For those of you who may not yet have a sophisticated grants management system (GMS) with the functionality for online applications, your grantmaking process will greatly benefit from a streamlined, paperless application process that eliminates the burden of error-prone applications, saving valuable time for both your staff members and your grant applicants.

Your online application is oftentimes your first introduction to an organization and the start of a trust-based grant. Applicants are looking for ease and convenience when they visit your organization online. They want to log in, submit their request with confidence that you’ll have what you need to consider their grant, and exit so they can move on to their next task.

With that in mind, here are six ways you can commit to making the most of your grant applicant experience:

  1. 24/7/365 access. 
  2. Personalization and convenience. 
  3. Custom fields. 
  4. Auto-fill too? 
  5. Online application eligibility quizzes. 
  6. Gathering and storing that valuable data. 

A seamless experience for your grant partners—from their first grant application to their final program report—fosters a positive relationship with you. And a positive relationship will keep them coming back, meaning your investment in a GMS that provides this experience will generate returns, again and again and again!

So, as 2022 approaches, consider how your organization could achieve more impactful grantmaking by using technology that not only caters to your applicants, but gives you and your grantmaking team intuitive access to data, configurable workflows, and unprecedented collaboration tools so you can make decisions based on what matters most: your organization’s mission.

Read the full article about grant applications by David Hazeltine at PEAK Grantmaking.