How often do foundations accept unsolicited requests for funds?  

Nonprofits often want to know how open foundations are to receiving unsolicited requests for funds. Fundraisers have limited time and resources and want to direct their efforts toward prospective funders with whom they have the best shot. If a funder hasn’t issued a request for proposal (RFP) or invited your nonprofit to apply for funding, does that mean the door is closed?  

At Candid, we recently conducted an exploratory analysis of this question using both IRS and survey data. In this article, we’ll share what we learned, as well as tips and strategies for approaching new funders.  

IRS data suggests only 29% of private foundations accept unsolicited requests for funds 

A U.S. private foundation must report on its annual IRS filing (Form 990-PF) whether the foundation “only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.” Of the 112,733 private foundations that filed Forms 990-PF for fiscal year end 2023 (the most recent year for which we have comprehensive data), 71% checked this box. Narrowly interpreted, this could mean only 29% (fewer than 33,000 foundations) are open to considering new grantees.  

Large foundations are slightly more likely to accept unsolicited requests for funds 

Large foundations tend to have more staff and capacity to receive and review requests for funding. So, we hypothesized that large private foundations are more likely to be open to considering new grantees. Again, using IRS data, we identified 1,744 foundations with assets above $100 million; of those, 38% accepted unsolicited requests for funds, 9 percentage points higher than private foundations overall.  

Does this mean most foundations are completely closed to unsolicited requests for funds? Not necessarily. Candid’s 2025 Foundation Giving Forecast Survey¹ asked whether foundations accepted unsolicited proposals, and of the 522 private and community foundations surveyed, 55% said they were willing to do so. These included 56% of private foundations and 48% of community foundations.  

It’s important to note, however, that this survey sample is fundamentally different from the private foundations whose Forms 990-PF data we analyzed above. Not only does the survey sample include 118 community foundations, but the private foundations tend to be larger, active grantmakers that are more likely to accept unsolicited requests for funds, according to their Forms 990-PF. Survey respondents may also have interpreted “unsolicited proposals” as being more formal applications for funding, as opposed to “unsolicited requests for funds,” which could be a broader term that incudes proposals but may also encompass informal outreach or an initial inquiry to a foundation. 

Perhaps more importantly, according to our survey, some foundations that don’t currently accept unsolicited requests remain accessible to nonprofits in a variety of ways. 

Foundations that don’t accept unsolicited requests for funds may offer other ways to connect 

Survey respondents’ write-in responses revealed that even foundations that don’t accept unsolicited requests may still be open to meeting new potential grantees and developing relationships. Here’s some of what they shared:  

• Foundation websites may have an open introduction form through which nonprofits can introduce themselves.  

• Foundations may be open to receiving letters of inquiry (LOIs), from which they decide whom to invite to submit a full application. 

• There may be specific program areas or limited periods when the foundation is open to unsolicited requests.  

• Some foundations prefer to have a conversation with nonprofits first to “save them time on ineligible proposals.” 

• Community foundations that sponsor donor-advised funds (DAFs) may pass along a nonprofit’s request to a specific DAF donor. One respondent wrote, “We don’t share unsolicited proposals broadly, but should a proposal match a donor’s giving interests we will share the information.” 

• There are always exceptions! Checking the box on Form 990-PF doesn’t necessarily reflect a firmly fixed policy, as foundation staff may still consider unsolicited requests.  

It’s important to be aware of the foundation’s mission and funding priorities. A foundation’s willingness to accept an unsolicited request still doesn’t guarantee funding. 

It’s all about building relationships 

Even when foundations say they don’t accept unsolicited requests for funds, there are ways to build relationships with them. Candid offers tips for when funders aren’t accepting applications. Candid search helps you identify the individuals on a foundation’s staff and board. You can also research a foundation’s past grantees to see if you have any connections with these nonprofits. They may help you understand the foundation better and possibly introduce you to the funder. Foundations are operated by people, and the adage that “people give to people” is also true of institutional grantmakers. 

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1. Candid conducts an annual survey of U.S. private and community foundations. This year, we reached out to 6,964 foundations and received 578 responses. Other analysis of survey results have been shared in earlier articles, including charitable giving trends and the impact of the 2024 election results on foundation giving priorities. ↩︎