Before you spend a single hour writing a grant proposal, there’s a question you need to answer honestly: is your organization actually ready? At Tillman Equity, our team has worked with more than 20 organizations on their grant strategies, and the pattern is consistent — the nonprofits that get funded are the ones that are organizationally ready before they start writing.
A grant readiness checklist isn’t just a nice exercise. It’s the difference between submitting a competitive proposal and wasting weeks on an application that was never going to succeed.
Our team developed a 12-point Grant Readiness Checklist based on the criteria funders actually evaluate. Here’s what’s on it — and why each item matters.
The 12 points of grant readiness
1. Tax-exempt status. Nearly every funder requires 501(c)(3) determination from the IRS. If your application is pending, some funders will consider you, but most want to see that letter. If you don’t have it yet, this is step one.
2. Governance documents. Bylaws, a conflict of interest policy, and board resolutions. These prove your organization has structure and accountability. Our team has seen grant applications rejected specifically because a conflict of interest policy was missing.
3. Board of directors. At least three unrelated board members who meet regularly. Funders want to see diversity of skills and community representation, not an all-family board.
4. Mission statement clarity. Your mission should explain who you serve, what you do, and why it matters — in one to two sentences. If a funder can’t understand your mission in 10 seconds, they’ll move on.
5. Defined programs with measurable outcomes. Funders don’t fund organizations; they fund programs. Every program needs specific activities, target numbers, and measurable indicators of success.
6. Current financial statements. At minimum, a statement of financial position and a statement of activities. Government funders may also require a Form 990 or an audit.
7. Organizational budget. A board-approved annual operating budget showing expected income and expenses. You’ll also need to create program-specific budgets for individual grant proposals.
8. Financial controls and policies. Written procedures for how money is handled, separation of duties, and regular financial reporting. This is the area where our team’s Fortune 500 audit expertise makes the biggest difference for clients.
9. Organizational history documentation. A written narrative of your organization’s history, accomplishments, and growth — even if you’re new. Every funder asks for this.
10. Letters of support. Three or more letters from community partners, local officials, or beneficiaries that validate your work. Collect these proactively, not under deadline pressure.
11. Funder research completed. A list of five or more researched funders whose priorities align with your mission, geography, and size. Strategic targeting beats random applications every time.
12. Prior grant history documented. If you’ve received grants before, have a record of each one. If you’re a first-time applicant, have a prepared narrative explaining why — framed positively.
How to use the checklist
Score each item honestly as Ready, Almost, or Not Yet. Then count your results.
If you scored 10 to 12 Ready, your organization has a strong foundation and you’re positioned to start submitting proposals. Focus on strategic funder research and proposal quality.
If you scored 6 to 9 Ready, you’re close but there are gaps that could hurt your chances. The good news is that most gaps can be addressed in 30 to 60 days with the right resources.
If you scored 0 to 5 Ready, you have foundational work to do first — and that’s perfectly fine. Every funded nonprofit started exactly where you are. You need a plan and the right support.
Get the full checklist
We offer the complete Grant Readiness Checklist as a free downloadable PDF. It includes detailed explanations for each of the 12 items, specific questions to assess yourself, pro tips from our CEO Trina Nichols based on her Fortune 500 audit and grant writing experience, and recommended next steps based on your score.
What to do with your results
No matter where you scored, our team has resources to help you close the gaps.
For do-it-yourself support, our Nonprofit Starter Vault ($27) covers governance documents, our Financial Compliance Toolkit ($97) addresses financial controls, and our Grant Proposal Template Kit ($67) gets you ready to write. Or grab the Complete Grant Mastery Bundle ($150) for everything at a 30% discount.
For personalized guidance, book a Grant Strategy Power Hour ($100) and our CEO will review your checklist results, identify your highest-priority gaps, and create a customized action plan.
For organizations that want everything handled professionally, our Done-For-You packages start at $3,000 and include full grant writing and organizational development support.