How can you research foundation data today? Use current Candid resources for grantmaker and past-giving research, IRS tools for tax-exempt status and public filings, and the funder’s own website for present priorities and application rules. Record the date, definition, and source of each figure. Foundation assets, total giving, and grants available to new applicants are different measures.
An older link to Foundation Center statistics may no longer be the most useful starting point. Researchers now need a workflow that connects records across sources and checks what the information actually means. A large asset figure or an impressive grant total can be interesting without establishing that your organization is eligible for support.
This guide updates the original short resource announcement into a practical foundation research method. Sources were reviewed October 26, 2026. It explains current routes, common interpretation errors, and a research note your team can use before investing in an application.
Start with the research question
Decide whether you are checking an organization’s identity, exploring potential funders, studying a giving pattern, or preparing for a career conversation. These tasks overlap but require different evidence. A tax-exempt status record is useful for identity research; it does not answer whether a funder is currently accepting proposals.
For grant prospecting, define your organization’s activity, population served, geography, and funding need before searching. A request for general operating support differs from a capital project or a time-limited program. Use those distinctions to assess relevance rather than collecting the names of the largest foundations.
For employment research, focus on the foundation’s actual work and structure. Grantmaking, grants administration, finance, operations, communications, and investment-related responsibilities are different functions. A foundation’s size does not reveal which roles are open or what experience they require. Confirm current vacancies on the employer’s official career page.
Understand the current role of Candid
Candid’s funding research page describes tools for exploring funders, grants, and prospect research. This is a current route for the research purpose behind the older Foundation Center resource. Review current account options and access terms rather than assuming every feature is available without registration or payment.
Use filters to form a shortlist based on relevant work and geography. Past grants can help identify questions about a funder’s interests and patterns. They do not establish present eligibility, a relationship with your organization, or a likely award. The next step is direct verification of current priorities and guidelines.
If an AI-assisted research feature is available, inspect the underlying records and reasoning. A suggested funder is a lead to investigate, not a validated application opportunity. Check the source date and whether the tool has combined organizations with similar names. Human review remains necessary to connect the data with your actual proposal.
Use IRS records for identity and public filings
The IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search provides routes to information about status and filings, including available Form 990 series returns and determination information. Search by the correct legal identity and EIN where available. A familiar public name can differ from the name used in a filing.
The IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File extract is another research resource. Its reviewed posting date is October 13, 2026, with 1,975,975 records. That count is a dataset record count, not a count of grantmaking foundations, employers, active job openings, or organizations accepting applications.
The IRS explains that state and regional files use filing addresses associated with headquarters, which may differ from where organizations operate. This matters for geographic research. A headquarters location alone does not establish a funder’s service area or the communities eligible for a grant.
Distinguish the figures you encounter
| Measure | Question it helps answer | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| Assets | What financial resources were reported at a point in time? | Funds available for your particular request |
| Total giving | What support was recorded under the source’s definition? | Open opportunities or future grant decisions |
| Individual grant | Who received a recorded award and for what purpose? | Current eligibility for a new applicant |
| Current guidelines | What does the funder say about applications now? | A commitment to fund an eligible proposal |
| Dataset record count | How many records are included in the defined extract? | A count of foundations or nonprofit employees |
Read the source’s own definitions before comparing amounts. Some measures may include program expenses or distinguish payments from commitments. Do not assume a field called giving means the same thing across tools or reporting systems. If the definition is unclear, record the uncertainty instead of combining the figures.
Pay attention to fiscal years. Two organizations can report different year-end dates, and a return may be published after the period it describes. A current webpage can therefore display historical financial information. Keep the fiscal period beside the amount and avoid relabeling it as a current available balance.
Build a qualified prospect note
For each potential funder, record the legal name, EIN when relevant, official website, source links, and review date. Summarize the apparent connection with your work, then list what has been verified and what remains a question. The note should support a decision, not simply preserve a profile.
Check geography, supported activities, eligible organization types, application route, deadlines, and restrictions. Identify whether unsolicited requests are accepted. If a relationship or invitation is required, do not treat an online address as permission to submit a full proposal. Follow the funder’s current instructions.
Include the work required to pursue and manage support. Proposal development, budgets, reporting, meetings, and program changes can consume staff time. A potential grant is not automatically worthwhile because its amount is large. Compare the opportunity with your organization’s mission, capacity, and financial needs.
Read past grants as evidence of past decisions
Look for relevant patterns, but resist overinterpretation. Several grants to a field may reflect a particular initiative, an established relationship, or a time-limited response. A recipient’s name may not reveal the precise funded activity. Use the available purpose description and verify context through official information where possible.
Do not calculate an expected award simply by averaging a handful of grants with different purposes. Capital support, operating support, multiyear awards, and small project grants are not necessarily comparable. If you use a range to frame a question, explain the records included and why they are relevant.
Distinguish an award’s total commitment from annual payments. A multiyear commitment can appear differently across sources or periods. Double counting can occur when a summary and a payment record are treated as separate grants. Use the source documentation and preserve the original record identifiers where available.
Compare organizations without inventing rankings
Choose a comparison set that serves your question. For a local service program, geographic and program alignment may matter more than national asset size. For sector research, organization type, reporting period, and data coverage may be central. Explain the selection criteria before presenting a list.
Avoid calling a list the largest, best, or most generous unless the evidence and definitions support that specific claim. A set of accessible records may be incomplete. A funder with high total giving may have little relevance to your project. Ranking can create a false sense of precision when the real decision is about alignment and eligibility.
If you create a chart, use comparable periods and measures. Label missing data and estimates, and provide a table or accessible description of the values. A visually striking graphic should not conceal that one amount represents commitments and another represents payments. The method needs to be understandable before the display is useful.
Keep records accurate when exporting data
Save the source URL, download date, file version, and field definitions. Preserve the original data separately from a working copy. Use stable identifiers, such as EINs or source record IDs, when matching organizations. Names alone can change or create false matches.
Check duplicates before counting organizations or grants. A branch, affiliated entity, fiscal sponsor, and separately incorporated organization may not represent the same unit. Do not merge records simply because the names are similar. Record the decision and evidence when a match requires judgment.
For a spreadsheet, use clear columns and keep numbers separate from notes. State the currency and fiscal period. A blank value should not silently become zero, and a missing record should not be interpreted as proof that no grant exists. These distinctions matter when the file informs a proposal or board discussion.
Use research to prepare better conversations
A qualified note can support a focused question to a funder where contact is welcomed. Ask about a specific eligibility or process issue after reviewing the published guidance. Avoid sending a broad request for information already available on the website or implying a relationship that does not exist.
For career conversations, research the foundation’s program areas and the function you want to understand. Ask how grantmaking teams work with operations, finance, or communications. Do not assume that staff can discuss confidential decisions or provide a referral. Respect the stated application and contact routes.
The foundation and philanthropy career guide explains related functions. The funding planning resource connects prospect research with revenue decisions. These resources serve different audiences and can help you choose the next question to investigate.
Decide what research capacity your team needs
Research work can involve prospect identification, verification, data maintenance, analysis, and communication. Define which tasks are needed before hiring a researcher or adding duties to a development role. Someone must also own quality checks, access permissions, and updates to the prospect list.
Employers can use the nonprofit hiring resources to define a clear position. Candidates should describe their research methods and examples accurately, using anonymized or hypothetical work where appropriate. Access to a database is not the same as the ability to interpret it or make a sound recommendation.
Review the shortlist before applying
Return to the official guidelines shortly before submission. Confirm the deadline, form, required documents, and any changes in priorities. Check that the proposal uses the correct organization name and that the budget matches the intended request. A well-maintained research note makes this final review easier.
Keep a record of why the team chose to apply or pass. Later, compare the quality of the qualification process with what you learned. A declined proposal does not automatically mean the research was poor, and an award does not validate every assumption. Use the experience to improve specific parts of the workflow.
Assign a date to refresh each active prospect. Research that was accurate when collected can become stale as priorities, staff, or application rules change. Keep that review step in the workflow rather than relying on memory.
Build your foundation research team
Employers can explore job posting options for a clearly defined role. Job seekers can explore current nonprofit openings and compare their requirements.
Foundation data questions
Is the old Foundation Center statistics link still the best starting point?
Use current Candid resources for the research purpose and IRS tools for status and filings. Verify current features and access terms rather than assuming an older page’s description remains accurate.
Does a foundation’s asset total show what it can grant to us?
No. Assets, giving, restrictions, commitments, and current priorities are different questions. Check the funder’s own guidelines and the source definition before interpreting an amount.
Are all IRS extract records grantmaking foundations?
No. The extract covers a broader set of tax-exempt organization records. Its October 13, 2026 count should not be described as a foundation or employer count.
Can past grants establish current eligibility?
They can suggest questions to investigate, but current guidelines and application rules control the present process. Historical support does not promise consideration or an award.
How should I compare grant amounts?
Use comparable definitions, purposes, and periods. Distinguish commitments from payments and multiyear support from annual amounts. Explain the records selected and any missing information.
What should a research note contain?
Include identity, official links, dates, relevant evidence, current eligibility, unresolved questions, staff effort, and the decision to apply or pass. Keep facts separate from assumptions.