OpenWater

OpenWater is a cloud-based application and review management software designed to automate the administration of awards, grants, scholarships, abstracts, and other competitive programs. The system integrates the entire life cycle of application-based programs, allowing organizations to collect, manage, and review submissions efficiently in one integrated system. With its customizable setup, administrators can quickly develop bespoke submission forms, establish multi-step review workflows, and develop evaluation criteria to suit their purposes. OpenWater's drag-and-drop form builder is user-friendly and supports advanced entry types, including large files and letters of recommendation, and its customizable website builder gives applicants a branded, streamlined experience. This integrated approach drastically reduces manual processes, spreadsheets, or individual systems, saving administrators precious time and minimizing errors. The other hallmark of OpenWater is its robust review and evaluation feature. The platform enables administrators to send submissions to designated judges or reviewers who can review and score directly within the system, add feedback, and even offer suggestions for improvement. Multi-stage and multi-factor reviews are made easy, making it a breeze to manage even the most advanced award selection, scholarship selection, or call-for-papers schemes. Automated workflows take care of notifications, reminders, and status reports, keeping applicants, judges, and administrators on board throughout. Real-time analytics and ad-hoc reporting tools provide deep insights into submission patterns, reviewer performance, and overall effectiveness of the programs, allowing organizations to make informed decisions and continuously optimize their processes. For scholarship and grant programs, OpenWater offers high-end features such as fund tracking and progress report rounds to ensure transparency and accountability in the disbursement process. OpenWater's integration features and flexibility serve to differentiate it even more. The platform can be branded according to an organization's brand and integrates seamlessly with top association management systems, payment gateways, CRMs, and single sign-on products to enable smooth data transfer and an integrated user experience. Its mobile convenience and role-based access controls make it possible for distributed teams, applicants, and judges to collaborate. OpenWater is trusted by hundreds of associations, foundations, schools, and private organizations all over the world for its reliability, scalability, and dedicated customer support. By consolidating all activities—application gathering and judging, winner demonstration and reporting—into a single integrated, easy-to-use platform, OpenWater enables organizations to implement more streamlined, unambiguous, and efficient programs, ultimately to more effectively attract applicants, engage the public, and grow their initiatives.

OpenWater stands out from competitors through the integration of unmatched flexibility, strong all-in-one functionality, and an extremely user-friendly experience for administrators and end-users. Maybe the best aspect of the platform is the easy-to-use admin portal that allows organizations to implement, deploy, and manage sophisticated programs in a hurry without requiring advanced technical expertise. Participants universally praise the tidy, intuitive dashboard that contains all submissions, reviews, and communications, streamlining processes and avoiding the administrative hassle that too commonly comes with managing awards, grants, scholarships, and competitions. Ease of use is enjoyed by applicants and judges alike, with both having simple submission processes, clear instructions, and distinct portals for reviewing and scoring entries, which helps to attract top-notch participants and reviewers. A second key strength of OpenWater is its adaptability and depth of features. The platform is designed to meet the distinct and changing needs of each organization, with everything from multi-stage reviews and custom scoring to secure payment processing and public winner galleries for showcasing award winners. Its out-of-the-box marketing capabilities and branding features allow organizations to launch visually cohesive, professional-quality programs with ease. OpenWater's open review process simulates the deliberative nature of in-person judging, allowing judges to work seamlessly together and arrive at equitable decisions, while capabilities such as sophisticated filtering, sorting, and reporting features allow administrators to manage large volumes of applications and extract meaningful insights. The ability to support complex workflows such as grants management and accreditation alongside awards also differentiates OpenWater from solutions that can support a single use case. Perhaps most notably, OpenWater's customer support is consistently highlighted. Organisations cite rapid turnaround times, proactive support, and an eagerness to customise the platform to meet specific requirements, even for highly complex or large-scale programs. Onboarding is trouble-free and streamlined, with dedicated account managers helping clients get up and running quickly. This extensive touch support, combined with virtually unlimited possibilities for customization and sound performance, has led many organizations to characterize OpenWater as a "rock" that transforms cumbersome, spreadsheet-oriented processes into fluid, digital-first workflows. Briefly put, OpenWater's usability, flexibility, complete feature set, and world-class support make it an improved choice for organizations to scale and professionalize their application-based programs.

• Small Businesses (1-99)
• Mid Market (100-500)
• Enterprise (500+)