What types of grants are available on Grant Search US?

Grant Search US aggregates thousands of grants across federal (NIH, NSF, DOE, USDA, SBA), state, foundation, and corporate sources. We cover nonprofits, small businesses, researchers, educators, and individuals. Our database is updated daily and includes grants from all 50 states plus select international opportunities.

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How does the AI grant writing feature work?

You build your organization's profile once — including your mission, financials, team size, and key achievements. When you start a new application, our AI drafts every narrative section (project summary, goals, budget narrative, organizational capacity) using your real data — not generic templates. You review, edit, and submit.

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If you submit 2 complete applications using Grant Search US and neither is awarded, we'll give you a full refund on your subscription. No questions asked. We're that confident in the platform's ability to help you win funding.

Can nonprofits use Grant Search US?

Absolutely. We have the largest collection of 501(c)(3) nonprofit grants on the platform — from major foundations like MacArthur, Walton, and Ford, to federal programs through HRSA, ACF, and AmeriCorps. Our eligibility filters let you instantly narrow to grants open to nonprofits.

How does the Proposal Evaluator work?

After drafting your application, the Proposal Evaluator scores your entire proposal A–F on a 100-point scale. It identifies strengths, areas to improve, missing sections, and eligibility flags — giving you a professional critique before you submit, so you can maximize your chances of winning.

What is Grant Audit Pro (Bring Your Own Grant)?

Grant Audit Pro lets you upload any existing grant draft — even from grants not in our database. Our AI analyzes it against professional grant-writing standards, provides a 6-person expert panel review, identifies winning patterns, and gives you specific revisions. It costs a fraction of hiring a professional grant writer.

How often is the grant database updated?

Our grant database syncs daily from federal sources (Grants.gov, NIH, NSF, SBA, USDA), state portals, major foundation websites, and curated nonprofit funding directories. New grants are added every day, and we automatically close expired listings.

What is GrantSearchUS?

An AI-powered platform to discover industry-specific grants, automate application drafting, and simplify your submission process.

The matching funds lever: how to make your budget look 2x stronger — Winning Grant Strategy

The matching funds lever: how to make your budget look 2x stronger

Always show in-kind and matching contributions as a separate line in the budget narrative — even when the funder doesn't require it. It signals skin in the game.

Sarah Williams

Grant Writer

Youth Futures Alliance

63 upvotes

The Strategy

Even when a funder doesn't require matching funds, I always include an in-kind match in my budget narrative. Here's why and how: WHY: Reviewers subconsciously weight applications that show organizational investment. If you're asking for $100K and showing $0 of your own resources, it feels like you're outsourcing all the risk. If you show $40K in in-kind support (staff time, facility use, volunteer hours), it signals commitment. HOW: Calculate in-kind contributions honestly: - Staff time spent on the project that ISN'T charged to the grant (e.g. ED…

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The matching funds lever: how to make your budget look 2x stronger

The Strategy

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The matching funds lever: how to make your budget look 2x stronger