Grantmaking often involves balancing high demand with limited resources. Complex forms, unclear timelines, and scattered information add friction for both applicants and internal decision-makers.
It helps to understand how applicants search for funding in the first place; this guide to finding grants offers useful insight into their journey and how small adjustments to your programme can make it more approachable.
Clear, applicant-focused processes help people apply with confidence while easing pressure on extensive staff teams. This alignment benefits everyone involved, from reviewers assessing applications to organisations striving to deliver impact.
A well-designed charity grant programme supports both applicants and staff
Well-designed charity grant programmes do more than distribute funds. They create an experience that supports applicants while reducing strain on your staff. When processes are unclear or cumbersome, applicants can disengage, and staff workloads become unnecessarily increased.
And today, that’s a real challenge. As per Association of Charitable Foundations (ACF), central government funding to charities has dropped by 33% in real terms in just one year, making it harder to access grants for charities that UK organisations depend on to meet growing community needs.
At the same time, grant applications are surging, with some funders seeing increases of up to 50%, according to The Road Ahead Report 2025. That makes it more critical than ever to streamline your grantmaking process, so your resources go further, and applicants don’t burn out trying to access support.
By introducing thoughtful changes, funders can make programmes easier to navigate, more equitable, and ultimately more impactful.
Make programme details easy to find and understand
Consider this scenario for a moment. A small group sees a grant opportunity and thinks it might be a good fit.
They spend hours compiling their application, only to discover halfway through that they’re not actually eligible. Maybe they’re based in the wrong region, or their annual income is just over the threshold.
Frustrated, they drop out. And your team still has to read part of their application, answer emails, or explain why they don’t meet the criteria; all of that could have been saved.
Now picture a different experience. That same group lands on your website and sees a clear, plain-language checklist: who the grant is for, what it funds, and who’s not eligible.
There’s even a short flowchart or quiz to help them figure it out quickly. They realise right away it’s not the right fit and move on, without wasting their time or yours.
It’s natural for many applicants to withdraw because they cannot determine their eligibility early in the process. Providing plain-language criteria and guidance upfront saves time for both sides.
If you manage multiple opportunities, consider creating a central hub or simple guide that outlines all your programmes in one place. When applicants can self-assess before reaching out, it reduces unnecessary enquiries and helps your staff focus on reviewing qualified submissions.
Plus, there’s clear evidence that transparent sharing makes a difference. As of March 2025, funders across the UK have published over £300 billion in grant data through the 360Giving Data Standard.
That level of openness is helping applicants and grantmakers alike make more informed decisions, which you can support through your own clear communication and an accessible hub.
Simplify application forms to reduce unnecessary admin
Let’s be honest, long, repetitive forms are off-putting. They’re hard work for applicants and create extra admin for your staff too. The simpler the form, the better the experience on both sides.
One way to do this is by breaking the process into stages. Start with the basics, and only request detailed information once you’ve shortlisted the applications. This approach saves applicants time and allows reviewers to focus more on strong proposals, streamlining the entire grant application review process.
It also helps to offer some guidance. Things like example responses or a short explainer video can go a long way in assisting people to get it right the first time. You might even share a few grant writing tips to help new applicants understand what reviewers are looking for.
Even small changes can reduce administrative burden for your team and improve the overall grantee experience, especially for first-time applicants or small community groups.
Design with equity and access in mind
Not everyone applying for a grant has the same access to technology or reads with ease. Some might be using a smartphone, others might be applying in a second language, and a few might just find the form confusing. Keeping that in mind during charity grant programme design makes a big difference.
Consider offering application materials in multiple formats. Make sure they’re compatible with screen readers and easy to understand. Providing translated versions, where appropriate, can also help.
Additionally, support matters too. A weekly Q&A session, a dedicated phone number, or even a few drop-in hours can give applicants the confidence to engage fully. These are small touches that build trust and open the door to more people, and the right people.
Set expectations clearly and stick to them
Applicants want to know what’s going to happen and when. If timelines or decisions feel unclear, it can cause frustration and discourage people from applying again.
Try to consolidate all the key details, deadlines, decision-making processes, and next steps in one easy-to-find location. The more upfront you are, the fewer questions your team will have to field along the way.
And if someone’s application isn’t successful, a bit of feedback can go a long way. Even a short note helps applicants improve and shows that their time and effort were valued and respected.
Use data insights to refine and improve
Improving your charity grant programmes is an ongoing process. Analyse your grant review process regularly.
Rather than focusing only on funded applicants, track where applicants drop off or struggle. Do people abandon applications at a specific question? Are instructions being misunderstood?
Let’s say you’ve noticed that many people start an application but don’t finish it. Or perhaps your team receives repetitive emails asking the same clarification question over and over.
That’s all helpful information. It could mean a particular question is confusing, the form’s too long, or the guidance isn’t as straightforward as it seems.
For example, you may realise applicants are regularly dropping off around the budget section of the form. After digging into the data and chatting with a few community groups, you find out that smaller organisations weren’t sure how detailed the budget needed to be and felt intimidated. By simplifying the instructions and adding a downloadable example, you saw completion rates improve almost immediately.
Analysing this data allows you to adjust form length, language, or guidance materials to create a smoother experience. Over time, these insights lead to better outcomes for applicants and a more efficient process for staff.
Match reporting expectations to the size and type of grant
Post-award reporting is essential, but overly complex requirements can discourage smaller organisations from applying again. Align reporting with the scale and purpose of the grant.
Instead of asking for detailed narratives for small grants, focus on the metrics and outcomes that demonstrate how the funding made a difference, rather than merely ticking every box for an impact report.
Align your process with your values
Every organisation has principles that guide its work, such as fairness, transparency, and community voice. Let those values shape your applicant experience. If you value accessibility, for example, consider whether your application process reflects this value. Are the forms easy to understand? Can people contact you with questions? Are there flexible options available for those who may struggle with digital access when applying? Or if you say you’re committed to equity, are you reviewing whether some groups are being unintentionally excluded?
Even within local authorities or large funding bodies, small, applicant-centric changes can improve public trust and maximise grantmaking outcomes.
Small changes now can ease pressure later
Many funding organisations are dealing with increased demand and limited budgets. By adopting an applicant-friendly approach, you not only improve equity and access but also reduce the administrative burden on your team. Fewer incomplete submissions, clearer expectations, and streamlined processes all add up to time saved and better outcomes.
Start a conversation with Foundant
Foundant provides smart tools for charities and helps funders create efficient, applicant-focused charity grant programmes using modern grant management systems designed to reduce friction and improve outcomes.
With the right tools in place, you can simplify your entire process, from application to reporting, making it easier for both applicants and staff while delivering greater impact.
Start a conversation with Foundant to explore how our grant management software in the UK can support your goals, reduce manual tasks, and deliver better outcomes. You can also explore what’s working across other UK grant programmes and how digital tools are helping to improve the applicant experience.