Grant Search & Matching Guide

Overview

Grant Search is the core of GrantsPath. Type a mission-focused question or keyword, and the search engine automatically decides whether to use natural-language matching or keyword matching. Results show clear "why matched" reasoning and a Fit Score so you can shortlist grants quickly. Save any set of results as a Briefing — a stable snapshot you can return to anytime.

Key Features

Smart Search: One input that auto-detects whether to use natural language or keyword matching based on your query

Federal + State Grants: Search all of Grants.gov plus 15 state portals (AK, AZ, CA, ID, MN, MT, NC, ND, NM, OK, OR, SD, TX, WA, WI)

Tribal Eligibility Filters: Grants eligible for tribal nations are automatically flagged

Why Matched: See source-backed reasoning behind each result so you can decide faster

Fit Score: A 1–100 score showing how well a grant aligns with your profile (Researcher plan and above)

Briefing Dossier: Save a search result set as a stable snapshot that won't drift over time

Filters: Narrow results by source type (federal/state), agency, funding amount, deadline, and more

How to Use Grant Search

1. Open the Search page and type a question ("housing grants for tribal elders") or keywords ("USDA rural broadband")

2. The search engine picks the best mode automatically — natural language for questions, keyword for specific terms

3. Refine results using filters for source type, agency, eligibility, amount, and deadlines

4. Review "why matched" notes and Fit Scores to shortlist grants

5. Save a Briefing to preserve the result set as a stable snapshot

6. Open a grant to review full details, eligibility, and deadlines

Understanding Fit Scores

The Fit Score (available on Researcher plan and above) is calculated based on:

Eligibility: Whether your organization meets the grant's requirements

Focus Areas: How closely the grant aligns with your organization's work

Funding Needs: Whether the grant amount matches your requirements

Deadline & Recency: How much time remains and how recently the grant was posted

Complete your profile to get the most accurate Fit Scores — the system uses your tribal affiliation, focus areas, and organization type to calculate alignment.

From Search to Application

When you find a strong match:

1. Open a grant and choose Track to add it to your applications list

2. Use the Prep Sheet to work through each requirement (UEI, EIN, documents, compliance)

3. Use the AI Proposal Generator to draft narratives tailored to the grant (Professional plan and above). For NOFO-specific generation — calibrated to the evaluation criteria in this grant's scoring rubric — upload the NOFO in the application workflow to extract criteria first.

4. Export your prepared materials and submit through the agency's portal (grants.gov for federal, state portal for state grants)

Tips for Effective Searching

Use mission language ("youth mental health programs"), not agency acronyms

Try both broad questions and specific keywords to find different grants

Filter by source type if you want to focus on state grants that other platforms miss

Check the tribal eligibility flag — it saves time reading through fine print

When you track a grant, download the NOFO and upload it in the application workflow. GrantsPath extracts the evaluation criteria from Section V and configures the proposal generator to match how this specific funder scores — not a generic template.

Prioritize Fit Scores above 70 unless a grant is strategically important

Save Briefings for searches you want to revisit later

Grant Search & Matching