklist for deciding whether to renew.
Sample Grant Proposal for Animal Rescue: Full Example and Section Guide
A $25,000 spay/neuter and intake medical request, written from county intake data with veterinary budget lines.
Can You Ask a Funder for a Past Winning Application, or Why You Were Rejected?
Yes: ask a funder why you were rejected and for a past winning application. The short email to send, questions that get real answers, and how to reapply.
Sample Grant Proposal for Community Development: A Full Neighborhood Project Example
A composite corridor revitalization request covering site control, displacement risk and who maintains it in year three.
Are Audited Financials Required for Grants?
When a federal single audit applies, how it differs from audited statements, and what to send a funder if you have none.
Sample Grant Proposal for Housing Nonprofit Programs: A Complete Worked Example
A housing proposal that answers where the units are, who signs the lease, and what happens when the subsidy ends.
Best Grant Research Software and the Grant Research Database for a Small Nonprofit
Score any grant research tool on data source, filters, export, tracking and price, then pick the grant research database a small nonprofit can actually work with.
Conservation Grant Writing: A Sample Grant Proposal for an Environmental Nonprofit
A composite $75,000 request to restore 9,240 linear feet of streambank, with unit-cost lines and permit questions.
Can You Find Grants for a Nonprofit Without an EIN?
Why forms ask for an EIN, how to get one free from the IRS, and what grant research you can do while you wait.
Sample Grant Proposal for Arts Organization: Full Example and Budget
How to cost artist fees and access services, state the artistic rationale, and report audience measures to arts funders.
Federal Grant Match Requirements
What counts as cash and in-kind match, how to value it, and the records that hold up under 2 CFR 200.306.
Sample Grant Proposal for Youth Program: A Complete After-School Example
A 60-slot after-school request worked through staffing ratios, a dosage target, safeguarding and outcome measures.
GrantStation vs Candid Pricing
One upfront payment or a monthly bill with download caps: how GrantStation and Candid pricing compare for a small team.
Sample Grant Proposal for Food Bank Funding: Example, Budget, and Free Template
How a food bank shows donated food arrives cold and edible: a worked request with a refrigerated capacity budget.
How to Find Grants for Nonprofits Without 501(c)(3) Status
Fiscal sponsors, expenditure responsibility grants and the filing path for groups without 501(c)(3) status.
Sample Grant Proposal for Health Clinic Programs: A Complete Example
A clinic proposal built as a service-area argument, with staffing math, a worked budget and recognized outcome measures.
Is Foundation Directory Being Discontinued? What Changed and When
The dated timeline of the move from Foundation Directory Online to Candid search, with what Candid said about it.
Sample Grant Proposal for Scholarship Program: Full Worked Example and Selection Criteria
A scholarship proposal with the scoring rubric, award terms, bursar disbursement and the award-to-administration split.
Modified Total Direct Costs and Your Indirect Rate
What counts in the MTDC base and what stays out, with a clean calculation of the indirect rate on a federal award.
Sample Grant Proposal for Education Nonprofit Programs: A Complete K-12 Example
A K-12 proposal worked from school-level data, with objectives a district can verify and a year-two sustainability plan.
Kindora Review for Nonprofits
A neutral look at Kindora's plans, AI credits and 990-based funder data, from its published pages and user reports.
Logic Model for Grants: Linking Activities, Outcomes and Impact With Indicators
Link activities, outcomes and impact in a grant with a logic model built backwards, an indicator for every outcome and a quick check for broken links in the chain.
Grant Proposal Readiness Checklist: What to Have Before You Write
The documents, program facts, budget and letters to have on file before you write a grant proposal, and what each one proves to a funder.
Grant Progress Report Template: What to Put in Every Section
A fill-in progress report: what goes in each narrative and financial section, and the 2 CFR 200 due dates.
What Is a Grant Proposal? Definition, Sections, and What Funders Read
A plain definition of a grant proposal, every section with its usual length, and what a reviewer reads first.
Pass-Through Grant Management: Subrecipient Duties Explained
How a pass-through entity decides subrecipient or contractor, what a subaward must carry, and how to monitor it.
Successful Grant Proposal Examples in PDF: A Full Worked Example
Where funded grant narratives are public, plus a full worked composite proposal to read before you write, adapt section by section and save as a PDF.
GrantStation vs Foundation Directory
A dated comparison of GrantStation and Foundation Directory on coverage, price and download caps, plus free ways in.
Evaluation Plan for a Grant Proposal: What Funders Expect and How to Build One
The seven parts reviewers expect in an evaluation plan, how to choose methods, and a worked sample to adapt.
How Many Years Before a Nonprofit Can Get Grants?
No rule sets a minimum age for grant eligibility. What funders check instead, and how a new nonprofit builds a record.
What Is a Letter of Support? Definition, Examples, and Who Should Write One
How a letter of support differs from a letter of commitment or intent, who to ask, and a full example to adapt.
Grant Proposal Example: An Annotated Section-by-Section Walkthrough
A complete proposal with margin notes on why each choice earns points or loses them, section by section.
Budget Proposal Examples: 3 Samples With Full Line Items
Three budgets at different scales, from a $25,000 request to a two-year $156,912 one, with the narrative for each.
Nonprofit Grant Proposal Template: Every Section Explained
Every section of a proposal template with suggested lengths, and what changes when the funder is a foundation.
The Grant Management Process: 8 Steps From Finding a Grant to Closeout
Eight steps from screening to closeout, each with a trigger, an owner and an output, plus a RACI grid.
Grant Lifecycle Stages Explained: All 8 Stages, Start to Finish
Eight lifecycle stages with the deliverable, owner and checkpoint for each, and where teams lose time.
Nonprofit Funding Models: Examples and How to Choose One
Funding models from individual giving to endowments, compared in a table, with a method for choosing and mixing them.
Nonprofit Project Proposal Template: Complete Sample and Examples
A template for asking a board, donor or sponsor to approve one project, with a worked example and budget table.
Grant Management Software for Government: What Public-Sector Teams Need
Why an agency that both receives and passes on federal money needs more than a tracker, and what to ask vendors.
Funded Grant Proposal Narrative Example and Template
Where agencies post funded grant proposal narrative examples, the seven-part skeleton, an annotated composite sample, and what to cut first at the page limit.
How to Find Grants for Nonprofits: Free Ways and Paid Tools Compared
The five places grant money sits, the free ways to search each one, what a paid grant database adds, and a weekly routine that keeps the pipeline full.
Sustainability Plan for a Grant Proposal: What Funders Look For, With 2 Examples
What funders look for in a grant sustainability plan, two worked examples, a fill-in template, and honest wording for when continuation is uncertain.
Indirect Cost Rate for Federal Grants: De Minimis, MTDC, and NICRA Explained
The 15 percent de minimis rate, why the MTDC base excludes more than most budgets assume, and a worked calculation.
Grant Proposal Timeline: Example, Template, and Writing Schedule
Two timelines in one guide: a 24-month project schedule for the proposal and an 8-week backward writing plan.
Federal Grant Compliance Checklist: Thresholds and Audit Prep
A checklist in award-phase order, from SAM.gov registration to the Single Audit, with current 2 CFR 200 thresholds.
Federal Grant Deadlines: How the Fiscal Year Calendar Works
Federal grant deadlines follow the fiscal year, not one national date. See how September 30, standard due dates and rolling cycles work, with NIH and SBIR examples.
Budget Narrative Template for a Grant: Justification Wording and Cost Categories
Fill-in budget narrative template for a grant, with the justification sentence for each cost category and a worked two-year example to copy.
Grant Reporting Requirements: What Funders Expect and a Progress Report Template
The three reports most awards require, when each is due under 2 CFR 200, and a progress report you can fill in.
GrantKeep Alternative: An Honest GrantCue vs GrantKeep Comparison
GrantKeep tracks grants you already know about for $29 a month. See where it wins and where GrantCue fits better.
Donation Proposal Template for Nonprofits: Examples, Letters, and Follow-Up
A fill-in donation proposal with two full examples, an in-kind request and a sponsorship request, plus a short letter.
Free Foundation Directory: 127,983 Grantmakers, Built From IRS 990-PF Filings
Free profiles of 11,279 private foundations from IRS 990-PF filings, drawn from 127,983 foundations in the source data: what each paid, to whom, and typical size.
Letters of Support for Grants: Three Full Examples, a Template, and How to Ask
Three complete sample letters, a fill-in template, and the request email that gets a busy partner to reply.
AI NOFO Summarizer: How to Turn Grant Notices Into Application Briefs
A prompt and a review method for turning a long funding notice into a brief of deadlines, eligibility and scoring.
Grant Tracking Spreadsheet Template for Excel: Columns, Formulas and When to Upgrade
A grant tracking spreadsheet you can rebuild in Excel: three tabs, the core columns, the three formulas that matter, and the two limits that justify moving to software.
Grant Proposal Review Checklist, Plus Where to Get Free Review and Feedback
Free grant proposal review and feedback routes, with the limits of each, and the checklist to run on your own draft before you submit it.
Pennsylvania Grants for Nonprofits: Where to Search and How to Build a Grant Pipeline
Where Pennsylvania nonprofits search: PA.gov, DCED, local foundations and regional funders, with a tracking routine.
Grant Funding Statistics 2026: State Portals Now Hold $11.5B, More Than Grants.gov
State portals now hold $11.5B in open grants against $9.5B on Grants.gov. The August 2026 data behind that shift.
Grant Closeout Checklist: How Nonprofits Finish a Grant the Right Way
Confirm the final report rules, reconcile expenses, archive records and capture outcomes before the grant closes.
First-Time Grant Writing Guide for Nonprofits
A beginner workflow: pick the right grant, gather source material first, draft in order, then review before submitting.
Post-Award Grant Management Checklist for Nonprofits
Set up the award, review its restrictions, track spending and reports, and prepare for closeout after you win.
Grant Proposal Library: How to Reuse Winning Nonprofit Grant Language
What to store in a library of approved language, outcomes and budgets, who governs it, and how AI should use it.
How to Write a Grant Proposal: Every Section, Step by Step
Every proposal section in the order reviewers read it, from qualifying the opportunity to the evaluation plan.
Research Grant Proposal vs Nonprofit Proposal: Templates and Examples
Research grant proposal vs nonprofit proposal: what each argues and how each is scored, component templates, internal deadlines and a realistic timeline.
SBIR/STTR Grant Management: How Startups Track Deadlines, Submissions, and Awards
How a startup runs SBIR and STTR as a pipeline: agency differences, the registration stack, and post-award basics.
Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) in Plain English: A Field Guide for Grant Managers
2 CFR 200 for county, school district and subrecipient staff: the 2024 changes, drawdowns and the compliance calendar.
Clinton County PA Grants for Nonprofits: Where to Search and How to Track Them
A search map for Clinton County nonprofits: local foundations, county programs, state portals, and a scorecard.
Grant Lifecycle Health Check: 25 Questions for Nonprofit Grant Teams
A 25-question audit of discovery, pipeline, proposals, awards and closeout, with fixes ranked by score area.
GrantHub Alternative: What Former Users Should Compare in 2026
GrantHub was discontinued in January 2026. Compare what each alternative replaces, published prices, import routes, and a short migration test to run before choosing.
Grant Management Software for Nonprofits: Features, Pricing and How to Choose
Dated prices and features for grantseeker grant management software, the split between tracking, research and full-lifecycle tools, and a buying process to run.
Logic Model Template for Grants: Fillable Table and 2 Worked Examples
A fillable five-column logic model, completed for a family literacy program and for a mobile food pantry.
U.S. Grant Funding Snapshot: July 2026 — $10.8B Open and 1 in 5 Deadlines Within 30 Days
2,670 active opportunities and $10.8B open in July 2026: who funds them and how fast the windows close.
Free and Cheaper Instrumentl Alternatives: An Honest Comparison for 2026
Instrumentl starts at $299 a month paid annually (October 2026). See the free tools, the paid tools under $300 a year, the discounts, and an honest GrantCue comparison.
Nonprofit Executive Summary Example: Templates for Grants, Reports, and Funding Requests
Separate templates for a grant summary and an organization summary, with advice on naming the reader's decision.
Foundation Grant Budget vs Federal Grant Budget: Key Differences in Proposals
A federal grant budget answers to 2 CFR 200; a foundation grant budget answers to the funder. The cost rules, indirect rates and proposal differences side by side.
How to Write a Grant for the First Time: A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide
A first-timer's walk through funder research, a pre-writing checklist, each section, and a reusable boilerplate bank.
Why Do Grant Applications Get Rejected? 10 Common Mistakes and Fixes
Why grant applications get rejected: ten fixable mistakes and their fixes, why good proposals still lose, and how to use a rejection.
Statement of Need Example for Grants: Templates, Data Sources, and Reviewer-Ready Language
Three example need statements (education, health access, community development) and the best data sources to cite.
Grant Proposal Budget Template for Nonprofits With Examples, Categories and Budget Narrative
A grant proposal template with budget: a sample budget table, a personnel example, budget narrative wording and a review checklist for matching funds.
Grant Proposal Cover Letter Example: Templates for Foundation, Federal, and Corporate Grants
Cover letter templates for foundation and federal funders, and how the letter differs from an executive summary.
Grant Proposal Evaluation Plan Sample: Template, Metrics, and Logic Model
An evaluation plan template with a metrics table, data collection methods, and internal versus external evaluators.
Grant Proposal Executive Summary: How to Write One, With 3 Templates
How to write a grant proposal executive summary: what to include, length by funder type, a five-sentence framework, three templates and a before-and-after rewrite.
Grant Proposal Goals and Objectives Examples: SMART Templates for Nonprofits
A SMART formula with sample goals and objectives for education, health access and workforce development.
Sample Letter of Intent for a Nonprofit: LOI Templates That Lead to Full Proposals
A complete one-page sample letter of intent for a nonprofit, LOI templates for foundations and companies, and when a funder means a letter of inquiry.
Sample Grant Proposal for a Nonprofit Organization: Template and Annotated Example
A reusable proposal template with a complete sample, Word, Google Docs and PDF setup, and a planning timeline.
Best Software for Grant Writing: Free and Paid Tools Compared
Grant writing software compared by job, with dated prices: the free no-cost stack, when paid AI drafting tools earn their cost, and how to use an AI grant writer safely.
Grant Calendar for Nonprofits: Deadlines, Reports, Renewals, and Reminders
What belongs on a grant calendar beyond due dates: LOIs, internal drafts, approvals, reports and renewals.
Community Development Grants: Programs, Who Qualifies, and Common Pitfalls
How CDBG, HOME and USDA programs fit into the $5.6 billion federal picture, who qualifies, and common pitfalls.
To the Grant Writers Working Through the Holidays (And Everyone Who Kept Going This Year)
A thank you to grant writers working through the holiday week, with five steps for planning the year ahead.
501c3 Grants, Online Applications and Capacity Building: A Guide for Nonprofits
How 501(c)(3) status, online applications and capacity building grants fit into one grant-seeking strategy.
Clinton County PA Grants: How to Find Lock Haven PA Grants and Actually Submit on Time
A five-minute fit check before you pursue a Clinton County or Lock Haven grant, and a habit that prevents near misses.
We're Live on Product Hunt! 🚀
Why GrantCue was built and what it does for small teams: live federal opportunities and a shared pipeline.
Grant Pipeline Management: Dashboard, Stages, and Workflow for Nonprofits
Which stages a grant pipeline needs, the dashboard metrics worth watching, and why too many stages backfire.
Visual Grant Pipeline: Kanban Workflow for Tracking Funding Opportunities
Recommended board columns, what each grant card should show, and the rules that keep the board honest.
Clinton County PA Grants: Finding Funding for Your Community Projects
Local foundations, DCED programs, USDA rural development and the Appalachian Regional Commission for Clinton County.
Grants Lifecycle Management: Running the Lifecycle With a Calendar and Software
How to run the eight stages of a grant day to day, with named owners, a shared calendar and the software requirements that cover pre-award and post-award work.
Grant Tracking Spreadsheet Alternative: Why Nonprofit Teams Move to Software
Where grant spreadsheets break, the hidden costs, the signs you need an alternative, and a migration checklist.Introducing GrantCue: A Simpler Way for Teams to Find and Win Federal Grants
What GrantCue is, who it is for, and how it replaces tabs of Grants.gov searches and one-person spreadsheets.