Funding Gap Calculator
"Partially Funded" Needs an Exact Number Attached to It
Between a project's total cost and the funding already secured sits the number every remaining ask, follow-up proposal, and fundraising appeal is built around. Stating it precisely — not "we still need some more support" but an exact dollar figure — is what turns a vague fundraising goal into something a donor or funder can actually respond to.
The Formula
Percent Funded = (Total Funding Secured ÷ Total Project Cost) × 100
A positive result is a genuine gap still to be closed. A result of exactly zero means the project is fully funded. A negative result means funding secured has exceeded the project cost — a surplus, which this calculator reports explicitly rather than as a confusing negative "gap."
Where a Precise Gap Figure Drives Action
- Multi-source fundraising campaigns — when stacking grants, individual donations, and earned revenue toward one project, the remaining gap tells the development team exactly how much more to raise, from any combination of sources.
- Funder-specific asks — some funders will only fund a portion of a documented gap rather than an entire project; showing the gap precisely (and what's already committed) strengthens that specific ask.
- Go/no-go project decisions — a persistent, large funding gap close to a project's start date is a clear trigger to scale back scope, delay the start, or pause the project entirely.
- Year-over-year capital campaigns — recalculating the gap as new commitments come in shows real-time progress toward a capital or program funding goal.
Percent Funded at Different Levels of Secured Funding
| Funding Secured | Funding Gap | Percent Funded |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $150,000 | 25.00% |
| $100,000 | $100,000 | 50.00% |
| $150,000 | $50,000 | 75.00% |
| $200,000 | Fully funded | 100.00% |
| $220,000 | $20,000 surplus | 110.00% |
Computed directly from the formula above for a fixed $200,000 total project cost.
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter the Total Project Cost ($).
- Enter the Total Funding Secured ($) so far.
- Select Calculate to see the funding gap (or surplus) and the exact percent funded.
Related Calculations
If part of the gap needs to be closed through a required match, use the Matching Funds Calculator.