What Actually Makes a Grant Application Successful

The 2026 grant window is due to close soon. Keep in mind the following guidelines. If you wish to resubmit based on this - feel free to do so.

🌱 Requirements for a Successful Grant Application.

(These are notes taken during a conversation at ZED VENTURERS. For transparency, they are published here also)

 1.⁠ ⁠Demonstrated Action, Not Just Ideas

• ⁠You must show that you have already started — even in a small way.

• ⁠Evidence of progress (prototypes, first customers, early sales, small-scale production) is essential.

• Applicants who only have an idea with no execution signal a higher risk.

 2.⁠ ⁠Clear Understanding of Your Customer

• You must be able to describe your customer in detail:

  • Who they are

  • What they need

  • Why they buy

  • What problems you solve for them

• ⁠If you cannot articulate your customer, you appear to be chasing grant money rather than building a business.

 3.⁠ ⁠Relevant Track Record or Expertise

• Your team must have experience in the sector you’re applying for.

• If no one on your team has worked in the industry, spoken to industry players, or understands the operational realities, your application weakens.

• Apply in the area where you have genuine capability, not where you think the money is.

 4.⁠ ⁠Focus — Not Multiple Unrelated Applications

• Submitting applications across multiple sectors signals lack of specialism.

• Pick the area where you have the strongest expertise and traction.

 5.⁠ ⁠Authenticity Over “Tenderpreneurship”

• Avoid generic, buzzword-heavy, “grant‑friendly” narratives (e.g., sustainability + women empowerment + recycling + climate + community uplift).

• The evaluators can spot formulaic, AI‑generated, or donor‑targeted pitches.

• They want real businesses solving real problems.

 6.⁠ ⁠Evidence of Market Demand

• Show that customers already buy what you produce — or that you have validated demand.

• If you have inventory that isn’t selling, you must explain why and what you’ve learned.

• A warehouse full of unsold product is a red flag.

 7.⁠ ⁠Logical Use of Funds

• •⁠ ⁠The grant must unlock growth, not simply expand capacity without proven demand.

• •⁠ ⁠You must show:

  • Why you need the money

  • What it will enable

  • How it leads to measurable progress

• Models that simply use grant money to lend at high interest or resell imported goods are not aligned with the program’s goals.

 8.⁠ ⁠Local Supply Chain Contribution

• Preference goes to businesses that source locally and strengthen Zambian value chains.

• If your raw materials come from China or South Africa, you must justify why — or show a plan to localize.

 9.⁠ ⁠Positive Community and Environmental Impact

• Your business should:

  • Create jobs

  • Support local suppliers

  • Avoid environmental harm

  • Improve livelihoods

• Harmful or extractive models (e.g., charcoal production) are not supported.

10.⁠ ⁠Export Potential

• Strong preference for businesses that can eventually export and bring foreign income into Zambia.

• You should be able to articulate:

  • Whether your product can meet export standards

  • What markets might buy it

  • How you could scale to meet demand

11.⁠ ⁠Commitment, Grit, and Entrepreneurial Behaviour

• The evaluators look for people who:

  • Take initiative

  • Don’t wait for funding to start

  • Solve problems creatively

  • Show persistence

• ⁠Your behaviour signals your likelihood of success.

12.⁠ ⁠Responsible Use of Grant Funds

• ⁠If you receive funding, you must use it effectively.

• Poor use of funds means someone else loses the opportunity.

• Reliability, communication, and follow‑through matter.

13.⁠ ⁠Ability to Explain Your Business Clearly

• You must be able to articulate:

  • What you do

  • Why it matters

  • Who benefits

  • How it grows

• The process is conversational and practical — not bureaucratic — so clarity matters more than polished documents.