Case Study: Montana Department of Commerce achieves weeks of time savings and 20% more submissions with Submittable

Creating Accessible Applications While Saving Money With A Digital Grant Process

The Montana Department of Commerce’s Indian Country Economic Development Program (ICED) was overwhelmed by paper applications, manual spreadsheets, and a complex multi‑stage review process involving a 75‑member review team. To simplify intake, improve accessibility for all users, and reduce administrative burden, ICED adopted Submittable’s digital grant management platform to replace manual workflows and paper conversion tasks.

Submittable centralized applications, enabled real‑time access and remote reviews with minimal training, and automated reviewer coordination, freeing about three weeks of staff time and saving roughly $4,300 per grant cycle. The platform also drove a 20% increase in submissions, improved equity and accessibility for applicants, and helped ICED focus on program impact—supporting over 35 businesses in five years.

Montana Department of Commerce

Heather Sobrepeña-George

Section Manager