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Common Grant Application
What Common Grant Application is
Common Grant Application is a web-based system for managing grant and scholarship programs, from application collection through award administration. Grantmakers can create reusable forms for applications, recommendations, and reports, using text fields and document or media uploads. The system handles online and paper-based applications. Its review tools support configurable evaluation stages, reviewer groups, scoring or ranking, notes, and controls over who can view evaluations. After decisions, grantmakers can manage agreements, reports, and payment amounts, and export payment information to a spreadsheet. Each application can include up to two grant agreements and eight grant reports.
The service is intended for a range of funders, including foundations, government agencies, giving circles, faith-based or fraternal organizations, and scholarship providers. Applicants pay nothing to use it; grantmakers subscribe monthly. The Low Complexity plan is $175 a month and covers one to two administrative users and 1–50 applications received per year. The system runs in a browser such as Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari, with no installation required. Setup, support, and training are included in the listed plans, with online help and email and phone support also available.
Who it suits
Common Grant Application suits grantmakers and scholarship providers that need to collect applications and manage review and award workflows. Its stated audiences include foundations, government agencies, giving circles, faith-based or fraternal organizations, and other listed foundation types.
What it does well
- Supports online and paper-based applications.
- Reusable forms cover applications, recommendations, and reports.
- Reviewer workflows include scoring, ranking, notes, and visibility controls.
- Payment information can be exported to a spreadsheet.
- Setup, support, and training are included in listed plans.
What to know first
- Grantmakers pay at least $175 a month.
- Each application is limited to two agreements and eight reports.
- The maker says there is no DocuSign integration or general online payment mechanism.
Limits
The Low Complexity plan covers 1–2 administrative users and 1–50 applications received per year. Each application can have up to two grant agreements and eight grant reports.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Low Complexity | Monthly subscription; $175–$250 per month · 1–2 administrative users · 1–50 applications received per year · $0–$500,000 annual grant value · unlimited reviewers, programs, applications and documents · all features · setup, support and training included | $175 a month |
| Medium Complexity | Monthly subscription; $250–$450 per month · 3–5 administrative users · 51–200 applications received per year · $500,000–$2,000,000 annual grant value · unlimited reviewers, programs, applications and documents · all features · setup, support and training included | $250 a month |
| High Complexity | Monthly subscription; $450 or higher per month · 6 or more administrative users · 201 or more applications received per year · $2,000,000 or higher annual grant value · unlimited reviewers, programs, applications and documents · all features · setup, support and training included | $450 a month |
As commongrantapplication.com lists them, read 29 Sept 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Open the Common Grant Application website in a supported web browser.
- Choose a monthly plan based on your administrative users and annual application volume.
- Set up the system with the included setup help and training.
- Create reusable application, recommendation, or report forms.
- Configure evaluation steps, reviewer groups, and visibility controls.
Verdict
Choose Common Grant Application if your organization needs a browser-based system for application intake, evaluation, and grant administration. It offers a range of review controls and applicant use is free. Look elsewhere if your workflow requires DocuSign integration or a general online payment mechanism.
Questions
How much does Common Grant Application cost?
The Low Complexity plan is $175 a month. Medium Complexity is $250 a month, and High Complexity is $450 a month.
Do applicants have to pay?
No. Applicants pay nothing to use the system; grantmakers pay the monthly subscription.
Which platforms does it support?
It runs in a web browser, including Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. The maker says no installation is needed.
Can it manage reviews and awards?
Yes. Review tools include configurable steps, reviewer groups, scoring or ranking, notes, and visibility controls. Grantmakers can also manage agreements, reports, and payment amounts.
Does it integrate with payment services?
The maker says there is no general online payment mechanism. It offers a Bill.com integration to generate an invoice for online payment.
What support is included?
Listed plans include setup, ongoing support, and training. Online help and email and phone support are also available.
Facts from Common Grant Application's own pages
- Applicant pricing
- Applicants pay nothing to use the system; grantmakers pay a monthly subscription fee. · commongrantapplication.com, 29 Sept 2026
- Data access
- A July 2026 release note says the service added an MCP resource server and OAuth 2.1 authorization server for future AI use. · commongrantapplication.com, 29 Sept 2026
- Forms and applications
- Grantmakers can create reusable forms for applications, recommendations and reports, with fields for text, documents and media uploads. · commongrantapplication.com, 29 Sept 2026
- Founded
- 2007 · commongrantapplication.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Grant administration
- Grantmakers can manage grant agreements, reports and payment amounts; payment information can be exported in a spreadsheet. · commongrantapplication.com, 29 Sept 2026
- Headquarters
- Santa Monica, California, United States · commongrantapplication.com, 28 Sept 2026
- History
- The maker says development of its online application began in 2005 and its first beta users started using Common Grant Application at the end of 2007. · commongrantapplication.com, 29 Sept 2026
- Integrations
- The maker says there is no DocuSign integration or general online payment mechanism; it offers a Bill.com integration to generate an invoice for online payment. · commongrantapplication.com, 29 Sept 2026
- Intended users
- The maker lists private, public, community, operating and corporate foundations, government agencies, giving circles, faith-based or fraternal organizations, and scholarship providers as its audience. · commongrantapplication.com, 29 Sept 2026
- Notable application limits
- Each application can have up to two grant agreements and eight grant reports. · commongrantapplication.com, 29 Sept 2026
- Platform requirements
- The maker says nothing needs to be installed and the system can be used in a web browser, including Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari. · commongrantapplication.com, 29 Sept 2026
- Purpose
- The product is a customizable online system for managing grant and scholarship lifecycles, including online and paper-based applications. · commongrantapplication.com, 29 Sept 2026
- Reviews
- The system supports configurable evaluation steps, reviewer groups, scoring or ranking, notes, and evaluation visibility controls. · commongrantapplication.com, 29 Sept 2026
- Security and privacy
- The maker says it generally adheres to GDPR and CCPA, does not sell user information, stores data in the United States, and uses secure communications and password-protected accounts. · commongrantapplication.com, 29 Sept 2026
- Support
- The maker lists setup help, ongoing support, online help, and email and phone support; its pricing page says setup, ongoing support and training have no additional charge. · commongrantapplication.com, 29 Sept 2026
Where Common Grant Application stands on Freedom251
- Scholarship Management Software#11 of 25