Can a private foundation apply for federal grants?

Usually not. Most federal grant programs restrict eligibility to public charities and exclude private foundations in the eligibility section of the notice of funding opportunity. It is worth settling before investing time in an application.

It is a classification, not a verdict

Some programs do accept private foundations, and the classification itself can be wrong or out of date on the IRS side. This tool reports what the Business Master File records and points you at the specific notice, rather than deciding for you.

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Free, no account. Every answer carries its source and date.

This is informational only, derived from public data on the dates shown. It is not an eligibility determination, and not legal, tax, or accounting advice. Verify against the official source before relying on it.