Grant research
Candid Foundation Directory
Candid’s Foundation Directory is the reference standard for foundation research: the deepest 990 and grant-history data anywhere, showing who a funder actually gives to. The Essential tier runs about $449 a year. Hundreds of libraries in Candid’s partner network offer it free on-site, and small nonprofits with a Candid transparency seal may qualify for free premium access.
Who it fits
Anyone doing serious foundation due diligence. When a specific funder deserves a full workup before you invest a week in a proposal, this is where the answer lives: grant sizes, grantee types, and multi-year giving patterns straight from the filings.
Pricing
| Route | Price |
|---|---|
| Candid partner library | Free (on-site) |
| Transparency-seal orgs under $1M | Free premium access (check eligibility) |
| Essential | ~$449/yr |
| Professional | ~$1,599/yr for heavy, multi-user research |
Candid has been folding Foundation Directory into its unified search product, so confirm current packaging on their site.
How it compares
Instrumentl is a workflow tool that manages the whole grant program; Candid is the deep reference you consult on individual funders. Many established shops run both. GrantStation is broader and cheaper but much thinner per funder.
Bottom line
Try a partner library session first; it costs nothing and shows you exactly what the paid tiers unlock. When the library trip stops scaling, desk access pays for itself in saved travel alone.
Strengths
- The most authoritative foundation and 990 data set available
- Grant-history detail shows who a funder actually gives to
- Free at hundreds of partner libraries
Limitations
- Paid tiers get expensive as search scope grows
- Research tool only; no deadline or pipeline management
- Dense interface built for researchers