# Mar 12, 2026 - Introducing Automations

We’re introducing Automations :rocket: and the new Grant Portal, expanding how teams turn public-sector data into structured workflows.

This release introduces our Automations framework, allowing teams to **automatically rank institutions** and **request vendor/competitor contracts through FOIA**. It also adds the **Grant Portal**, so teams can find funding opportunities, review award context, and move straight into outreach.

We’ve also added CRM sync for automation results and refreshed navigation across the app to make NationGraph faster and easier to use.

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Full overview of our Automations Launch
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### 1. Automations :gear:

NationGraph introduces a new **Automations** feature, transforming public-sector intelligence into efficient, repeatable workflows. Automations operate seamlessly in the background, allowing your team to focus less on research and more on taking action. Currently, two automation types are available **(with many more on the way!)**:

#### **Ranked Institutions**

* Dynamically identify and prioritize key institutions.
* Customize ranking with configurable scoring criteria.
* Integrate NationGraph scores with signals, population data, and current activities.
* Filter by signal types and data sources.
* Quickly pinpoint high-priority targets within your area.

This enables teams to concentrate their efforts on the **institutions with the highest conversion potential.**

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#### Request Vendor/Competitor Contracts (via FOIA)

Retrieve signed vendor contracts automatically through FOIA requests.

You can now:

* Submit FOIA requests to retrieve vendor contracts
* Search by territory and date range
* Track contract results in a structured table
* Manage and review individual contract records
* Contract details **automatically parsed**, ready for clean export to your CRM

This gives teams **direct visibility into vendor relationships, contract values, and renewal timelines.**

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Automations also include:

* Automated background processing for workflow execution
* Track history and status updates
* Export CSV files for offline analysis

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### 2. Grant Portal 🔎

The new **Grant Portal** helps teams find grant opportunities across federal, state, and foundation sources, qualify fit, and act fast.

You can now:

* Search and filter grants by institution type, keywords, funding agency, and funding period
* Review funding context, including the funded amount and how many years are left
* Review award history through linked federal, state, and other grant source records
* Access additional grant sources, including CA grants and private foundation grants
* Open the official grant listing or source link from the same view
* Generate contacts and draft outreach emails without leaving your workflow
* Create and run automations scoped to clients only

This makes it easier to move from discovery to outreach in one workflow.

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### 3. Automation Results Can Now Directly Sync to Your CRM 🔗

You can now push automation results directly into Salesforce or HubSpot, with more integration options coming soon. This feature allows you to:

* Push automation results into your CRM as tasks, notes, posts (Salesforce only), leads (Salesforce only), and custom field mappings.
* Track sync progress during the push process.

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### 4. Faster Navigation & Interface Improvements ✨

We have enhanced the NationGraph interface to boost navigation speed and consistency. Key updates include:

* **Breadcrumb Navigation**: Now available across major pages for easier tracing of paths.
* **Collapsible Sidebar**: Offers more screen space.
* **Redesigned Dashboard**: Features persistent headers for a streamlined view.
* **Improved Page Organization**: Refined for Signals, Automations, and Workspaces.

These updates enhance workflow transitions and help you quickly find essential information.

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### 5. Signal Settings Improvements ⚙️

**Signal Settings have been renamed to** **Signal Templates**

Templates have become more user-friendly. You can now:

* Directly add or remove exclusion keywords from the configuration page.
* Update signal filters without needing to recreate the entire **template**.
* View clearer warnings before archiving signal configurations.

These changes simplify signal tuning, allowing for easy adjustments as your strategy evolves.

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### 6. Signals Experience Improvements 🐛

We've enhanced the Signals workflow for a faster and more reliable experience. Updates include:

* Instant dismissal of signals without page reloads
* Smoother animations and improved performance
* Better handling of signals in lists
* A more flexible framework for mass actions

These improvements make navigating your Signals feed **quicker and more responsive.**

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### 7. Broader Contact Search 🔍

We have enhanced the **NationGraph contact database** by adding **2.5 million new contacts**. This upgrade provides:

* More comprehensive contact coverage
* Better discovery of relevant stakeholders
* Enhanced visibility into institutional contact networks

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### 8. Temporary Change to K-12 Data 🏫

Our system is currently undergoing data quality improvements, so the option to select individual K-12 schools (elementary, middle, and high schools) is temporarily unavailable.

We will restore this function following a data update, thank you for your patience!

Please note that existing K-12 records remain visible and accessible; this change only impacts new selections.

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### 9. Platform Stability Improvements

We have addressed multiple performance and reliability issues, such as:

* Improved keyword searches in purchase orders that contain special characters.
* Resolved parsing errors during CSV exports.
* Enhanced compatibility across varied data formats.

These fixes enhance reliability in automation and export workflows.

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## Why This Release Matters

NationGraph is transitioning from a signals platform to a robust workflow engine designed for public-sector sales. Our automation capabilities enable teams to:

* Automatically identify high-value institutions
* Access vendor contract intelligence at scale
* Integrate insights directly into CRM systems
* Minimize manual research across various territories
