If you're searching for grant opportunities, starting with a tax form might not seem obvious. However, IRS Form 990—the annual return that most tax-exempt nonprofits must file—contains valuable information for anyone wanting to understand foundation giving.
Whether you're a grant writer, nonprofit leader, or community development professional, learning to use 990s for grant prospecting can help you find new funders, see how they’ve funded similar projects, and tailor your proposals more effectively.
Let’s go over how to locate these forms for free, what to focus on once you've found them, and how paid tools can help streamline the process.
First, What Is a Form 990?
Form 990 is the annual informational return filed with the IRS by most nonprofits and private foundations. It provides a detailed snapshot of a nonprofit’s finances, operations, board members, and—most importantly for our purposes—who they give money to.
Private foundations (which are often the ones providing grants) are required to file Form 990-PF, a version of the 990 specifically for foundations. That’s the form you’ll be digging into for grant prospecting.
Why Use 990s for Grant Prospecting?
Because they provide concrete evidence of who and what foundations fund.
Form 990-PF lists every grant a foundation has awarded in the past year, along with how much they gave, who they gave it to, and sometimes even a short description of the purpose. Reviewing several years of 990s can reveal:
- Which nonprofits a foundation supports
- Typical grant sizes
- Giving trends and geographic focus
- Board members and key decision-makers
- Whether they fund similar work to yours
In other words, 990s help you answer a critical question: Is this funder likely to be interested in what we do?
How to Find 990s for Free
You don’t need to pay for an expensive database to access 990s—though paid tools offer benefits that we'll discuss later. Here are three ways to find 990s at no cost:
1. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
This is one of the easiest and most user-friendly ways to search for and view 990s.
- Step-by-step:
- Go to Nonprofit Explorer
- Enter the name of a foundation, or use keywords to narrow down (e.g., “education foundation Kentucky”)
- Click on the organization name
- Scroll down to “Form 990 documents” to view PDFs of recent filings
Pro tip: You can look at several years of filings to spot giving trends.
2. IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search
This is the official IRS database, which includes Form 990s and determination letters.
- Step-by-step:
- Go to the IRS search page
- Enter the name or EIN (Employer Identification Number) of the foundation
- Click on “Form 990 Series Returns” to view available filings
This tool isn’t as user-friendly, but it’s thorough and reliable..
3. Candid’s 990 Finder
This free tool, offered by the nonprofit that also runs Foundation Directory, allows you to download PDFs of 990s from previous years.
- Step-by-step:
- Enter the foundation name
- View available returns by year
- Download and review as needed
What to Look for on a 990-PF
Once you've accessed a 990-PF, it’s time to dig in. These documents are long, usually 20 to 40 pages, but you don’t need to read the entire thing. Focus on these sections:
Part XV – Grants and Contributions Paid
This is the most important section for grant prospecting. It lists:
- Names of grantee organizations
- City and state (helps determine geographic focus)
- Amounts awarded
- Brief descriptions of the purpose (sometimes vague, but occasionally helpful)
Review this section to find nonprofits doing similar work to yours and see how much they received.
Part I – Analysis of Revenue and Expenses
This gives you a big-picture view of how much money the foundation has and how much it distributes annually. Look at:
- Line 25 (Contributions, gifts, grants paid) to see total grant spending
- Line 5 (Fair market value of assets) to get a sense of the foundation’s capacity
This helps you understand whether the funder gives in small amounts ($1,000–$5,000), mid-range ($10,000–$50,000), or larger grants.
Part VIII – Officers, Directors, Trustees, and Key Employees
Knowing who’s on the board can sometimes give you a networking advantage. You might find:
- Someone connected to your organization
- A well-known local leader
- A potential contact for a warm introduction
Part IX-A – Summary of Direct Charitable Activities
This section shows how the foundation uses its own resources for charitable work, if applicable. It can provide insight into their mission and priorities, especially if the foundation also runs its own programs.
Supplementary Information (Part XVI and Schedule B, if included)
The supplementary sections often include extra details that don’t fit neatly into the main form. Look here for Schedule B, which (for some foundations) lists contributions made to specific recipients, sometimes with more context than Part XV. You may also find narrative descriptions of grantmaking strategies, application processes, or changes in funding priorities. Occasionally, foundations will explain why they didn’t meet their payout requirement or why giving shifted from previous years—context that can help you gauge stability or openness to new grantees.
Bonus: What You Can Find Using Paid Tools
If you have the budget or access through a local library or grantmaker support organization, paid services can save you a lot of time. Here are some of the most widely used tools:
1. Foundation Directory Online (by Candid)
This is the gold standard for grant prospecting. Paid tiers give you:
- Searchable grant records (not just PDFs)
- Filters by location, issue area, population served
- Funder profiles with giving trends, average grant sizes, and contact info
- Lists of similar funders
Some Kentucky libraries and community foundations offer free access to Foundation Directory.
2. Instrumentl
A powerful all-in-one grant research and tracking tool. Features include:
- Funder search based on your project description
- 990 data embedded in searchable profiles
- Email alerts when new opportunities arise
- Tools to manage deadlines and reporting
Great for those managing multiple grants or teams.
3. GrantStation, GrantWatch, or Grantscape
These platforms vary in cost and features but generally include searchable databases, funder profiles, and access to 990 summaries.
How to Use What You Learn
After reviewing a few 990s, here’s how to apply that info:
- Create a list of foundations that have funded organizations similar to yours (check out our grant prospect research articles for more tools)
- Note average grant sizes and tailor your requests accordingly
- Research the funder’s priorities using their website (if they have one) or mission statements from the 990
- Reach out intentionally, referencing past grants that show alignment with your work
And of course, keep track of your research; Google Sheets, Airtable, or grant CRM tools can all help.
Quick Tips: 990 Prospecting Checklist
- Look for 990-PF, not 990 (unless researching nonprofits, not funders)
- Review three or more years of giving history for trends
- Scan Part XV first for grant recipients and amounts
- Check geographic focus; is your region represented?
- Take note of any program descriptions in the grants paid section
- Research board members for potential connections
- Use paid tools (when available) to save time and cross-reference
Final Thoughts
990s can seem intimidating at first, but once you know where to look, they become one of the best tools in your grant-seeking toolkit. They give you real data about what funders actually support—not just what they say they support.
If you’re ready to go deeper with your research or want help developing a funder prospect list tailored to your organization, Grant Ready Kentucky is here to help. Whether you're new to grant prospecting or just looking to sharpen your strategy, we’ve got the tools and experience to make it easier.
Sources and Tools
- IRS Form 990 Series
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
- Candid 990 Finder
- Foundation Directory Online
- Instrumentl
- How to Qualify Grant Funders
- How To Access Foundation Directory Online for Free in Kentucky
- How to Build Meaningful Relationships With Funders Before You Apply