How Grant Selection Panels Evaluate Applications (Full Breakdown for Entrepreneurs)
Grant selection panels are made up of experts who review thousands of applications and choose the most credible, feasible, and impactful businesses to fund.
Grant selection panels are made up of experts who review thousands of applications and choose the most credible, feasible, and impactful businesses to fund.
Understanding how they think, what they look for, and why some applicants get rejected will significantly increase your chances of winning any grant.
This guide breaks down the exact criteria panels use — from your idea, business model, financials, and traction, to your readiness and credibility.
1. Eligibility Screening (First Filter)
Before your application ever reaches the panel, the grant team performs a basic compliance check.
They verify:
✔ Do you meet the age requirement?
✔ Is your business location eligible?
✔ Are your documents correct?
✔ Is your CAC registration valid?
✔ Did you fill the form correctly?
✔ Are you within their sector focus?
80% of applicants are screened out here because of small mistakes like
– wrong age,
– wrong country,
– missing documents,
– wrong email,
– not answering questions properly.
This is a YES/NO stage — no human emotions involved.
2. Quality of Your Application Answers
If you pass the first filter, the selection panel begins assessing how well you communicate your business.
They check:
⭐ Clarity
Do they understand what you do in two sentences?
⭐ Relevance
Did you answer the question asked — or did you “copy & paste”?
⭐ Logic
Does your business description make sense?
⭐ Structure
Is your writing organized and easy to read?
⭐ Originality
Is your application unique, or does it look like you copied examples online?
Panels LOVE:
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Simple English
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Clear sentences
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Real examples
-
Practical explanations
They HATE:
3. Understanding of the Business Model
The panel will ask:
✔ Can this business really work in real life?
✔ Is the idea solving a real problem?
✔ Does the model show sustainability?
They check:
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Who you serve (Target market)
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Your value proposition
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Your pricing
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Your revenue model
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Your go-to-market strategy
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Your competitive advantage
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How you plan to grow
They are looking for BUSINESS SENSE, not perfection.
4. Traction & Evidence (VERY IMPORTANT!)
Panelists love evidence, not stories.
They look for:
Even small traction is better than no traction.
A business with ₦20,000 monthly sales and proof can beat a business claiming ₦2,000,000 with no proof.
5. Market Opportunity
Panels check if:
✔ Your market is big enough
✔ Your customers can afford your product
✔ Your location supports your business
✔ Your competition is realistic
If your idea is targeted at “everyone,” it’s a red flag.
They want specific answers like:
-
“Women aged 25–45 who work full-time.”
-
“Farmers in Ogun State growing maize.”
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“Photographers who need equipment on demand.”
Precision wins.
6. Impact Evaluation (Especially for NGOs & Development Grants)
They ask:
✔ How many jobs will this business create?
✔ How will the grant help your community?
✔ What social problem are you solving?
✔ Does the business empower women or youth?
✔ Does the business support SDGs?
This is why TEF, GIZ, BOI, and other funders love:
-
Agriculture
-
Education
-
Youth empowerment
-
Digital skills
-
Green economy
-
Women-led businesses
7. Financial Reasonableness
They review:
✔ Are your financial projections realistic?
✔ Is your pricing logical?
✔ Are your expenses sensible?
✔ Will the money make an actual difference?
Red flags:
-
Fake numbers
-
Overinflated revenue
-
Unrealistic projections
-
Zero cost explanation
Panels love:
8. Grant Utilization Plan (How You Will Spend the Money)
Funders want to know:
✔ How SPECIFIC is your budget?
✔ Is the money going to productive assets?
✔ Will your business grow after funding?
Example:
Good:
“₦600,000 for equipment, ₦150,000 for marketing, ₦150,000 for raw materials.”
Bad:
“I will use it to support the business.”
Never submit a vague budget.
How Grant Selection Panels Evaluate Applications
9. Team Capacity & Founder Strength
Panelists evaluate YOU — the entrepreneur.
They ask:
⭐ Do you understand your business?
⭐ Do you sound confident and informed?
⭐ Do you have relevant skills or experience?
⭐ Are you committed to growth?
⭐ Can you manage funding responsibly?
Panels want founders with:
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Passion
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Knowledge
-
Skills
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Structure
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Leadership
You don’t need a big team — just competence.
10. Risk Assessment
Every grant panel evaluates risk:
✔ Is this business likely to misuse funds?
✔ Will the business still exist in 6–12 months?
✔ Is the founder transparent?
✔ Are the documents authentic?
✔ Is this business susceptible to fraud?
Funders prefer:
11. Due Diligence Verification
If you scale through initial scoring, they move into due diligence:
They verify:
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CAC
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TIN
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BVN / NIN
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Bank statements
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Business location
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Inventory
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Photos
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Social media
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Customer proof
This is where many applicants fail.
⭐ How Grant Panels Score Applications (Typical Formula)
Most panels use a scoring sheet like this:
| Category |
Weight |
| Eligibility |
10% |
| Application Quality |
20% |
| Business Model |
20% |
| Market Opportunity |
10% |
| Impact |
15% |
| Financials |
10% |
| Founder Strength |
10% |
| Risk Assessment |
5% |
Final score determines if you get the approval.
12 Proven Ways to Impress Any Grant Selection Panel
-
Write clearly and simply.
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Give real examples, not theory.
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Show proof of business activity.
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Provide correct, consistent documents.
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Be realistic with your financial projections.
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Highlight your impact and job creation.
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Provide a structured business plan.
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Use numbers to back your claims.
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Show that you understand your customers.
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Demonstrate how the grant will help you grow.
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Keep your online presence active.
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Sound confident and knowledgeable.
How Grant Selection Panels Evaluate Applications
AUTHOR BIO
Written by Dayo Adetiloye — Business Development Expert, Certified BDSP, Grant Strategist & Founder of Dayo Adetiloye Business Hub (DABH).
Dayo Adetiloye is a highly respected entrepreneur, business coach, and funding expert with over a decade of experience supporting SMEs across Nigeria and Africa. As a Certified Business Development Service Provider (BDSP) and founder of Dayo Adetiloye Business Hub, he has helped thousands of entrepreneurs access grants, loans, business plans, and capacity-building opportunities that grow sustainable businesses.
He is a partner with leading development organizations, including GIZ-SEDIN ICSS and the Ogun State Government, and has trained hundreds of entrepreneurs in business model development, investment readiness, marketing, and access-to-finance strategies. His high-impact work spans agribusiness, digital entrepreneurship, youth empowerment, and venture development.
Dayo is also a writer, speaker, and consultant known for breaking down complex funding processes into simple, practical steps that help business owners succeed. Through DABH, he provides business plans, feasibility studies, proposals, pitch decks, and grant application support to startups and SMEs.
When he’s not supporting entrepreneurs, Dayo develops youth empowerment programs, builds digital training systems, and leads transformative community development initiatives.
Connect with Dayo:
Website: www.dayoadetiloye.com
Instagram: @dayoadetiloye
LinkedIn: Dayo Adetiloye
Email: dayoadetiloye@gmail.com
Call/WhatsApp: +2348060779290
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