Grant Database
A Modern Grant Database for Nonprofits and Community Groups
A good grant database saves your team hours every week. CIFIS pairs an IRS-verified foundation catalog with fresh federal, state, and private grants. Nonprofits, community foundations, and consultants can move from broad search to real matches in minutes. This page shows how we build the database, what makes it different, and how teams use it to find funding they actually qualify for.
What a modern grant database should do
Most grant databases are static lists. They show funders with old contact info and give you no real signal about fit. A modern grant database has to do more. It needs to verify funders against trusted sources. It needs to show real match by location and program. And it needs to explain why a match was made, so your team can act on it with confidence.
- IRS-verified foundation records with EIN, NTEE, and 990 grant history
- Federal and state grants refreshed on a clear schedule
- Match by city, county, and state
- Clear reasons for every funder match
- Source citations on every record so you can audit them
How CIFIS builds its grant database
We pull from trusted public sources. That includes the IRS Business Master File, IRS 990 filings, federal grant feeds, and curated state and private grants. We add classification, geography, and partnership signals on top. Every record is normalized, so a community foundation in Florida lines up with a private foundation in Ohio. When data is missing, we flag it instead of guessing.
Who uses a grant database like this
Nonprofits use CIFIS to replace dozens of browser tabs and consultant spreadsheets. Community foundations use it to help grantees and benchmark peers. Grant writers and consultants use it across client portfolios. CDFIs and economic development groups use it to map capital moving into their regions. Healthcare systems and cities use it to coordinate with the funders around their work.
- Nonprofits and grassroots groups
- Community foundations and giving circles
- Grant writers and fundraising consultants
- CDFIs and community capital practitioners
- Healthcare systems and schools
- Economic development and city agencies
More than search: readiness, fit, and pipeline
Search alone is not enough. CIFIS adds a CAPS readiness score, a Strategic Partner Score for funder fit, an Opportunity Radar for live deadlines, and a Saved Pipeline. The database becomes a real capital plan, not just a list. Ask CIFIS sits on top of every record. It tells you where the data came from, why something was suggested, and what is missing.
Frequently asked questions
Is the CIFIS grant database free to use?
Qualified pilot organizations get full access at no cost. After the pilot, CIFIS offers tiered access sized for nonprofits, consultants, and community institutions.
How often is the grant database updated?
The funder catalog is refreshed against IRS sources on a clear schedule. Federal and state grants are added continuously. Every record shows when it was last verified.
What kinds of funders are included?
Private foundations, community foundations, corporate foundations, federal and state agencies, and CDFIs. We also flag Minority Depository Institutions, ECIP recipients, and other community capital partners.
How is CIFIS different from a legacy grant database?
Legacy tools just list funders. CIFIS explains them. Every match, score, and suggestion is tied to source records, so you know why a funder appeared.
Can grant writers use CIFIS across multiple clients?
Yes. CIFIS supports consultants and multi-org workflows, so grant writers can run readiness, fit, and discovery for each client in one place.
Does the database cover federal funding?
Yes. CIFIS pulls federal program feeds and shows them next to foundation grants, so you see the full picture.
See CIFIS for your organization
CIFIS is the funding intelligence platform connecting nonprofits, community foundations, CDFIs, and consultants to grants, funders, and verified opportunities, with explainable matching and readiness scoring.