Once your fund has closed and you’ve reviewed the matched applications, it’s time to create a shortlist. Shortlisting is the process of narrowing down your matched projects to those that best meet your fund’s goals, ready for final decision-making or voting.
This article explains how to shortlist projects on ActionFunder, along with tips for managing the process effectively.
What is shortlisting?
Shortlisting means selecting the strongest applications from your match list based on your fund criteria and desired impact. You can shortlist as you review, or wait until the fund has closed.
The shortlisted projects will move forward to the next stage—whether panel, voting, or direct funding.
How to shortlist projects on ActionFunder
- Go to your Matches list
- Review each application in detail
- Click the ‘Shortlist’ button next to the projects you’d like to take forward
- Shortlisted projects will move into a separate ‘Shortlist’ tab for easy tracking
Tip: If you’re working with a team, your Customer Success Manager can download a spreadsheet of fund matches
When to shortlist
There are two common approaches to timing:
- As you go – Review and shortlist applications as they come in
- After the fund closes – Review all matched projects at once, then create your shortlist
Either approach is fine – choose what works best for your schedule and review process.
What happens to non-shortlisted projects?
Projects that aren’t shortlisted remain in your matched list. You should reject unsuccessful projects. When you reject them, the organisations will receive a notification.
Tips for effective shortlisting
- Use a clear set of criteria to guide your decisions (see our article on Scoring projects)
- Involve more than one reviewer for fairness and consistency
- If using the voting tool, shortlist 2x the number of projects you intend to fund to allow for a competitive process
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Need help? Get in touch with your Customer Success Manager or email us at customersuccess@actionfunder.org.