Career Awards at the Scientific Interface

The applicant received an error message containing the text "...wasn't able to deliver your message to the following addresses."

1. Confirm that the email address listed in the error message is valid by sending a test email from your email software.  If the test email is successfully sent and received, wait one to two hours (or possibly overnight) and try sending the email again from page 7 of the application.
2. On the "Recommenders" page, confirm that the email address was entered in the email field instead of the name field.

Once these steps have been verified, BWF recommends the following:

1. Remove the recommender's name and email address from the application.  Re-enter the recommender's name and email.  Resend the email.
2. Obtain an alternate email address (Yahoo, gmail, hotmail, etc.) from the recommender.  The email sent previously may be caught in the university's spam filter.  If this is not a possibility, contact Debi Vought at 919-991-5116 or dvought@bwfund.org.
   

The recommender never received the email.

1. Confirm that the email address is valid.  The applicant may try copying the email from the BWF grant application system into another email and sending it to the recommender to confirm the address is working properly. 
2. On the "Recommenders" page, confirm that the email address was entered in the email field instead of the name field.
3. Confirm on the "Recommenders" page of the application that the applicant checked the box beside the recommender and clicked the SEND button.  If the applicant clicked the SEND button, he/she should have received the email template to complete.  In addition, the recommender’s name should no longer appear in a white box, but rather appear on the recommender screen with a gray background.

Once these steps have been verified, BWF recommends the following:

1. Verify the email address for the recommender is correct.  Remove the recommender’s name and email address from the application.  Re-enter the recommender’s name and email.  Resend the email with the link.   

2. Obtain an alternate email address (Yahoo, gmail, hotmail, etc.) from the recommender.  The email may be caught in the university’s spam filter.  If this is not a possibility, please contact Debi Vought at 919/991-5116.

The recommender received the link, but cannot log in to upload the letter.

Note the error message that the recommender is receiving.  If the error message states: “Thank you for taking the time to respond to a request for recommendation. However, you cannot provide input at this time. Please contact the applicant if you have any questions”:

1. Depending on the format of the recommender’s email, the web link may be wrapping to another line.  The recommender must copy and paste the entire link into the web browser.  The link is specific to the applicant and designated recommender.
2. The recommender entered an incorrect email address.  The email address must exactly match the one that was entered in the system by the applicant.  It should be the same email address that the link was sent to initially.

If the error message states something different, contact Debi Vought at 919/991-5116.

The recommender is able to log into the site, but cannot upload the letter.

Confirm that the recommender is uploading a pdf file.  There will be a red error message at the top of the screen indicating “You are trying to upload a file with an unaccepted file type.  Please upload a file of one of the following types:  PDF.”

The recommender has submitted the letter, but would like to upload a revised letter.

The applicant cannot remove the letter for the recommender.  BWF staff cannot remove the letter.  Only the recommender can remove the original letter and replace it with a revised letter.  To do this, the recommender MUST have the initial email and web link that was sent by the applicant.  To replace the original  letter with a revised letter, the recommender must do the following:

1. Retrieve the initial email and web link originally sent to the Recommender by the applicant. 
2. Using the correct email address, log in to access the “Recommenders” page.  
3. Check the “Remove” box next to the html link for the initial letter.
4. Click the “Remove” button. 
5. Browse to select the revised letter (.pdf file) on your system.  
6. Click “Upload.”  
7. Click the “Finished” button. 
8. View the acknowledgment that the letter has been submitted.

Form more detailed instructions for the applicant, see Applicant Instructions for Requesting Confidential Letters.

For more detailed instructions for the recommender, see Recommender Instructions for Uploading a Confidential Letter.

If the recommender no longer has the initial email and link, the revised letter cannot be removed.  The recommender will need to email the revised letter to Debi Vought for receipt by the application deadline.  The document will be replaced after the application is submitted.

If problems arise email Debi Vought, Senior Program Associate, or call 919/991-5116.