The eight things to check before you spend a single hour on an application.
Most wasted effort in grant seeking comes from starting an application before reading the listing closely. Check these in order and stop as soon as one says "no".
Look for your organization type (for example 501(c)(3) nonprofit, church, school, unit of government). If the listing says "other" or "see full announcement", open the full announcement. A grant open to "nonprofits" may still require a certain size, age or location.
Note the exact date and time. Many funders close at a specific hour in their own time zone. Plan to submit days early, because online systems get busy and registrations take time.
Read what is allowed and what is not. Some funders pay for programs but not equipment, or pay only after you spend the money (reimbursement).
A $5 million program with 15 awards is very different from $50,000 spread across 200. Match the size to your budget and track record: large federal awards often expect experience managing large grants.
Some grants require you to contribute part of the cost, in cash or sometimes in-kind (volunteer time, donated space). If you can't meet it, skip it.
Federal grants usually require registrations that take time (see our guide on federal registration). Make a list of required attachments early.
If scoring criteria are listed, write your application to answer them in the same order.
Most listings name a contact. A short, specific question ("Is a church-run food pantry an eligible applicant?") is welcome and can save weeks.
It is completely fine to decide not to apply. Passing on a poor fit is a good use of limited time. FundLuma's Application tracker has a "Not pursuing" stage for exactly this.
General information reviewed October 2026. Not legal, tax or accounting advice.