Using Blackbaud Grantmaking for Rolling Programmes

David Slavin

Are your funding programmes deadline driven for applicants, or do you have a rolling programme where applicants can apply 365 days per year?

We at BBC Children in Need have always had deadline-driven application rounds which has made things arguably simpler when it comes to workflow and keeping track of requests at pending disposition. We are re-launching our grants programmes in the Autumn and are moving to a two-stage process where stage one is always open to applicants.

Meeting Date is about to become my best friend in order to track which requests will be discussed in which meeting, but I wondered if anyone had any other tips / pitfalls / experience to share about administering rolling programmes in BBGM? In particular, how effectively do you use dashboards and searches to keep track of requests and make sure nothing falls behind the sofa along the way…!

Any advice welcome ?

Louisa Robinson

@David Slavin - making some parts around ‘Pending’ and the ‘create date’ of requests would be helpful to you, so you can monitor a timeline of applications sitting in the system waiting decision/approval

The create date is one of the advanced search options - really frustrating it isnt part of the basic filtering fields.

It works better then the request date - because you will find with a 2-stage application that the request date will update/change when you pull the 2nd stage form in. So its not a true reflection of when the initial application was submitted and how long you've had the request kicking around in the system.

David Slavin

@Louisa Robinson Thanks a lot, Louisa, really helpful

Louisa Robinson

@David Slavin no worries, if I think of anything else I will give you a shout. We also use meeting date. We have contigent payment requirements for paperwork and bank details to be completed - and the meeting date is a good part of the search to track what is still outstanding from each panel meeting. We also created an offer letter date field, so we could record when we pulled the paperwork off to send to the grantee - thats also really helpful to drive which letters are still outstanding to issue. Not really part of the application process but helpful all the same.