Geographic Eligibility
Many funds are restricted to specific geographic areas — perhaps a local authority, a region, or within a certain distance of a location. Plinth lets you define these boundaries visually and automatically screen applicants based on where they're located.
Why Use Geographic Restrictions?
Target your impact — Focus funding where it's needed most
Meet funder requirements — Many funders restrict grants to specific areas
Automatic screening — Applicants outside your area are filtered automatically
Clear communication — Visual maps help applicants understand if they're eligible
Three Ways to Define Your Area
When setting up or editing a fund, go to Step 4: Funding Preferences and find the Geographic Restrictions section.
Option 1: Radius from Point(s)
Best for: Funding within a certain distance of one or more locations.
How to set up:
Select Radius from point(s)
Click on the map to add a point, or search for a postcode
Set the radius (distance) from that point
Choose the unit (miles or kilometres)
Add more points if needed
How it works: Applicants are eligible if they're within the radius of ANY of your points. This is useful when you want to cover multiple areas that aren't contiguous.
Example: "Within 10 miles of Manchester or Liverpool" — add two points with 10-mile radii.
Option 2: Boundary Area
Best for: Funding within defined administrative boundaries.
How to set up:
Select Boundary area
Search for your region (local authority, county, etc.)
Select the boundaries you want from the results
Add multiple boundaries if needed
How it works: Applicants are eligible if their postcode falls within ANY of the selected boundaries.
Available boundaries:
Local authorities
Counties
Regions
Parliamentary constituencies
And more...
Example: "Organisations in Birmingham or Solihull" — select both local authority boundaries.
Option 3: Draw Custom Shapes
Best for: Areas that don't match standard boundaries.
How to set up:
Select Draw custom shapes
Click Start drawing
Click on the map to create points for your polygon
Double-click to complete the shape (minimum 3 points)
Draw additional shapes if needed
How it works: Applicants are eligible if their location falls within ANY of your drawn shapes.
Example: A specific neighbourhood, a park catchment area, or a custom region that crosses administrative boundaries.
How Geographic Checking Works
For Applicants
Applicant enters their postcode in the application
The system converts this to coordinates
For radius: Calculates distance to each point
For boundaries/shapes: Checks if location is inside any polygon
If outside all areas, the applicant is shown as ineligible
For Portals
If you're using funding portals with eligibility screening:
Geographic checks happen as part of the screening process
Applicants outside your area see a "not eligible" message
You can customise this message to suggest alternative funds
Displaying Geographic Information
Maps in Your Fund Setup
When you configure geographic restrictions, you'll see:
Interactive map — Shows your defined areas
Radius circles — Visual representation of distance from points
Boundary polygons — Shaded areas for selected regions
Your drawn shapes — Custom polygons you've created
Maps for Applicants
Geographic eligibility checking happens automatically when applicants enter their postcode. The system checks their location against your defined areas and shows eligibility results, but maps are not currently displayed to applicants in portals or application forms.
Tips for Geographic Restrictions
Be clear about what "location" means
Decide whether you're checking where the organisation is based, where they deliver services, or where beneficiaries live. Make this clear in your eligibility criteria.
Consider edge cases
Organisations near boundaries may deliver services on both sides. Decide how strict you want to be.
Use radius for flexibility
Administrative boundaries don't always match community needs. Radius from key locations can be more meaningful.
Combine with other criteria
Geographic eligibility works alongside other screening questions. An applicant must meet all criteria to be eligible.
Test your setup
Enter a few postcodes from inside and outside your area to make sure the checking works as expected.
Changing Geographic Restrictions
You can update geographic restrictions at any time:
Go to your fund's Set-up tab
Click Edit Fund
Navigate to Step 4: Funding Preferences
Modify your geographic settings
Click Save Changes
Note: Changes affect new applicants immediately. Applications already in progress are not re-checked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have multiple non-contiguous areas?
Yes. Add multiple radius points, select multiple boundaries, or draw multiple shapes. Applicants in ANY of your areas are eligible.
What if an applicant's postcode isn't recognised?
They may need to enter a nearby valid postcode. Very new postcodes sometimes take time to be added to mapping systems.
Can I change from radius to boundary mode?
Yes. Select a different mode and configure it. Your previous settings are replaced.
How accurate is the checking?
Postcode-level accuracy. In the UK, postcodes typically cover a small area (average 15 households), so this is usually sufficient.
Can applicants appeal geographic decisions?
That's up to you. Consider adding contact information in your "not eligible" message for edge cases.
Does this work internationally?
The system works best with UK postcodes and boundaries. For international funds, radius-based restrictions with coordinates work anywhere.