Learn about who can and should be the account holder in Submittable, and who can be brought in as a Collaborator. See Submittable’s Guide to Inviting Collaborators for a full tutorial on the process!
Account Holders
“Account Holder” is the term used by Submittable to describe the person who owns the Submittable Account and is responsible for starting, submitting, and administering an application or grant award.
There are three types of people who can be the Account Holder:
- Applicants applying on their own behalf
- Applicants applying as part of an organization or entity
- Fiscal Sponsors
Applicants Applying on their own Behalf
People applying on their own behalf—as an individual artist, musician, or business—are responsible for all submissions and reporting requirements in Submittable as the Account Holder. They can choose to bring in other people as collaborators if they wish, but collaborators cannot have authority over the project.
Applicants Applying on Behalf of an Organization or Entity they are a part of
Someone applying on behalf of an organization they are a part of could look like an employee of a Non-Profit’s development department. It could also be the leader of a band.
Must
- Be responsible for submitting the application and any future deliverables and reporting
Not Required to
- Be the authorizing entity of the organization unless they are the head of the entity or department that is legally responsible for the grant.
Can
- Invite others as collaborators on the application or additional forms
Cannot
- Stop reporting and other compliance processes after the application is submitted
Fiscal Sponsors
A fiscal sponsor is a 501(c) organization that provides support to projects that lack nonprofit status. The fiscal sponsor handles financial transactions and reporting duties on behalf of the sponsored entity. Fiscal Sponsors may only be used for the Nexus and Elevate Grants. A single Fiscal Sponsor may sponsor multiple Sponsored Projects during each grant cycle.
Must
- Begin each application on behalf of each sponsored project
- Complete the eligibility section for each Sponsored Project
- Provide the requested contact information of the Fiscal Sponsor’s Authorizing Official
- Upload a copy of their IRS Determination Letter and most recently completed IRS Form 990 for each application
- Upload the signed Sponsorship Agreement, which will establish how the Fiscal Sponsor will manage the grant funds of the Sponsored Project if awarded
- Officially submit applications and progress reports
- Submit financial information in order to receive payments on behalf of their Sponsored Project(s).
- Serve as the main administrative/authorizing entity.
Not Required to
- Contribute to the narrative content of the application or future reporting forms.
Can
- Invite Sponsored Project to be a “collaborator” on their application. (Fiscal Sponsors can add multiple representatives from a single Sponsored Project as a collaborator)
Must Not
- Fill out the demographics section of an application on behalf of their own organization. The demographics pertain only to the Sponsored Project
Collaborators
“Collaborator” is the term used by Submittable to describe anyone invited by the Account Holder to work on the application and reporting forms in Submittable.
Types of Collaborators
- Sponsored Projects
- Third Party Grant Writers
- Staff or Community/Professional Contacts
Sponsored Projects
The Sponsored Project can access their application through the Collaborator Feature in Submittable. More than one person from the Sponsored Project may be invited to be a collaborator on an application.
Third Party Grant Writers
A third-party grant writer is someone hired to write the grant for the Account holder. A third-party grant writer is different from a Fiscal Sponsor, because they are only here to contribute to the content of an application or reporting form. They cannot be the signatory of the project.
Staff or Community/Professional Contacts
People who volunteer to help write or edit an application can be bandmates, mentors, someone in your professional field, or other staff members of your organization. While these individuals may contribute to an application directly in Submittable, we advise that you develop application content separate from the application portal in a text document for easier group editing. Final answers can then be copied and pasted into the Submittable form by the Account Holder or a Collaborator
Collaborator Abilities
Must
- Accept the Account Holder’s e-mailed invitation to access the Submittable application form.
Not Required to
- Confirm final content. The Collaborator’s contribution is up to the Account Holder.
Can
- Contribute to the content of the application
- Contribute to the content of the reporting forms
Cannot
- Start their own application
- Invite other collaborators
- Be the signatory/authorizing official or administrative lead.
- Submit financial information for or request award payments
- Submit or delete forms
- Complete the application eligibility quiz
- Answer the demographic questions about themselves—the demographic questions are about the Account Holders and their respective entities.