How it works

Rate your Organization on 15 questions across Financial Readiness, Documentation & Compliance, and Organizational Capacity. Each question scores 0–2 points. Your results — with personalised recommendations — will be emailed to you.

15 Questions

5 Minutes

30 Max Score

Category 1: Financial Readiness

Max: 10 pts

1. Are your financial statements (profit & loss and balance sheet) current, accurate, and prepared within the last 90 days?

No — our books are behind or not formally prepared Partially — statements exist but may be outdated or unreconciled Yes — current, reconciled, and ready to attach to an application

2. Are your financial records maintained on an accrual basis (as required by most government and foundation funders)?

No — we use cash-basis accounting Partially — we use cash basis but can produce accrual-adjusted reports Yes — our books are maintained on an accrual basis

3. Can you produce a project-specific budget — broken down by direct and indirect costs — within 48 hours of identifying a grant opportunity?

No — we would need to build one from scratch Partially — we have templates but they need significant customisation Yes — we have a budget template and current cost data ready

4. Does your accounting system separate expenses by program, management & general, and fundraising (as required for Form 990 and most grant reports)?

No — expenses are not separated by function Partially — we have some separation but it's inconsistent Yes — our chart of accounts fully separates costs by function

5. Do you have audited financial statements for the most recent two fiscal years (required by many government grants and larger foundations)?

No — we have not had an audit Partially — we have a review or compilation, not a full audit Yes — we have full audited statements for the past two years

Category 1 Score: 0 / 10

Category 2: Documentation & Compliance

Max: 10 pts

6. Do you have a current, complete document library ready for grant applications (IRS determination letter, Form 990, board list, Organizational budget, staff bios)?

No — we gather documents each time we apply Partially — we have most documents but they may be outdated Yes — we maintain a current, ready-to-submit document library

7. Is your Organization registered on SAM.gov (required for all federal grant applications)?

No — we are not registered Unsure — we may be registered but haven't confirmed recently Yes — we have an active SAM.gov registration with a current UEI

8. Are all required federal, state, and local registrations and filings current (Form 990, state charitable solicitation registration, corporate filings)?

No — one or more filings are overdue Partially — most are current but we have gaps Yes — all registrations and filings are current

9. Do you track grant deadlines, reporting requirements, and application cycles in a dedicated system (not just email or memory)?

No — we manage deadlines informally Partially — we use a basic calendar or spreadsheet Yes — we have a dedicated grant tracking system with alerts

10. Have you reviewed the Form 990s of foundations you plan to apply to (to verify their actual giving patterns before writing)?

No — we rely on their stated guidelines Sometimes — we check 990s for major prospects Always — reviewing 990-PFs is part of our prospect research process

Category 2 Score: 0 / 10

Category 3: Organizational Capacity

Max: 10 pts

11. Does your Organization have documented, measurable outcomes for your programs (not just descriptions of activities)?

No — we describe what we do but not quantified results Partially — we have some outcome data but it's inconsistent Yes — we have clear, quantified outcomes with supporting data

12. Do you have staff or volunteers with dedicated time available to research, write, and manage grants (not just the Executive Director fitting it around other duties)?

No — grant work falls entirely to the ED or volunteers Partially — one person handles grants alongside many other duties Yes — we have dedicated grant development capacity

13. Can your Organization begin and deliver a funded program within 60–90 days of receiving an award, without disrupting current operations?

No — we would struggle to absorb a new grant quickly Partially — we could manage it but it would stretch our capacity Yes — we have the infrastructure to launch a new program promptly

14. Do you have an active, engaged board whose members contribute to fundraising and can sign off on grant applications and compliance documents promptly?

No — board engagement is minimal Partially — the board is engaged but response times are slow Yes — our board is active, responsive, and engaged in fundraising

15. Have you successfully managed at least one grant award in the past — completing all reporting requirements on time and within budget?

No — this would be our first grant Partially — we have managed grants but had compliance challenges Yes — we have a clean grant compliance track record

Category 3 Score: 0 / 10

Your Grant Readiness Score

0 / 30

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Grant Readiness Assessment

Category 1: Financial Readiness

Category 2: Documentation & Compliance

Category 3: Organizational Capacity

Your Grant Readiness Score

Your Contact Information