Grant applications are created and managed using the Donorfy feature called Opportunities.

You can use Opportunities to manage the application process. There are different Opportunity Types available for different categories of funder, there is one already set up in Donorfy called Application for a Grant.

Each Opportunity Type has a ‘pipeline’ associated with it, a sequence of actions needed to progress the opportunity. You can change these pipeline stages within Settings.

A typical pipeline for Trust applications could include, for example:

• Research
• Apply
• Submitted - Awaiting response
• Successful
• Unsuccessful

Requirements

Opportunities is a Professional-only feature. Essential subscribers, please contact us to find out more about upgrading.

Setting up an Opportunity

Find the Trust constituent, click the orange Add button, and click on Grant Application (under the Fundraising section) to set up a new Opportunity.

You can add information as follows:

• Change the Description if you wish, and assign the application to a team member
• You can optionally select a Campaign, which in turn will allow you to select Items (the discrete fundable aspects of the project for which you are applying for a grant such as core costs, building, wages, etc). These items can be set up in the Campaign.
• Under Pipeline, select which Stage you are at, enter the amount you’re applying for, and the Probability (as a percentage).
• You can use the Expected Close Date field in two ways:
  • To indicate when you expect to get a decision from the Trust– by adding a % probability this will add an item to the overall ‘pipeline’ of Opportunities.
  • In the earlier stages of an application, you can also use the date field to represent a target date for completing this stage – leaving the % probability field blank for the moment
• If one of your trustees or supporters is involved in the application, you can also add a Connection within the Opportunity.
• Use the free text field to add any notes, links, etc
• Click on the Save button.

Once saved, the other tabs appear: Tasks, Pledges, and Timeline.

• Under Tasks, you can create and assign tasks associated with the Opportunity.
• Under Pledges, you can create entries to represent the payments that will be made under this grant, if successful.
• Under Timeline, you can add activities relating to this Opportunity such as the sending of a proposal, or a meeting.

The Timeline automatically keeps a record of each stage change in the process. Note that all items on the Opportunity Timeline are also visible on the constituent funder’s overall Timeline.

Progressing the Opportunity to a conclusion

As you progress through the process of applying, you can return to the Opportunity to update, say, the stage and probability. You can find the Opportunity from the Constituent form by clicking on the Opportunities tab within the Trust Info box.

Eventually, when the Opportunity has been resolved you need to set the Stage to one of your closing stages. This will mark the Opportunity as closed, but it will be retained.