I disagree that it’s impossible to give constructive feedback on 1700 applications.
I could imagine FTX Future Fund having a couple of standardized responses, rather than just one. For example:
Your application was rejected because based on the information provided it did not appear to be in scope for what we fund (link to the page that sets out what you fund)
Your application appears to be in scope for what we fund. We weren’t currently confident in the information provided about [theory of change / founding team / etc]. It might still be a good fit for another grantmaker. If you do decide to update that section, feel free to re-apply to a future round of funding.
potentially a response for applications you think are an especially bad idea?
It seems many of the downsides of giving feedback would also apply to this.
I think lower resolution feedback introduces new issues too. For example, people might become aware of the schema and over-index on getting a “1. Reject” versus getting a “2. Revise and resubmit”.
A major consideration is that I think some models of very strong projects and founders says that these people wouldn’t be harmed by rejections.
Further considerations related to this (that are a little sensitive) is that there are other ways of getting feedback, and that extremely impactful granting and funding is relationship based, not based on an instance of one proposal or project. This makes sense once you consider that grantees are EAs and should have very high knowledge of their domains in EA cause areas.
I disagree that it’s impossible to give constructive feedback on 1700 applications.
I could imagine FTX Future Fund having a couple of standardized responses, rather than just one. For example:
Your application was rejected because based on the information provided it did not appear to be in scope for what we fund (link to the page that sets out what you fund)
Your application appears to be in scope for what we fund. We weren’t currently confident in the information provided about [theory of change / founding team / etc]. It might still be a good fit for another grantmaker. If you do decide to update that section, feel free to re-apply to a future round of funding.
potentially a response for applications you think are an especially bad idea?
It seems many of the downsides of giving feedback would also apply to this.
I think lower resolution feedback introduces new issues too. For example, people might become aware of the schema and over-index on getting a “1. Reject” versus getting a “2. Revise and resubmit”.
A major consideration is that I think some models of very strong projects and founders says that these people wouldn’t be harmed by rejections.
Further considerations related to this (that are a little sensitive) is that there are other ways of getting feedback, and that extremely impactful granting and funding is relationship based, not based on an instance of one proposal or project. This makes sense once you consider that grantees are EAs and should have very high knowledge of their domains in EA cause areas.