Grant Application Checklist

Many grant applications are rejected or delayed not because the underlying project is weak but because of technical non-compliance - wrong document format, missing signature, over-length section, ineligible cost included in the budget. These are entirely preventable. A systematic pre-submission check takes an hour and has caught application-ending errors that would have been invisible in the heat of deadline pressure. Use this checklist for every application, regardless of how experienced you are.

Before you start writing

• Read the full competition guidance or Notice of Funding Opportunity - not just the summary
• Confirm you meet all eligibility criteria: legal status, size, sector, location, project type
• Note the deadline - including the exact time, timezone, and whether it's a submission deadline or a postmark deadline
• Check whether a registration or pre-qualification is required before the main application
• Identify what supporting documents are required: CVs, accounts, letters of support, tax clearance
• Understand the match funding requirement: how much, from what sources, what evidence is needed

During application preparation

• Note the word or character limit for each section - plan your content before writing to avoid cutting critical material late
• Check whether you need to address each evaluation criterion explicitly - most programmes publish these
• Build your budget using only eligible cost categories specified in the guidance
• Ensure all staff costs are based on verifiable salary data, not estimates
• Check that no cost appears in both your grant budget and another concurrent funding claim
• Prepare CVs of key personnel in the format specified - length, format, and content requirements vary

Final checks before submission

• Read every section against the evaluation criteria - is your response explicitly addressing each criterion?
• Check word/character counts on every section - being over the limit typically means the excess is ignored or the application is rejected
• Verify that all required attachments are included and in the correct file format
• Check that financial figures in the narrative match those in the budget form exactly
• Ensure any required signatures are in place - electronic or wet, as specified
• Submit at least 24 hours before the deadline to allow time to fix any system or technical errors
• Save a complete copy of everything submitted, including confirmation receipt

After submission

• Record the competition name, deadline, application reference, and expected decision date
• Note any monitoring or reporting obligations if you win - these start from the grant agreement, not the project start
• Request a debrief if unsuccessful - written feedback is typically available and is the best guide to improving future applications