Candid
Spending hours Googling foundations only to find outdated contact info, no giving history, and no idea whether they'd ever fund someone like you? Candid's Foundation Directory—the industry standard for 60+ years—gives you access to 325,000+ grantmaker profiles with comprehensive giving histories, searchable 990 tax filings, and detailed funder intelligence that helps you target the right opportunities. And if your nonprofit has under $1M in annual revenue, you can access it for free through the Go for Gold program.
What It Does (The Problem It Solves)
Overwhelmed by foundation research that feels like searching in the dark? Traditional grant prospecting means hunting through foundation websites (if they even have one), manually searching IRS 990 forms on clunky government databases, and cobbling together information from scattered sources. Most foundations don't publish clear guidelines—they simply say "proposals by invitation only" or provide no contact information at all. Meanwhile, you're wasting hours on funders who would never support your type of work, geographic area, or budget size, while perfect-fit foundations fly under your radar because you never knew they existed.
Candid solves this by consolidating 60+ years of philanthropic data into a single, searchable platform. As the product of the 2019 merger between Foundation Center (the original foundation research organization, established in 1956) and GuideStar (the nonprofit transparency platform), Candid has become the definitive source for foundation and nonprofit data in the United States. The Foundation Directory includes 325,000+ grantmaker profiles—including private foundations, community foundations, corporate giving programs, and public charities that regrant funds. For each funder, you get giving history, recent grantees, grant size ranges, program priorities, geographic preferences, application requirements, contact information, and fully searchable 990-PF tax filings.
The platform's search and filtering capabilities let you quickly narrow down to funders that match your specific needs. Looking for foundations that fund youth education programs in the Midwest and give grants between $25,000-$100,000? Foundation Directory can surface those opportunities in seconds, along with data showing who they've funded recently, how much they typically give, and what application process they use. The mapping feature lets you visualize giving patterns down to the city, county, or even congressional district level—helping you identify local funders that larger nonprofits might overlook.
What makes Candid especially valuable for nonprofits is its ecosystem approach. When you update your organization's GuideStar profile and earn a Seal of Transparency, that information automatically syncs to 200+ charitable platforms—including Facebook, donor advised funds, corporate giving portals, and charity evaluation sites. Research shows that nonprofits with Seals of Transparency receive 53% more in contributions than those without, making the free profile update a high-value activity even before you start using Foundation Directory for research.
For budget-conscious nonprofits, Candid offers multiple free access paths. Small organizations (under $1M annual revenue) can earn free Foundation Directory access through the Go for Gold program by completing their GuideStar profile. Anyone can access Foundation Directory Professional for free at participating libraries and nonprofit support centers nationwide. And the basic GuideStar profile features—which help you build donor trust—are free for all nonprofits. This tiered approach means even the smallest organizations can access professional-grade grant research tools.
Best For
Organization Size
- Small nonprofits under $1M budget (free Go for Gold access)
- Mid-sized organizations needing deep funder research
- Established nonprofits building diversified foundation portfolios
Best Use Cases
- Deep-dive funder research before writing proposals
- Identifying local and regional foundations often missed by national platforms
- Analyzing peer organizations' funding sources for competitive intelligence
- Building donor trust through Seal of Transparency
Ideal For
- Development Directors building prospect pipelines
- Grant Writers needing comprehensive funder background
- Executive Directors at small nonprofits researching first grants
- Consultants serving multiple nonprofit clients
Key Features for Nonprofits
325,000+ Grantmaker Profiles
The most comprehensive foundation database available, including private foundations, community foundations, corporate giving programs, and public charities. Most of these grantmakers don't have websites and would be nearly impossible to find otherwise. Each profile includes giving history, program priorities, geographic focus, contact information, and application requirements.
- Data compiled from IRS 990/990-PF forms, websites, annual reports, and direct funder partnerships
- Continuous updates from Candid's research team monitoring thousands of data sources
- Hundreds of funders share grant data directly with Candid for real-time accuracy
Searchable 990-PF Tax Forms
Foundation Directory digitizes and makes fully searchable the IRS 990-PF forms that foundations file annually. Instead of downloading PDFs and manually scanning pages, you can search across all grants awarded by a foundation, find specific keywords in their giving history, and identify patterns in their funding decisions.
- See exactly who was funded, for how much, and for what purpose
- Historical data shows funding trends over multiple years
- Grant size ranges help you calibrate appropriate ask amounts
Geographic Giving Visualization
Foundation Directory's mapping tools let you visualize where funders are directing their grants—down to state, county, city, or even congressional district level. This helps you identify local funders that might be overlooked by organizations using less granular search tools, and understand whether a national funder has meaningful presence in your geographic area.
- Drill down to congressional district level for policy-related funding
- Identify community foundations and local family foundations in your region
- See actual grant distribution, not just headquarters locations
Data Visualization & Analysis Tools
Go beyond simple search results with built-in analysis tools that help you understand funder patterns. View subject area breakdowns of giving activity, grant amount distributions, and who else is receiving funding. These visualizations turn raw data into actionable intelligence for your fundraising strategy.
- "What is Being Funded?" shows subject area priorities at a glance
- "How Big are the Grants?" reveals typical award ranges
- Recipient profiles show what similar organizations have successfully secured
GuideStar Seals of Transparency
Update your free GuideStar profile to earn Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum Seals that signal trustworthiness to donors and funders. Research shows nonprofits with Seals receive 53% more in contributions. When you earn a Seal, your updated information automatically syncs to 200+ charitable platforms, including Facebook, donor advised funds, and corporate giving portals.
- Free to earn—just complete your organizational profile
- Bronze Seal enables Apple Pay donations
- Gold Seal unlocks Go for Gold free Foundation Directory access
My FDO Workspace & Organization Tools
Save searches, organize prospects into projects, track your history with specific funders, and build curated lists of target foundations. The workspace tools help you move from casual research to systematic prospect management without needing a separate CRM for your grant pipeline.
- Assessment tool helps evaluate funder fit before investing research time
- Saved searches and alerts notify you of new matching opportunities
- LinkedIn integration identifies board and staff connections to funders
How This Tool Uses AI
Candid's Foundation Directory is primarily a data platform rather than an AI-powered tool. Its core value comes from comprehensive data collection, curation by human researchers, and powerful search/filtering capabilities. However, Candid is actively developing AI features to enhance the platform.
What's AI-Powered (Emerging)
- AI-Powered LOI Writing Tool (Coming Soon): Candid is developing an AI assistant to help streamline funder outreach by generating letter of inquiry drafts based on your organization profile and the funder's giving priorities.
- Tailored Funder Recommendations: The newer Candid Search platform uses AI to provide personalized funder recommendations based on your organizational profile, saving research time by surfacing relevant matches automatically.
What's Not AI (But Still Powerful)
- Data Collection & Curation: Candid's research team manually reviews and verifies funder data from thousands of sources—this human-curated approach is what makes the data trustworthy for high-stakes grant decisions.
- Search & Filtering: The advanced search is based on database queries and Boolean logic, not AI. This makes results predictable and comprehensive—you won't miss funders because an algorithm decided they weren't relevant.
- Data Visualization: The mapping and analysis tools are standard data visualization—they display patterns in real data rather than generating insights through machine learning.
Bottom Line: Foundation Directory's value comes from data depth and accuracy, not AI automation. If you need AI-powered grant matching and discovery (like proactive weekly recommendations), consider pairing Candid with a tool like Instrumentl or GrantAI. Use Candid for the deep funder research those platforms can't match.
Real-World Nonprofit Use Case
Scenario: A youth mentoring nonprofit with a $600K annual budget wants to expand from two counties to five. Their development director has been applying to the same 15 funders for years and needs to build a broader prospect pipeline for growth funding.
Using Candid: The organization first completes their GuideStar profile to earn a Gold Seal, automatically qualifying for free Foundation Directory access through Go for Gold. They search for foundations funding youth development in their expanded geographic area, filtering by grant size ($25K-$100K to match their capacity) and excluding invitation-only funders. The geographic visualization reveals 12 community foundations in the new counties they'd never discovered. Looking at peer organizations in Foundation Directory, they identify which funders support similar youth mentoring programs and see actual grant amounts awarded.
Results: Within their first year using Foundation Directory, they identified 35 new foundation prospects (up from 15), submitted 18 applications to well-matched funders, and secured $127,000 in new foundation grants—nearly covering their entire expansion budget. The Gold Seal also increased their individual donor contributions by 23%, as donors trusted the transparent organizational profile when evaluating giving options.
Pricing
Foundation Directory Online
Paid subscription tiers
- Essential$54.99/mo or $449/year
- Professional~$220/mo or ~$1,599/year
- EnterpriseCustom pricing
Candid Search (New Platform)
Next-generation funding search
- Premium$1,199/year
- Ultimate$1,699/year
- Ultimate includes nonprofit compliance reporting features
Note: Pricing may vary and is subject to change. Please verify current pricing directly with Candid. Annual subscriptions typically offer savings over monthly billing.
Free Access Options for Nonprofits
Go for Gold Program (Best Value)
FREE 1-year Foundation Directory Essential subscription for qualifying nonprofits.
- Eligibility: 501(c)(3) organizations with annual revenue OR expenses under $1 million
- Requirements: Earn a Gold Seal of Transparency on your Candid profile
- How to claim: Email [email protected] with your organization name and EIN after earning your Gold Seal
Free Library Access
Access Foundation Directory Professional for free at participating libraries, community foundations, and nonprofit support centers nationwide through Candid's Funding Information Network. Find locations on Candid's website.
Free GuideStar Profile
All nonprofits can update their GuideStar profile and earn Seals of Transparency for free—no subscription required. This alone increases donor trust and contribution rates.
Learning Curve
Time to First Value
- GuideStar Profile Update: 1-2 hours to earn Gold Seal
- First Foundation Search: 15-30 minutes
- Basic Proficiency: 2-4 hours of exploring
- Advanced Features: 1-2 weeks of regular use
Support Resources
- Candid Learning Center with free courses and webinars
- Help documentation and knowledge base
- In-person workshops at Funding Information Network locations
- Email and phone support for subscribers
Learning Curve Rating: Beginner to Intermediate
Basic searching is intuitive for anyone comfortable with online databases. Advanced features like saved searches, project organization, and 990 analysis require more time to master but aren't technically complex. The interface can feel dated compared to newer tools, but functionality is straightforward.
Integration & Compatibility
Connects With
- Salesforce: Via Candid Connector by ImagineCRM
- 200+ Charitable Platforms: Automatic profile sync (Facebook, DAFs, Network for Good)
- Export: CSV, Excel, PDF for any database/CRM
- API Access: Available for developers
Platform Availability
- Web-based: All major browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
- Mobile: Web-responsive (no dedicated app)
- Note: GuideStar services unavailable in EU, UK, or Switzerland
Data Portability
You can export search results, saved lists, and funder profiles to CSV/Excel for use in any system. This makes Candid useful as a research layer that feeds into whatever grant management or CRM system you use, rather than requiring lock-in to their platform.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Unmatched data depth: 60+ years of philanthropic data with 325K+ grantmakers—no other platform comes close
- Free access options: Go for Gold, library access, and free GuideStar profiles make it accessible to all budget levels
- Searchable 990s: Dig into actual tax filings without downloading PDFs
- Geographic precision: Find local funders that national platforms miss
- Ecosystem benefits: Seal of Transparency boosts donor trust across 200+ platforms
Cons
- Dated interface: Not as modern or intuitive as newer competitors like Instrumentl
- No AI matching: Manual search-based discovery (though this ensures nothing is missed)
- Invitation-only funders: Many foundations list "no unsolicited proposals" with no clear path to cultivation
- Profile maintenance: Keeping GuideStar profile current requires ongoing attention
- No grant tracking: Research tool only—need separate system for pipeline management
Alternatives to Consider
Instrumentl
Best for: AI-powered grant discovery and tracking
Modern platform with AI matching that proactively surfaces opportunities each week. Better UX and includes grant pipeline tracking. Costs more ($179+/month) but saves significant research time through automation.
When to choose Instrumentl: You want proactive recommendations instead of manual searching, need integrated grant tracking, and have budget for ongoing subscription. Many professionals use both: Instrumentl for discovery, Candid for deep funder research.
GrantStation
Best for: Budget-conscious organizations
Affordable database ($139/year) with curated grant opportunities, including international funders. Less comprehensive than Candid but includes training resources and weekly funding deadline newsletters.
When to choose GrantStation: Budget is primary concern, you want curated opportunities rather than raw data, or you need international funding sources. Works well as a complement to Candid's depth.
GrantAI
Best for: Grant writing assistance + discovery
Combines funder research with AI-powered grant writing assistance. Good for organizations that need help with both finding opportunities and drafting proposals.
When to choose GrantAI: You need proposal drafting help, not just funder research. Candid shows you who to apply to; GrantAI helps you write the application.
Why you might choose Candid: Unmatched data depth, free access options for small nonprofits, and the ecosystem benefits of Seals of Transparency. Candid is the industry standard for a reason—when you need comprehensive funder intelligence before writing a proposal, nothing else comes close.
Getting Started
Claim & Complete Your GuideStar Profile (1-2 hours)
Go to guidestar.org and claim your nonprofit's profile. Add your mission, programs, leadership information, and financial data to earn your Gold Seal of Transparency. This is free and unlocks Go for Gold access if you're under $1M budget.
Access Foundation Directory (15 minutes)
If eligible for Go for Gold, email [email protected] with your organization name and EIN to receive your free subscription code. Otherwise, find a Funding Information Network location near you for free library access, or sign up for a paid subscription.
Run Your First Strategic Search (30-45 minutes)
Start with a focused search: your program area + geographic region + grant size range. Review the top 10-15 results, examining giving histories and recent grantees. Save promising prospects to your workspace and note which ones have funded organizations similar to yours.
Research Peer Organizations (1 hour)
Search for 3-5 nonprofits similar to yours in Foundation Directory. Look at their funding sources—these foundations already support your type of work and are worth investigating. This competitive intelligence often reveals more prospects than direct searching.
Quick Win: Your First 24 Hours
Even before accessing Foundation Directory, complete your GuideStar profile to Gold level. This single action increases your visibility to donors across 200+ platforms and establishes eligibility for free Foundation Directory access. Many nonprofits report increased donations within weeks of earning their Seal—making this the highest-ROI first step.
Need Help with Grant Research Strategy?
Getting access to Foundation Directory is just the first step. Knowing how to use it strategically—which funders to prioritize, how to position your organization, and how to build relationships with "invitation only" foundations—can make the difference between average and exceptional grant success rates.
One Hundred Nights helps nonprofits develop comprehensive grant strategies, from prospect research to cultivation planning to proposal development.
Get Grant Strategy HelpFrequently Asked Questions
Is Candid Foundation Directory free for nonprofits?
Yes, through the Go for Gold program! 501(c)(3) nonprofits with annual revenue or expenses under $1 million can earn a free 1-year subscription to Foundation Directory Essential by completing their Candid profile and achieving a Gold Seal of Transparency. Additionally, anyone can access Foundation Directory Professional for free at participating libraries nationwide through Candid's Funding Information Network.
What's the difference between GuideStar and Foundation Directory?
Both are now part of Candid. GuideStar is the free nonprofit profile platform where organizations share information about their mission, programs, and finances to earn Seals of Transparency. Foundation Directory is the paid grantmaker research database with 325,000+ funder profiles, giving histories, and grant data. Think of GuideStar as your organization's public profile, and Foundation Directory as your research tool for finding funders.
How does Candid compare to Instrumentl?
Candid (Foundation Directory) offers deeper historical data and more comprehensive funder profiles with 60+ years of philanthropic data, while Instrumentl provides a more modern UX with AI-powered grant matching and proactive opportunity recommendations. Candid excels at in-depth funder research; Instrumentl excels at automated discovery. Many grant professionals use both: Instrumentl for finding opportunities and Candid for deep funder research before applying. Candid is more affordable ($449/year vs $179+/month) and offers free access options.
Can I access Candid Foundation Directory at my local library?
Yes! Candid partners with libraries, community foundations, and nonprofit support organizations nationwide through its Funding Information Network. These partner locations provide free public access to Foundation Directory Professional. You can find the nearest location on Candid's website. This is an excellent option for nonprofits on tight budgets or just getting started with grant research.
What is the Gold Seal of Transparency?
The Gold Seal is a badge awarded to nonprofits that have shared detailed information about their goals, strategies, capabilities, and financial data on their Candid/GuideStar profile. It signals transparency to donors and funders. Earning a Gold Seal requires adding information beyond basic IRS data, including program descriptions, leadership info, and organizational metrics. Research shows nonprofits with Seals receive 53% more in contributions on average.
Does Candid integrate with Salesforce?
Yes, Candid offers integration options including the Candid Connector by ImagineCRM, which syncs nonprofit data directly into Salesforce. Candid also automatically shares nonprofit profile information with 200+ charitable platforms including Salesforce.org, Facebook, donor advised funds, and Network for Good. This helps ensure your organization's information is consistent across the nonprofit ecosystem.