Trusted by foundations and funding bodies worldwide:
Stop losing applications in shared inboxes
Grant applications arrive by email, get forwarded between colleagues, and end up scattered across inboxes and folders. Zealous collects every application in one place with auto-save, progress indicators, and confirmation emails. Applicants see a clear, branded programme page. Your team sees a single dashboard.
Know exactly where your review panel stands
Chasing panellists for updates shouldn‘t be part of your job description.
Zealous shows you real-time progress for every reviewer. See who‘s finished, who hasn‘t started, and send automated reminders with your branding. No more awkward follow-up emails.
Read more about automating without losing the human touch.
Our programme was hugely successful thanks to Zealous. Clearly designed and thought through from a user’s perspective.
Hilary Cullen
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
Consistent assessment criteria across every reviewer
When each panellist interprets criteria differently, your funding decisions become hard to defend to trustees or regulators.
Set configurable score ranges per criterion. Impact out of 20, feasibility out of 10, community benefit out of 15. Every reviewer scores against the same framework, every round.
See the full range of review options on our features page.
I found Zealous exceptionally intuitive, responsive and stable. Food for thought for other projects and conferences.
Sukhy Johal MBE, Chair, Midlands Area
Arts Council
Board-ready reports without the midnight PDF scramble
The night before a board meeting shouldn‘t mean copying scores into spreadsheets, reformatting tables, and praying the printer works.
Export assessment CSV data, reviewer comments, and ranked results directly from your dashboard. Pull it up live in the meeting if you like. The data is always current.
Plan your full programme timeline with our lifecycle planning guide.
Fair process, defensible to trustees
Foundations answer to trustees, regulators, and the public. Anonymous review mode hides applicant details from panellists automatically. Judges can skip entries where they have a conflict, and you can unassign reviewers from specific applications to keep the process clean.
Trustees and regulators expect a process that can be examined after the fact. Exportable scoring data gives your foundation the evidence to defend every funding decision.
Zealous is GDPR compliant with encrypted storage and full data export. See our security overview.
Zealous is a welcome alternative to the time-consuming administration of our former system. It allowed our Board members easy access to submissions and the scoring tool simplifies our selection process.
Fatuma Osman, Cultural Affairs
Embassy of Switzerland
Assessment modes built for how funding panels actually work
Different stages of your grant programme need different review approaches. Configure each round independently.
No technical knowledge necessary.
Julie McCarthy, Programme Manager
Greater Manchester Authority
Reclaim your admin hours
You got into grant-making to fund good work, not to wrestle spreadsheets and chase emails. These tools handle the operational weight so you can focus on the decisions that matter.
Why foundations move their grant programmes to Zealous
Run your next grant programme with confidence
Join 500+ organisations already using Zealous to manage funding decisions.
- Cancel anytime. Monthly billing, no lock-ins, no guilt trips.
- 20 free applications to test everything before committing.
- Launch in under an hour with ready-made grant programme templates.
Your full grant programme lifecycle, covered
Before launch
- Set up your branded programme page with logo and colours
- Configure application form fields and required documents
- Define assessment criteria and score ranges per round
- Invite review panellists and assign categories or expertise areas
- Create bespoke trackable links to measure outreach channels
Entries open
- Applicants submit with auto-save and progress indicators across devices
- Monitor incoming applications on your real-time dashboard
- Add or edit form fields while the programme is still open
- Issue late-comer links for specific applicants after the deadline
Judging rounds
- Assign applications to panellists by expertise or category
- Judges skip entries where they have a conflict; unassign reviewers from specific applications
- Enable anonymous review mode to hide applicant identities
- Track individual reviewer progress and send automated reminders
- Download PDF assessment packs for offline panel meetings
Results and legacy
- Export scored and ranked results for board papers and audits
- Control staged result announcements, round by round
- Send branded outcome notifications to all applicants
- Clone the programme for your next funding cycle
- Archive the edition as part of your foundation‘s public record
Frequently Asked Questions
What is grant management software?
Grant management software handles the full lifecycle of a funding programme, from collecting applications through panel review to awarding grants. It replaces scattered emails, spreadsheets, and shared drives with a single system that keeps applications organised, assessment consistent, and decisions auditable. For a broader look at programme management, download our free guide.
How does Zealous handle conflict of interest in review panels?
Judges can skip entries where they have a conflict, and you can unassign reviewers from specific applications. Combined with anonymous review mode, this gives your foundation a defensible, documented process.
Can we run multi-round review processes for grant programmes?
Yes. Set up as many rounds as you need: screening, shortlist, final panel. Each round can have different reviewers, different criteria, and different score ranges. Applicants move between rounds based on panel decisions, not automated filters.
How do we report assessment results to our board or trustees?
Export scored results, reviewer comments, and ranked application data directly from your dashboard. You can also pull up live data during board meetings. Scores can be exported with reviewer details, creating a record for governance and board reporting.
Is applicant data secure and GDPR compliant?
Yes. Zealous uses encrypted storage and is fully GDPR compliant. You can export or delete applicant data as needed. Grant applications often contain sensitive financial and organisational information, so data handling is a priority. Details are on our security page.
Can review panellists assess applications on their phones?
Yes. Zealous works on any device with a browser. Panellists can score, comment, and track their progress on mobile or tablet. For applications with detailed documents or visuals, we recommend desktop for the clearest view.
How quickly can we set up a grant programme?
Most teams launch within 48 hours. Sign-up takes two minutes, and you can start from a template or build your own. No onboarding fees, no setup costs. Your first 20 applications are free so you can test everything. Take a quick tour to see how it works.
What if we only run one or two funding rounds per year?
Zealous bills monthly with no annual lock-in. Pause your subscription between funding cycles and reactivate when your next round opens. You only pay when you‘re actively running a programme. Check our pricing page for plan details.
Can we brand the programme page with our foundation‘s identity?
Yes. Add your logo, colours, and programme information to your page. Automated emails to applicants and panellists also carry your branding. It‘s your programme, presented as yours.
How do we get help if something goes wrong during a live programme?
Unlimited support is included on every plan at no extra cost. Live chat is available during UK business hours, and we offer a free pre-launch review to catch issues before your programme goes live. Response times don‘t change based on your plan.
Can we reuse our programme setup for the next funding cycle?
Yes. Clone your entire programme, including form fields, criteria, and panel setup, for the next edition. Past editions are archived automatically, building a historical record of your grant-making over time.
