The 9 best grant management software for nonprofits

Grant management software is essential for nonprofits to streamline funding applications, ensure compliance, and improve efficiency in handling multiple grants. This guide highlights nine top solutions, detailing their key features, pros, and cons to help organizations choose the best fit for their needs.

The 9 best grant management software for nonprofits / Image Credits: Unsplash

For the millions of American nonprofits, effective grant management is critical to securing funding and ensuring compliance. Although these organizations exist to serve the greater good, they nevertheless must compete for limited resources. Those who streamline their processes to maximize efficiency stand the best chance of getting what they need to meet their goals. The right grant management software solution facilitates this aim.

Grant management software allows teams to organize tasks from application tracking to reviews. It minimizes effort while maximizing results. Finding the best tool for your team can be challenging, but this guide aims to simplify your search.

Why Grant Management Software Matters

Nonprofits rely on grant funding to operate. As such, they often juggle multiple applications at once, each with different deadlines, reporting requirements and compliance standards. Even with a dedicated individual or team to keep track, errors can occur. Deadlines get missed, resulting in less operating revenue, and funds get mismanaged, which can lead to compliance issues that impact the firm’s viability.

The best grant management software for nonprofits mitigates these challenges. It centralizes data, automates workflows and increases transparency so everyone can see the money is going where it is most necessary. This efficiency matters for compliance and the overall quality of operations. Demand for nonprofit help increased by 70% in 2022, placing increased pressure on such entities to improve the quantity and quality of their service offerings.

What Is the Top Grant Management Software? Key Features to Prioritize

When seeking the top grant management software, firms should prioritize certain features. However, the solution you choose should include the following features:

– Application and deadline tracking: Getting things in on time is a must. Automated reminders mean getting the funding you need.
– Budget management: Align grant spending with your nonprofit’s project goals.
Reporting tools: Generate compliance-ready reports.
– Collaboration portals: Facilitate communication between teams, funders and stakeholders.
– Integration capabilities: Sync with accounting tools such as QuickBooks and donor databases.
– Scalability: The software adapts as your grant portfolio and team grow.

What Is the Best Grants Management Software for Nonprofits?

Here’s a list of six of the best grant management software for nonprofits and their unique features.

1. IGX Solutions

The first of the best grants management software for nonprofits is also among the best for governmental organizations. That quality makes IGX Solutions the number-one choice for those seeking to streamline operations and maximize compliance.

Best of all, it’s customizable. Choose from three platforms, each with unique features and benefits:

• IntelliGrants IGX meets the needs of organizations ranging from local and federal governments to nonprofits and educational institutions.
• Core CVC is a specialty platform for crime victims’ compensation unique needs.
• BEPro serves the accessibility and management needs of the Business Enterprise Program.

These solutions make it easier to choose the correct software platform for your organization’s needs.

Key Features: IGX Solutions offers a choice of three platforms tailored to the unique needs of your nonprofit, an easy-to-master interface and top-tier customer support.

• Pros: Targeted toward specific nonprofits
• Cons: Can be costly

2. Submittable

Submittable is the grant management software of choice for running the nonprofit end of businesses like Meta and groups like the American Red Cross. It excels in application management and has a user-friendly interface to simplify submission reviews and stakeholder communication.

Key Features: Submittable has a drag-and-drop form builder for tailored applications and AI-driven scoring to prioritize submissions.

• Pros: Intuitive design, ideal for small to midsize nonprofits
• Cons: Limited budget tracking tools

3. Blackbaud Grantmaking

Blackbaud’s grant management solution evolved from the former GIFTS online. It’s a powerhouse for grantmakers, offering deep customization and compliance tools.

Key Features: Blackbaud offers compliance tracking for IRS 990 reports and audit trails and has global capabilities to support multi-currency transactions. It also provides mobile access for on-the-go updates.

• Pros: Strong regulatory compliance features
• Cons: Requires significant training to leverage its full capabilities

4. Foundant Grant Lifecycle Manager (GLM)

Foundant GLM is a favorite among smaller community foundations and midsize nonprofits. They value the balance of simplicity and depth this software provides, requiring little special training and superior onboarding.

Key Features: Foundant offers pre-built templates for common applications, impact reporting tools with visual data dashboards and affordable pricing tiers.

• Pros: Excellent customer support and onboarding
• Cons: Limited third-party integrations

5. ZoomGrants

Customers value ZoomGrants for its simplicity and ease of use. It offers white-label solutions for government and nonprofit grants.

Key Features: ZoomGrants has customizable portals to match your organization’s branding, multi-language support, and built-in e-signature and document storage.

• Pros: Highly customizable without coding
• Cons: Somewhat outdated-feeling interface

6. SurveyMonkey Apply (Formerly FluidReview)

FluidReview got a boost with the familiar SurveyMonkey name. The SurveyMonkey Apply platform helps nonprofits streamline their submissions and reviews.

Key Features: SurveyMonkey Apply features automated eligibility screenings, collaborative scoring rubrics for evaluators and API integration with CRM systems like Salesforce.

• Pros: Ideal for organizations prioritizing applicant experience
• Cons: Basic reporting features

What Is the Best Grants Management Software for Government Organizations?

The best grants management software for government entities serves a slightly different set of needs. The following three choices can help.

7. Neon CRM (Neon One)

Government groups must raise money through various channels. The all-in-one platform Neon One offers combines grant management with a donor CRM and fundraising tools

Key Features: Neon One features a unified database for donors, grants and campaigns. It issues automated acknowledgment letters and receipts.

• Pros: Holistic view of nonprofits and superior donor management
• Cons: Overwhelming for grant-only needs

8. Fluxx Grantseeker

Huge entities such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation rely on Fluxx as their leader in grant management. This cloud-based platform supports the grant’s entire life cycle, from the initial letter of intent to post-award reporting.

Key Features: Fluxx features customizable workflows for application reviews, a real-time dashboard for funder engagement analytics and seamless funder-grantee collaboration.

• Pros: Robust analytics for complex grant portfolios
• Cons: Higher cost and steep learning curve

9. WizeHive

Last but certainly not least, WizeHive offers tailored solutions for grantmakers, emphasizing security and scalability — two features crucial in government.

Key Features: WizeHive features SOC 2-certified data security to protect information. It has custom reporting with PDF/Excel exports and combines grant management with scholarship tracking.

• Pros: Strong security protocols for sensitive data
• Cons: Limited prebuilt templates

Choosing the Right Solution

When selecting the best grant management software for your nonprofit or government organization, ask yourself the following questions:

• What is my budget? What can the enterprise realistically afford without detracting from other goals
• What is my team’s size? Rapidly growing teams or those that vary in size need scalable solutions.
• What are my technical capacities? This qualification includes the level of comfort those in your entity have with mastering new software programs quickly and efficiently.

What Is the Best Grant Management Solution?

The right grants management software lets nonprofits focus on their mission, not paperwork. Solutions vary widely, from platforms featuring easy-to-learn interfaces to complex enterprise-level beasts with CRM and Salesforce integrations.

Nonprofits can increase their compliance and impact by aligning their software capabilities with their needs. Considering the vital nature of grants to the operation of such entities, investing in the right technology is no longer optional — it’s a must.