Using Arca's Online Application System

Beginning in Spring 2010, all grant applications must be submitted online.  Here are a few tips on navigating the online application system successfully.  We encourage you to read them CAREFULLY, as our small staff is unable to walk each applicant through the submission process.

1. Prepare in advance!  Please review Arca’s Proposal FAQ’s section to make sure you have all the required materials before beginning your online application, noting that all requested documents must be uploaded in electronic format.
   
   
2. Manage your account.   Applicants are required to create their own account in order to use the system.  You will use this account for all future grant applications to the Arca Foundation so it is important to remember your username and password. After you've created your account and started an application you can bypass the Eligibility Quiz by selecting "Login" at the top of the page. Each time you take the quiz a new application is created, so bypassing the quiz is recommended. A single user can manage multiple grant applications from the same account.
   
   
3. Your Application(s).  The online application consists of two pages.  The first page will require you to manually enter information about your organization and request.  The second page will require you to electronically upload necessary documents.
    
   
4. Save, Save, Save!   The system will be open to applicants between February 16 and March 1 at 5 p.m. EST.  During that period, applicants can work on building their application over time through multiple logins if they so choose.  This is achieved by selecting the “Save” button.  Arca recommends that as applicants work, they save their application frequently.  The system will time out after approximately 60 minutes and all unsaved information WILL BE LOST.
   
   
5. Submitting your application.  Once your application is complete, you click the “Submit” button and it is sent to the Arca staff for consideration.  After you have submitted your application, you cannot make any edits.  All applications MUST be submitted by 5 p.m. EST on March 1, 2010, the system will not permit submissions after that time.
   
   
6. Don’t wait to the last minute.  Arca highly recommends that applicants begin working on their application BEFORE March 1st to allow time for users to familiarize themselves with the system.   The system will not accept late submissions and Arca does not permit extensions for any reason.
   
   

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I submit my application before March 1st?
2. Can I save my application and come back to it?
3. I want to delete and replace an attachment on the second page and the system won't let me.
4. I have additional attachments/info and the system will not let me add them.
5. I have a fiscal sponsor, should I use their EIN or my own?
6. I don’t have an electronic copy of my 501(c)3 form/ I can’t scan my lobbying expenditure form, can I send it by fax?
7. I forgot my password and can’t log in to my account.
8. What fields are required?
9. The system won’t let me enter my full proposal.  It gives me an error message that I’ve entered too much text.
10. The system won’t accept my website URL.
11. The system is giving me an error message when I try to save my application.
12. The system is giving me an error message when I try to submit my application.
13. How do I know my proposal has been submitted?
14. Can I print my proposal narrative?
15. Why do I have multiple applications in "My Applications"?
16. When I copy and paste my proposal narrative into the application fields, it erases all my formatting, such as paragraph breaks and bullets.
17. I set up an account, but when I try to log back in the system isn't accepting my username and password.

Can I submit my application before March 1st?

Yes. Early application submissions are encouraged. The system will be available to applicants from February 16, 2010 through March 1, 2010 at 5 p.m. EST and applicants can submit their application at any time during that period. After 5 p.m. EST on March 1st, the system will not accept applications.

Can I save my application and come back to it?

Yes.  We recommend you save your application frequently while working on it.  You can leave the system and come back to it via the link on our how to apply page.  When you arrive at the page, click on the "Login" link at the top of the page and then click “My Applications” and it will take you to a page where you can access and edit all your open applications.  You can edit your application by clicking the link to the left that says “edit” next to your open application. Each time you take the eligibility quiz, the system will create a new application. If you've already taken the eligibility quiz and started and application, please bypass the quiz by selecting "Login" link. All applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. EST on March 1st, no exceptions.

I want to delete and replace an attachment on the second page and the system won't let me.

The delete link next to your attachment is currently not working. This is a bug with the system we are aware of and are in the process of fixing. In the meantime, it is possible to replace an attachment you've already uploaded. Select "Browse" then choose the document you would like to replace the current document attached. Then click "Attach." The system will upload your new document and delete your existing document. The system is programmed to automatically rename your document for consistency, for example, to "501(c)3 Letter-Spr '10.pdf," so the name of the document will not change, but be assured the attachment has been replaced.

I have additional attachments/info and the system will not let me add them.

The application system provides fields for all the information we require from an applicant to make a decision about their proposal.  There is a “Comments” section on the application page where you can enter additional information that cannot be captured elsewhere. If we require any additional information when evaluating your proposal, we will contact you.

I have a fiscal sponsor, should I use their EIN or my own?

Since the grant would be made to your fiscal sponsor, please include your fiscal sponsor’s EIN and 501c3 letter on the grant application.

I don’t have an electronic copy of my 501(c)3 form/ I can’t scan my lobbying expenditure form, can I send it by fax?

No.  You must have electronic copies of the requested attachments.  Document scans can be quickly and cheaply obtained at Staples, Office Max, and most other office supply stores.

I forgot my password and can’t log in to my account.

Click the “forgot password” link next to the login fields and your password will be emailed to you.  If you forgot your User Name, please email proposals@arcafoundation.org with the name of your organization and we will email your username.

What fields are required?

The fields and attachments related to fiscal sponsorship, project grants and previous Arca grants are not required by the system and won’t cause your application to bounce back.  If you are missing any required fields or attachments, they system will notify you upon attempting to submit and you will have the opportunity to add the missing information.

The system won’t let me enter my full proposal.  It gives me an error message that I’ve entered too much text.

The “Grant Purpose” field is limited to 255 characters total.  That field is intended to be a one sentence summary of the grant purpose.  The rest of the fields (Summary, Request, Evaluation, and Organization Structure & Administration) allow for 32,000 characters each, which is more than enough to accommodate an 8 page narrative proposal.

The system won’t accept my website URL.

The website must be formatted “www.organization.org”  (or com, edu, etc) for the system to accept it.  If it is entered in the following format the system will reject it “https://www.organization.org”.

The system is giving me an error message when I try to save my application.

The system will not accept dollar signs in any currency fields. Please check your application over and make sure you have not included them anywhere. Secondly, please make sure your website address is formatted correctly (please see question above). If the problem saving your application persists, please email the error message you're receiving, along with any other relevant information to proposals@arcafoundation.org and someone will get back to you.

The system is giving me an error message when I try to submit my application.

When submitting your application, you will receive an error message in red that lists any required fields you have not filled out. If you receive that message, please fill out the required fields and then submit. If you are not missing any required fields, please check that you do not have any dollar signs in currency fields and that your website address is properly formatted (please see two questions above). If you continue to experience problems submitting your applications after checking the errors listed here, please email the error message you're receiving, along with any other relevant information, to proposals@arcafoundation.org and someone will get back to you.

How do I know my proposal has been submitted?

After you submit your proposal, the system will take you to the "My Applications" page. If the status next to your applications reads "Submitted," your proposal has been successfully submitted. If your status reads "In Progress" then your application has not been submitted.

Can I print my proposal narrative?

Yes. You can print your proposal narrative by accessing your application from the "My Applications" page and selecting the option "View." Then print from your web browser.

Why do I have multiple applications in "My Applications"?

Everytime you take the Eligibility Quiz the system automatically creates a new application in your account. Users who have already created an acount and started an application can bypass the eligibility quiz by selecting the "Login" link at the top of the page, which will redirect you to your application page where you can edit your existing application. Only Arca staff can delete applications in progress. Unsubmitted applications will be purged from the system after the grant deadline.

When I copy and paste my proposal narrative into the application fields, it erases all my formatting (paragraph breaks and bullets).

Unfortunately, the online application fields don’t support formatting of any kind. Once your application is submitted, Arca staff can view basic formatting, such as paragraph breaks, when we review your proposal. If we require any additional information regarding your proposal, we will contact you. Please do not send hard copies of any unsolicited items.

I set up an account, but when I try to log back in the system isn't accepting my username and password.

Both the username and password are case sensitive. Please make sure you are entering them both exactly the way you created them in the system. For example if you created a username "JohnSmith" the system will not accept "johnsmith" or "John Smith".

If, after reviewing Arca's website and the instructions in the online system, you still have unanswered questions about how to use the system, contact the Arca staff at proposals@arcafoundation.org. The mailbox is checked regularly and questions will be answered based on urgency.

Thank you for your interest in the Arca Foundation.  We look forward to learning more about your work.