My buddy Creech (Matthew Saunders) is working on a really neat proposal to the Knight Drupal Initiative to develop an open-source grant-making system using the Drupal CMS. I agree with him that there is a clear need for a more transparent, efficient and fair system for non-profits to apply for grant funding from grantmaking agencies. I’ve been on both sides of the coin, as both a grantseeker and a grantmaker, so I know how frustrating and time-consuming the process can be.
In a previous job I was involved in a similar effort to create an online grant application system that was more transparent and supportive of the applicants and the selection panelists. We were only partially successful, with various technical and political roadblocks preventing us from a more feature-rich implementation. While a technical solution will not solve the various problems with the non-profit grantmaking culture, it can certainly help unpack the open up the process to groups that are often on the short end of the funding stick.
Please check out Creech’s proposal and make suggestions so that he can refine and improve it.
Thanks for the plug! I appreciate it!