OpenWater

OpenWater is application and review software for grants, scholarships, awards, fellowships, and abstracts. It is best suited to associations, foundations, and higher education institutions running programs with configurable application and judging workflows. Its broad workflow coverage is compelling, but custom quote pricing and the absence of in-platform recommendation requests may rule it out for some programs.

Overview

OpenWater brings applicant submissions, review, reporting, and payment collection into one platform. An applicant portal sits alongside administrative tools for scoring, reviewer collaboration, workflow automation, and analytics, making it a credible fit for organizations coordinating recurring or varied programs. The platform’s scope is useful when a team wants these stages in one system; the custom subscription means cost depends on usage, functionality, and the number of backend users.

Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, OpenWater is owned by Advanced Solutions International, which acquired it in 2022.

Key features

Flexible submissions and review

Teams can build forms with conditional logic and accept attachments of nearly any type, size, and format. That flexibility helps programs collect different materials from applicants without relying on one rigid form. Submissions can go to multiple reviewers, with scores compiled in a dashboard; rubrics, reviewer collaboration, and optional double-blind judging support structured evaluation. The clear gap is recommendation requests: programs that require recommenders to submit directly through the platform will need another approach.

Reporting, integrations, and safeguards

Configurable dashboards and exports in multiple file formats give teams options for reviewing results and sharing reports. OpenWater says it connects with more than 65 AMS, CRM, directory, and payment gateway solutions, including iMIS, Salesforce, Higher Logic, Stripe, and PayPal. The stated security features include SSO, encryption, two-factor authentication, CAPTCHA, and password strength requirements; GDPR-related consent and data deletion options are also supported.

Mobile access and AI

Mobile-responsive landing pages support applicants on smaller screens, while the OpenWater app lets teams handle administrative and review work from a mobile device. WCAG compliance features are available. OpenWater AI is an opt-in beta for existing customers that analyzes submissions, surfaces insights, and automates data collection; its beta status makes it a less settled part of the offer than the core application and review workflows.

Support

OpenWater reports an average support response time of 10 minutes and guarantees an answer within one business day. That stated commitment may matter to organizations whose application cycles depend on timely operational help.

Pricing

OpenWater uses paid, subscription-based custom pricing; the custom subscription has no fixed price. The quote is based on usage needs and may vary with the functionality used and number of backend users. That model can accommodate organizations with different program requirements, but it makes budgeting less straightforward than a fixed per-year plan. No free plan or trial is specified in the plan information.

Because there is no published tier breakdown, organizations should establish how their expected usage, required features, and backend-user count affect the quote before committing. This is a poor fit for buyers who need a known entry price before evaluating a system.

Platforms

OpenWater is available on web, Android, and iOS. Mobile-responsive submission pages and the app for administrative and review work make mobile access relevant to both applicants and program teams.

Who it's for

OpenWater is aimed at professional and trade associations, private and public foundations, and higher education institutions. It fits teams that need configurable submissions, coordinated judging, reporting, and payment collection across programs. It is less suitable when recommendation requests must happen within the same platform or when a fixed, transparent subscription price is essential.

Pros and cons

Flexible application collection: Conditional forms and broad attachment support accommodate programs with differing requirements.

Structured judging: Multiple reviewers, scoring dashboards, rubrics, collaboration, and optional double-blind review support organized evaluation.

Connected workflow: Reporting, payment collection, and integrations with more than 65 systems can reduce the need to split program operations across tools.

Mobile and privacy provisions: Mobile access, WCAG compliance features, security controls, and GDPR-related options address practical access and data-handling needs.

Custom pricing: Costs vary with usage, functionality, and backend users, limiting price predictability.

No direct recommendation requests: Programs that depend on in-platform recommendations will need a separate process or a different product.

Alternatives

For a broader product shortlist, see Application Management Software or Scholarship Management Software.

Grantium.ai is worth considering if a free plan or self-hosted deployment is a priority; its free plan is listed at free.

SurveyMonkey may suit survey-led collection instead: its Basic plan has 10 questions per survey and limited responses, while Standard Monthly allows 1,000 responses per month.

App Manager is a free Android advanced package manager, rather than a directly comparable application-review platform.

Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT offers custom quotes based on organizational needs, with implementation, training, and ongoing support potentially included.

Flexi-Grant is an option for buyers seeking a grant-focused product with a free trial; its Flexigrant One plan is an indicative annual subscription and supports up to 500 applications per year and two admin seats.

Good Grants provides a published entry point: Intro costs $3,950 a year and includes up to 10,000 applications, unlimited users and managers, unlimited fund allocations, one application form, and a 10MB file-size limit.

SmarterSelect may suit smaller volumes at a published starting tier: Create costs $2,000 a year and supports 500 users per year, unlimited programs, 5MB maximum uploads, and 1,000 survey responses per year.

BrightAccess is another paid option with a free plan.

Verdict

Choose OpenWater if your association, foundation, or institution needs configurable applications and coordinated review, reporting, and payment workflows in one platform. Its breadth and integration range make a strong case for complex program administration, but the custom quote demands careful cost planning. Look elsewhere if in-platform recommendation requests are essential or a predictable published price is a deciding factor.