4.4.1 Description of Environment (brief)

Grantors and Applicants research and address significant challenges in society. Collaboration is time-consuming; whether in identifying funding needs of researchers, resourcing potential requests for proposals/applications (RFP/RFA), or reporting progress and results. International and in-country organizations spend too much time locating potential grantors and those grantors spend too much time administering grants when they yearn to link with the research community in innovation rather than a maintenance role. All parties prioritize researching, analyzing, and disseminating; however, the business burden of grants compliance overshadows the incredible potential of significant adoption of grants-related research.

4.4.2 Use Case

Name 

The Grant Lifecycle

Description

Identification, Application, Implementation, and Dissemination phases of the grant lifecycle complement blockchain strength in identity, provenance, and security.

Primary Actors 

Grantor and Applicants

Supporting Actors 

Multiple stakeholders in Grantor and Applicant organizations, external researchers, and grants participants

Use Case

Securing and Connecting Grants

Description

High-Level Summary The grant process follows a linear lifecycle that includes creating the funding opportunity, applying, making award decisions, and successfully implementing the award. These phases are grouped as:

1. Pre-Award Phase - funding opportunities and application review
2. Award Phase - award decisions and notifications
3. Post Award Phase - implementation, reporting, and closeout

Low-level Summary

Primary Actor 

Grantors and Applicants

Grantors: 

• Review process
• Inter- and Intra-departmental share among agencies
• Track applications and avoid duplication
• Notify member agencies
• Fund projects
• Support informed decision making by federal grant-making entities
• Integrate with grant-making and grant recipient entities’ systems used to manage day-to-day grants management operations
• Improve ability to detect fraud, waste, and abuse
• Improve ability to efficiently conduct audits

Applicants:

• Reduce redundant reporting
• Control of access to and protection of personally identifiable information (PII) and sensitive/proprietary information
• Integrate federal and non-federal grants management processes
• Improve payment efficiency for second- and third-tier grant recipients
• Notify RFA and RFP based on selected topics

Supporting Actors 

Multiple stakeholders in Awardee and Applicant organizations, external researchers, and grants participants:

<List the Actors who have a supporting role in helping the Primary Actor achieve his or her goal.

Stakeholders and Interests

Pre-Conditions

Post Conditions

Success condition

Failure  condition:

Minimal Guarantee

Trigger

Main Success Scenario

Extensions

Variations

Frequency: 

Assumptions

Special Requirements

Issues

Outcome

4.4.3 Recommendations

• Identity, Interactions, Regulations and Governance