Assessing Grant Applications
Assessment is where you evaluate applications against your criteria and decide who receives funding. Plinth makes this process faster and more consistent with structured scoring, multi-assessor support, and AI-powered analysis.
Why Use Structured Assessment?
Consistency — Every application is evaluated against the same criteria
Transparency — Clear reasoning for decisions that you can share with applicants
Collaboration — Multiple assessors can score the same application independently
Speed — AI assistance helps you work through applications faster
Audit trail — Complete record of who assessed what and when
AI-Powered Assessment
One of Plinth's most powerful features is Pippin, the AI assistant that helps you assess applications more efficiently.
What Pippin Can Do
When reviewing an application, Pippin can:
Summarise the application — Get a quick overview without reading everything
Analyse the project plan — Understand what the applicant is proposing
Check eligibility — Verify the application meets your criteria
Review the budget — Spot potential issues with costings
Identify strengths and weaknesses — Based on your fund's criteria
Auto-fill assessment forms — Generate draft scores and comments
Write feedback — Draft approval or rejection letters
Auto-Generate Assessment Answers
For even faster processing, you can have Pippin automatically fill in your assessment form:
Go to your fund's Assessment tab
Click Settings (cog icon)
Enable Auto-generate answers for the assessment form
Adjust the AI Assessment Verbosity slider to control how detailed the AI responses are
When you open an application's assessment, Pippin will pre-fill the answers. You can then review, adjust, and submit.
Controlling AI Access
If you're using external assessors and want them to form independent opinions:
Disable AI for External Assessors — Turn off Pippin for people outside your organisation
Redact Applicant Information — Hide identifying details for blind assessment
Find these settings in the Assessment tab's Settings menu.
Setting Up an Assessment Form
An assessment form gives assessors a structured scorecard to evaluate applications.
Creating Your Assessment Form
Go to Funder > Funds and click on your fund
Click the Assessment tab
Click Create Assessment Form
Use the form builder to add sections and questions
Types of Assessment Questions
Question Type | Best For |
Rating scale | Scoring criteria (e.g. 1-5 for "Project viability") |
Multiple choice | Categorical judgements (e.g. "Meets criteria: Yes/No/Partially") |
Text | Written comments and justifications |
Yes/No | Simple pass/fail checks |
Simple Comments Mode
If you don't need structured scoring, click Switch to Comments to use a simple text-based assessment instead. Assessors can write their thoughts without filling in a formal scorecard.
Scoring an Application
Opening the Assessment
Go to your fund's Applications tab
Click on an application
Click the Assessment tab
Completing the Assessment Form
Work through each section of the assessment form
Answer each question based on your review of the application
Click Save and Next to move between sections
On the final section, click Submit Assessment
Tip: You can save your progress at any time and come back later. Your answers are preserved.
Using the AI Sidebar
While assessing, the Pippin sidebar on the right shows:
Application Summary — Quick overview of what they're asking for
Project Plan — Analysis of their proposed activities
Eligibility — Whether they meet your criteria
Budget Review — Assessment of their financial ask
Strengths & Weaknesses — Based on your fund's defined criteria
Click on any section to expand it. Use these insights to inform your scoring.
Working with Multiple Assessors
Why Use Multiple Assessors?
Reduce bias — Multiple perspectives lead to fairer decisions
Increase capacity — Share the workload across your team
Expert input — Bring in specialists for technical applications
Inviting External Assessors
Go to your fund's Assessment tab
Click to invite an external assessor
Enter their name and email address
They'll receive an invitation to create an account
Organising Assessors into Groups
For larger programmes, you can create Assessor Groups:
Group assessors by expertise or region
Assign applications to groups rather than individuals
Track group progress in the Assessor Summary
Viewing Multiple Assessments
When multiple people have assessed the same application:
Open the application's Assessment tab
You'll see coloured avatars for each assessor at the top
Click on an avatar to see that assessor's scores
Each assessor has a unique colour for easy identification
Your own assessment is editable. Other assessors' scores are shown as read-only.
Tracking Assessment Progress
Click View Assessor Summary to see:
Each assessor's name and email
How many applications they've been assigned
How many they've completed
Their completion percentage
Group progress if using assessor groups
Protecting Applicant Privacy
For blind assessment or sensitive applications, you can control what assessors see.
Redacting Applicant Information
Enable Redact Applicant Information in Assessment Settings to hide:
Applicant name
Email address
Physical address
AI-generated summary (which might contain identifying details)
Hiding Specific Questions
You can hide individual application questions from external assessors:
Go to your fund's Set-up tab
Click View Form to open the application form
For each question you want to hide, check Redact for external assessors
Save the form
External assessors won't see these questions or the applicant's answers.
From Assessment to Decision
Once you've completed your assessment:
Go to the application's Feedback tab
Make your decision (Award, Recommend, Reject, or Request Clarification)
Use Generate AI Feedback to draft your response
Send the decision to the applicant
See the Managing Applications guide for details on making decisions and sending feedback.
Tips for Effective Assessment
Define clear criteria upfront
Before opening applications, make sure your assessment form reflects exactly what you're looking for. This helps assessors and improves consistency.
Use AI as a starting point
Let Pippin generate initial assessments, then add your human judgement. This is much faster than starting from scratch.
Calibrate with your team
Have multiple assessors score the same few applications at the start, then compare. This helps everyone understand the criteria consistently.
Document your reasoning
Use the text fields in your assessment form to explain your scores. This helps when making final decisions and if applicants ask for feedback.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my assessment after submitting?
Yes. Your assessment remains editable until a final decision is made on the application.
Can external assessors see each other's scores?
No. External assessors can only see their own assessment. Only fund staff can see all assessments.
What happens if assessors disagree significantly?
You can see all scores side-by-side and make a final decision based on the overall picture. Consider discussing significant disagreements before deciding.
Can I assess applications without an assessment form?
Yes. Use "Switch to Comments" mode to write free-text assessments instead of structured scores.
How accurate is the AI assessment?
Pippin provides a helpful starting point based on your criteria, but always review and adjust. The AI helps you work faster, not replace your judgement.