LookFundings · Practical funding guide
Grant application readiness: a practical checklist for startups and SMEs
You do not need a finished application to assess funding fit. Start with a clear project objective, an honest description of your current stage, the work you want to fund and a realistic budget. Distinguish evidence you already have from assumptions you still need to test.
1. Describe a project, not just a company
Our suggested starting point is a short paragraph explaining the customer problem, your proposed solution, what already exists and what the funded work would change. Separate the company's long-term ambition from the specific activities in this project. For example, ‘build a prototype and test it with two pilot customers’ is more assessable than ‘grow internationally’.
2. Make the current stage verifiable
List what is already built, tested or sold. Attach or reference relevant evidence: prototype results, pilot feedback, contracts, demonstrations or technical reports. If you use a Technology Readiness Level, explain why the evidence supports it. Do not increase the claimed maturity simply because a call asks for a higher level.
3. Connect work, people and costs
We recommend a simple working budget before committing to an application. It is a planning tool, not a substitute for the call's required financial template.
- Break the work into activities and tangible outputs.
- Identify who will deliver each activity and whether partners are needed.
- Estimate staff time, equipment, external services and other relevant costs.
- Separate project cost from the grant requested and your own contribution.
- Check how the company would fund costs before reimbursements arrive.
4. Keep a small evidence folder
A useful first assessment package includes a pitch deck or project summary, company country and size, team roles or LinkedIn links, current product stage, estimated budget and intended timeline. Mark uncertain figures as estimates. Do not send passwords, financial account details or sensitive personal information. Share confidential documents only through an agreed process.
5. Test the opportunity before writing
Read the actual call documents and evaluation criteria before drafting. The Commission explains that application procedures vary by management mode and each call has its own requirements. Our advice: maintain a checklist of mandatory conditions, required attachments and unresolved questions, then ask the organiser about ambiguities before committing substantial preparation effort.
How LookFundings can help
Our free assessment accepts either a short questionnaire or a PDF pitch deck with an optional written explanation. We use your project information to assess potential funding routes. You can then decide whether to engage our experts for application preparation; completing the assessment does not oblige you to buy a service.
Official sources & editorial approach
Sources checked on 5 October 2026. Programme facts link to official sources below; practical checklists are LookFundings guidance. This is not a call-specific eligibility decision. The latest official call documents take precedence.
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