How to Build a Funding Shortlist with Claude
Use Claude and ToolRouter to build a grant shortlist. Search active calls, check precedent funding, and rank programs by fit.
Tool
Find active grant calls, compare them to precedent funding, and rank the programs that genuinely match your organization profile. Start with `search_opportunities`, `search_grant_history`, `match_applicant_profile`, and `opportunity_details` to get the raw material. Claude is strongest when the first pass needs interpretation: which opportunities are truly aligned, which precedent funding actually matters, and what should be ruled out before the writing team starts.
Connect ToolRouter to Claude
1Go to Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector
2Enter the details below and click Add
Name
ToolRouterURL
https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp3Done — works on Claude chat, desktop, and mobile
Steps
Once connected (see setup above), use the Grants Finder tool:
- Define the applicant profile before the first search: state the organization type, geography, sector, funding need, timeline, and any preferred funders.
- Use `grants-finder` to run `search_opportunities`, `search_grant_history`, `match_applicant_profile`, and `opportunity_details` for the first shortlist.
- Ask Claude to separate strong-fit programs from attractive but misleading matches. Focus on applicant eligibility, precedent relevance, deadline pressure, funding-band fit, and whether the call actually matches the mission.
- Turn the result into a grant shortlist, application calendar, or board-ready funding note.
Example Prompt
Try this with Claude using the Grants Finder tool
Use grants-finder to find live AI-for-health funding opportunities for a UK university lab that also partners with nonprofits. Search active programs, look for precedent funding history, rank the best matches against a university-led applicant profile, and open the most important detail pages. Explain which grants are real fits, which ones look tempting but should be dropped, and what I should investigate next.
Tips
- Use grant history early so you can see whether similar work has been funded before you chase the live call.
- Be explicit about applicant type and geography or the shortlist will include too many irrelevant programs.
- Ask Claude to separate hard eligibility blockers from softer strategic concerns before you kill a program.