Common Grant Application

10/08/2026

Common Grant Application Newsletter -

We know you’re busy with the day-to-day work of grantmaking, but reviews from grantmakers like you can make a big difference in helping others discover us. As more people use AI tools to research and compare software, review sites are becoming increasingly important and those tools rely heavily on...

09/29/2026

In this short video, Jeff Lawrence, founder of Common Grant Application, introduces himself and shares why he wrote his seven-part blog series on data-sharing systems. He explains how data sharing was supposed to make the process easier and more efficient for both grantmakers and nonprofits. But data sharing in the nonprofit world turned out to be anything but simple. Watch the video to hear Jeff’s perspective and read the 7 part blog https://www.commongrantapplication.com/blog.php

08/14/2026

Data sharing in philanthropy isn’t a new idea. For decades, organizations have tried to make it work with common applications, shared data standards, reporting initiatives, and sector-wide platforms.

So why have so many efforts lost momentum?

In Part 4 of our series, Jeff Lawrence takes a look at the history of data-sharing efforts in the nonprofit sector.

What can we learn from the efforts that came before and how can we avoid repeating the same mistakes?

https://www.commongrantapplication.com/blogs/DataSharingPart4.php

There have been many attempts to make data sharing work for over 15 years. Most have failed. - July 2026.

08/07/2026

In this post, Jeff Lawrence explores the technical and operational hurdles behind creating a trusted, sustainable nonprofit data-sharing system.

Explore Part 3

Even a well-intentioned data sharing system faces a long list of technical, operational, governance, policy, and organizational challenges. - July 2026.

08/05/2026

Common Grant Application Newsletter -

Our platform launched a long time ago, and over the years it's evolved through three distinct phases, each with its own architecture, code, and look. That layered history has made it harder for us to introduce new features as quickly and smoothly as we'd like.

07/06/2026

Data sharing has the potential to reduce administrative work for nonprofits and grantmakers, but only if the data is accurate, current, and widely adopted. In Part 2 of our blog series, Jeff Lawrence explores three common approaches to data sharing, the hidden challenges of pre-populated application data, and why many grantmakers still prefer fresh applications to ensure they're making decisions based on reliable information.

The biggest takeaway? A data-sharing system only delivers value when both nonprofits and grantmakers actively participate and trust the data they're sharing.

Read the full blog to learn more.

Data sharing in the nonprofit world can take many different forms. - June 2026.

06/30/2026

We're kicking off a new 7-part blog series exploring the world of data sharing in the nonprofit sector. In Part 1, Jeff Lawrence shares how our journey began with a vision to simplify grant applications through shared data and why that vision never became the industry's priority. It's an introduction to the lessons learned and the important questions we'll explore throughout the series.

Read Part 1 and join the conversation.


https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-lawrence-3a6643/

First of a 7 part series about data sharing in the nonprofit world including; what it is, why it's hard, what's been tried, why it has failed and what do nonprofits really want?

04/29/2026

Common Grant Application Newsletter -

We’ve introduced a few valuable updates. The addition of an AI powered help chatbot, reusable agreement templates and a link to the Check Settings that replaces a cluttered side bar on the dashboard. The goal for these additions is to simplify the site and for you to have more time for getting thi...