{"id":247,"date":"2026-11-05T23:03:59","date_gmt":"2026-11-05T23:03:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/help.actionfunder.org\/non-profits\/?post_type=ht_kb&p=247"},"modified":"2026-11-06T11:51:49","modified_gmt":"2026-11-06T11:51:49","slug":"how-matching-works","status":"publish","type":"ht_kb","link":"https:\/\/help.actionfunder.org\/non-profits\/help\/how-matching-works\/","title":{"rendered":"How matching works"},"content":{"rendered":"

ActionFunder matches you with funds at two levels. Your organisation profile<\/strong> decides which funds show as eligible on your dashboard. Your project<\/strong> decides which funds you’re actually applied to.<\/p>\n

The two work separately. A fund that doesn’t show as eligible can still receive your project, if your project meets the fund’s criteria.<\/p>\n

Every fund’s criteria are set by the funder, not by ActionFunder. We match against them exactly as the funder sets them.<\/p>\n

1. Your profile: which funds you see as eligible<\/h2>\n

ActionFunder compares three things in your profile with each live fund:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Profile detail<\/th>\nWhat has to match<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Organisation type<\/strong><\/td>\nThe fund accepts your type of organisation (for example registered charity, community group or social enterprise).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Location<\/strong><\/td>\nYour organisation’s main address is in the fund’s area.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Focus areas<\/strong><\/td>\nYou share at least one focus area with the fund.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

When all three match, the fund appears in Eligible funds<\/strong> and on your dashboard under Eligible funding opportunities<\/strong>. We also email you when a new fund like this launches.<\/p>\n

When one or more don’t match, the fund appears in Other live funds<\/strong> instead. Click Find out why<\/strong> on the fund to see which details didn’t match. Browsing funds: Eligible, Other live and Past funds<\/a><\/p>\n

Missing funds you’d expect to see?<\/strong> Check your profile first. Make sure your main address is correct, and add every focus area that describes your activities, not just your headline cause. Setting up your organisation profile<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Your project: which funds it’s applied to<\/h2>\n

When you publish a project, ActionFunder checks it against every live Classic fund. Your project is applied to a fund automatically when it matches all of the fund’s criteria:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Project detail<\/th>\nWhat has to match<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Location<\/strong><\/td>\nWhere the project’s main activity takes place is inside the fund’s area.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Grant size<\/strong><\/td>\nThe amount you ask for is no more than the fund’s individual grant limit, and no less than its minimum if it has one. The fund must also have enough money left to cover it.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Focus area<\/strong><\/td>\nAt least one of your project’s focus areas is one the fund covers.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Beneficiary type<\/strong><\/td>\nThe people your project benefits (Who will benefit from this project?<\/strong>) include a group the fund wants to reach.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Organisation type<\/strong><\/td>\nThe fund accepts your type of organisation. This is the type on your organisation profile.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pitch format<\/strong><\/td>\nIf the fund only accepts video pitches, your project needs a video pitch.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

This happens even if the fund sits in Other live funds<\/strong>. So it’s worth looking there too, and shaping a project around a fund that fits your work. The exception is organisation type: if a fund doesn’t accept your type of organisation, none of your projects can be applied to it.<\/p>\n

One project can be applied to several funds at once. You don’t have to create a separate project for each fund.<\/p>\n

You’ll see Applied to<\/strong> and the number of funds on your project, and each fund is listed under Manage<\/strong> > Funding Applications<\/strong>. Tracking your applications<\/a><\/p>\n

When matching doesn’t happen automatically<\/h2>\n