How to Build Transparency into Grant Decisions

Transparency means applicants and stakeholders can understand how and why decisions were made.

• Publish criteria and example scoring.
• Provide constructive feedback to all applicants.
• Maintain decision notes and conflict logs.

Communicate standards upfront

Set expectations before applications open.

• Clear eligibility and assessment criteria.
• Timelines, panels and conflict policies.
• Example strong answers.

Key takeaway: clarity reduces confusion and appeals.

Document decisions consistently

Keep records short and factual.

• Scores, evidence and rationale.
• Any conditions or follow‑ups.
• Attendance and recusals.

Key takeaway: Plinth keeps a clean audit trail by default.

Share outcomes respectfully

Feedback builds a healthier funding ecosystem.

• Tailored summaries for declines and awards.
• Routes for clarifications and learning.
• Public summaries where appropriate.

Key takeaway: transparency and kindness can coexist.

FAQs

Should we publish all scores?

No—share criteria and rationales, not raw personal data.

How do we handle appeals?

Provide a clear route for factual corrections, not re‑reviews.

Can transparency slow us down?

Templates and automation make it faster, not slower.