Grantmaking Workflows: Best Practices for Efficiency

Practical ways to optimise each stage of the grant cycle for speed and fairness.

By Plinth Team

Grantmaking Workflows: Best Practices for Efficiency

Efficient workflows reduce turnaround times while improving consistency and applicant experience.

  • Map the process and remove steps without value.
  • Standardise criteria, forms and evidence requirements.
  • Use AI to accelerate checks and draft communications.

Design the intake well

Clarity at the front door saves the most time overall.

  • Plain‑English questions mapped to scoring.
  • Eligibility gates and auto‑validation.
  • Example answers for transparency.

Key takeaway: good intake reduces incomplete and ineligible submissions.

Run structured reviews

Reviewers should have clear roles and confident tools.

  • Conflict logging and assignment rules.
  • Side‑by‑side views of criteria, answers and evidence.
  • AI summaries highlighting strengths, risks and gaps.

Key takeaway: Plinth keeps decisions focused and well‑documented.

Communicate consistently

Applicants deserve timely, constructive updates.

  • Automated reminders and status changes.
  • Drafted feedback for both approvals and declines.
  • Clear next steps and conditions in agreements.

Key takeaway: consistency builds trust and reduces queries.

FAQs

How many reviewers per application?

Two is common; add a third where risk or value is higher.

Should we use scoring or ranking?

Use scoring against criteria; ranking can follow after normalisation.

Can volunteers review securely?

Yes. Plinth provides restricted access and activity logs for assurance.