This article describes the default behaviour of a highly configurable system. Your granting program may appear or behave differently depending on user permissions and custom configurations. If you do not appear to have access to everything you need, use the Help > Request Help link to request additional permissions.
Use the Grants Advanced Submitter Portal to start, save, and submit your application. Each program has its own eligibility rules, question sets, and page flow, so the screens you see may differ from one program to another. This article walks through the standard application experience.
Starting a new application
Begin a new application from the portal home page. Depending on how the program is configured, you may need to complete an eligibility quiz or enter an invite code before reaching the application.
- Log in to the Grants Advanced Submitter Portal.
- Select Get Started on the home page for the program you want to apply to.
- Answer each question on the eligibility quiz (if the program uses one). The portal routes you to the correct application type based on your answers.
- Enter the invite code when prompted during the eligibility step (if required). Invite codes are usually provided by the program and determine which application type and reviewer mailbox your submission is assigned to.
If a response does not meet program criteria, you cannot continue until you qualify or contact the program team for guidance.
Completing application pages
After eligibility, work through the application one page at a time. Page names appear across the top so you can see where you are in the flow.
- Read each question on the current page. Required fields are marked and must be completed before you can move forward.
- Use Back and Next at the bottom of the page to move between pages.
- Select Save to save your progress on the current page without leaving the application.
- Select Save & Close to save and return to the portal home page. You can reopen the in-progress application later from your dashboard.
The application auto-saves as you work. Manual save options are also available if you want to confirm progress before navigating away.
The following controls are available throughout the application:
| Action | What it does |
|---|---|
| Back | Returns to the previous page. |
| Next | Moves to the next page when all required questions on the current page are complete. |
| Save | Saves your responses on the current page. |
| Save & Close | Saves your responses and closes the application. |
| Submit | Finalizes your application for review (available only on the last page when all required questions are complete). |
| Cancel | Closes the application without submitting. |
Question formats, conditional logic, and optional fields depend on how the program is configured. Some programs hide or show questions based on your earlier answers.
Submitting the application
On the final page, review your responses and select Submit when every required question is complete.
- Confirm that no required questions are left unanswered.
- Select Submit.
- Review the confirmation page that appears after a successful submission.
After submission, the portal displays a confirmation message and sends you an email notification for your records. Your application then moves into the program's review workflow.
Resuming an in-progress application
You do not need to finish an application in one session.
- Log in and open the in-progress application from your dashboard or applications list.
- Continue from the last saved page and select Submit when ready.
Resolving common submitter issues
Use the guidance below to help submitters resolve the most common issues they encounter during the application process.
Ask the submitter to review required fields if they cannot select Next. A required question on the current page may be incomplete, or a conditional rule may be blocking progress based on an earlier eligibility answer.
Ask the submitter to check for a character limit if they cannot move forward despite all required fields appearing complete. Text fields have character counters — responses pasted from another document may silently exceed the limit and block navigation.
Ask the submitter to use Back and check earlier pages for incomplete required fields if the Submit button is unavailable. Submit only appears on the final page when all required questions across the entire application are complete, including questions on all previous pages.
Ask the submitter to check the valid file types listed on the attachment field if they cannot upload a file. The form validates file type on upload and displays which formats are accepted — the submitter's file may need to be converted before uploading.
Ask the submitter to re-login if they are redirected to the login page or see a session error mid-application. The form uses browser session cookies that can expire during long applications. Any responses not saved since their last manual save may need to be re-entered — direct them to use Save regularly on long pages.
Ask the submitter to check both the in-progress and submitted views if they cannot find their application on the dashboard. Confirm which email address they used to log in, as the application may have been submitted already or associated with a different account.
Confirm the submitter's account and program assignment with your grants administrator if they cannot find the program they expect. They may need a different invite code, additional portal permissions, or access to a different application type.
Ask the submitter to check their spam or junk folder if they did not receive a confirmation email. If the email is not there, confirm that the application shows a submitted status on their dashboard before escalating.
Contact your grants administrator to confirm whether the program is still accepting applications if the deadline appears to have passed. Programs close to new submissions after a configured deadline.