# Is your project ready for a lender? An evidence checklist

By Reza Esfahanian, Founder & CTO of FINKI

The lender asks for a financing plan. You send a spreadsheet. The next questions concern the budget version, a conditional award and a contract nobody can identify with confidence.

A larger data room will not fix that exchange. The missing link is between each claim and the evidence supporting it.

## What belongs in the first package

| Area | Prepare | Make the uncertainty visible |
|---|---|---|
| Borrower | Entity, ownership, authority and project scope | Missing authority or unclear responsibility |
| Project | Purpose, timetable and milestones | Conditions that prevent the project from starting |
| Budget | Approved version, cost basis and contingency | Competing versions or unapproved changes |
| Funding | Sources with their current status | Expected funds presented as commitments |
| Repayment | Contracts, payment conditions and forecast | Performance or acceptance still required |
| Downside | Delay and cost scenarios | No agreed response to a shortfall |
| Legal | Material agreements and unresolved questions | Unclear rights, priority or consent |
| Operations | Reporting, accounts and responsible people | No owner for obligations after closing |

This is a starting point. A lender and its advisers may require additional evidence for the sector and transaction.

## Record the answer, not just the attachment

For each material question, record the document version, date, status, owner, deadline and next action. Add the intended recipients and access restrictions.

A document can exist without answering the question. A signed agreement subject to an unfulfilled condition is not the same as an unconditional receivable. Use separate fields for presence and sufficiency.

The [editable evidence register](/resources/finance/readiness-register-en.csv) provides a structure for this work.

## Show contradictions before asking for a decision

If the budget and financing plan disagree, explain why. Do not silently replace a figure to make the totals match. Identify the governing version and whether the difference is an open funding need, a revised scope or a recording error.

Keep the explanation beside the change. The recipient should not have to reconstruct it from email history.

## Check who can see the package

One lender's access does not justify exposing another lender's terms or private notes. Review recipients before sharing. If a redacted document is required, check the actual exported version as well as the screen view.

For the next lender conversation, send a short summary of current evidence and open questions. Ask the recipient to identify any additional requirement against a specific question.

A completed checklist is not credit approval. Its purpose is to make the next review more concrete. [Open the working register](/resources/finance/readiness-register-en.csv).

Canonical: https://finki.ai/insights/project-finance-evidence-checklist

Published: 2026-09-27