Documents Creators Needs Prepped To Apply For Every Grant
Your grant essentials checklist (so you’re always deadline-ready)
On a recent live stream, we talked about how flexible you have to be when pursuing grants.
Sometimes you’ll have weeks to prepare. Other times, you’ll stumble upon the perfect grant due within 24–48 hours.
Legit, this happened to me a few weeks ago.
I found a grant due in eight hours - IT WAS GO TIME!
I’m happy to report I got selected for the second round, but ultimately didn’t receive funding.
This is why being “grant-ready” is sooo important.
With a handful of core documents already prepped, you can apply quickly, without too much of a last-minute scramble.
In this guide, we’ll start with the most common documents grant funders typically ask for, and we’ll wrap up with some extra credit prep.
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1. Master Document With Answers to Common Grant Questions
Nearly every grant asks the same handful of questions:
Who are you? (your bio + background)
What are you working on?
How does your work impact your community?
Draft polished responses and store them in a master Q&A document to save yourself time. Then, when you find a grant, you can tweak and tailor it to align with funder priorities.
👉🏾 Inside our Grant Application Planner Bundle, you’ll get a dozen ready-to-go grant question prompts to help you practice and refine your answers. Plus, the color-coded spreadsheet we use to track every single submission. Grab yours for $9 today!
2. A 1-Minute Pitch Video
Optional doesn’t really mean optional.
I learned this tip from experienced grant writer Melissa Wetzel, CFRE, during the Grant Writing 101 workshop.
More funders are asking for short pitch videos to put a face to the name.
Keep a 1-minute video (or at least a video script) ready where you share:
Your story
Who you are
What you do
Who you serve
Why your work matters
How you will use the funds
That way, if a video is requested, you can record it or upload it in record time.
Helpful Tip: Be mindful of any outdated facts, figures, or data you may have mentioned that need updating.
Lastly, always review your pitch video before you submit a grant application. With a critical eye, consider ways you can improve.
Read Next: 6 Types of Funding Opportunities Every Creator Should Know About
3. Updated Resume (Or Portfolio)
Many fellowships and residencies want to see your professional history.
Keep an updated resume that highlights:
Creative projects
Awards, grant wins, press, or recognition
Relevant experience that connects to your creative work
If you’re an artist, writer, or video/audio creator, have a sample portfolio ready to showcase your best work.
Nice-to-Have Documents
1. Budget
Knowing how much you realistically need to fund a project, program, or day-to-day operations is always a good idea.
A detailed line-item budget shows exactly how you’ll use the grant funds.
Funders want to see that your project expenses align with the goals and activities outlined in your proposal.
Even if a grant doesn’t ask for one, having a draft budget ready makes you more organized and increases your chances of success.
2. Letters of Recommendation
Some funders ask for letters of recommendation from mentors, collaborators, or community partners.
Although these are less common in the creative space, it doesn’t hurt to start building relationships and asking early.
Final Thoughts
Getting “grant ready” isn’t about perfection. It’s about preparing now, so you’re less stressed, especially when a last-minute opportunity comes your way — because it will!
The grant landscape is fast-paced and unpredictable.
All I want is for more creatives and creators to claim a slice of the funding pie.
Oh man, these are SO helpful!! Thank you Danielle!👏🏽👏🏽