Find Grants Faster with AI: the 3 Prompts You Need

Finding Grants Shouldn't Feel like a Full-time Job

If you’re spending hours chasing grants and still missing the mark, you’re not the problem.

Your search strategy is.

The old way - trawling through portals, subscribing to endless newsletters, and scrolling LinkedIn late at night - isn’t enough anymore. There are too many programs, too much fine print, and not enough time for founders to decipher it all.

That’s where AI comes in.

Over the past year, I’ve seen hundreds of founders transform the way they search for grants by learning how to use AI tools like ChatGPT as a grant research assistant. Done well, AI won’t just save you hours. It can help you focus on the right opportunities, ask better questions, and avoid the trap of chasing every dollar that comes your way.

Here’s how you can start using AI to search smarter.

1. Be Specific About What You Need

AI works best when you give it context. Instead of asking:

“What grants are available for my business?”

You’ll get better results by giving detail: your location, industry, project type, and funding need.

Prompt 1: Targeted Grant Search

I am an early-stage founder based in [location] working on [industry/sector]. 
I’m looking for non-dilutive grants that support [specific purpose: e.g., product development, team expansion, exporting]. 
Search across government, corporate, and philanthropic programs, and list only active opportunities with open deadlines.

This type of query reduces noise. You’ll move from hundreds of generic results to a focused list of opportunities that fit your situation.

2. Go Where the Decision Makers Hang Out

Government portals like GrantConnect (AU), Grants.gov (US), NI Direct (UK), MBIE NZ are the obvious first stop. But don’t stop there.

AI can help you track updates from corporate foundations, accelerators, local councils, and industry associations—places where grants are often smaller, faster, and less competitive.

Prompt 2: Funder Landscape Mapping

Act as a funding researcher. 
Map the top 10 funders or programs in [country/region] that are most active in supporting [your industry/impact area]. 
For each, provide the type of funding they offer (grants, loans, matched funding), their average award size, and how often they open rounds.

This prompt builds a landscape view of where opportunities live. Once you know the funders, you can set alerts, follow them on LinkedIn, or subscribe to their newsletters. AI helps you cut through the clutter and get clear on where to focus.

3. Learn to Read Between the Lines

Here’s where most founders lose time: they apply for programs that sound right but aren’t designed for them. The intent of a grant is often hidden between the lines - funders rarely say outright who they’re prioritising.

AI can help you decode.

Prompt 3: Funder Intent Decoder

I am reviewing this grant program: [paste summary or link]. 
Analyse the guidelines and identify:
1. The stated objectives
2. The unstated priorities (who is really most likely to win)
3. Red flags that suggest this is not a good fit for my business

This step alone can save you weeks of wasted effort. Instead of chasing every open grant, you’ll quickly know which ones are worth your time - and which to skip.

Stop Making the Same Mistakes

After more than 20 years in the grants space, I’ve seen the same avoidable errors again and again: founders applying to the wrong funder, underestimating what’s required, or missing the hidden intent.

Using AI doesn’t replace strategy, but it does give you an edge. When you combine targeted prompts with clear decision-making, you stop running in circles.

• You’re no longer scattered - you’re precise.

• You’re not overwhelmed - you’re informed.

• You’re not chasing - you’re choosing.

Final Thought

This isn’t about free money. It’s about building a smarter, faster, and more strategic approach to securing the right funding for your growth.

AI won’t do the work for you, but it can put you in the right lane, so that when you sit down to apply, you’re already aligned with what funders want.

And that’s how founders win.

Author Bio 

Through Funding4Growth, Lisa Erhart delivers AI-powered assessments, strategies, and tools to position founders for funding wins. About Us