Grant Readiness Review
“Grant readiness” refers to how prepared an organisation is to apply for and successfully secure grant funding. It’s essentially the foundation you need before you start writing applications. Funders look for strong, credible, and well-prepared applicants, so being “grant ready” increases your chances of success.
The Grants Guy assists clients to ascertain the core elements of grant readiness:
Organisational Readiness
- Clear mission, vision, and values.
- Strategic plan in place (shows direction and long-term thinking).
- Evidence of good governance (active board, clear policies, compliance).
- Registered legal entity with all appropriate licenses and tax compliance.
Financial Readiness
- Current and accurate financial statements (audited if possible).
- Transparent accounting systems.
- Demonstrated financial stability (diverse income streams, not overly reliant on one source).
- Budgeting capacity—ability to prepare detailed program/project budgets.
Program Readiness
- Clearly defined programs/projects with measurable goals.
- Evidence of community need or demand (data, research, stakeholder input).
- Logic model or theory of change showing how activities lead to outcomes.
- Past track record of delivering similar projects.
Grant Application Readiness
- Strong grant writer (in-house or external).
- Grant templates and standard documents ready (e.g., annual report, organisational chart, resumes of key staff, letters of support).
- Monitoring and evaluation framework to measure impact.
- Case studies, testimonials, and success stories to evidence outcomes.
Fundraising & Sustainability Readiness
- Clear fundraising strategy (so grants aren’t the only income stream).
- Sustainability plan for projects beyond the grant funding period.
- Partnerships and collaborations with other organisations or stakeholders.
Grant Readiness Checklist Example
- Registered and compliant organisation
- Current constitution and governance documents
- Audited financial statements (last 2–3 years)
- Strategic plan
- Project plans with measurable outcomes
- Monitoring & evaluation framework
- List of past achievements and impact stories
- Team/board bios and CVs
- Letters of support/partnerships
- Funding and sustainability strategy