# Grant submission checklist: 32 checks in four gates

Run the gates in order. Do not open a later gate while an earlier one has an
open item. Passing every check cannot guarantee an award; it means the
proposal will be judged on its content instead of rejected on mechanics.

## Gate 1: Compliance (start the day you decide to apply)

- [ ] 1. Organization type matches the funder's eligibility terms, verified on the live opportunity page
- [ ] 2. Geographic and population restrictions are met, confirmed rather than assumed
- [ ] 3. SAM.gov registration and UEI are active (federal), or the funder portal account exists and works (foundation)
- [ ] 4. The person submitting has the authority and the credentials to submit
- [ ] 5. Every required registration was tested with a real login this week
- [ ] 6. Every required form is present, in the current version from the live opportunity
- [ ] 7. Every required attachment is present, in the requested file format
- [ ] 8. Page, word, and character limits are met using the funder's counting method
- [ ] 9. Formatting rules (font, margins, spacing, file naming) are followed exactly
- [ ] 10. The deadline is recorded with its time zone, and the internal deadline sits at least 48 hours earlier

## Gate 2: Coherence (one story across every document)

- [ ] 11. The total request is identical everywhere it appears
- [ ] 12. Every budget line traces to an activity described in the narrative
- [ ] 13. Staffing named in the narrative appears in the budget at the same effort levels
- [ ] 14. The timeline matches the activity dates in the narrative and the budget period
- [ ] 15. The logic model, if included, uses the same numbers as the narrative
- [ ] 16. The evaluation plan measures the outcomes the narrative promises
- [ ] 17. Beneficiary counts are consistent across every document
- [ ] 18. No document contradicts the organization's public filings or website

## Gate 3: Evidence (every claim can be traced)

- [ ] 19. Every statistic has a source, a date, and a working citation
- [ ] 20. Need data is current and describes the actual service area
- [ ] 21. Outcome claims from past programs trace to your own records
- [ ] 22. Letters of support are current, signed, and address this program
- [ ] 23. Boilerplate (mission, history, financials) is updated to the current year
- [ ] 24. Quotes and participant stories have documented consent
- [ ] 25. No claim promises an outcome the program design cannot support

## Gate 4: Copy (the last-mile check)

- [ ] 26. The funder's name is correct everywhere, including reused text
- [ ] 27. No placeholder text, tracked changes, or comments remain in any file
- [ ] 28. Sections appear in the order the funder requested
- [ ] 29. The funder's own vocabulary is used for their headings and terms
- [ ] 30. Acronyms are spelled out at first use
- [ ] 31. One person who did not write the proposal has read it end to end
- [ ] 32. File names are final, clean, and follow any naming instructions

## After submission

- Save the confirmation number, timestamp, and receipt email in the grant record
- Archive the exact files submitted, in a folder named with the date
- Record who submitted, when, and under which portal account