Myth: AI Has Led to an Increase in Applications to Funders
Debunking the Myth: “AI Has Led to an Increase in Applications to Funders”
AI tools like ChatGPT have undoubtedly changed the landscape of grant writing, making it easier and faster for organisations to submit applications. Some funders are feeling overwhelmed, and the general belief is that AI has led to a significant rise in the number of applications, many of which may not meet eligibility criteria. However, while AI has contributed to an increase in applications, at Fundin.ai we’ve taken steps to solve this problem, not add to it.
Our solution? An eligibility checker that calculates whether a project is eligible for a grant before the application is even written. This not only helps charities avoid the cost of preparing ineligible applications but also reduces the volume of irrelevant bids funders have to sift through.
The Role of AI in the Increase of Applications
It’s undeniable that AI tools, particularly generative models like ChatGPT, have contributed to an increase in grant applications. As organisations gain access to these tools, the process of drafting applications has become more accessible to charities of all sizes. Reports from funding organisations suggest that there has been an increase in application volumes, although there is no official data confirming the exact percentage increase attributable to AI.
However, more applications do not necessarily mean better or more eligible ones. For funders, this can lead to increased workloads and inefficiencies as they wade through applications that don’t meet their requirements. This is why a tool like Fundin.ai can make a difference, by ensuring that only eligible projects are submitted.
The Fundin.ai Difference: Eligibility Checker
Fundin.ai was built with a focus on helping charities submit eligible and relevant applications. Our eligibility checker evaluates each grant’s criteria and assesses whether a charity’s project is a good fit before any work begins on drafting the application. This saves both time and money for charities and ensures funders aren’t inundated with bids that don’t align with their priorities.
By preventing ineligible applications from being submitted in the first place, we’re not adding to the workload of funders; we’re helping to reduce it.
The Real Cost of Ineligible Applications
Submitting ineligible applications has real financial implications for charities. Research from NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations) has shown that for every grant application, charities invest significant time and resources, from gathering documentation to drafting responses. For smaller charities, this cost can be particularly burdensome when they spend hours working on bids that never stood a chance because they didn’t meet the funder’s criteria.
By using Fundin.ai’s eligibility checker, charities can avoid these unnecessary costs. Our tool provides a reliable way to filter out applications that won’t succeed, allowing charities to focus their efforts on opportunities where they have a genuine chance of success.
Improving the Quality of Applications
One of the biggest misconceptions about AI is that it leads to the submission of poor-quality, generic bids. While this may be true of some basic AI tools, Fundin.ai is designed to ensure that every application is well-crafted and tailored to both the charity and the funder.
With the eligibility checker filtering out unsuitable grants, charities using our platform can concentrate on developing high-quality applications for the right opportunities, improving their chances of success.
Verified Data: Reducing Ineligible Submissions
While there’s limited public data on the impact of AI on the volume of applications, funders like The Big Lottery Fund and Children in Need have reported that ineligible submissions remain a significant challenge. By introducing tools like the Fundin.ai eligibility checker, we’re helping to address this issue at its root, ensuring that only the most relevant applications are submitted.
At Fundin.ai, we know that helping charities access funding efficiently and effectively requires more than just ease of use—it requires precision. Our platform is designed to improve the quality of applications while reducing the number of ineligible bids that waste time and resources for everyone involved.
The Bottom Line: AI Can Be Part of the Solution
AI has certainly contributed to an increase in the volume of applications submitted to funders, but that doesn’t mean it’s inherently part of the problem. At Fundin.ai, we’ve gone beyond just providing a tool to write applications—we’re offering a solution that ensures the right applications get through, helping charities avoid wasted effort and funders avoid wasted time.
By incorporating an eligibility checker into our AI platform, we’re helping to reduce the number of ineligible applications while still empowering charities to submit high-quality bids that reflect their mission and impact. AI isn’t just increasing the quantity of applications—it’s improving the quality, too.