Grant application pack
Turn a rough idea into a fundable pack: theory of change, narrative, budget rationale, and evaluation plan.
When to use this project
Use this when you have a real funder, a real deadline, and a specific programme in mind — not for speculative "let's see what's out there" scans.
How to use AI in this project
AI drafts a theory of change, the narrative, a budget rationale, and an evaluation plan tailored to the funder's priorities. You supply the funder guidelines, your programme details, and the honest numbers. AI is a first-draft partner — every claim, cost, and outcome must be verified before submission.
AI tips for this project
- Paste the funder's published priorities directly into Step 2 — don't summarise them.
- Budget numbers come from your finance system, never from the AI.
- The theory of change should link inputs → outputs → outcomes → impact clearly.
- Evaluation plan must be something you can actually deliver, not a wishlist.
The 4 steps
- 01
Theory of change
From idea to change: what has to be true?
How to use AI here · Describe the problem, your programme, and the change you expect. Ask AI to draft a theory of change: inputs → activities → outputs → outcomes → impact, one line each, in the funder's language.- Test the assumptions with someone doing the work
- Name each outcome specifically enough to measure
- 02
Narrative
Grant writing without the buzzwords.
How to use AI here · Paste the funder's published priorities and word limits. Ask AI to draft the narrative section by section, staying tight to the word count and echoing the funder's language without pretending to be them.- A young person has approved any story used
- Check every number can be evidenced
- 03
Budget rationale
Not "how much" but "why".
How to use AI here · Paste your budget from finance. Ask AI to write a rationale for each budget line — why this cost, why this amount, what happens if funded partially. Never let AI invent a number.- Finance colleague has sense-checked totals
- Overheads are shown honestly, not hidden
- 04
Evaluation plan
How will we and the funder know it worked?
How to use AI here · Ask AI for an evaluation plan matched to your outcomes: what you'll measure, how, who collects it, how often, and how you'll report to the funder. Only include methods you can actually deliver.- Evaluation load is realistic for the team
- Young people are involved in interpreting findings