Here is your latest SmartyNews - a regular newsletter provided exclusively to active SmartyGrants users, through which we provide important system updates and policy notifications.
🎉SmartySkills just got a serious upgrade
Today, 15th July 2026, we've launched SmartySkills 2.0, a refreshed interface for our Learning Management System (LMS), powered by TalentLMS. It's cleaner, smarter, and packed with features you've been waiting for.
What's new?
A fresh new look. The updated interface makes it easier to find what you need, with a navigation menu on the left for training enrolment and course catalogues, and your badges and progress info tucked neatly in the top-right user menu.
Structured learning paths. You can now enrol in curated learning paths with a clear progression from start to finish - launching with SmartyStarter, SmartyPlus, and SmartyMaster.
Progress reports, on demand. Users can download a personal progress report at any time, covering their enrolled and completed courses, training time, badges, points, and more.
Downloadable test results. Grab a copy of your test results straight after completion – handy for printing or uploading into an HR system.
Administrator training reports. Adminstrators can now download an LMS training report directly from the Users menu. This includes a daily-updated snapshot of enrolments and completions across your team.
LinkedIn certificate sharing. Completed a learning path? Share your certificate straight to LinkedIn with prefilled details, because you've earned it.
What do you need to do? Nothing! Simply log in to SmartySkills as usual via the Education and Training link from the Manage Site's Help button. All your existing course progress and training data will carry over automatically.
For more information, please visit SmartySkills on our Help Hub.
AI Transparency Statement released
We've released an AI Transparency Statement to set out in detail how we use, design, build and govern Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automation in SmartyGrants.
As at June 2026, SmartyGrants has no AI features powered by large language models in production. Everything currently in use is rule-based automation: predictable and auditable. Our first AI feature is expected in early 2027, subject to testing and ethical review.
Design and rollout of AI and Automation features in SmartyGrants is done with reference to a set of clear principles and undertakings:
Human decision-making stays central: our tools generate summaries and flags, never verdicts
Every feature is optional, off by default, and goes through our Dignity Lens ethical review and a Data Protection Impact Assessment before release
We don't let AI providers use clients' data to train their models, and we don't share your submitted data with third-party AI providers for their own purposes
Your data stays in the jurisdiction it's hosted in (the United Kingdom for UK and Irish customers) and never moves without your explicit consent
You choose which features to switch on and can turn any of them off at any time
Each AI feature will come with its own Governance Pack explaining what it does and what safeguards apply
We've already updated the default Round Webpage Message to give applicants more relevant information before they start their application:
Your account's Public Display Name now pre-fills in the Round Webpage Message (update this in Settings if needed). If no Public Display Name is set, your Organisation Account Name will appear instead.
Before publishing your next round, please review the updated message to make sure it still reads well for your applicants.
There's more to come. Soon, Administrators will be able to create their own default Round Webpage Message at the account level, so you won't need to update it every time you create a new round.
Custom 'Program' and 'Round' Fields
We're getting close to releasing Custom Program and Round Fields.
Soon you'll be able to capture exactly the information your organisation needs at both Program and Round level with new default fields, including the ability to create your own custom fields. This closes a governance gap and gives you far greater flexibility for tracking and reporting on your round and programme-level data.
We're also introducing a new report template type that will allow you to pull straight from these new fields, which can assist you with internal reporting, producing board papers, or even generating guideline documents.
Stay tuned for more info on this upcoming feature ...
A few reminders...
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
We’re committed to protecting the security of your accounts and the sensitive information you manage. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is available for all applicant users, providing an additional layer of protection beyond passwords. MFA is also available for manage users.
By requiring more than one method of verification, MFA significantly reduces the risk of unauthorised access, even if a password becomes compromised.
Custom Applicant Site domains
A Custom Domain is an optional feature that allows you to personalise the web address of your SmartyGrants Applicant Site. Instead of using the default applicant site URL, you can redirect users to a subdomain managed by your organisation. For example: https://grants.yourorganisation.com
Once configured, your default Applicant Site URL will automatically redirect all traffic to your custom domain, ensuring a consistent experience for your applicants.
For further details on this optional subscription add-on, please visit the Help Hub. For pricing, please contact sales@smartygrants.co.uk.
Finding the Goldilocks Zone: Key lessons from our grant standardisation webinar
What does good grants standardisation look like, and how do you avoid creating more red tape than results?
Those questions were front and centre at SmartyGrants UK's recent webinar, The Goldilocks Zone: Standardising Grants Without Breaking Your Organisation.
The webinar brought together funders from local government, trusts, foundations and the charity sector to explore one of the biggest conversations in grantmaking today.
Drawing on insights from the new SmartyGrants whitepaper The Goldilocks Zone: A Practical Guide for Grants Standardisation, the session explored how practical, proportionate standardisation could help funders improve efficiency, transparency and accountability while maintaining the flexibility needed to respond to real-world challenges.
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