Submittable

It provides me with all necessary services as a submitter. It provides all I require as an editor.

Pros:

Submittable is convenient. As a submitter, it provides efficient mechanisms for making submissions and efficient tracking of those submissions. As an editor, it provides me with notices and updates to allow me to process submissions quickly and efficiently. Submittable is practical. As a submitter, a single page allows me to keep track of active submissions to several publications. As an editor, the features for reaction and response to submitters makes my job much easier. Submittable is uncomplicated, easily used, and easy to understand. As a submitter, these qualities make submissions tracking manageable. Submittable is used widely enough to be familiar to virtually all writers and artists who submit work for publication.

Cons:

Our current package allows only 5 of our team members to have access to submissions. I could wish for more relaxed limits in that regard.

Submittable for Regranting Programs

Comments: Generally, I really like it! It definitely makes my job easier and is a very organized space for me to keep track of hundreds of artists and their information .

Pros:

As an administer of grant funding to artists, this software works great for tracking, reporting and collecting data from artists who apply to our programs.

Cons:

A lot of the times I'm unable to edit the content if needed when an application is live already. Which is understandable however. I have to duplicate and make additional forms which takes longer. It's also hard to assign team members or jurors and help them use the software when I can only see it from an admin's point of view so it's hard to let them know how to navigate the software.

Alternatives Considered: Google Forms and SlideRoom

Reasons for Switching to Submittable: I was trained on the software when I started the job. Previous coworkers had already been using the product.

Room for Improvement

Comments: Good for now. Has helped with communication with applicants but would want to maximize the cons to improve our nonprofit relationships and enhance internal efficiency

Pros:

Ease of creating applications/forms, ability to message with applicants directly in the portal, reviewer process is user friendly

Cons:

Lack of automation, limited placeholder tags to be able to integrate DocuSign or other 3rd party integrations that would help with automation, delayed reporting, kind of messy once you get a lot of applications/projects set up, no intentional nonprofit relationship management capabilities, limited project/award management features.

Alternatives Considered: OpenWater

Reasons for Choosing Submittable: It was outdated and not user friendly

Switched From: Blackbaud Grantmaking

Reasons for Switching to Submittable: Unsure; this was before I started working here.

Great for a small non-profit

Comments: I've had overall great experience and I've been using Submittable about 5 years. I like accessing a real customer service rep in the old days, and I like the older version of Submittable better. The change didn't help me. But I am impressed that I can usually make Submittable work for whatever online application I need.

Pros:

It really allows me to collect and manage information and input from so many of our members and stakeholders for many different purposes. My members and applicants find it very easy to use.

Cons:

We always seem to bump up against one or two little issues that make any form less than perfect. For example, applicants attaching new files with their submission, or exporting notes from an application.

Alternatives Considered: Google Forms and SurveyMonkey

Reasons for Switching to Submittable: A colleague organization was using it and the forms looked sharp. I didn't know much about how it performed

It works!

Comments: It is easy for our applicants to use and our support staff to modify.

Pros:

Submittable really does the job for what we need it for most- reviewing grant applications. We have a diverse and busy review team and this tool allows them to do their work efficiently.

Cons:

Although it is fairly simple to use, it is not entirely intuitive. Some of our users have required a bit of coaching to make it work for them.

Alternatives Considered: Gmail, Little Green Light and Microsoft Excel

Reasons for Switching to Submittable: It seemed to be the most closely tied to our immediate needs.