FAQ
Finding funders & winning support
How to find grant makers without paying for an expensive database — and why being findable now matters more than ever.
- How do I find funders without paying for an expensive database?
- Use the free tools. Claim your organization's free Candid profile so funders can find you, and use free access to Candid search at 'Candid near you' partner locations (libraries and nonprofit centers). To research a specific foundation's giving, ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer shows its grants paid, officers, and size from IRS 990s at no cost, and IRS Tax-Exempt Organization Search confirms any org's status.
- What is 'trust-based philanthropy,' and why should I care?
- It's a growing movement of funders who give multi-year, unrestricted money and do the due-diligence homework themselves instead of making you write lengthy proposals. The practical consequence for a small org: more funders now find you. That makes your discoverability assets — a complete Candid profile, a clean IRS record, a plain-language website — some of the highest-return work you can do.
- Can I apply to MacKenzie Scott?
- No. Her one-time Yield Giving Open Call in 2023 is closed and awarded, and there's no current open call. Yield Giving otherwise selects organizations through its own quiet research — there's no application. Ignore any listicle that tells you to 'apply to MacKenzie Scott.'
- How do I show community support if we have no big donors?
- Count your volunteers. A volunteer hour was valued at $36.14 in 2025 (it updates each April). Private funders accept that rate to illustrate community support in your narrative, and on federal awards documented volunteer time can count as match. Keep signed time sheets with the type of work and hours.
Finding money is a skill, and most of the best tools are free. Being found is the newer skill — and for a small org, it’s often the one with the biggest payoff.
Next step
Get matched when we launch
Amivale is launching soon. Join the waitlist and we'll match your small nonprofits to funding the day it opens — no spam, one email.