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You know that deadline-day scramble. The one where you're digging through three inboxes and a shared drive at 11 p.m. looking for your most recent 990, your board roster, and that one budget the funder wants "board-approved."
It doesn't have to be that way.
The Grant Readiness Checklist is the master list of every document, data point, and system that funders (foundations and government agencies alike) most commonly ask for. Work through it once, get your house in order, and you'll have everything organized and ready to pull from every single time you apply. No scrambling. No "I know we have that somewhere." No missed deadlines because a registration lapsed.
Inside, you'll find 10 organized sections covering the full picture of grant readiness:
Legal & Tax Foundation
Financial Health
Governance & Leadership
Organizational Policies
Mission, Programs & Impact
Strategic Positioning
Staff & Human Resources
Registrations & Online Profiles
Federal Grant Requirements
Systems & Organizational Readiness
Every section is labeled Must-Have, Highly Recommended, or As Applicable, so you know exactly what's non-negotiable and what depends on your organization's size and funding sources. A built-in tracking system lets you mark each item On File, In Progress, Don't Have, or N/A, with a Notes column to flag what needs attention and when.
Whether you're a brand-new nonprofit building your grant program from scratch or an established organization tightening up your operation, this checklist turns "grant readiness" from a vague, stressful idea into a clear, checkable to-do list. It's also a fantastic tool to bring to your board or share with a new development hire on day one.
Format: Fully editable Microsoft Word (.docx) document. Instructions included.
Why It's Worth It
One late night hunting for a document costs you more than this checklist. Most grant readiness "guides" hand you a vague list and wish you luck. This one is different:
It's genuinely comprehensive. 10 sections and 70+ specific items, covering everything from your 501(c)(3) letter to your SAM.gov registration to your board giving percentage. Nothing generic, nothing missing.
It's built to actually use. The On File / In Progress / Don't Have / N/A tracking system plus a Notes column means it's a working document, not a PDF you skim once and forget.
It's prioritized for you. Must-Have, Highly Recommended, and As Applicable labels tell you exactly where to start so you're not treating a fire inspection report like it's as urgent as your current-year budget.
It pays for itself the first time you use it. One organized grant folder means faster applications, fewer missed deadlines, and no more emergency emails to your finance director at 11 p.m.
Written by a grant professional who has seen every version of the deadline-day scramble, and built to make sure you never have another one.
You know that deadline-day scramble. The one where you're digging through three inboxes and a shared drive at 11 p.m. looking for your most recent 990, your board roster, and that one budget the funder wants "board-approved."
It doesn't have to be that way.
The Grant Readiness Checklist is the master list of every document, data point, and system that funders (foundations and government agencies alike) most commonly ask for. Work through it once, get your house in order, and you'll have everything organized and ready to pull from every single time you apply. No scrambling. No "I know we have that somewhere." No missed deadlines because a registration lapsed.
Inside, you'll find 10 organized sections covering the full picture of grant readiness:
Legal & Tax Foundation
Financial Health
Governance & Leadership
Organizational Policies
Mission, Programs & Impact
Strategic Positioning
Staff & Human Resources
Registrations & Online Profiles
Federal Grant Requirements
Systems & Organizational Readiness
Every section is labeled Must-Have, Highly Recommended, or As Applicable, so you know exactly what's non-negotiable and what depends on your organization's size and funding sources. A built-in tracking system lets you mark each item On File, In Progress, Don't Have, or N/A, with a Notes column to flag what needs attention and when.
Whether you're a brand-new nonprofit building your grant program from scratch or an established organization tightening up your operation, this checklist turns "grant readiness" from a vague, stressful idea into a clear, checkable to-do list. It's also a fantastic tool to bring to your board or share with a new development hire on day one.
Format: Fully editable Microsoft Word (.docx) document. Instructions included.
Why It's Worth It
One late night hunting for a document costs you more than this checklist. Most grant readiness "guides" hand you a vague list and wish you luck. This one is different:
It's genuinely comprehensive. 10 sections and 70+ specific items, covering everything from your 501(c)(3) letter to your SAM.gov registration to your board giving percentage. Nothing generic, nothing missing.
It's built to actually use. The On File / In Progress / Don't Have / N/A tracking system plus a Notes column means it's a working document, not a PDF you skim once and forget.
It's prioritized for you. Must-Have, Highly Recommended, and As Applicable labels tell you exactly where to start so you're not treating a fire inspection report like it's as urgent as your current-year budget.
It pays for itself the first time you use it. One organized grant folder means faster applications, fewer missed deadlines, and no more emergency emails to your finance director at 11 p.m.
Written by a grant professional who has seen every version of the deadline-day scramble, and built to make sure you never have another one.
