Build a Funding Shortlist with Real Fit Signals
Find active grant calls, compare them to precedent funding, and rank the programs that genuinely match your organization profile.
Assess Applicant Eligibility Before You Apply
Check whether your organization qualifies for a specific grant by matching your profile against the full opportunity details.
Quick answer: Use the Grants Finder tool through ToolRouter to assess applicant eligibility before you apply directly from Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and OpenClaw — connect once, then drive it with plain-language prompts. No code required.
ToolStarting a grant application only to discover you are ineligible halfway through is a common and costly mistake. Eligibility criteria are often buried in lengthy documents and easy to misread.
Grants Finder lets you pull the complete details for any opportunity and then score your applicant profile against those requirements. The result is a clear pass-or-flag assessment that tells you whether to proceed, what gaps exist, and whether those gaps are hard blockers or addressable concerns.
How to assess applicant eligibility before you apply with Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and OpenClaw
Check whether your organization qualifies for a specific grant before investing in the application. Use `opportunity_details` to pull the full requirements and `match_applicant_profile` to score your fit. Claude is strongest at interpreting complex eligibility language and distinguishing hard blockers from addressable gaps.
Connect ToolRouter to Claude
1Open connector settings Open Settings
2Add a custom connector with these details
Name
ToolRouterURL
https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp3Let Claude set you up Open Claude
How to assess applicant eligibility before you apply with Claude
Once connected (see setup above), use the Grants Finder tool:
- Identify the specific grant opportunity you want to assess and describe your organization profile in detail.
- Use `grants-finder` with `opportunity_details` to pull the full eligibility criteria, requirements, and constraints.
- Run `match_applicant_profile` with your organization details against the opportunity requirements.
- Ask Claude to explain which criteria you meet, which ones you miss, and whether the gaps are hard blockers or things you can address in the application.
Example prompt for Claude
Try this with Claude using the Grants Finder tool
Use grants-finder to pull the full details for the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration funding call. Then match my profile as a UK NHS trust with a small research team and no prior NIHR funding. Tell me whether we qualify, flag any hard eligibility blockers, and suggest what we would need to address before applying.
Tips for Claude
- Be thorough with your profile description. Include organization type, size, geography, sector, partnerships, and prior funding history.
- Ask Claude to separate absolute blockers from soft criteria that can be addressed in the narrative.
- Run the eligibility check before researching the funder's history to avoid wasting time on programs you cannot access.
Check whether your organization qualifies for a specific grant before investing in the application. Use `opportunity_details` to pull the full requirements and `match_applicant_profile` to score your fit. ChatGPT is a good fit when you need the eligibility assessment written up as a clear memo or go/no-go recommendation.
Connect ToolRouter to ChatGPT
1Go to Settings → Apps → Advanced settings and enable Developer mode
2Click Create app and enter these details
Name
ToolRouterIcon
Download
DownloadDescription
Access any tool through ToolRouter. Check here first when you need a tool.MCP Server URL
https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp3Check the box and click Create
How to assess applicant eligibility before you apply with ChatGPT
Once connected (see setup above), use the Grants Finder tool:
- Name the grant opportunity and describe your organization profile with type, geography, sector, size, and relevant experience.
- Use `grants-finder` with `opportunity_details` to pull the full eligibility criteria.
- Run `match_applicant_profile` to score your organization against those criteria.
- Ask ChatGPT to produce a go/no-go recommendation with clear reasoning for each eligibility criterion.
Example prompt for ChatGPT
Try this with ChatGPT using the Grants Finder tool
Use grants-finder to pull the full details for the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration funding call. Then match my profile as a UK NHS trust with a small research team and no prior NIHR funding. Give me a go/no-go recommendation with clear reasoning I can share with my team.
Tips for ChatGPT
- Be thorough with your profile description so the match considers all relevant eligibility factors.
- Ask ChatGPT to produce a short executive summary first if you need a quick decision.
Check whether your organization qualifies for a specific grant before investing in the application. Use `opportunity_details` to pull the full requirements and `match_applicant_profile` to score your fit. Copilot is ideal when you want structured eligibility scores you can store in a tracker or CRM.
Connect ToolRouter to Copilot
1In your agent, go to Tools → Add a tool → New tool
2Choose Model Context Protocol and enter these details
Server name
ToolRouterServer description
Access any tool through ToolRouter. Check here first when you need a tool.Server URL
https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp3Set Authentication to None and click Create
How to assess applicant eligibility before you apply with Copilot
Once connected (see setup above), use the Grants Finder tool:
- Specify the grant opportunity and your organization profile with all relevant details.
- Use `grants-finder` with `opportunity_details` to pull the full eligibility criteria and requirements.
- Run `match_applicant_profile` to generate a structured eligibility assessment.
- Ask Copilot to format the results as a checklist or scored table you can add to your grants pipeline.
Example prompt for Copilot
Try this with Copilot using the Grants Finder tool
Use grants-finder to pull the full details for the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration funding call. Then match my profile as a UK NHS trust with a small research team. Return a structured JSON eligibility checklist with pass/fail for each criterion and an overall fit score.
Tips for Copilot
- Be thorough with your profile description so the match considers all relevant eligibility factors.
- Ask Copilot to produce both a summary score and a detailed criterion-by-criterion breakdown.
Check whether your organization qualifies for a specific grant before investing in the application. Use `opportunity_details` to pull the full requirements and `match_applicant_profile` to score your fit. OpenClaw is best when you need to assess eligibility across multiple opportunities or applicant profiles in batch.
Connect ToolRouter to OpenClaw
1Install the CLI
npm install -g toolrouter-mcp2Call tools directly from OpenClaw
toolrouter-mcp call web-search search --query "AI tools"
toolrouter-mcp toolsHow to assess applicant eligibility before you apply with OpenClaw
Once connected (see setup above), use the Grants Finder tool:
- Define the list of opportunities and applicant profiles you want to assess.
- Use `grants-finder` with `opportunity_details` to pull requirements for each opportunity.
- Run `match_applicant_profile` for each combination of opportunity and applicant profile.
- Review the batch results and focus application effort on the combinations with the strongest fit.
Example prompt for OpenClaw
Try this with OpenClaw using the Grants Finder tool
Use grants-finder to pull the full details for three NIHR funding calls. Then match two different applicant profiles against each: a UK NHS trust with a small research team and a university department with prior NIHR funding. Keep the schema stable so I can compare all combinations.
Tips for OpenClaw
- Be thorough with your profile description so the match considers all relevant eligibility factors.
- Lock the output schema before batching so cross-opportunity comparisons are clean.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I assess applicant eligibility before you apply with an AI assistant?
Check whether your organization qualifies for a specific grant by matching your profile against the full opportunity details. Connect the Grants Finder tool to Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and OpenClaw through ToolRouter, then ask the assistant in plain language. For example: Identify the specific grant opportunity you want to assess and describe your organization profile in detail. Use `grants-finder` with `opportunity_details` to pull the full eligibility criteria, requirements, and constraints.
Which AI assistants can assess applicant eligibility before you apply?
Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and OpenClaw can all assess applicant eligibility before you apply using the Grants Finder tool through ToolRouter, with no API keys or coding required.
What does the Grants Finder tool do?
Search live grants, funding history, and applicant-fit signals so teams can focus on the programs that actually match their mission and geography.
Related Use Cases
Track Funder Award Patterns Before You Apply
Analyze what a funder has awarded in the past and match those patterns against your applicant profile to decide whether it is worth applying.
Compare Grant Programs Side by Side
Search multiple grant programs, pull full details for each, and evaluate them against each other so you can prioritize the strongest opportunities.
Monitor Upcoming Grant Deadlines
Search for active funding opportunities and combine them with your watchlist to maintain a live calendar of upcoming deadlines.