Understanding the Application Review Process

Overview

This self-study guide will help you understand the application review process.

It explains how to submit an application, what happens after submission and the different statuses an application can have.

After reviewing this document, you will be able to:

• understand the application review process
• describe what each application status means

Tip: For more information on outcomes, we recommend reviewing:

E-RES-002 – Understand Application Outcomes

Key terms and concepts

Key term	Definition
Canceled application	An application withdrawn by the applicant
Successful application	An application that is closed and then is converted to a funding award
Unsuccessful application	An application that does not meet the necessary criteria to receive funding
Funding opportunity	Previously called “program component,” refers to a specific grant, prize or financial resource made available by the Canada Council for the Arts to support projects, research or initiatives
Funding award	An amount received further to a successful application

1. Walk-through of the Application Review Process

1.1 Process Overview

Once you submit your application, its status will change from “Draft” to “Submitted,” and we’ll start reviewing it.

Note: You won’t receive an email confirmation after submitting.

First, we’ll check if your application meets the basic requirements. If it does, it will move to the “Under review” stage and be sent to our assessment committee.

At this stage, you won’t be able to withdraw your application. We’ll continue to check its eligibility throughout the process, and the system will update the status automatically if anything changes.

After the application passes the eligibility review, it moves on to assessment by a committee. Assessors read and score applications based on the published criteria, then work together to rank applications or select prize winners.

Once the review is complete, you will receive an email with the results:

• If successful: You will get the scores and details about the funding award.
• If unsuccessful: You will receive a breakdown of the scores by criteria.
• If ineligible: You will receive an email explaining the reason why you are ineligible.

1.2 Submit Button

The Submit button officially records your application for funding consideration.

Before clicking Submit, make sure all items in the checklist are complete and review your entries carefully. Submitting your application means that it is final and ready for review.

Note: Make sure the application has an active status.

1.3 Where to View Applications

You can access both your draft and submitted applications from the Application list on the homepage or your Account screen (Individual, Group or Organization).

To view your applications:

• select the application you want to open; or
• click View All to see a full list of applications you’ve worked on.

When you select an application, the application details will open.

If the application is still in Draft status, you can continue working on it or choose to cancel it.

2. Understanding the Different Application Statuses

2.1 Application Statuses

Once an application is submitted, a reviewer will receive it and begin working on it. An application moves through several statuses as it is being reviewed.

Each status reflects a different stage in the review process:

• Draft: The application has been started but not submitted. You can still make changes.
• Submitted: The application has been sent for review. No further changes can be made.
• Under review: The application is being assessed. The evaluation process has started.
• Closed – Ineligible: The application is not eligible for the grant or prize. You will receive an email with details about the reasons for ineligibility.
• Closed – Canceled: The application has been withdrawn by the applicant and will no longer be reviewed. Once the application is “Under review,” it can no longer be withdrawn.
• Closed – Unsuccessful: The application was evaluated by an assessment committee but was not selected to receive funding. You will receive an email with details about the reasons it was unsuccessful.
• Closed – Successful: The application has been approved, and a funding award will be created.

Summary

This self-study guide gave you an overview of the application review process in the portal. You learned how to submit an application, what happens after application submission and what the different application statuses mean.

For more details on outcomes, read:

E-RES-002 – Understand Application Outcomes.