Guides
How Grant Eligibility Works
Eligibility is the first filter every funder applies. It is usually binary: you either meet the rule or the application is set aside before anyone reads your narrative.
The criteria funders use most
- Organization type — business, nonprofit, individual, institution
- Registration and legal status, with documentation
- Location, sometimes down to a specific region or district
- Sector or cause area
- Size limits by employees, revenue or budget
- Purpose of the funding and allowable costs
- Timing — the project period must fall inside the funding window
Hard rules versus scoring factors
Hard rules disqualify you outright. Scoring factors decide who wins among eligible applicants. Read the guidelines twice: once for the rules you must satisfy, once for what the assessors are told to reward.
How to check before you apply
- Open the official guidelines from the funder, not a third-party summary
- Confirm each hard rule against your own documents
- Note anything ambiguous and ask the funder's contact directly
- Record the answer so you do not repeat the research next cycle
How GrantBridge helps
The Grant Finder shows the published eligibility summary and links to the official source for every opportunity. The readiness check highlights the documents you would need. Neither replaces the funder's own guidelines, which always take precedence.
Frequently asked questions
Next step
GrantBridge does not guarantee grant approval or funding. Funding decisions are made by the respective funders.