Instrumentl’s AI-powered Apply + Advisor tool streamlines grant writing by surfacing your strongest past work, then helps you refine and align responses to funder expectations — all without leaving the platform.
Apply pulls refined language directly from your past proposals and documents to help you craft answers in your own authentic voice. Then, Apply Advisor steps in as your intelligent co-pilot — delivering real-time, funder-aligned suggestions based on 10+ years of Instrumentl data and 990 insights.
Check out the video below for a walkthrough, or follow the steps below to get started!
How To Use Apply
Follow the simple steps below to get started on submissions using your AI grant writing tool!
Update Your Opportunity Status
Once you've found a grant you'd like to apply to, move your opportunity status from “Researching” to “Planned,” or any other grant status, to see available next steps for your application.
Note: For invite-only funders or custom grants not listed in Instrumentl, you can manually add a custom grant via your Tracker, or from a Funder's 990 Report using the +Add button.
Request or Start Applications
Click to open the opportunity and navigate to the Funding Opportunity tab. Depending on whether an application has been uploaded, you’ll see one of the following:
Request Application: If the application is not already created, request it here. Our team will upload it directly from the funder within two business days — no copying and pasting required. We'll notify you once the application is uploaded, then you can select 'Start Application' to start writing.
Start Application: This means the application is uploaded and ready to go, click to begin drafting!
Continue Application: If you’ve already started, you can pick up right where you left off.
Upload Your Past Proposals
To get the best results from the AI Grant Writing assistant, we recommend uploading at least five past proposals per program or project in question/answer format. The documents must be in .doc, .docx, or .pdf format to be searchable by our AI.
You can:
Select existing documents from your Document Library using the checkboxes, and use the search bar to quickly find specific uploads.
Or click Upload Additional Documents right from the application interface.
Apply will then scan through your selected docs and begin generating suggestions tailored to each specific question.
Start Writing
Use Answer Snippets to Build Your Draft
Once Apply has processed your documents, you’ll see
The application form on the left (including questions, word counts, and required attachments).
Answer Snippets on the right. Once you click on a question, you'll see personalized, document-based suggestions tailored to the specific question you’re working on.
Suggestions may include direct quotes from your documents, AI-refined content, or a mix of both! If multiple recommendations are available, you can use the arrows at the top of the screen to easily browse through your suggested answer snippets.
Click +Start with this to drop a snippet directly into your draft. Your work saves automatically, so you can exit and return at any time.
Refine and Align Answers with Apply Advisor
Need to polish an answer or align it to a specific funder? That’s where Apply Advisor comes in.
Right inside the application beneath your Answer Snippets, you can type requests like:
Align this answer to funder priorities
Make this more compelling (or more professional, more concise, friendlier - whatever tone you need)
Focus more on our housing initiative
Replace the word 'innovative'
Or anything else to help you refine your answers!
Advisor uses AI alongside Instrumentl data and 990s to suggest edits with context and rationale, without sacrificing your personal voice and style. It follows the question you’re working on, tracks the conversation, and saves your chat history as you go.
You can drag and drop the revised answer directly into the question field, or copy/paste to add or replace content in your draft.
As you fill in your answers, you’ll also see smart writing prompts like Meet Word Count, Simplify, or Shorten when you hover over the question to help fine-tune your draft to meet formatting requirements.
At any point, you can select "Manage Content" at the top right of the screen to change your recommendations by selecting or adding in additional documents for the AI to bring up results from.
Finalize and Submit to Funder
Once you've added in your responses, you can download your application using the 'Download' button at the top right of the application page. Share it out with colleagues to continue collaborating, make final edits, and submit on the funder website with any attachments specified in the application!
Please note: Instrumentl does not submit applications to funders. You must still download your application and submit the final version directly to the funder per their instructions. Generally this is done via the funder's grant application portal.
Use Your Proposal for Future Applications
Now that you've officially submitted your proposal to the funder, first congratulate yourself!
As the final step, be sure to upload your application and attachments to your Instrumentl Document Library or opportunity.
This way, your submission will help power & continue to improve your future applications written with Apply. Uploading your final applications also ensures the AI tool pulls from your up-to-date organization information!
FAQs
Can you retrieve applications that are invite-only or require a password to access?
Can you retrieve applications that are invite-only or require a password to access?
Yes! We will reach out to the funder directly to obtain access.
Are there any types of grants the AI grant writing tool is not compatible with?
Are there any types of grants the AI grant writing tool is not compatible with?
At the moment, State and Federal grants are not available for use with AI recommendations.
Instrumentl's sought-after AI grant writing assistant is new and constantly being improved upon. These are just the nascent stages — stay tuned to see how Apply continues to strengthen your submissions!
Contact Us 
When you request an application, our specialized AI Support team will receive your request and reach out with further submission info as necessary.
Otherwise, feel free to out to our friendly Support team if you have any questions about using the Apply + Advisor feature! Message us via the chat bubble when logged in, or email us at hello@instrumentl.com.