Training and Support

Here at SmartyGrants we know how challenging it can be when it comes to learning new software systems. Indeed, often with very little time to do so! Well, can we give you the good news? Or the better news? SmartyGrants offers a range of training and support options for users to upskill at their own pace.

All SmartyGrants subscriptions come with a range of complimentary training and support:

• FREE access to SmartySkills, the SmartyGrants learning management system (LMS).
• FREE access to the Help Hub, a source of comprehensive written documentation on all functionality with links to other helpful resources. To access the Help Hub, select Online Documentation from the Manage Site.
• FREE access to weekly Q&A sessions with the SmartyGrants Training Team (book in advance as attendance caps apply).
  
• FREE access to bi-monthly webinars. Advertised in SmartyNews - our bi-monthly SmartyGrants newsletter.
• FREE access to phone and email support when you contact our Support and Training Team.
• FREE access to peer support through our SmartyGrants Forum.

Custom training can also be arranged and SmartyGrants Managed Services can be engaged for customers who are short on time or have complex needs.

Training and support are provided by real-life humans who are SmartyGrants experts and grants experts, who care about and respect your needs and timelines, and who take seriously their obligations to meet agreed response time targets.

SmartySkills is the official home of the SmartyGrants education and training program. This learning management system (LMS) comprises a series of high-quality, regularly updated online courses for SmartyGrants users of all skill levels. SmartySkills provides immediate access to a self-guided, online learning journey through self-paced, mobile-compatible courses across three complexity levels:

Access training from anywhere, 24/7:

Whether you are an account administrator that needs to know everything about SmartyGrants from beginning to end, a grants officer keen to build your grants program for maximum impact or a casual user of SmartyGrants keen to glean insight into a specific topic, SmartySkills has everything you need to get you up and running (and keep you running for your whole SmartyGrants journey)! There are dozens of interactive and video-driven online courses available.

When you first access the LMS, you will be presented with a short education and training resources overview that will help you familiarise yourself with LMS navigation and course offerings. You are then free to browse our extensive course catalogue to map your SmartyGrants learning journey with topics that suit your needs. SmartySkills utilises an incentivised, points-based, levels-based learning approach. With a personal record of achievement on hand to keep you motivated, complete with badges, certificates and stats, you will find your way to SmartyGrants success in no time!

Use your LMS profile to easily track your learning progress:

To access SmartySkills, select Education and Training from the Manage Site Help.

These sessions are designed to allow you to ask questions, get some tips and tricks from other SmartyGrants users, and spend some time with our incredible Training Team to learn more about how you can get the most out of the system. We look forward to seeing you there! Send us your trickiest questions ahead of time using the bookings page on our website.

Prerequisite for booking: to make the most of your custom training booking, we ask that you take the time to explore our extensive course library in SmartySkills (above). Once you have acquired 2,500 points, you will have covered most of the essential content.

Following your use of SmartySkills (above), our online Help Hub documentation and our weekly Q&A sessions, our Training Team is happy to assist you with a custom training session where you can set the training agenda. We recommend you book a session between 1 and 4 hours in length depending on the amount of content you wish to cover off. Our Trainers are best placed to work out how long topics will take depending on the level of experience of attendees. During the session, you can deep dive into specific areas of SmartyGrants in the context of your process. To organise a date and time for a custom training session, please contact our Support and Training Team.

Our online custom training costs are available on request (training charged hourly. We recommend initially booking between 1 and 4 hours):

• 1 hour (e.g., single topic deep dive): just finished your first application form build? Walk through the results with a Trainer. Need some help managing your contact directory? We can assist. Looking for assistance with something more complex? No problems, just reach out!
  

• 4 hours (e.g., multi-topic exploration): looking to cover multiple topics? We can assist. When you reach out to us, let us know what aspects of the system you are keen to cover so we can deliver the training content effectively!
  

On-site custom training is available if you would like to experience our high-quality training face-to-face. The same hourly training costs apply to on-site training, in addition to accommodation, meal and travel expenses. To request a quote to book a custom workshop, contact our Support and Training Team.

All online training sessions use Microsoft Teams. If you are not familiar with Microsoft Teams, we would encourage you to watch this video to familiarise yourself with it. Check that your system meets the minimum requirements here.

An online training session will be arranged as a backup delivery option for all on-site custom training bookings. In cases where travel disruptions, illness or other circumstances prevent a face-to-face session from taking place, we can revert to online delivery if suitable.

We operate a Grantmaking Forum for SmartyGrants users. Here you can ask questions about the system, or about the grantmaking practices of your peers. Technical questions should be directed to our Support Team (contact details below).

To access the SmartyGrants Forum, select SmartyGrants Forum from the Manage Site Help.

Technical support is provided primarily by our Australian-based Support Team. You can contact them by emailing [email protected]. Complimentary technical support is provided for all SmartyGrants users, including applicants and assessors.

Don't have time for training? Feel like this would all be easier with a few extra hands? Consider our SmartyGrants Grantmaking Services offerings and tap into tailored packages of SmartyGrants services to suit your budget and your needs.