Funding Readiness Checklist

Are you ready to apply, ask, or pitch?

You don’t need everything perfect — but you do need the basics in place.

Core Information (Required)

☐ Organization/market overview
☐ Clear mission and purpose
☐ Primary contact person
☐ Basic budget or use-of-funds explanation

Sponsorship-Specific Readiness

☐ Sponsorship package (full or 1-page lite)
☐ Defined sponsorship levels or ranges
☐ “Choose Your Impact” initiative list
☐ Sponsor recognition plan

Grant / Corporate Application Readiness

☐ Program descriptions you can reuse
☐ Community impact language
☐ Alignment language (health, economy, sustainability, etc.)
☐ Reporting and accountability explanation

Internal Alignment (Often Skipped — Very Important)

☐ Board / leadership approval of sponsor list
☐ Clear process for accepting funds
☐ Tax receipt process established
☐ Tracking system (spreadsheet or CRM)

Capacity Check (Be Honest)

☐ Can you fulfill recognition promises?
☐ Can you send thank-you and impact emails?
☐ Can you track deadlines and reporting?

If yes → proceed
If not → scale back, simplify, then proceed

Being ready matters more than being ambitious.

Find Your Next Step With These Links