Grants for Clean Technology Guidebook
How to apply for clean tech grants

Executive Summary

• The most common grant submission methods are portal, email, and webform
• Review applicant guides for submission instructions, and pay attention to details, as an incorrectly formatted document can disqualify your application
• Don’t wait until the last day of the intake window to submit your application, especially if the submission is via portal. Portals have been known to crash!

You’ve done the hard work of writing an application and preparing supporting documentation: now it’s time to hit submit. From that point on, your application will be in the hands of the program, awaiting a funding decision. This doesn’t have to be as daunting as it sounds. Let’s take a look at the three most common submission methods so you know what to expect. 

Portal Submission

Many programs, especially those administered by provincial or federal governments, operate through a secure portal. You’ll need to set up an account to access the portal, and we recommend doing this sooner rather than later. The account may need to be authenticated before you can use it, and this can take several business days. Scoping out the portal is also key to preparing your application, so you’ll want to set up the account as soon as you can. 

Most portals will require you to click through a series of pages, answering questions and attaching documents as you go. Some allow you to save your progress, so you can start the application in the portal and work on it over a number of days. However, not all portals have this functionality, so make sure you test the one you’re working in to see if it allows you to save your answers. If it doesn’t, you’re better off copying the questions into a document, and preparing your answers offline. 

As noted in previous chapters of this guide, portals can be overloaded on the final day of the intake window, when everyone is rushing to get their applications in. Submit your application early to avoid getting stuck in a portal logjam! 

Email Submission

“Email submission” is pretty self explanatory: it means that you’ll email your application package (completed application form plus any supporting documents) to a designated point of contact at the program. The application guide for the program will usually include instructions on how to name and format your files. If it doesn’t, contact a program officer to find out what is expected. The last thing you want is to have your application disqualified because of a formatting or file size issue!

Webform Submission

Webforms are becoming less common in the grant world, but there are still a number of programs that accept applications via webform. You’re most likely to come across this submission method when applying for hiring and training grants, which don’t require lengthy proposals or market research. Submitting a webform is easy, and you’ll receive an automated confirmation email to give you peace of mind that your application was received. 

If you’re ever unsure about your grant application, know that there are plenty of resources available to help you. When in doubt, contact a program officer, or one of your friendly neighbourhood Grant Angels at Granted Consulting