Foundation Research Score Calculator
Score potential funders on mission alignment, geographic fit, funding range, relationship strength, and more to prioritize your grant prospecting.
About this calculator
This calculator scores how well a prospective funder fits your organization using a weighted, research-based prospect-scoring model rather than a single gut-feel rating. You rate seven factors 0-10 — mission alignment, geographic fit, funding-range fit, past giving pattern, application ease, relationship strength, and funding-cycle match — and the tool applies fixed weights (mission alignment carries the most at 30%, funding-range fit and relationship strength 15% each, past giving 15%, geographic fit and cycle match 10% each, and application complexity only 5%) before scaling the weighted sum to a 0-100 composite score. That score sorts funders into four priority tiers — 80+ is top priority, 60-79 second tier, 40-59 third, and anything below 40 falls to the lowest tier — giving a development team a consistent way to rank a long prospect list.
Separately, the tool computes an expected value (your planned request amount times your estimated success probability) as a statistical, not guaranteed, figure, and an estimated preparation-hours figure that runs inversely with the application-ease score you gave: a 10 (very simple) implies about 10 hours of staff time, while a 1 (very complex) implies close to 80. Dividing expected value by those hours yields an expected-value-per-hour figure, letting you compare funders not just on how well they fit but on how much statistically expected revenue you get for each hour of grant-writing effort you'd spend pursuing them.
Inputs
Results
Composite Alignment Score
62.5
Priority Tier (1-4)
2
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter the foundation's alignment with your mission area and geographic focus.
- Score grant size fit, application requirements complexity, and relationship history.
- Enter the funder's average grant size and your program budget to assess fit.
- Review the Foundation Research Score and Priority Tier classification.
- Use the ranking to prioritize which funders to approach first in your development strategy.
How the result changes with Mission Alignment (0-10)
| Mission Alignment (0-10) | Composite Alignment Score | Priority Tier (1-4) |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5 | 52 | 3 |
| 5.25 | 57.3 | 3 |
| 10 | 71.5 | 2 |
What each input means
- Mission Alignment (0-10)
- How well the funder's priorities match your mission. 10 = perfect fit.
- Geographic Fit (0-10)
- Does the funder support your geographic area? 10 = exact match.
- Funding Range Fit (0-10)
- How well your request fits their typical grant size. 10 = perfect range.
- Past Giving Pattern (0-10)
- Evidence of funding similar organizations or programs. 10 = strong history.
- Application Ease (0-10)
- How straightforward the application process is. 10 = very simple.
- Relationship Strength (0-10)
- Existing relationship with funder staff or board. 10 = strong contact.
- Funding Cycle Match (0-10)
- How well the funder's cycle matches your timeline. 10 = ideal timing.
- Planned Request Amount ($)
- Amount you plan to request from this funder.
- Estimated Success Rate (%)
- Your estimated probability of winning this grant.
What each result means
- Composite Alignment Score
- Weighted funder alignment score (0-100). 80+ = top priority.
- Priority Tier (1-4)
- 1 = top priority, 4 = low priority based on composite score.
- Expected Value
- Request amount times success probability — your statistical expected award.
- Est. Preparation Hours
- Estimated staff hours to prepare the application.
- Expected Value per Prep Hour
- Expected value divided by preparation hours — higher is better.
- Mission Component
- Weighted contribution of mission alignment to composite score.
- Relationship Component
- Weighted contribution of relationship strength to composite score.
- Funding Fit Component
- Weighted contribution of funding range fit to composite score.
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersMission Alignment (0-10) = 7, Geographic Fit (0-10) = 8, Funding Range Fit (0-10) = 7, Past Giving Pattern (0-10) = 6 = 9 input(s) provided
- Calculate Composite Alignment ScoreComposite Alignment Score = weightedScore * 1062.5 = 62.5
- Calculate Priority TierPriority Tier2 = 2
- Calculate Expected ValueExpected Value = requestAmount * (estimatedSuccessRate / 100)10000 = $10,000
- Calculate Est. Preparation HoursEst. Preparation Hours = round(10 + (10 - applicationComplexity) * 7.78)49 = 49
Engine last updated . Checked against 3 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators. Built by Paul Gunder, a software engineer, not a licensed financial, medical, or legal professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which factors carry the most weight in the composite score?
Mission alignment carries the most weight at 30% of the composite score, meaning a low mission-fit rating will drag the total down more than any other single factor. Funding-range fit, past giving pattern, and relationship strength each carry 15%, geographic fit and funding-cycle match carry 10% each, and application complexity carries only 5% — so how easy the application is to complete barely moves your priority tier compared to how well the funder's mission and giving history actually match your organization.
How does the application-ease score affect estimated preparation hours?
Estimated prep hours run inversely to the application-ease rating you give: the formula is 10 plus (10 minus your ease score) times 7.78, rounded. A 10 (very simple application) works out to about 10 hours, while a 1 (very complex) works out to nearly 80 hours. This estimate feeds directly into the expected-value-per-hour figure, so a funder that scores well on fit but has a very complex application can still come out with a weaker efficiency number.
What's the difference between the composite score and expected value?
The composite score (0-100) is a pure fit and relationship assessment built from your seven weighted 0-10 ratings — it says nothing about dollars. Expected value is a separate, purely financial figure: your planned request amount multiplied by your estimated success probability. A funder can score highly on fit but still have a low expected value if your request amount or estimated win probability is small, so the two numbers are meant to be read together, not interchangeably.
How should I interpret expected value per preparation hour?
It divides your expected value (request amount times estimated success rate) by the estimated preparation hours, giving a statistical dollar return per hour of grant-writing effort. It lets you compare funders not just by how good a fit they are, but by how much expected revenue you get for the staff time an application will actually cost you — useful when you have more good-fit prospects than your team has hours to pursue this cycle.
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