Grant Research

The most important piece of finding a funder that is a good fit for your organization is doing thorough research. We are happy to offer nonprofits in Maine resources and help related to grant research.

Directory of Maine Grantmakers

Maine Philanthropy Center produces the Directory of Maine Grantmakers with information on foundations that give in Maine. This Directory is available in an online version to all our members, and is also for sale in a print version. Nonmembers can use the online version for free by making an in-person appointment using our booking page.

Candid Databases

Through our partnership with Candid, MPC has access to national databases of funders and grants at our office location in the USM Glickman Family Library. Databases include Foundation Directory Online (FDO) Professional and Grants to Individuals as well as Guidestar. Access is available by in-person appointment only, but is free and available to all. Schedule an appointment to use our grant research databases using our booking page. This resource can help you identify a list of potential funders, the first step in securing grants!

Explore grantmakers remotely with Impala

With Impala, you can explore the profiles of nonprofits and foundations in the U.S and analyze nonprofit ecosystems, anywhere in the country - see who’s involved, how the grantmakers and grantseekers compare, key funding and financial trends, and more. Impala Essentials is and will always be free to access. Through a partnership with MPC, all Maine nonprofits and foundations are eligible for free, premium access to Impala until May 2024. Reach out to support@impala.digital with any questions.

Tutorials, guides, and other offerings

We highly recommend coming to our free monthly remote Grant Research Tutorials which offer guidance on how to use our resources to start your research process. If you aren't able to attend a tutorial, reach out to us at mpc@mainephilanthropy.org to receive a recording of the most recent Grant Research Tutorial.

You are also welcome to visit our office to use our resources -- please make an appointment through our booking page or by contacting mpc@mainephilanthropy.org as our staff is often working remotely and we want to ensure someone is here to help you.

MPC has created a Grant Research Guide with information on the grant research process, a list of resources, and a glossary of philanthropy term.
Download the guide here:

Government Funding

You can find infomation about government grant opportunities in the following places:

990 Tax Forms

Foundations are required to file a 990 tax form each year. These forms can provide a wealth of useful information about the foundation, including their most recent financial information, officers and trustees, and every grant they gave in that year. You can learn more about how to read a 990-PF (Private Foundation) by seeing the "Reading the 990" section in our Grant Research Guide (above) or reading Candid's article on demystifying the 990. The 990 forms are public information and can be accessed in a number of ways:

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