Reject applications

Use rejection to close applications that do not meet eligibility, fit, or readiness criteria. You can reject one application at a time or reject multiple applications in a batch while recording the same decision details for audit and reporting.

To review application records before taking action, start in Applications.

When you reject applications, you:

  • Select a rejection reason.

  • Add internal comments that explain the decision.

  • Choose whether to send correspondence to the applicant.

Note: You do not need to complete duplicate checks or link records before rejecting applications.

Reject a single application

  1. Open the application you want to review.

  2. Select Pending submissions, Reject.

    Warning: When you Reject a pending submission, the action is final. You can't restore a Rejected application.

  3. Select the rejection reason that best matches the decision.

  4. Enter comments to document internal decision context. There is a 2000 character limit on Comments.

  5. Choose whether to send correspondence to the applicant.

  6. Select Confirm.

Tip: The same steps can be followed if you wish to delete any Requests tied to online Applications submitted via the Applicant & Grantee Portal.

Reject multiple applications

  1. Open the applications list.

  2. Select the applications you want to reject.

  3. Select Pending submissions, Reject.

  4. Select one rejection reason for all selected applications.

  5. Enter comments that should apply to all selected applications. There is a 2000 character limit on Comments.

  6. Choose whether to send correspondence.

  7. Confirm the action, then monitor progress while the system processes each application.

Correspondence

When enabled, correspondence sends a declination message to applicants. Use this option to communicate decisions consistently and reduce manual follow-up. For template planning and reusable messaging, see Correspondence.

Note: If you need status-notification guidance for individual and bulk communication workflows, review Notify Applicant of Status.

Tips and best practices

  • Use a standard rejection-reason taxonomy so reporting trends remain accurate across teams and cycles.

  • Write concise, objective comments focused on policy and eligibility criteria, not personal opinions.

  • Use single-record rejection when each application needs distinct rationale, and use batch rejection only when the same reason applies to all selected records.

  • Coordinate correspondence settings with your communications team to keep applicant messaging clear and consistent.

  • Run periodic audits of rejected records to validate reason quality, comment completeness, and policy alignment.