Good Grants supports five distinct reviewing modes, each of which can be configured for a select group of invited users or for all users with a given role.
- Qualifying – reviewers provide pass/fail decisions
- Top pick – reviewers rank their preferred applications
- Scoring – reviewers score applications using defined criteria
- Voting – users vote for their favourite applications
- Gallery – users view applications without judging
Qualifying
Use case: Early-stage screening to confirm eligibility or minimum quality.
This mode is typically used as the first stage of reviewing to eliminate applications that do not meet basic program requirements.
A panel of reviewers gives each application a simple pass/fail mark. Unlike moderation, Qualifying allows multiple reviewers to assess applications. The Qualifying leaderboard calculates a consensus decision based on the qualifying score set configuration.
Moderation, by contrast, is performed by a single grants manager who approves or rejects applications directly.
See: Configure Qualifying mode.
Top pick
Use case: Quick preference ranking or shortlisting.
In Top pick mode, reviewers select and rank their favourite applications in order of preference (for example, top 3).
This mode works best with:
- A large number of reviewers, or
- A small number of total applications
Good Grants uses the single transferable vote (STV) method to calculate results. STV is a ranked voting system that ensures proportional representation for multi-winner outcomes.
See: Configure Top pick.
Scoring
Use case: Structured evaluation using scoring criteria.
In Scoring mode, reviewers assign numerical scores to each application based on defined criteria. Each criterion can be weighted, and results are calculated as the average score across all reviewers.
This mode is ideal for a smaller group of expert reviewers who can evaluate all assigned applications in detail.
Unlike Top pick, every application receives equal consideration against consistent criteria.
To manage reviewer workload, you may wish to limit the number of assigned applications.
See: Configure Scoring mode.
Crowd voting
Use case: Public or community-based voting.
Crowd voting is a simple and engaging reviewing mode in which participants vote for their favourite applications.
You can set rules to limit how votes are allocated. Results are a tally of total votes per application.
This mode is ideal for programs that seek to involve the community or encourage public engagement in grant decisions.
See: Configure crowd/public Voting.
Gallery
Use case: Public or internal display of applications without scoring.
The Gallery mode allows users to view applications only—no reviewing or voting takes place.
Galleries can be used by reviewers or the public (including non-registered users) and are not limited to a specific season. They’re ideal for:
- Displaying shortlisted or funded applications
- Archiving applications for ongoing visibility
- Presenting entries during in-person reviewing sessions
See: Configure a gallery.
Good to know
- Each reviewing mode can be configured for different stages or groups.
- Qualifying is often used first to screen applications before Scoring.
- Top pick and Voting are best for audience participation or community engagement.
- Gallery is view-only and perfect for showcasing applications.
- Reviewers can participate in one or multiple modes depending on their assigned role and permissions.