Introduction

You are HERE! You’ve finally arrived at your freshly minted Organization in Next. Now that we have you, put on your hiking boots and hard hats, cause we’re going spelunking! 

In this article, we are going to cover how Next is constructed. You will become familiar with the different layers of Next, and you will come to understand why the platform is designed in its specific format.

So what are we waiting for?! Let’s harness up and dive into the depths of Next.

How Next is Designed

Next is designed with a hierarchical approach. The intent is to create a scaffolding structure that can accommodate multiple programs with many cycles within your organization. This means Next is constructed to allow organizations to run multiple programs and program cycles with ease.

For instance, let’s say your organization runs two different grant programs. The first program runs once a year, and the second runs quarterly. In Next, we can accommodate the workflows for both programs housed under the same account. This makes it easier to set up and run your programs, clone program cycles quickly, and track/report against your programs in one space.

So, how does this magic work? Below is a diagram showing the architecture of Next, where you have your Organizational Level, the multiple programs below the Organization, and multiple cycles each program could potentially have.

The Organization Level

The highest level is the Organization, and all the organization settings.  Now, you might be confused by the term “Organization” and think, “I’m not at an organization, I’m actually at a foundation.” Or perhaps you’re at a school administering an internship program. Maybe you’re at a non-profit agency administering scholarships or grants.

Regardless of where you work, in Next, we refer to the top level of the platform as your organization. This is where your programs and the associated applications, reviews, awards, and post-award data will live for all programs.

Additionally, the Organizational Level is the command center of the platform. Many important decisions and controls are set up at the Organizational Level.   This is where system administrators can control the look and feel of their Next platform, invite users into the platform, and manage and/or review other organization settings such as single sign-on options or data logs.

Finally, the Organizational Level is where system administrators can set and control rules for other administrators. Not all administrators will have access to the Organizational level. For example, you may have several administrators who only need access to the programs they administer. You don’t want them to have access to control branding for the platform. You can control those privileges and limit who has access to the organization level, as well as limit access to specific programs you create. 

The Program Level

A level below the Organization is the Program Level. This level will give you control over your active program cycles. It could be one program or a hundred, but the program level is where you will manage the applicant and reviewer experience.

The Program Level consists of all the programs you create and the data the program has captured. Additionally, this is where you can invite program-specific administrators to administer their specific programs. Additionally, this is where you can invite reviewers to the process.

The program level is where you move applicants through the program process, conduct review processes, collect award letters, and allow awardees to complete progress reports.

At its simplest, the program level is where you and/or your administrator(s) manage the workflow for your program(s). 

The Cycle Level

Finally, the last level of the platform is the cycle level. The cycle level is where you create the processes and forms for each program. This is where you set up your applications, review rubrics, award forms, and progress reports.  

Additionally, the cycle level is where you create the workflow of your program. You can designate how many intake and review rounds you have, set up the award process, and create your progress reporting cadences. 

Review

Let’s review the important points.

1. Next has a hierarchy in design - The Organization, which can have many Programs, and many programs can have many Cycles.
2. The Organization is the topmost level, and it is the command center for your platform. This is where you can control access, branding, and organization information.
3. The Program Level is the second level, and it is where you manage active program cycles as well as program-level controls.