GrantForward

GrantForward is a web-based funding-search and recommendation service built to help researchers and institutions find suitable grant opportunities.
Its key features include a large, constantly updated database of funding opportunities, advanced search filters, and personalized recommendations based on researcher profiles. 

Why it matters

• Finding research funding is often time-consuming and complex. GrantForward helps streamline this by curating opportunities and matching them to your research interests. 
• It aggregates data from many sponsors (public, private, domestic, international), which gives you a broader view of funding options than just one region or funder type. 
• For institutions, having a structured system for funding searches and alerts helps with research planning, proposal strategy, and tracking funding landscapes.

How it works (in broad strokes)

1. You sign up (often via institutional access) and create a researcher profile: define your interests, keywords, past publications, etc. 
2. Use the search interface to explore funding opportunities using keywords, filters (e.g., sponsor type, region, topic, deadline). 
3. Receive tailored recommendations: the system suggests funding calls likely to match your profile. 
4. You can save searches, set alerts for new opportunities, manage internal deadlines, and share lists (useful for teams/institutions). 

Key features & advantages

• Large opportunity database: Many institutions report tens of thousands of funding calls listed. 
• Personalization: By building your profile, you get relevant suggestions rather than scanning everything manually.
• Advanced filtering and search: Makes it easier to narrow results to what matters (your discipline, region, size of grant).
• Alerts / saved searches: Helps you stay updated automatically rather than manually check many sites.
• Institutional support: Some universities subscribe corporately so faculty/staff get full access and library/training help. 

Limitations & things to watch

• Access may depend on institutional subscription: while some basic functions might be free, full features may require paid access.
• Even with a search tool, the quality of match still depends on your profile and how well you define your interests/keywords.
• Not all funding calls globally may be included—some very small or regional ones might still escape coverage.
• As with any tool, a search engine doesn’t replace strategy: you still need to evaluate fit, eligibility, scope, and timing of each grant.