A foundation\u2019s tax return can help a grant team examine historical giving before committing time to an application. Use it alongside the funder\u2019s current website and application guidance: a return records a past period and does not establish today\u2019s eligibility or deadline.<\/p>\n
Start with the intended foundation\u2019s legal name, EIN, return type and tax year. Record what the filing supports, what has changed since that period and what still needs confirmation from the funder.<\/p>\n
TL;DR:<\/strong> For a private foundation\u2019s 2025 Form 990-PF<\/strong>, start with Part XIV line 2<\/strong> for application information, then separate grants paid in line 3a<\/strong> from amounts approved for future payment in line 3b<\/strong>. Form 990 Schedule I is a different disclosure. Use the heading and year on each return, and verify current funder rules before choosing an ask.<\/p>\n FundRobin case-study evidence (September 2026):<\/strong> public-filing research using Form 990 and foundation records changed the assessed fit of roughly two in five shortlisted funders among the 22 case-study organisations able to estimate. The most common reason was that earlier grants indicated a different geographic or programme focus. This is evidence from that defined case-study cohort, not a universal benchmark.<\/p>\nWhy Form 990s Are Your Best \u201cTruth Serum\u201d<\/h2>\n\n