Grants Quick Start
Short, step-by-step guidance for finding, tracking, and submitting grants in Expirely. This page is built for the first session: choose one opportunity, track it properly, and move from research to a real draft without getting lost in setup.
What this guide gets you
One live application in the pipeline instead of an empty workspace.
One clear next step for research, drafting, or deadline follow-through.
One repeatable process your team can use for the next grant cycle.
Before you open Grants
- A short mission statement and program summary you can reuse quickly.
- A rough sense of funding amount, deadline pressure, and project fit.
- One person who owns the application even if multiple people contribute.
Start here
Use this order for your first working session.
The goal is not to configure every grant feature. The goal is to move one real opportunity into the system and make the next action obvious.
Open the grants workspace
Go to Grants in the top nav.
Look at the live pipeline
Click Applications to see your pipeline.
Create one real application
Click New Application to add your first grant.
Best day-one win
End your first session with one application that has a real deadline, a named owner, and a clear next task. That single record creates the momentum the rest of the module builds on.
Core workflows
These are the grant motions that matter most once you are in the product.
Read these as working plays, not feature descriptions. Each one is here to help you move a real application forward with less drift.
Discovery
Find new grant opportunities
Start here when you need a qualified shortlist, not a giant list of funders to scan without direction.
- 1Go to
Grants→Foundations(orFederal Grants). - 2Use filters to narrow by focus area, location, and amount.
- 3Open a funder to review fit and past giving.
- 4Click
TrackorAdd to Pipelineto start an application.
Pipeline
Track an application
Use this workflow once a funder is real and you need everyone aligned on stage, deadline, and next action.
- 1Go to
Grants→Applications. - 2Click
New Applicationand enter funder + deadline details. - 3Move the card across stages as it progresses.
- 4Add tasks and reminders so nothing slips.
Drafting
Draft a proposal with AI
This is the fastest way to go from blank page to a usable first draft when the deadline is real and momentum matters.
- 1Open an application and click
AI Grant Writer. - 2Provide your mission, project, and funding goal.
- 3Review and edit the draft in the editor.
- 4Save the final draft and attach it to the application.
Execution
Stay ahead of deadlines
Use this layer after the application exists so the real risk, the missed deadline, never sneaks up on the team.
- 1Open any application and set the
Deadlinedate. - 2Add reminders under
TasksorReminders. - 3Check your
Grantsdashboard weekly for upcoming deadlines.
Keep momentum
The small habits that stop grant work from stalling later.
Most teams do not lose grants because the software is hard. They lose momentum because the fit notes, drafts, and next actions are scattered.
Operating habits
- Keep funder fit notes inside the application for quick reference.
- Attach draft versions so your team can review changes.
- Use consistent naming for projects to keep reporting clean.
Grant Writing Pantry Checklist
Use this when the writing is stalled because you do not have budgets, attachments, metrics, or reusable org language ready.
Help center
Best for product questions once you know which workflow you are trying to complete and need exact feature help.
Contact support
Use this if you need onboarding help choosing the right module, setup order, or team handoff plan for grants.
FAQ
The questions that usually come up once the work is live.
These are the common sticking points after a team has started tracking real applications and needs to stay organized.
Good stopping point for today
If you have one live application, one clear deadline, and one owner attached to the work, you are already using the grants module correctly enough to keep going tomorrow.
Where do I upload proposal documents?
Open the application and use the documents/upload section to attach drafts or final files.
How do I share an application with my team?
Invite teammates under Settings → Team, then assign tasks inside the application.
What if I don’t see a funder?
Use the search filters or add the funder manually inside a new application.