Ten Quick Wins for Smarter Grantmaking

You can reduce admin and improve fairness with a few simple changes.

• Map forms to criteria and cut unused questions.
• Add eligibility gates and conflict logging.
• Use AI to draft feedback and board papers.

Quick wins to try

Implement these in days, not months.

• Short guidance with examples of strong answers.
• Reviewer calibration session before scoring.
• Save‑and‑return forms for applicants.
• Proportionate reporting templates.

Key takeaway: small steps deliver immediate value.

Measuring the gains

Track improvements to sustain momentum.

• Time per application and turnaround.
• Applicant satisfaction and clarity.
• Audit readiness and error rates.

Key takeaway: Plinth makes wins visible in dashboards.

What to do next

Build on early success.

• Roll changes across programmes.
• Integrate lightly with finance/BI.
• Publish learning and fairness statements.

Key takeaway: iterate; avoid one‑off fixes.

FAQs

How do we start without capacity?

Pick one programme and a small set of changes.

Do we need new software?

It helps; otherwise adopt templates and logs immediately.

How soon will results show?

Often in the first round after changes.