FYI a similar suggestion appeared more recently here: http://idealab.foundant.com/forums/339786-glm-idea-lab/suggestions/33696220-upload-button-for-grantees

Yes! I've asked for something like this in the past - so that we could have applicants upload documents that are needed for multiple requests (such as insurance certificates or financial statements). Instead of having them upload it again and again, I just have them email it to me, but that means (a) I have to save it to our servers and (b) they can't remember what they've sent or haven't sent. A document repository at the organization level would be much more efficient. My idea: http://idealab.foundant.com/forums/339786-glm-idea-lab/suggestions/19144108-organization-documents-that-applicant-can-upload-t

Someone else shared: http://idealab.foundant.com/forums/339786-glm-idea-lab/suggestions/32923309-shared-documents-for-applicants-to-use-in-applicat

I like this idea of shared documents but would find it helpful at the LOI/application point. The inline application is a good length but it would be helpful to have our additional instructions in 1 source area for the applicants. I agree there are other sites that make this a low priority request but also think for continuity and great workflow for applicants/grantees it better to have everything in 1 area.
Rachael.

Agreed, that would be a great option for post award project management and making the application very user friendly to our grantee/awardees.
Rachael

A stand alone document repository would be so lovely.

It would be great if there could be an "Upload Documents" button on the grantee's dashboard. There are times when the grantee has to return documents to me, such as; signed grant agreement or reimbursement requests. I am aware that I can create follow ups that would be a work around for this but it would be much easier for them to be able to just go to their dashboard and upload any document associated with their project. How awesome it would be to be able to go to my dashboard and see a tab that said "Documents" What do you think?

This is a great idea. We have general resources that we would like to make available to grantees in Foundant, rather than on our website. if there was a way to make permissions available to only specific users in the system with a request marked Approved (i.e. (awarded grantees), that would be awesome.

Hi Chris,

Thanks for following up. To be honest, this isn't a priority for us either ... it was one of those ideas that made sense at the time but less so now that I'm more familiar with how our grantees & team use the system.

If it were to happen, the sort of documents that I had in mind were a handful of things like our assessment tools and resource guides - nothing that would amount to particularly large file sizes.

-K

Hi Katherine,

Thanks for taking time to post this suggestion.

Given other higher-priority work, we're not looking to expand the Shared Documents access to Applicants at this point, especially given the availability of document-sharing sites. At some point, we want to update the Applicant experience within GLM, and at that point, if enough folks thought that applicant access to Shared Documents is important, we could make it part of that effort.

It could be something we do sooner, depending on feedback, but it might be something we limit more in terms of storage. How many documents / resources do you think you'd want to make available to Applicants?

Thanks,
-chris

Would anyone else find it helpful if organizations/grantees could have access to Shared Documents in addition to Staff & Board Members?

We have certain documents and resources that are shared with all of our grantees once their applications are approved, so I was thinking that Shared Documents would be a great way of making sure the most up to date versions of those common (not organization-specific) documents are easily accessible.

Hi Amy,

One thing we currently have under development is the implementation of another Idea Lab item - namely to make "Uploaded documents viewable by applicant" (http://community.foundant.com/foundant/topics/uploaded_documents_viewable_by_applicant).

I know you've comment on it ... will this address your need?

Thanks,
-chris

Thanks, Chris!

posted September 16, 2013 by Amy Palmer, Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville

Hi Amy,

Thanks for the suggestion. At this point, it's not something on our short-term roadmap, but it would be useful to hear from other users regarding how useful they would find this feature.

Also, we have had some discussions around updating the applicants' dashboard. For applicants with quite a few requests, their dashboard view can be a bit busy. Sharing documents with applicants is something that potentially could be a part of that work as well.

It's something that I'll add to my discussion list of our upcoming Summit. I'm slated to have quite a few sessions with users, so there will probably be some opportunity to get feedback there.

Thanks,

-chris

posted September 14, 2013 by Chris Dahl, Foundant Technologies

I love the new feature of being able to provide shared documents for evaluators. I think the same feature would be very useful to have available for applicants as well. There are many informational items that we use in our grant processes that are needed by all applicants in a process. For example: grant hearing schedules, on-site visit assignments, panel contact information, etc. Currently, I provide these items as hard copies and/or in e-mails. I can always count on several applicants losing this information and requesting it again. It would really be an efficiency to have a place in Foundant where all this information could be posted for reference by the applicants.

posted September 13, 2013 by Amy Palmer, Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville