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Why did my project result in unusually few matches?

Learn what “unusually few matches” means and how to get more results

Rebecca Huber avatar
Written by Rebecca Huber
Updated this week

If you see the message “Your project resulted in unusually few matches”, it simply means that your project criteria returned fewer than 20 Matches.

This doesn’t mean anything is wrong, it usually just means your project is set up with very specific criteria, which can limit how many funders or opportunities appear as Matches.


Why this happens

A project may result in unusually few Matches when:

  • Project criteria are very specific or narrow

  • Certain applicant types are selected that have limited funding opportunities

  • A combination of filters—such as location, eligibility, or funding amount—doesn’t align with many opportunities in our database

This message is meant to help ensure you’re seeing as many relevant opportunities as possible.


What you can do right away

When your project results in unusually few Matches, you’ll see an Edit Project button that lets you adjust your criteria yourself.

Small changes can often increase your Matches right away. We recommend trying things like:

  • Broadening project parameters

  • Reviewing applicant type selections

  • Adjusting location or funding amount filters

You don’t need to wait for our team to take action—editing your project is often the fastest way to see more Matches.


What happens next

In addition to any changes you make, our team will also review your project to make sure it’s set up to surface relevant opportunities.

If we identify any helpful tweaks, we’ll apply them and email you with a summary of what we found. This review typically happens within 24 business hours.

Once the review is complete, your project will continue generating Matches as new opportunities are added to the database.


Contact Us

Reach out to our friendly support team if you have any questions about your project. Message us via the chat bubble when you're logged in, or email us at hello@instrumentl.com.

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