How to Read a Foundation's 990-PF Before Applying
Before applying to any private foundation, read their 990-PF. It shows who they actually funded — which tells you far more than their website does.
Before you write a single word of a foundation grant application, read the foundation's 990-PF. This is the annual tax return that private foundations file with the IRS. It's public record. It tells you exactly who the foundation funded, how much they gave, and in some cases who made the decisions. Nothing on a foundation's website tells you as much.
What's in a 990-PF
The 990-PF runs to dozens of pages. The sections that matter most for grant seekers:
Part I — Revenue and Expenses. Shows total giving for the year. Compare to prior years to see if giving is growing, stable, or declining.
Part VII-B — Grants Paid. This is the list you want. Every grant the foundation paid during the year, with the recipient name, address, and amount. Some foundations provide purpose descriptions; many don't.
Part VIII — Information About Officers, Directors, etc. Names and titles of board members and key officers. Useful for understanding who makes decisions — and whether you have any existing connections.
Part XIV — Qualifying Distributions. More detail on how the foundation distributed its assets. Foundations are required to distribute at least 5% of their assets annually — this section shows whether they're near that floor or giving more generously.
How to Use 990-PF Data
The recipient list in Part VII-B is the most valuable intelligence available before applying to a foundation. Look for:
- Organizations like yours. If a foundation has funded ten organizations with missions similar to yours, that's strong evidence of fit. If they've never funded anything like you, that's a signal too.
- Geographic concentration. Many foundations concentrate giving in a specific region even if their guidelines say "national." The 990-PF shows the reality.
- Typical grant size. If the median grant is $25,000 and you're asking for $500,000, you're misaligned. Calibrate your ask to their actual giving patterns.
- Repeat grants. If the same organizations appear multiple years in a row, the foundation has deep relationships it maintains. New relationships are possible but harder to break into.
Where to Find 990-PFs
ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer has 990-PFs for most foundations searchable by EIN or name. freegrantdb.com links directly to ProPublica's 990-PF viewer from funder profile pages — one click from any foundation profile.
The IRS also maintains a database but ProPublica's interface is far more usable.
What the 990-PF Can't Tell You
The 990-PF is a trailing indicator — it shows last year's giving, not this year's priorities. Foundations change focus areas, get new leadership, and sometimes stop funding certain types of work. Always check the foundation's website for the most current guidelines and confirm the program is still active before investing in an application.