Exploring Candid’s Foundation Grant Funding by State Data
If you didn’t know already, I am a data-nerd, and have loved data every since I got to use SPSS, GIS, and advanced EXCEL at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Masters in Urban Planning and Policy program.
The complexity of foundation funding systems in the USA likely comes as no surprise to readers familiar with this landscape. Primary funding streams typically originate from federal and state budget allocations, enhanced by private sector contributions to governmental revenue pools. These financial resources address broad societal needs across healthcare, education, social services, and infrastructure sectors, with fund utilization governed by programmatic frameworks and jurisdictional priorities.
Candid’s data report landed in my email inbox. I found particularly fascinating and useful, so I wanted to share it with you! In Candid’s new interactive dashboards, we can now explore giving patterns that could reshape your fundraising approach. This data could be used to calibrate your fundraising expectations, benchmark against similar regions, and uncover funding gaps that represent genuine opportunities for your organization.
Not surprisingly, states like California and New York consistently lead in both awarding and receiving foundation grants. While this largely reflects population size, there are interesting exceptions that reveal unique regional philanthropic cultures.
Candid’s free dashboards let you explore the data in several ways:
Geographic comparisons through interactive maps
Trend analysis showing changes from 2019 to 2023
Subject-area breakdowns revealing funding priorities by state
Your Next Steps [LINK HERE]
What are some ways we can explore this data? You could ask yourself:
How does foundation funding in my state compare to similar states?
What are the top areas (subjects) of funding in my state?
Knowing the priorities of funders can help you tailor proposals and identify gaps.Who are the major funders operating in my region?
Exploring these dashboards and other data reports as they get published isn’t just interesting - it’s strategic (and arguably necessary in today’s more competitive landscape). The more you know about funding flows in your state, the better prepared you’ll be to secure grants and grow your nonprofit’s impact.
Source: Candid. (2025, September 18). Foundation funding by state: Grant dollars given and received [Data dashboards]. https://candid.org/blogs/foundation-funding-by-state-grant-dollars-given-received-data-dashboards
Candid is a nonprofit organization formed by the 2019 merger of GuideStar and Foundation Center that provides comprehensive information and research on nonprofits and funders. Users can research charities and their impact, and nonprofits can create free profiles on the site to showcase their work, earn transparency seals, and connect with potential donors. Candid's database includes information on 1.8 million nonprofits, with data drawn from IRS forms, direct nonprofit reporting, and more. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/13-1837418
PS - If you haven’t “claimed” your profile on Candid/Guidestar yet, you should! It is an important step in your digital footprint as a nonprofit.
