Master Software, API & Operations Specification
SECULAR FINANCIAL SERVICES SFS LTD (Trading as SECULAR MICRO GRANTS). Master specification for the custom grant-management platform, API integrations, security architecture, judging engine, finance controls, and operations.
Program Identity, Scope & Channels
Legal Entity: SECULAR FINANCIAL SERVICES SFS LTD. Trading as / doing business as: SECULAR MICRO GRANTS.
Initial Grant Amount: UGX 3,000,000 per selected recipient.
Grant Character: Non-repayable. It is not a loan and no interest or repayment is required, subject to the grant agreement and applicable law.
Initial Programs: Established Business Grant (UGX 30,000 fee) and Young Entrepreneur Grant (UGX 20,000 fee). The system clearly states that the fee is an application/administration fee and payment does NOT guarantee selection.
Applicant Channels: Primary channel is the official Meta WhatsApp Business Platform/Cloud API using a dedicated company number (+256 700 SECULAR). Optional secondary channel is the responsive web application.
End-to-End Workflow & Document Management
Document Storage: Private object storage only; no public document folders. File states: NOT_REVIEWED, VERIFIED, REJECTED, EXPIRED, or NOT_REQUIRED. File type and size are validated, scanned for malware, and executable uploads are strictly prevented.
Eligibility Rules Engine & 100-Point Scoring Rubrics
Eligibility rules are configurable by program and cycle without requiring source code modifications. Returns PASS, FAIL, or NEEDS_REVIEW and records the rule version used.
- • Business viability / operating evidence — 20 pts
- • Business plan — 20 pts
- • Financial need — 15 pts
- • Job creation — 15 pts
- • Use of UGX 3,000,000 / budget realism — 15 pts
- • Revenue / growth potential — 10 pts
- • Community / economic impact — 5 pts
- • Business idea / innovation — 20 pts
- • Market demand / customer evidence — 20 pts
- • Business model / revenue potential — 20 pts
- • Feasibility with UGX 3,000,000 — 15 pts
- • Job creation — 10 pts
- • Relevant skills / knowledge — 10 pts
- • Social / economic impact — 5 pts
Independent Judging & Tie-Breaking Protocols
- • Initial Model: Three active independent judges + one reserve alternate judge.
- • Conflict Declaration: Judges must complete declarations before accessing applications; material connection triggers recusal and reserve judge activation.
- • Blind Review: Judges do not see fee amounts (shows only "Payment Verified") or fellow judges' scores until the judging period closes.
- • Score Locking: Once submitted, scores are locked. Administrative users cannot directly rewrite a judge's score.
- • Finalist Presentation Interview: If still tied after substantive dimensions, an identical 20-point interview is evaluated on Explanation (5), Market Knowledge (5), Use of Funds (5), and Execution (5).
AI Governance & Anti-Fraud Controls
Anti-Fraud Signals (Spec Section 15): Cross-checks phone, email, NIN, business identifiers, and disbursement account numbers. Flags suspicious document reuse, inconsistent financials, altered documents, and repeated accounts for human investigation case creation.
Finance Controls & Maker/Checker Disbursement
Application Fees: Reconciled via provider server-to-server webhooks with idempotency keys. States: NOT_REQUIRED, PENDING, CONFIRMED, FAILED, REFUNDED, WAIVED, REQUIRES_REVIEW.
Disbursement Separation: Uses strict finance Maker/Checker controls. The person preparing a payment (Maker) must NOT be its sole approver (Checker). Status is not marked DISBURSED until confirmed payment reconciliation.
The 22-State Applicant Lifecycle State Machine
Defined under Spec Section 20, every application progresses through an auditable, role-governed state machine:
Core Entities & Versioned REST API Endpoints
The platform exposes standardized, versioned REST endpoints with idempotency, structured error handling, and request correlation: