Managing Grant Applications
Once your fund is set up and applicants start applying, you'll need to review, assess, and make decisions on their applications. This guide covers everything from viewing your applications list to making awards and rejections.
Why Good Application Management Matters
Stay organised — Track where each application is in your review process
Be consistent — Use the same criteria and process for every application
Save time — Filter, sort, and export data to work efficiently
Communicate clearly — Generate professional feedback for applicants
Viewing Your Applications
The Applications List
Go to Funder > Funds
Click on your fund
Click the Applications tab
You'll see a table showing all applications submitted to this fund.
Understanding the Columns
The default view shows:
Column | What it shows |
ID | Unique application identifier (e.g. A-001, A-002) |
Applicant | Name of the person or organisation applying |
Project Name | Title of the proposed project |
Amount | How much funding they're requesting |
Status | Current stage in your review process |
Application Date | When they submitted |
Customising Your View
Click Show/Hide Fields to add or remove columns. Additional columns available include:
Amount Awarded / Amount Disbursed
Date Awarded
Email, Phone, Postcode
Planned Start/End Dates
Description and Feedback
AI-generated Summary
Any questions from your application form
Your column preferences are saved automatically.
Finding Specific Applications
Searching
Use the search box to find applications by:
Applicant name
Organisation name
Project name
Application ID
Filtering
Click the filter icon to add filters:
Click + to add a filter
Choose what to filter by (status, amount, date, form responses)
Set your filter criteria
Add more filters as needed
Click Clear all to remove all filters.
Common filter combinations:
Status = "Applied" — See new applications needing review
Status = "Reviewed" — See applications ready for a decision
Amount greater than £5,000 — See larger funding requests
Sorting
Click any column header to sort by that column. Click again to reverse the order.
Application Statuses
Each application moves through statuses as you process it:
Status | What it means | Colour |
Applied | Newly submitted, awaiting review | Blue |
In Review | Currently being assessed | Orange |
Reviewed | Assessment complete, awaiting decision | Purple |
Recommended | Assessor recommends approval (awaiting final decision) | Cyan |
Approved | Grant awarded | Green |
Rejected | Application declined | Red |
Fully Paid | All grant payments completed | Cyan |
Completed | Grant period finished | Green |
Reviewing an Application
Click on any application in the list to open its detail page.
Application Tab
Shows the complete application form responses. Use this to understand what the applicant is proposing.
AI Assistant (Pippin)
A sidebar provides AI-powered insights including:
Application summary
Project plan analysis
Eligibility assessment
Budget review
Strengths and weaknesses
Due Diligence Tab
Upload and manage supporting documents:
Financial statements
Governing documents
Safeguarding policies
Any other required documents
Documents are organised by category for easy reference.
Assessment Tab
If you've set up an assessment form, this is where you score the application. See Assessing Applications for details.
Feedback Tab
This is where you make your decision. See the next section for details.
Making a Decision
On the Feedback tab, you'll see four decision options:
Award Grant
Approve the application for funding.
Click the Award Grant card (green with tick icon)
Enter the Amount Awarded (can be different from amount requested)
Set the Date Awarded
Optionally set grant start and end dates
Click Save
Recommend
Recommend approval but don't make the final decision (useful when assessors recommend but someone else approves).
Click the Recommend card (cyan with star icon)
Enter the recommended amount and date
Click Save
Reject
Decline the application.
Click the Reject card (red with X icon)
Generate feedback (see below)
Click Save Feedback
Ask for Clarification
Request more information before making a decision.
Click the Ask for Clarification card (blue with question icon)
Write what information you need
Click Save
Generating Feedback
You can write feedback manually or use AI to generate it.
AI-Generated Feedback
Click Generate AI Feedback
For rejections, adjust the Directness Level slider:
Left = Very Gentle (softer language)
Right = Very Critical (direct language)
If you have rejection templates configured, click relevant templates to include specific reasons
Review and edit the generated feedback
Click Save Feedback
Sending Feedback to Applicants
After saving feedback:
For approved applications: Click Send Approval Email
For rejected applications: Click Send Rejection Email
The email is queued and sent automatically with your feedback included.
After Approval: Next Steps
Once you approve an application:
Click Set up Agreement on the Feedback tab
This takes you to the Agreement workflow (see Grant Agreements guide)
Collect banking details from the grantee
Set up KPIs and monitoring
Get signatures from both parties
Make disbursements
Exporting Applications
Click Export All above the applications table to download your data:
Option | Best for |
Export as CSV | Analysis in Excel or Google Sheets |
Export with Assessment as CSV | Includes all scoring data from assessors |
Export as Word Document | Formatted documents for committees or records |
Export as Word (AI Enhanced) | Professionally formatted with AI summaries |
Tip: Apply filters before exporting to download only the applications you need.
Creating Applications Manually
Sometimes you need to add an application that wasn't submitted through the normal process (e.g. paper applications or direct invitations).
Click New Application above the applications table
Fill in the application details
Save the application
Importing from Salesforce
If your fund is connected to Salesforce:
Click Import above the applications table
Search for applications in Salesforce
Select the ones you want to import
Click Import
The applications sync into Plinth with all their data.
Tips for Efficient Application Management
Process applications in batches
Filter by status to work through all "Applied" applications together, then move to "Reviewed" applications for decisions.
Use keyboard shortcuts
In the applications list, use arrow keys to navigate and Enter to open an application.
Set up assessment forms for consistency
When multiple people review applications, an assessment form ensures everyone scores against the same criteria.
Save common filters
Your filter and sort preferences are remembered, so set up your preferred view once.
Export regularly for records
Download CSVs periodically to maintain offline records of your grant-making.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change a decision after I've made it?
Yes. Go back to the Feedback tab and select a different decision. Be aware this may affect any emails or agreements already sent.
Can multiple people review the same application?
Yes. If you have an assessment form, multiple assessors can score the same application. Their scores appear side-by-side in the Assessment tab.
How do I see who made a decision?
Hover over the status badge in the applications list to see who made the decision and when.
Can applicants see their feedback?
Only if you send them the approval or rejection email. The feedback is included in that email.
How do I delete an application?
Click the delete icon in the Actions column of the applications list. You'll need to confirm the deletion.
What happens to withdrawn applications?
You can reject them with appropriate feedback, or delete them if they were submitted in error.