Grant applications: the complete checklist
The 12 points no application should miss – drawn from real application practice, not theory. To tick off before every submission.
Most rejected applications don't fail for lack of talent but on avoidable formal mistakes: a misread condition, a PDF uploaded too late, a portfolio without a common thread. This checklist is split into three phases — before the application, the documents, before submitting.
Before the application
- ☐ Read the call twice: target group, age limits, residence requirement, discipline – does everything really fit? The most common reason for formal rejection is an overlooked requirement, not the quality of the work.
- ☐ Note the deadline + time zone – and plan a 5-day buffer (upload portals love to break down on the last day). Subscribing to the deadline calendar helps you miss nothing.
- ☐ Make a formalities list: page counts, file formats, maximum MB, language. Every call has different requirements — what worked for the last programme may not apply here.
The documents
- ☐ Portfolio: 8–15 curated works – a common thread beats completeness. Title, year, medium, dimensions for every work. (Portfolio guide)
- ☐ Portfolio link instead of a giant PDF, where allowed – more current, more professional, no upload limit.
- ☐ Artist statement: 3–5 sentences, concrete, no art-speak. Read it out loud – does it sound like you? (Statement guide)
- ☐ CV up to date + consistently formatted (exhibitions in chronological order, no gaps you'd have to explain). (CV guide)
- ☐ Project outline answers the 3 jury questions: What? Why now? Why you?
- ☐ Budget realistic + traceable (for project funding) – round fantasy figures stand out, and so do items with no visible connection to the project.
Before submitting
- ☐ All file names clean: lastname_title_2026.pdf instead of scan_final_FINAL2.pdf — looks more professional and helps the jury match your documents.
- ☐ Have someone else proofread – blind spots are real, especially in your own statement.
- ☐ Archive the confirmation email + put the response date in your calendar.
The 3 most common mistakes in detail
- Starting too late. The strongest applications take two weeks, not two nights — plan time for a second opinion and for corrections.
- Not tailoring the portfolio to the call. The same 15 works rarely fit every programme equally well — a short check of which works match the funding focus pays off before every submission.
- Skimming the formal conditions. Residence, age limit, discipline — if you don't fit, you're sorted out regardless of the quality of your application, often before the content is even reviewed.
Frequently asked questions
How long before the deadline should I start?
At least two to three weeks for a complete application with portfolio, statement and CV — more if a project budget or project outline has to be written from scratch.
Do I have to build a completely new portfolio for every application?
Not from scratch, but the selection should fit the specific call — the same 15 works in a different order or with a different emphasis are often enough.
What if a condition in the call is unclear?
Ask the funder before investing time in a possibly unsuitable application — most funders answer short, specific questions by email.
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