How Do I Download, Complete & Upload a Workspace Form? #ReplyAll

The Grants.gov Support Center helps a lot of you resolve problems and complete your federal grant applications before the deadline. One of the most common questions the Support Center gets is how to use Workspace forms.

Below are general steps to answer that question. “General” because the steps below depend on whether you are filling out a webform or a PDF version of the form—you get to choose. Since this is the most common Workspace-related question to the Support Center, we know many of you have no problem creating a workspace since the forms are only accessible through that.

#ReplyAll: Using Video Tutorials to Learn How to Apply with Workspace

You may have seen the video below about the benefits of Workspace. One user who watched the video wrote to us recently and requested videos that explain how to use Workspace. The good news is they already exist!

We have created two video series that can assist applicants applying for federal grants using Workspace.

#ReplyAll: ‘Can Workspace Catch My Mistakes?’

The Reply All blog series addresses individual user questions that may be relevant to a wider audience.

Q: How smart is Workspace? Can it catch my mistakes?

A: Workspace is built to alert users to potential problems with their grant applications. If you miss a required field, for example, a message will list the overlooked field in a pop-up window when you click the application form’s Check for Errors button.

If you fill out the SF-424 form before working on other forms in the application package, Workspace will populate certain other fields on other forms within the package. This will both save you time and help you avoid making a typo when re-typing data on multiple forms.

However, there are certain mistakes that Workspace will not be able to catch or remedy.

Reply All: ‘What’s with the Grantor Image Tab in My Workspace?’

The Reply All blog series addresses questions and feedback received on Grants.gov’s various platforms – including Search, Workspace, Blog.Grants.gov, Twitter, and YouTube – that may be relevant to a wider user audience. Read the first post in the series.

Q: What does the Grantor Image tab do in Workspace?

Applicants who have access to the Grantor Image tab are able to preview their application package – including any attachments – just as the grant-making agency will see it when it is submitted. This service can provide peace of mind, ensuring that everything you have included in the application will be viewed optimally by the grantor.

We’re Listening: Introducing the New ‘Reply All’ Blog Series on Blog.Grants.gov

The Reply All blog series addresses your questions and feedback received on Grants.gov’s various platforms – including Search, Workspace, Blog.Grants.gov, Twitter, and YouTube – that may be relevant to a wider user audience. This is the first post in the series.

Q: I noticed the Grantor Validation tab in your Workspace videos, but I don’t see it in the workspace I’m applying with. What is it and why am I not seeing it?

Applicants who have access to the Preview Grantor Validation tab are able to preview the errors and warnings their application package would encounter from the grant-making agency. This preview feature compares the current state of your application package against the validations in the grant-making agency’s grants system.

However, this Workspace feature must be “turned on” by the grant-making agency funding the grant for which you are applying.