Grant guide
Theory of change for grant applications
A theory of change explains why a project should lead to the outcomes it claims. It connects need, beneficiaries, activities, assumptions and evidence.
Teams deciding where to spend application time
Charities, CICs, community groups and consultants asked to explain project logic in a funding application.
Make the first review more concrete
Understand how to use a theory of change in a grant application.
Review workflow
What FundingLens helps you do
Keep source facts, caveats and next actions together so your team can decide what deserves attention before application work starts.
Start with the problem and target group, then map activities, outputs, short-term outcomes, longer-term outcomes and assumptions.
Check whether the project has evidence for the causal links it is claiming, or whether those links need to be framed as assumptions for review.
Keep the model proportionate: a small community grant may need a short logic chain, not a full evaluation framework.
Readiness checks
- Problem, audience and need are specific.
- Activities, outputs and outcomes connect logically.
- Assumptions and external risks are visible.
- Evidence or source citations support key claims.
- The model is proportionate to the grant size.
Eligibility caveats
- A theory of change is not proof that the project will work.
- Vague outcome language can weaken an application.
- FundingLens can structure notes, but teams should review final logic and evidence.
Source references
Use the official evaluation guidance as a source for theory of change, evaluation questions, assumptions and proportionality.
Official sourceNCVO theory of changeUse the voluntary-sector guide to explain problem, activities, outcomes, assumptions and evidence in a proportionate way.
Official sourceNPC theory of change stepsUse this reputable charity-sector method as a practical way to structure causal logic without overcomplicating small applications.
Related FundingLens pages
Turn saved funding opportunities into readiness checklists covering eligibility, documents, governance, budget and deadline risk.
Grant guideOutputs and outcomes: what funders expectOutputs and outcomes explained for grant applications, with practical checks for indicators, baselines, evidence and reporting.
Draft notes guideSource-cited draft notes for grant applicationsUse AI draft notes for grant preparation while keeping official source citations, caveats and human review clearly visible.