Grant proposal template: a form applicants can fill from a link

Applications arrive as PDFs, emails and letters of every shape, and comparing them takes longer than reading them. I would rather ask everyone the same questions. One link, one set of answers, one sheet to score from.

How it works

Applicants name their group, a lead contact and the type of organisation.
They describe the project, the need and who will benefit.
They state the amount requested, the timeline and other funding.
They give outcomes, how they will measure them and a budget link, then confirm the details.

A short sample chat

An applicant's AI might ask: "What is the project in one paragraph?" Then "How much are you requesting?" Then "How will you measure success?" It shows every answer and sends only after a yes. See agent-fillable forms.

Good to know

The form does not check eligibility, registration or finances, so do that in your own review. It asks for no tax or registration numbers. This is a form, not legal advice. Ask a professional to check wording that has legal weight. Browse forms for nonprofits. Smaller funds can use a scholarship application, and groups seeking helpers can use a volunteer application form.

Questions

Can applicants attach a budget file?

No, the form takes no uploads. It has a link field instead, so applicants share a budget from a document they host. Open the link during review and ask for access if it is locked.

How do I compare applications fairly?

Every applicant answers the same questions. Download the CSV and score each row against your criteria in a spreadsheet. The form itself does not score.

Can I close applications on a set date?

Yes. Set close_at to your deadline and the form stops taking applications. Add max_responses if you also want a cap on how many you read.

Or paste the JSON

Give this to your AI. It needs the AI Form API MCP server or an API key. It makes the form and sends you the link.

text

Create this form with the AI Form API create_form tool (or POST https://aiformapi.com/v1/forms with my API key). Then reply with the public_url.

{
  "title": "Apply for a grant",
  "description": "Please answer every question in plain words. Share your budget as a link, since we cannot receive files here.",
  "fields": [
    {
      "id": "organisation_name",
      "label": "Name of your organisation",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 200
    },
    {
      "id": "organisation_type",
      "label": "Type of organisation",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "options": [
        "Registered charity",
        "School",
        "Community group",
        "Faith group",
        "Sports club",
        "Informal group"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "lead_contact",
      "label": "Lead contact",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 150
    },
    {
      "id": "lead_email",
      "label": "Lead contact's email",
      "type": "email",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "id": "lead_phone",
      "label": "Lead contact's phone",
      "type": "phone"
    },
    {
      "id": "project_title",
      "label": "Project title",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 200
    },
    {
      "id": "project_summary",
      "label": "In a short paragraph, what is the project?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 1500
    },
    {
      "id": "need_addressed",
      "label": "What need or problem does it address?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1500
    },
    {
      "id": "people_benefiting",
      "label": "How many people will benefit?",
      "type": "number",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 1000000
    },
    {
      "id": "amount_requested",
      "label": "Amount you are asking for",
      "type": "number",
      "required": true,
      "min": 1,
      "max": 10000000
    },
    {
      "id": "other_funding",
      "label": "Other funding for this project",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "options": [
        "Already secured",
        "Applied for",
        "None yet"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "project_start",
      "label": "Planned start date",
      "type": "date"
    },
    {
      "id": "project_end",
      "label": "Planned end date",
      "type": "date"
    },
    {
      "id": "expected_outcomes",
      "label": "What will change because of this project?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1500
    },
    {
      "id": "how_measured",
      "label": "How will you measure success?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1000
    },
    {
      "id": "budget_link",
      "label": "Link to your budget",
      "type": "url",
      "help": "Share a document the reviewers can open."
    },
    {
      "id": "details_accurate",
      "label": "I confirm the information in this application is accurate",
      "type": "checkbox",
      "required": true
    }
  ]
}

Or call the API

bash

curl -X POST https://aiformapi.com/v1/forms \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AIFORMAPI_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"title":"Apply for a grant","description":"Please answer every question in plain words. Share your budget as a link, since we cannot receive files here.","fields":[{"id":"organisation_name","label":"Name of your organisation","type":"short_text","required":true,"max_length":200},{"id":"organisation_type","label":"Type of organisation","type":"single_choice","options":["Registered charity","School","Community group","Faith group","Sports club","Informal group"]},{"id":"lead_contact","label":"Lead contact","type":"short_text","required":true,"max_length":150},{"id":"lead_email","label":"Lead contact'\''s email","type":"email","required":true},{"id":"lead_phone","label":"Lead contact'\''s phone","type":"phone"},{"id":"project_title","label":"Project title","type":"short_text","required":true,"max_length":200},{"id":"project_summary","label":"In a short paragraph, what is the project?","type":"long_text","required":true,"max_length":1500},{"id":"need_addressed","label":"What need or problem does it address?","type":"long_text","max_length":1500},{"id":"people_benefiting","label":"How many people will benefit?","type":"number","min":0,"max":1000000},{"id":"amount_requested","label":"Amount you are asking for","type":"number","required":true,"min":1,"max":10000000},{"id":"other_funding","label":"Other funding for this project","type":"single_choice","options":["Already secured","Applied for","None yet"]},{"id":"project_start","label":"Planned start date","type":"date"},{"id":"project_end","label":"Planned end date","type":"date"},{"id":"expected_outcomes","label":"What will change because of this project?","type":"long_text","max_length":1500},{"id":"how_measured","label":"How will you measure success?","type":"long_text","max_length":1000},{"id":"budget_link","label":"Link to your budget","type":"url","help":"Share a document the reviewers can open."},{"id":"details_accurate","label":"I confirm the information in this application is accurate","type":"checkbox","required":true}]}'

JSON definition

json

{
  "title": "Apply for a grant",
  "description": "Please answer every question in plain words. Share your budget as a link, since we cannot receive files here.",
  "fields": [
    {
      "id": "organisation_name",
      "label": "Name of your organisation",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 200
    },
    {
      "id": "organisation_type",
      "label": "Type of organisation",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "options": [
        "Registered charity",
        "School",
        "Community group",
        "Faith group",
        "Sports club",
        "Informal group"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "lead_contact",
      "label": "Lead contact",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 150
    },
    {
      "id": "lead_email",
      "label": "Lead contact's email",
      "type": "email",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "id": "lead_phone",
      "label": "Lead contact's phone",
      "type": "phone"
    },
    {
      "id": "project_title",
      "label": "Project title",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 200
    },
    {
      "id": "project_summary",
      "label": "In a short paragraph, what is the project?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 1500
    },
    {
      "id": "need_addressed",
      "label": "What need or problem does it address?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1500
    },
    {
      "id": "people_benefiting",
      "label": "How many people will benefit?",
      "type": "number",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 1000000
    },
    {
      "id": "amount_requested",
      "label": "Amount you are asking for",
      "type": "number",
      "required": true,
      "min": 1,
      "max": 10000000
    },
    {
      "id": "other_funding",
      "label": "Other funding for this project",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "options": [
        "Already secured",
        "Applied for",
        "None yet"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "project_start",
      "label": "Planned start date",
      "type": "date"
    },
    {
      "id": "project_end",
      "label": "Planned end date",
      "type": "date"
    },
    {
      "id": "expected_outcomes",
      "label": "What will change because of this project?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1500
    },
    {
      "id": "how_measured",
      "label": "How will you measure success?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1000
    },
    {
      "id": "budget_link",
      "label": "Link to your budget",
      "type": "url",
      "help": "Share a document the reviewers can open."
    },
    {
      "id": "details_accurate",
      "label": "I confirm the information in this application is accurate",
      "type": "checkbox",
      "required": true
    }
  ]
}

Grant proposal template your applicants can fill in