Inside the Mind of a Grant Reviewer: What Assessors Actually Look For

Last month, I had coffee with Sarah Mitchell, a former Arts Council assessor who's reviewed over 2,000 grant applications in her career. What she told me completely changed how I think about grant writing.

"Most applicants think we're looking for perfection. Actually, we're looking for honesty, clarity, and evidence that you understand your own limitations. The applications that try to oversell themselves usually fail."

This insight sparked a deeper investigation. Over the past three months, I've interviewed grant assessors from major UK funding bodies—the Arts Council, National Lottery Community Fund, Innovate UK, and several charitable foundations. Their candid revelations about the assessment process offer invaluable guidance for anyone preparing an application.

The Reality of Assessment: A Day in the Life

Before diving into what assessors want, it's crucial to understand their working reality. Most people imagine grant reviewers as academic figures leisurely pondering applications over tea. The truth is far more intense.

"People don't realise the time pressure we're under," explains David Chen, who assesses technology innovation grants. "If your application isn't immediately clear and compelling, we simply don't have time to dig deeper. You get one chance to make your case."

The First 90 Seconds: Make or Break Time

Every assessor I spoke with mentioned the critical importance of the opening moments of their review. Within 90 seconds of opening your application, they've formed a preliminary impression that significantly influences their detailed evaluation.

What Creates a Positive First Impression:

Marina Rodriguez, who evaluates community grants, shared a particularly revealing observation: "I can usually tell within the first paragraph whether an organisation has done their homework on our priorities. Generic applications that could be sent to any funder are an immediate turn-off."

The Unwritten Evaluation Criteria

While funding bodies publish detailed assessment criteria, assessors revealed several 'unwritten rules' that significantly influence their scoring:

1. The Authenticity Test

"We can spot applications written by consultants from a mile away," says James Wilson, a heritage fund assessor. "They're technically perfect but lack the passion and genuine understanding that comes from organisations speaking in their own voice."

Assessors consistently favour applications that demonstrate authentic understanding of the issues, even if the writing isn't perfect. They're looking for evidence that the applicant truly knows their community, beneficiaries, or sector.

2. The Implementation Reality Check

Beyond assessing whether projects are theoretically sound, experienced assessors evaluate whether organisations can actually deliver what they're proposing.

"The best applications tell a story about how they'll handle the inevitable challenges. When someone presents a project with no potential problems, I know they haven't thought it through properly." - Emma Thompson, Education Grant Assessor

3. The Sustainability Mindset

Even for one-off project grants, assessors are increasingly looking for evidence of long-term thinking. They want to fund organisations that will continue making an impact beyond the grant period.

The Budget Assessment: More Than Just Numbers

Every assessor emphasised that budget evaluation goes far beyond checking arithmetic. They're looking for evidence of strategic thinking and realistic planning.

What Assessors Really Look For in Budgets:

• Proportionality: Staff costs typically shouldn't exceed 60-70% of project budgets
• Contingency Planning: Evidence that you've thought about potential cost variations
• Value for Money: Not cheapest option, but best outcomes per pound spent
• Match Funding Strategy: Clear plan for securing any required co-funding
• Hidden Costs: Acknowledgment of indirect costs and organisational overheads

"The worst budgets are those rounded to nice numbers with no supporting detail," notes Rachel Green, who assesses social enterprise grants. "It immediately signals that no real planning has been done."

Panel Discussions: The Hidden Stage

Most applicants focus entirely on impressing individual assessors, not realising that panel discussions often determine final outcomes. Understanding this process can significantly improve your chances.

How Panel Discussions Work:

"Panel discussions are where context becomes crucial," explains Michael Davies, a strategic grants assessor. "We're not just looking at individual project quality, but how the whole funding round supports our strategic objectives."

What Gets Applications Championed in Panels:

• Clear alignment with current strategic priorities
• Potential for significant impact relative to investment
• Strong likelihood of success and replication
• Diversity of approach or beneficiary group
• Evidence of innovation or best practice

Common Misconceptions Debunked

My conversations revealed several widespread misconceptions about grant assessment:

Assessor Advice: Direct Quotes

Here are the most valuable pieces of advice directly from the assessors themselves:

The Post-Decision Process

Understanding what happens after decisions provides insight into the assessment mindset. Successful applicants often receive detailed feedback and ongoing support, while unsuccessful ones get brief explanations.

"We want our funded projects to succeed," emphasises Emma Thompson. "The assessment process is as much about identifying organisations we can support effectively as it is about comparing project proposals."

Why This Matters for Your Application:

• Demonstrate capacity to learn and adapt
• Show willingness to engage with funder guidance
• Present realistic monitoring and evaluation plans
• Indicate openness to collaboration and knowledge sharing

Practical Application: The 5-Minute Test

Based on assessor feedback, here's a simple test to evaluate your application before submission:

Looking Forward: Trends in Assessment

Assessors identified several trends shaping future evaluation processes:

• Increased Focus on Equity: Projects must demonstrate inclusive design and accessible outcomes
• Climate Considerations: Environmental impact increasingly influences decisions across all sectors
• Digital Integration: Understanding of digital tools and online engagement expected
• Evidence Standards: Higher expectations for robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks
• Collaborative Approaches: Preference for applications showing partnership and co-design

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Perhaps the most important insight from these conversations is that grant assessors genuinely want to fund great projects. They're not looking for reasons to reject applications—they're hoping each one will be the solution to problems they care about solving.

The key is making their job easier by presenting your case clearly, honestly, and compellingly. Understanding their perspective—the time pressures, evaluation framework, and decision-making process—gives you a significant advantage in crafting applications that succeed.