Grant Applicants: Apply to a Grant

Are you ready to apply for a grant? This guide includes general guidelines for the Grant Applicants to submit Concept Notes, complete Applications, and set up details for their Project.

Log in to the Grant Applicant Portal (Experience Site)

The first step is to log into the Grant Applicant Portal. Typically, this can be done by navigating to the login page from a link on the funder’s website or a targeted email. Each funder portal looks slightly different so follow the instructions and prompts to complete the application process.

Create & Submit a Concept Note

To create a Concept Note:

1. Click on the ‘Start Concept Note’ button.

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2. Fill in all the details in the ‘Start Concept Note’ popup.

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3. Click ‘Save’ and then navigate to the Concept Note in one of three ways:

   • Click on the link in the success message.

   • Navigate to the related tab and click on the new Concept Note in the ‘Concept Notes’ related list.

   • Navigate to the ‘My Concept Notes’ tab in the navigation bar and click on the new Concept Note in the list.

4. Fill out the final details of the Concept Note. You can upload supporting documents by navigating to the ‘Files’ tab and clicking on the ‘Add Files’ button in ‘Files’ related list.

5. A Grant Coordinator may have set up a narrative report with questions for you to answer while creating your Concept Note. You can fill out this narrative report by navigating to the ‘Narrative’ tab.

6. After you have filled out the narrative report, you can submit the Concept Note by clicking on the ‘Submit’ button in the Narrative tab.

7. Once you’ve submitted your narrative report, a success message will be displayed and the narrative report becomes uneditable.

Revise Concept Note

If the Coordinator requests any revisions to your Concept Note, you will be informed via email. If you receive a revision request, you can:

1. Log in to the portal.

2. Access the Concept Note via ‘My Concept Notes’ tab.

3. Clicks on the Concept Note requiring revision.

4. Make the required changes.

5. Submit the Concept Note.

Create & Submit an Application

Submitting an application is slightly different, depending on whether the grant-making organization follows a single or two-stage process.

Single-Stage Application Process (sans Concept Note Stage)

Start your application from the Call for Proposal by:

1. Clicking on the ‘Start Application’ button.

2. Filling in all the required details in the ‘Start Application’ popup.

3. Submitting your information: you’ll then see a success message confirming that your application has been started.

Once your application has been started, you can find it by either:

• Navigating to the related tab and clicking on the Application record in the ‘Applications’ related list, or

• Navigating to the ‘My Applications’ tab on the navigation bar and clicking on the new Application record in the list.

Two-Stage Grant Application Process (Concept Note + Application)

If the grant-making organization follows a two-stage process, your Application is automatically created for you, following the acceptance of your Concept Note.

To access the Application:

1. Navigate to the ‘My Applications’ tab.

2. Click on the Application (The Application name will have the same as the Concept Note)

Grant Application Details: Framework, Indicators, Workplan, Budget

Depending on the funder’s processes, Applicants might be required to submit the following as part of the full grant application:

1. Framework/LogFrame: This allows Applicants to visualize progress toward objectives. A Project record could contain multiple Frameworks and typically, each Framework can include Impact, Outcome, and/or Output statements which can be nested underneath each other in a hierarchy.

2. Indicators: Indicators or metrics are used to measure performance. Organizations typically define their Indicators and how they relate to their results framework and set targets for their indicators before a project or grant kicks off.

3. Project Workplan/Project Plan & Activities: The Workplan outlines the main initiatives and activities that will be completed through the duration of the project.

4. Project Budget: The budget contains revenue and expenditure estimates at the beginning of the project. This will be updated to reflect actuals as the project progresses.

5. Attachments & Narrative Reports: Funders might require additional files to be uploaded or a narrative report with specific details for the grant you’re applying for.

Create a Framework

To propose a Logical Framework and define Objectives for the Application, grant applicants navigate to the ‘Framework’ tab on the Application. 

On the Logical Framework tab, grant applicants can:

• Create new Objectives and add them to the application by clicking the ‘Add New Framework Item’ button on the top right of the Logical Framework tab.

• Edit or delete the Objectives by clicking on the pencil icon or garbage icon respectively. 

• Create a hierarchy (represented with nesting) of Objectives by relating them to other Objectives.

Add Indicators

On the Call for Proposals, the Coordinator may have defined which Indicators you should add to an Application. To access these default Indicators or create new custom Indicators for the Application, Applicants navigate to the ‘Indicators’ tab on the Application.

On the Indicators tab, you can:

• Add Indicators from the ‘Indicators Catalog’ tab using the ‘Add Selected’ button.

• Create custom Indicators from the Selected Indicators tab using the ‘Add New Custom Indicator’ button.

• Edit, deactivate, or delete the Indicators by clicking into the action menu.

• Relate an Indicator to an Objective by clicking on the Edit button in the action menu.

Set Indicator Targets

To set proposed targets for the Application’s Indicators, navigate to the ‘Targets’ tab.

On the Target data tab, you can:

• Set targets for defined Indicators for the default Reporting Period and default Geographic Area.

• Download indicators data to an Excel sheet, define targets offline in the sheet, and upload that sheet to set targets in the system by clicking on the ‘Download’ and ‘Upload’ icons on the top right of the Targets tab.

• Submit targets for the review by clicking on the ‘Check’ icon on the top right of the Targets tab.

Create a Workplan

When an application is created, a default Implementation Plan (named as ‘Proposed Implementation Plan For [Application Name]’) is added to it.

To create Activities for this Implementation Plan, navigate to the ‘Implementation’ tab on the Application. 

On the Implementation tab, you can:

• Add Activities to the Implementation Plan by clicking the ‘Add New Activity’ button.

• Edit or delete the Activities by clicking on the pencil icon or trash can icon respectively. 

• Create a hierarchy (represented with nesting) of Activities by relating them to other Activities.

• Visualize the Activity timeline using the Gantt chart.

Create a Budget

If a funder requires a project budget, this can be set up in the financials section. Applicants can set up a budget (or multiple budgets) with related financial line items to track budgeted vs actuals for predefined reporting periods.

Upload Supporting Documents

You can also upload supporting documents by navigating to the ‘Files’ tab and clicking on the ‘Add Files’ button in ‘Files’ related list.

Complete a Narrative Report

Coordinators may set up a narrative report with questions for you to answer while filling out an Application. You can fill out this narrative report by navigating to the ‘Narrative’ tab.

Once you fill out the narrative report, they can submit the narrative report by clicking on the ‘Submit’ button in the Narrative tab. On submitting the narrative report, a success message is displayed and the narrative report becomes uneditable.

Grant Reporting & Ongoing Grant Management

Once your Application is approved, it will be converted to a Grant. Then, Coordinators will define Reporting Periods on the Grant and assign due dates for reporting on those Reporting Periods.

Access Active Grants

To access your Grants:

1. Log in to the community.

2. Access the Grants via ‘My Grants’ tab.

3. Click on the Grant (same name as the Application).

Report Indicator Results

To add results for the Grant’s Indicators, navigate to the ‘Results’ tab.

On the Results tab, you can:

• Add results for defined Indicators based on the Reporting Periods and Geographic Areas of the Grant.

• Download Indicators to an Excel sheet, add results offline in the sheet, and upload that sheet to add results in the system by clicking on the ‘Download’ and ‘Upload’ icons on the top right of the Results tab.

• Submit results for the review by clicking on the ‘Check’ icon on the top right of the Results tab.

Request Modifications to the Grant

Sometimes, you may want to request a change to your Grant, such as an extension, revision of targets, etc. 

To request a Grant modification:

• Navigate to the ‘Setup’ tab on the Grant.

• Click on the ‘New’ button on ‘Modification’ related list.

• Fill the relevant details.

  • Specify the type of modification by selecting the correct value in ‘Type’ picklist.

  • Set ‘Status’ to ‘Requested’.

  • Provide the reason for modification in the ‘Rationale’ text box.

  • Provide a summary of the requested modification in the ‘Summary of Modification’ text box.

• Clicks on the ‘Save’ button to create the grant modification request.