Foundations
Use this as a starting point when you need the same essential information from each person. Review the questions against your process before sharing your copy. Review “EIN / Tax ID” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Grant Application Form Template
Run a grant program without expensive grant management software. This form collects everything you need to evaluate an application: organization background, project plan, expected outcomes, requested amount, budget, and contact details — in one structured submission.
Free for non-commercial projects, with unlimited forms and responses.
Last updated
About this template
A grant application form is the front door to your funding program. The questions you ask determine the quality of applications you receive — and the wrong questions either let unqualified projects through or scare off the strong ones with unnecessary friction. The best grant forms ask for exactly enough to make a confident initial review, with the more detailed asks reserved for shortlisted applicants.
More about this template
This template is built around the structure that experienced grantmakers use. Organization basics (name, EIN, mission) establish credibility. Project details (description, goals, outcomes) show whether the work aligns with your funding priorities. Budget summary and amount requested let reviewers compare apples to apples across applications. Timeline fields surface whether the project is realistic and ready to launch. The primary contact section ensures you can follow up, which matters for the back-and-forth of a real grant review.
formformform makes grant applications free and unlimited, which matters for community grant programs and family foundations that don't have the budget for grant management software. Embed the form on your grant program page, link from your foundation website, or share with applicants via email. Every submission lands in your inbox immediately, where you can review individually or export the full set for committee evaluation. For programs that want a clean intake without paying for Submittable or SurveyMonkey Apply, it's a complete solution.
16 fields to make your own10 required in this starting form
Make it fit your workflow.
Use your own copy to change labels, remove questions and add the details you need. Try the preview alongside this guide to see what respondents will be asked.
The questions, explained
Fields in this template
Review the starting questions and choices. You can change them in your own copy.
Organization Name
Your nonprofit or group name
EIN / Tax ID
12-3456789
Organization Website
https://yourorg.org
Year Founded
2015
Organization Mission
In 2-3 sentences, what does your organization do?
Project Title
Short, descriptive name
Project Description
What is the project, who does it serve, and what problem does it address?
Goals and Expected Outcomes
What specific outcomes will this project achieve? How will you measure success?
Amount Requested (USD)
10000
Budget Summary
How will the funds be spent? Provide a high-level breakdown.
Project Start Date
Project End Date
Contact Name
Jane Smith
Title
Executive Director
Email
jane@yourorg.org
Phone
(555) 123-4567
Where it fits
Who uses this template
Suggested uses, and why this starting point can help. Adapt the questions to your own process.
Community grant programs
Give people a straightforward way to get involved, while collecting the context needed to coordinate the work and follow up. Review “Organization Website” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Corporate giving teams
Replace scattered requests with a consistent starting point. The answers help you understand the work, identify gaps and prepare a follow-up. Review “Year Founded” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Nonprofit funders
Give people a straightforward way to get involved, while collecting the context needed to coordinate the work and follow up. Review “Organization Mission” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Local government
Use this as a starting point when you need the same essential information from each person. Review the questions against your process before sharing your copy. Review “Project Title” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Religious organizations
Gather the details needed before making arrangements. Consistent answers help you spot special requirements and prepare the next step. Review “Project Description” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
School foundations
Give participants a clear set of questions and keep the information together, making it easier to prepare, respond and follow up. Review “Goals and Expected Outcomes” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Family foundations
Use this as a starting point when you need the same essential information from each person. Review the questions against your process before sharing your copy. Review “Amount Requested (USD)” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
What's included
Organization identification and mission fields
Detailed project description and outcomes
Requested amount and budget summary
Project timeline fields
Primary contact section
Free with unlimited applications
Embeds on a grant program landing page
How to create a grant application form
- 1
Click "Use this template" to add the grant application form to your free formformform account.
- 2
Customize the questions to match your funding priorities — add fields for your specific focus areas, geographic scope, or eligibility criteria.
- 3
Update the budget question to reflect your typical grant size range.
- 4
Add a hidden field for the funding cycle or program name if you run multiple grant programs.
- 5
Set notifications to your grant committee or program officer inbox so applications are reviewed promptly.
- 6
Publish and embed — drop the form on your grant program page or share the link in your application announcement.
Best practices for your grant application form
Keep the form proportional to the grant size
small grants should have short applications. Asking for 20 pages of materials for a $1,000 grant scares off the small organizations you want to fund.
Be specific about what you fund
list eligibility criteria and focus areas before the application starts. It saves both sides time.
Ask about outcomes, not just activities
the strongest applications describe specific, measurable changes the project will create.
Use staged applications
for larger programs, start with a short letter of inquiry and only invite full applications from shortlisted projects.
Confirm receipt
applicants are nervous. A quick confirmation email or message after submission goes a long way.
Communicate decisions promptly
applicants are waiting. Set a clear decision date in advance and stick to it.
Frequently asked questions
Is this grant application form free?
Yes. You can collect unlimited grant applications for free, with no trial period and no credit card required.
Can applicants attach supporting documents?
Yes. formformform does have file upload: it is a section in the form editor, up to 2 MB per file. Add an Upload field in the editor and applicants can attach financials, letters of support and governing documents with the application rather than in a second round of email. Grant applications often carry commercially sensitive material, so consider turning encryption on before the form opens: the setting belongs to the form and locks once the first application arrives. With it on, the applicant's browser encrypts each file before it leaves their machine and the server stores only ciphertext — the real filename lives inside the encrypted blob. Encrypted files run about a third heavier, so tell applicants the practical ceiling is nearer 1.4 MB than the full 2 MB.
Can I customize this for my specific grant program?
Absolutely. Edit, add, or remove questions to match your program's focus areas, funding criteria, and required information.
Can I export applications for committee review?
Yes. All submissions can be exported from your dashboard as a CSV, ready to share with a review committee or import into a spreadsheet for scoring.
Can I send applications to a grants management system?
Yes. Use the webhook feature to push each submission into Submittable, Foundant, GivingData, or any tool that accepts incoming webhooks.
Can I run multiple grant cycles with different forms?
Yes. Duplicate the template for each program or cycle, customize the questions, and use separate forms to keep applications organized.
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