Grant writing client intake form & missing-documents checklist
Send this at kickoff with every new grant client. It collects the organization profile once, tracks the documents every application needs, and the inputs this application needs, each with an owner and a due date.
Free. No email, no sign-up. Example rows are fictional; delete them.
Part B: Every application (collect once, refresh yearly)
✓
Item
Why we need it
Owner
Due
☐
IRS determination letter (501(c)(3))
Proves tax-exempt status; most funders ask for it
☐
EIN and UEI (SAM.gov) numbers
Required on nearly every form; UEI for federal money
☐
Latest Form 990 or audited financials
Funders check finances; some require an audit above a revenue level
☐
Board list with affiliations
Shows governance; often a required attachment
☐
Current organizational budget
Needed for organization-budget fields and ratios
☐
Approved mission paragraph
So every application uses the same wording
☐
Key staff bios (ED, program lead, finance)
Capacity questions and attachments
☐
Logo and photo permissions
For reports and some applications
Part C: This application
✓
Item
Why we need it
Owner
Due
☐
Program budget inputs (staff %, costs, other funding)
Builds the project budget and narrative
☐
Outcome numbers with their sources
Every claim needs a number someone can verify
☐
Letters of support / MOUs
Partners need 2–3 weeks to sign
☐
Who signs and who submits (portal login)
Avoids a deadline-day login problem
☐
Funder-specific attachments
From the funder's checklist or RFP
Kickoff email (copy and edit)
Subject: [Funder] application: what I need from you by [inputs-due date]
Hi [name],
Thanks for the kickoff. The [funder] deadline is [date], so I need the items below by [inputs-due date, about 10 business days earlier]. That leaves time for drafting, your review and sign-off.
[paste the open items from Parts B and C, with an owner for each]
If anything will be late, tell me early and we'll adjust the scope rather than rush.
Thanks,
[you]
Late-input reminder schedule
3 days before inputs are due: a friendly reminder listing what's still open.
On the inputs-due date: a reminder plus what happens if it's late (less time for review).
2 days after: a scope note: what you'll submit without the missing item, or which section gets shorter.
The scope note matters most. It turns “we're waiting on finance” into a decision the client makes on time, instead of a deadline-week scramble.
Tips
Keep Part B documents in one shared folder per client and ask for a refresh each year after the audit or 990 is done.
Never collect portal passwords by email. Ask to be added as a user on the funder portal, or use a password manager's sharing feature.
Put every inputs-due date in your grant calendar on day one.
Looking for funders for a client?
Our free funder search lists private foundations that funded organizations like your client's, from public IRS 990-PF filings. No account needed. You can also look up a foundation by name.
GrantCorral keeps this live across all your clients, with report reminders, post-award budget vs. actuals, and drafts where every fact links to its source. 10 founding-member spots: 60 days free on Consultant, no card required, then 50% off the first year if you stay. Details on the founding page.