@Shawn did an excellent job distilling the criteria for grant selection:
This is as true today as it was in the past grant programs. The last programs were perhaps too onerous, but you’re right @Mikerah, it featured much more detailed rationales for funding. However, I do think looking at the grants we have funded (which is now easier/more visible with the latest grant platform upgrade) it’s pretty clear how they line up with our roadmap and mission. And the template for a grant (on the new platform) is meant to guide prospective grantees toward evaluating their proposals this way as well.
We have made some improvements — approved grant proposals are now open for public discussion before a funding decision is made, and the Foundation will be submitting feedback openly on those channels as well. But in general we haven’t used the new grant platform to the fullest extent, and the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction compared to the old process.
The biggest improvement will come with the selection of the MGRC. My personal view is that the Major Grant Review Committee should independently create criteria and process for Major Grants that could filter into the Foundation’s method for minor grants — or as the Foundation wrote when announcing the MGRC election process, it would be even better to have the MGRC take over smaller grants as well:
The Foundation would be happy for the MGRC to use ZF Grants for selections and applications, and would work with them to modify the platform to suit their needs for larger grant disbursements, but that is ultimately up to them to decide. The Foundation would also be thrilled if the MGRC took on evaluating and distributing smaller-scale grant disbursements from their slice, but again that is ultimately up to them.
We’re very close to this committee being selected, which I hope will inform future Foundation grant processes in addition to this public discussion. In the mean time, we’ll be more open with public feedback on future grants on the platform. If you’re wondering how your proposal might fit in, I’d encourage you to submit an initial version and let us respond on the platform publicly.