Save the Grant Portal: https://myapplications.my.site.com/gsgrantee
Before starting an application, be sure to update your organization profile and related information. The Grant Portal enables invited applicants and grantees to update organization information and contacts.
Our goal is to simplify your experience and reduce redundancies in the application process. To achieve this goal, we will automatically pull data from your profile into each application. Keeping your profile up to date will streamline your grants experience and ensure that we always have the most accurate information about your organization.
For assistance in updating your organization profile, refer to this article.
Option 1: Select Invitation to start application
- From the Home tab at the top navigation bar, scroll to My Invitations.
- Select [View Details] for the pending invitation.
- Select [Edit Details] to start your application and progress through the steps to complete the application for submission.
Option 2: Edit In Progress Application from My Proposal list
- From the My Proposal Table, click on [Manage].
- Select [Edit Details] to start your application and progress through the steps to complete the application for submission.
Understanding the process for completing the application.
Within the application the steps to be completed are listed on the right. Click on each step to view the required questions. As each section is completed, a green check mark will appear.
Some steps include required fields marked by a red asterisk, indicating that they must be completed to save the step. If you don’t have the required information at the moment, you can save the application for later or navigate to another step by selecting it from the menu on the right.
To view the full application in Microsoft Word format and review all requirements, click here.
For easy access, below are helpful links to the Table of Contents - Steps of the Program/Project Application
Click here to download the full Project/Program Application Form.
This document can be used to draft your responses and then copy and paste your responses into our fields.
Complete the Program/Project Application
Step 1: Add/Edit Organization Details
Confirm your organizational details and enter accurate data where able, selecting next will take you through the application step by step.
Information presented is what the Open Society Foundations has on record for your organization.
There are certain fields that may not be available for edit if you have previously received a grant from the Foundation.
To Start, click [Edit Details] to open the entire application form for editing.
Enter or Edit Organization Details as described in the table below.
| Field | Information to provide |
|---|---|
| Organization name* |
(Required) This is the name used in your organization’s legal registration, and will be used in the agreement, and should generally match the name on the bank account (see below under “Financial Information”) that receives the grant funds. If your organization does not have a legal registration, please discuss with your Open Society Program Contact. Please note this name cannot be changed after a proposal is awarded. |
| Organization name in local language (if applicable) | (Optional) Only if applicable if name has an original language and character set. |
| Organization also known as (if applicable) |
(Optional) Enter a name that the organization is doing business under another which is different from the Legal Name – for example, a shortened version or acronym. Please explain any complexities we should know about here. |
| Legal Address Fields |
(Required) Enter the legal address of the organization as it is registered. Should match legal registry documents or official records such as U.S. tax forms. Please note this name cannot be changed after a proposal is awarded. |
| Copy Mailing Address | Click checkbox, if mailing address is the same as the legal address |
| Organization Mailing Address Fields | (Optional) If different, please enter the mailing address for your organization. |
| Organization General Email Address | (Optional) Enter the general mailbox for your organization, such as info@, etc. |
| Website Address/Social media handle | (Optional) Enter your website address and any other social media handle(s) such as LinkedIn or Facebook. |
This section allows us to gather basic details about your organization, including different names your organization may use, relationships with an intermediary, legal structure, and tax status.
Only applicable if working with a fiscal agent, fiscal sponsor, or other intermediary organization.
This information helps the Open Society Foundations understand how to best structure support for your work, navigate any complexities regarding your organization’s structure, gather key information that helps us know who to contact regarding the organization, and where to send the funds should your application be approved.
- Are you working with a fiscal agent, fiscal sponsor, or other intermediary organization? Click Yes or No.
If you are working with a third party, select yes. Additional questions will now be visible. Complete the fields as described in the table below.
| Field | Information to provide |
|---|---|
| Describe which: |
Fiscal Sponsor: a fiscal sponsor or fiscal sponsorship describes an arrangement between a non-profit organization with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and a project, often a new charitable effort, conducted by an organization, group or individual without a 501(c)(3) status. Fiscal sponsorship allows the tax-exempt sponsor to receive and manage funds restricted to the sponsored project on the project’s behalf. In turn, the fiscal sponsor is responsible for ensuring proper expenditure of the awarded funds to achieve project goals. Select if working with a third-party organization who is taking full responsibility for the grant, delivering the program and reporting requirements. This organization will be the name used for the Grant Award Letter and will require the signature of their officer and Open Society. Open Society will transfer the grant funds to a bank account of the fiscal sponsor. Fiscal Agent: A fiscal agent is an organization or individual that receives funds on behalf of a beneficiary and frequently also performs certain financial services. A fiscal agent does not retain the discretion and control that is a required element of a fiscal sponsorship. Instead, a fiscal agent acts on behalf of a principal (or project), which in turn maintains a legal obligation and right to direct and control the fiscal agent’s activities. A fiscal agent’s management of finances and legal obligations are crucial since the ultimate beneficiary is counting on the fiscal agent to properly handle the funds and reporting. In turn, that makes the financial health of the fiscal agent and its financial management and governance especially important. Select if working with a third-party organization who is a financial administrator of the funds. A fiscal agent is not the grantee or project implementer yet will sign the grant agreement along with the organization and Open Society, in acknowledgement of the fiscal agent’s role as recipient and administrator of the grant funds. If this is the case for your organization and this grant, then Open Society will transfer the grant funds to a bank account of the fiscal agent. In these cases, you can include the relevant details on the fiscal agent and their bank account under “Financial Information” below. Partner Organization: another third-party agreement such as "Fiscal Partner". Please describe the relationship in the question below. Other: another third-party agreement such as "Fiscal Partner". Please describe the relationship in the question below |
| What is the name and address of the other Organization? | Please provide the full legal name and address used in this organization’s legal registration. This information will be used in the grant agreement and should generally match the name on the bank account. |
| Please explain the relationship between yourself and the other Organization. |
Use this field to describe the full relationship between you and the third-party intermediary organization, the length of time and how you will work together on this project. Responses to questions below are also useful to our team:
|
| Authorized Signatory of Intermediary Organization | Enter the full name of the Authorized Signatory of the third-party intermediary organization. |
| Authorized Signatory Email Address | Enter the business email for the Authorized Signatory (this should contain the intermediary's domain and not a personal email address). |
- Click [Next] to save and move to the next section.
- Click [Save for Later] to save, exit and return to the Home page.
The system will automatically save when you click Next.
Step 2: Proposal Team Section
This section collects the names and details of your organization's contacts who should be notified for various tasks. For each role, you can assign a contact already on file. If you need to add a new contact, you can invite them as a collaborator and grant them access to the portal. For guidance on adding collaborators, refer to the section below or contact your Open Society program contact to add new members to your organization.
- Select the pencil icon to edit and select the contact on file for each role.
Please refer to the table below on definition of roles. - To save each selection, click on the floppy disk icon.
- Select [Add Role] to add additional roles if needed.
- Select [Invite Collaborator] to add new contacts and invite them as a portal user, refer to the steps below for assistance.
- Click [Next] to save and move to the next section.
- Click [Previous] to go back to the previous section
- Click [Save for Later] to save, exit and return to the Home page.
| Field | Information to provide |
|---|---|
| Primary Application Contact |
The primary individual who can respond to questions about the project/program. You can add an additional program contact by clicking on [Add Role] - they will be listed as "Other". Notify your program team to enable them as a program/project contact. |
| Authorized Signatory | Individual who has the legal authority to sign documents, agreements, or contracts on behalf of an organization. |
| Payment Contact | Individual who should be notified or contacted about payment schedules or issues relating to payments. |
| Reporting Contact | Individual primarily responsible for ensuring that all reporting requirements for the grant are met. This individual will receive all grant reporting reminders. |
Inviting Collaborators
- Click on [Invite Collaborator].
- Complete form as shown below.
- Click [Save].
- Enter Salutation, click on drop-down to select.
- Enter First Name, required entry.
- Enter Last name, required entry.
- Enter Email, required entry.
- Enter Job Title, optional.
Please note that your contact will receive an email from OSF Grants Management ([email protected]).
If this is their first time accessing the portal, they will have to complete steps to register on the grant portal. For guidance on registration, click here.
Step 3: Request Summary Section
This section allows us to gather basic details about your request, including the amount you are requesting, proposed start and end dates, and contact person(s) for this specific project or program.
Some fields may already contain pre-filled information from your program team. You are welcome to make any necessary edits and/or updates.
Complete the fields as described in the table below.
- Click [Next] to save and move to the next section.
- Click [Previous] to go back to the previous section
- Click [Save for Later] to save, exit and return to the Home page.
| Field | Guidance on information to provide |
|---|---|
| Proposed Title | Enter the title of the project or program. Please note you are limited to 30 characters in this field. |
| Requested Amount from Open Society Foundations in USD |
Enter the amount being requested from Open Society Foundations for this Program or Project. The value must be in US Dollars not in local currency. |
| Proposed Grant Start Date |
Enter date that the program/project will begin. Please enter in MM/DD/YYYY format. Click on the calendar icon to open calendar for date selection. |
| Proposed Grant End Date |
Enter date that the program/project will end. Please enter in MM/DD/YYYY format. Click on the calendar icon to open calendar for date selection. |
| Countries Or Regions That Will Benefit From This Work | (Required) A list of the countries or regions that would benefit from the grant. |
| Countries or Regions In Which Work Will Occur | (Required) List countries, regions, and/or states where this work would be performed, in-person or remotely, in the implementation of grant-funded activities. For example, if staff based in multiple countries will be undertaking work funded by this grant, please say where. |
Note that the completed steps have a green check mark.
Step 4: Proposal Details section
Please tell us what you want to do and why. We have provided some guidance within the application (in italics), but you should interpret the questions to reflect your situation or to respond to the request of your Open Society contact. Additionally, you are welcome (and encouraged) to reuse content you have used in proposals for other funders. Unless explicitly requested by your Open Society contact, please do not include links, attachments, or annexes, as we will not review them.
The general guidance for responses of Goals, Activities, Background is to please try limit response to a total of 3500 characters (approximately 500 words). The system will provide a character count. Please note this is not a hard stop just a guidance.
The Your Organization and Other fields should also be less than 3500 characters.
We have provided some guidance, but you should interpret the questions to reflect your situation or to respond to the request of your Open Society contact.
Complete the fields as described in the table below.
- Click [Next] to save and move to the next section.
- Click [Previous] to go back to the previous section
- Click [Save for Later] to save, exit and return to the Home page.
| Field | Information to provide |
|---|---|
| Goals: What do you hope to achieve? |
(Required) Goals are clear, explicit descriptions of the change or changes sought in the world, which is observable or measurable, aligned with committed resources, and time bound. Open Society describes as strong goals those which:
This section ideally should not:
|
| Activities: What do you want to do, where, and when? |
(Required) We want to know what activities you will do in the proposed grant period to contribute to the goals mentioned above, and what the deliverables will be (if applicable). Up to five activities, and if applicable, up to five deliverables with proposed timelines. You can add it in bullet points or in a narrative format. This section should:
This section should NOT:
|
| Background: Why do you want to do this? |
(Required) This helps us understand the issue on which you work, how your work responds to the issue, and why the issue is important. This section should:
This section should not:
|
| Your organization: Why are you best placed to do this? |
(Required) We want to understand how your organization is positioned to do this work. What experience or capacities do you bring to this work? This section should:
This section should not:
|
| Other: Any further relevant information | (Optional) Provide any other information you want to share that is relevant to your proposal, such as information requested by your Open Society contact. |
Step 5: Learning And Challenges section
This section allows us to both understand how your organization will track progress toward achieving the goals outlined in this proposal. As well as understand any challenges, so that together we can work with you to address and mitigate them.
The general guidance for responses of Learning and Challenges is to please try to limit the response to a total of 3500 characters (approximately 500 words).
Complete the fields as described in the table below.
- Click [Next] to save and move to the next section.
- Click [Previous] to go back to the previous section.
- Click [Save for Later] to save, exit and return to the Home page.
| Field | Information to provide |
|---|---|
|
Learning Please share your approach to monitoring, evaluation, or learning |
We want to understand how you will know if you are making progress toward achievement of the goals identified in this proposal. What are the indicators or markers of success? How will progress be assessed over time and how will your organization learn from this work? Understanding these will help inform our conversations with you about the work and how we learn together. This section should:
This section should not:
|
|
Challenges Please briefly describe the top 2-3 challenges that may impact your capacity to achieve the outcomes sought, and actions or other factors to mitigate and manage these challenges. |
Open Society is a funder that is willing to work in hostile and difficult environments, to take strong stands on controversial and at times unpopular causes, and to support innovative and experimental ideas. Open Society recognizes that all work has challenges, and we need to understand these. Understanding the challenges that your organization and the proposed project or program may face will help us determine how best to support you and help you mitigate any challenges to impact. Challenges might include issues influencing the capacity of your organization to successfully do the work outlined in this proposal and achieve impact, such as financial challenges, leadership and governance challenges, reputational challenges, challenges deriving from critical relationships with other partners, or political and environmental factors (e.g., laws and policies, national security issues, corruption, discrimination/harassment/surveillance/ detention affecting staff, etc.) This section should:
This section should not:
|
Step 6: Budget Section
A budget helps us understand how you intend to allocate financial resources among different aspects of the project or program. This allows us to understand your plans and the resources required. We ask for a budget in USD to protect against local currency fluctuations, because in most geographies the prices of goods and services are highly sensitive to currency changes, and because most international trade is denominated and priced in USD.
If you have questions about exchange rate gains or losses, please ask your Open Society Program Contact.
Complete the required steps for uploading a project/program budget.
- Click [Next] to save and move to the next section.
- Click [Previous] to go back to the previous section
- Click [Save for Later] to save, exit and return to the Home page.
You are welcome to use your own budget format (for example, one you have prepared for multiple donors) as long as it is:
- Provided in Excel
- Is budgeted in USD
- Can be easily read and understood in a similar style to the budget we provide.
For your convenience, we have provided budget templates to download and use if you prefer. Please click on the relevant budget template to download and save to your local drive. Once complete, upload as directed below.
We provided commonly used line-items in our budget. You are not required to use all of them and can adapt them as needed within the template. Your Open Society Program Contact will ask for more details if needed.
Uploading Budget Template
- Click [Upload] Button
- Select Document Type, click drop-down and select Project/Program Budget.
- On Year, select the year for the budget start.
- Click on [Upload Files].
- Select File from your local computer network (hard drive or network drive).
- Click [Open].
- File will automatically upload and will present a success window.
- Click [Done] to complete.
Step 7: Financial Details section
In this section provide the bank details of the account you would like the grant paid into if your proposal is accepted for funding. If you are working with an intermediary, the account holder name and account information included here will be that of the fiscal sponsor/agent. The information provided here should match and be explained by the information provided under the Organization Details.
Complete the fields as described in the table below.
- Click [Next] to save and move to the next section.
- Click [Previous] to go back to the previous section
- Click [Save for Later] to save, exit and return to the Home page.
To modify or add a new bank account, access your Organization Profile in the top navigation menu. For assistance in adding new bank accounts, click here.
| Field | Guidance on information to provide |
|---|---|
| Bank Name |
Click on the drop-down to select the bank account you would like linked to this application. Please note if this is a multi-year project, you will be required to confirm this account before receiving the next payment. |
| Bank Account Number | The system will automatically display the last 4-digits of the account number of this account for your reference and validation. |
| Is the name of the bank account different from the name of the organization/grantee? |
Click to select Yes or No. If yes, you will be prompted to provide a reason why the name on the bank account is different from the organization and/or grantee. Please note if you are using an intermediary, the name will be different and should also be noted here. |
| Are there any special circumstances of which OSF should be aware related to transferring of funds to your bank account? |
(Optional) Only required if applicable. For example, are there any specific documents required by your bank or government to allow you to receive Open Society grant funds? Do funds have to be wired to you through a specific correspondent bank? Does the region in which you operate have banking or other restrictions that could impact receipt of payments? Are there any potential risks related to currency we should consider? |
Step 8: Use of Funds Section
Open Society has a significant degree of flexibility in the types of activities it can fund. To help Open Society, please carefully review and accurately respond to the following questions. If you are uncertain about this section or any of the terms used in this section, please reach out to your Open Society Program Contact.
The Use of Funds section includes sanction-related questions. If you select "Yes" for any of these questions, an additional Sanction Compliance step will appear in the right navigation menu.
Complete the questions as described in the table below.
- Click [Next] to save and move to the next section.
- Click [Previous] to go back to the previous section
- Click [Save for Later] to save, exit and return to the Home page.
| Field | Guidance on information to provide |
|---|---|
|
Sub-granting/Regranting Will this proposed grant include any sub-granting (regranting) or similar sub-agreements with other organizations? |
Click to select Yes/No. Select YES, If your program or project includes any sub-granting or regranting. If yes is selected, an explanation box will appear. Please explain how such subgrants will be made, what purpose those subgrants will serve, and when and how such subgrantees will be selected. Specifically, if the subgrantees have to meet any specific criteria, such as being classified as a Section 501(c)(3) public charity or equivalent, please describe that criteria and how you will determine that it is met. If Open Society will play any role in the selection of subgrantees, please explain in detail what role Open Society will play. Do not use this section to offer Open Society a role in the selection process that has not already been discussed. Note that hiring a service provider to provide services to the grantee in order to assist with the execution of the grant purposes would not be considered a subgrant or regrant of the funds. If you have questions about whether an arrangement is a subgrant/regrant or a contract for services, please discuss it with your Open Society Program Contact.
If YES, the explanation should detail the amount of funds that will be sub-granted and what selection mechanism you apply for the selection of subgrantees. |
|
Sanctions Compliance Does your organization engage in activities and/or interact with individuals or entities outside of the United States? |
Click to select Yes/No. Select YES, if the below applies. Open Society takes its responsibilities to comply with international economic sanctions very seriously. The consequences for non-compliance can be severe and can include both civil and criminal penalties both for Open Society as an institution and for the individuals involved in the breach. “Sanctions” describe a wide range of political and/or economic measures that are put in place by international, regional and state bodies with the aim of influencing the behavior of particular countries’ governments, individuals or groups. In the U.S. context, sanctions are a tool that the U.S. government uses to advance foreign policy and national security goals by targeting select foreign countries, governments, entities, and individuals. It is important to note that many countries (e.g., the United Kingdom), as well as certain intergovernmental organizations (e.g., the United Nations) and regional blocs (e.g., European Union) maintain their own sanctions regimes; however, U.S. sanctions are generally regarded as the most comprehensive and restrictive sanctions regime in the world.
If YES, you will be required to answer all questions on the Sanctions Compliance Section |
|
Sanctions Compliance For the period covered by the grant, does your organization anticipate engaging in activities (i) involving any designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), including any current, former, or suspected members of an FTO, or (ii) otherwise relating in any way to terrorism or terrorist groups? The U.S. State Department publishes a list of designated FTOs. Answer “yes” even if these activities only take place in the U.S. |
Click to select Yes/No. Select YES, if the below applies. Any entity or individual that is targeted by sanctions is called a sanctioned party. In the case of U.S. sanctions, these sanctioned parties can include foreign countries (e.g., Cuba), territories (e.g., the Crimea region of Ukraine), and governments (e.g., the Government of Venezuela), as well as other people or groups – individually referred to as a “Specially Designated National” (SDN) – the U.S. government determines are involved in certain illicit activities, including international terrorism, narcotics trafficking, human rights abuses, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, election interference, and transnational criminal enterprises, among others. Each of these sanctions programs is unique and involve different prohibitions on, and opportunities for, the kinds of interactions that U.S. persons can have with sanctioned parties. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is a regulatory body within the U.S. Department of the Treasury that is responsible for administering and enforcing economic and trade sanctions against countries, businesses, organizations, and individuals on behalf of the U.S. government.
If YES, you will be required to answer all questions on the Sanctions Compliance Section |
Lobbying and Political Activities
| Field | Guidance on information to provide |
|---|---|
| Does your project or program include direct (including activities related to ballot initiatives) or grassroots lobbying? |
Click to select Yes/No for each question. Why we ask about lobbying: Open Society has flexibility in funding advocacy activities but needs to understand your activities in order to determine how they can be funded. Please use the additional information provided below to determine whether the program or project to be funded includes any lobbying activities. Open Society uses the U.S. definition of lobbying to determine if a grantee is engaging in lobbying. An activity will only be considered lobbying if it meets the specific definition of either type of lobbying (direct lobbying and grassroots lobbying) [and does not fall within an exception to the definition]. These will each be discussed below. Direct lobbying is a communication with a legislator, legislative staff member, or any government official participating in the legislative process that refers to and reflects a view on “specific legislation” or a specific legislative proposal. Direct lobbying does not include communications with administrative bodies and executive branch officials, even if such communications refer to and reflects a view on specific legislation. Grassroots lobbying is a communication with the general public that refers to and reflects a view on “specific legislation” or a specific legislative proposal and includes a call to action. A call to action is a statement or action that encourages the general public to contact a legislator.
If YES, please full explanation in the text box provided. |
| Will your project or program involve or relate to government officials, public officials, candidates for public office, or influencing public policy? |
Click to select Yes/No for each question. Why we ask about political activity? Open Society is prohibited from intervening in an election campaign on behalf of, or in opposition, to any candidate for public office. This prohibition applies to local, state, national, and foreign elections involving candidates for public office and also includes work on a candidate’s transition team. If your organization’s program or project includes engaging in any other type of election related activity such as hosting candidate forums or debates, publishing voter guides, or voter registration activities, you should discuss those activities with your Open Society |
| Do you confirm no funding will be used in support of activities that support or oppose candidates for public office (partisan political activity)? |
Click on checkbox to confirm. Confirming will be required for submission. |
This additional section only appears if responses to the previous Use of Funds sections were selected as "yes"
Review each question and provide a Yes/No response
- If Yes is selected, a text box will be presented. A written description will be required.
- Click [Next] to save and move to the next section.
- Click [Previous] to go back to the previous section
- Click [Save for Later] to save, exit and return to the Home page.
Step 9: Documents section
This section enables you to upload all required and optional documents in a single step.
Documents previously uploaded to your Organization Profile will automatically link to this proposal. You can choose to view, download, or replace them as needed.
Required documents appear on the top and must be attached in order to submit.
To replace an existing document
- Click on [Replace].
- Click on [Upload Files].
- Select File from your local computer network (hard drive or network drive).
- Click [Open].
- File will automatically upload and will present a success window.
- Click [Done] to complete.
To Add/Upload a new document
- Click [Upload].
- Select Document Type, click drop-down and select Project/Program Budget.
- On Year, select the year for the budget start.
- Click on [Upload Files].
- Select File from your local computer network (hard drive or network drive).
- Click [Open].
- File will automatically upload and will present a success window.
- Click [Done] to complete.
Step 10: Data Privacy Declaration
The last step is to checkbox the Data Privacy Declaration
To view the Declaration Statement, click on the hyperlink in the paragraph.
- To comply, click on checkbox "I have read and understood".
- When ready, click [Submit].
Congratulations, you have successfully submitted your application.
View Submitted Proposals
On the home screen, scroll down to My Proposals table. Here you can see the current status from "Submitted" to "Under Review" to "Approved".
To open, click [Manage].
