Grant Readiness
Self-Assessment
Eleven questions. Five minutes. A clear picture of where you stand before you invest time in an application.
Before you start writing, start here.
One of the most common reasons grant applications fail is not poor writing — it is applying before the organisation or the project is genuinely ready. This assessment helps you work out which side of that line you are on, right now.
Answer each question honestly. A no is not a disqualification. It is a planning task — and knowing about it before you apply saves significant time and protects your relationship with the funder for when you are ready.
The results guide at the bottom of the page will help you interpret your answers and decide on next steps.
This assessment is designed primarily for incorporated nonprofits and community organisations. If you are a purpose-led business, social enterprise, or unincorporated group, some questions may not apply — use your judgement and focus on what is relevant to your situation.
Answer yes or no to each question
Work through each group, then scroll down to read your results.
What your answers mean
Find the pattern that best describes your answers. If you fall between two, read both — the more cautious interpretation is usually the more useful one.
Your organisation is in a strong position to apply. The remaining step is matching your project to the right funder and investing time in a well-structured application. This is where strategic grant writing and funder research will have the most impact — if you would like support at this stage, that is exactly what we do.
You have work to do before you apply, and knowing that now is far more useful than finding out after submitting. A no on funder alignment or project design is a signal to pause, not push through. Applying before you are ready risks a rejection that can affect how this funder views future applications from your organisation. The full Grant Readiness Checklist will help you identify exactly what to address.
These are application stoppers. Outstanding acquittals are checked by funders and will disqualify an application before it is read. Financial instability raises serious flags at assessment. Address these before applying to anything — if you are unsure how to approach either issue, a conversation before you invest time in an application is time well spent.
The full Grant Readiness Checklist covers every document, system, and piece of evidence funders expect — organised section by section, with notes on what each one signals to an assessor. It is the working document to use once you have confirmed you are ready to apply. Get in touch to receive a copy.
"Grant readiness is not about perfection. It is about knowing where you stand, closing the gaps you can, and making purposeful decisions about the rest."Dr Jess Hodgson — Founder, Keystone Impact Solutions
How Keystone Impact Solutions can help
Whether you need to build your readiness from the ground up, or you are ready to apply and want a strategic partner, there is a way to work together that fits where you are right now.
Grant Readiness Review
A structured assessment of your organisation's grant readiness, with a clear action plan and prioritised gaps. Useful before your first application or after a difficult run of rejections.
Grant Strategy and Writing
From funder identification and application strategy through to a submission-ready application — built around your project, not a template.
Full Readiness Document Build
Work through the complete Grant Readiness Checklist with support to create, update, or consolidate every document funders expect to see.
Ongoing Grants Partnership
Retained strategic support for organisations with an active grants program — covering pipeline management, strategy, writing, and acquittals.