For many grantmakers, the dream of “impactful giving” is often buried under a mountain of administrative overhead. Checking each applicant’s charity status, selecting grant winners, and tracking disbursement schedules takes time. For applicants, researching opportunities, crafting proposals, and staying on top of post-award reporting requirements across dozens of portals can feel like a full-time job.
On either side, the friction of manual processes pulls focus away from the community and toward the computer screen. Investing in grants management software is a strategic choice that allows you to reclaim time, reduce manual errors, and focus on what truly matters.
To help you choose the right tool for your workflow, this guide will cover the following:
Whether you’re awarding grants or receiving them, understanding the nuances of grants management systems is the first step toward better stewardship. Let’s take a look at some of the best systems on the market.
The grants management software market is growing rapidly. It’s projected to reach over $2.6 billion by 2031. That means there are plenty of options out there, but not all systems are made equally.
You need a system that’s designed for your workflow, so pay close attention to which are designed for grantmakers vs. grantseekers. We’ve compiled options for both, starting with our own system designed for foundations, universities, and other organizations awarding grants.
Temelio is a flexible, cloud-based grants management software for foundations that’s designed to streamline your entire grantmaking workflow. Use our system to create a positive application experience, collaborate during the review process, store comprehensive records in a built-in database, track your budget and impact, and so much more — all tailored to your unique workflow. Think of it as a one-stop shop for managing operations.
Unlike legacy systems that feel clunky or overly technical, Temelio offers a sleek, user-friendly interface that doesn’t require you to be a tech wizard to navigate it. That means less time spent on troubleshooting and more time awarding funds to the right nonprofits!
Beyond enabling a collaborative grantmaking process, we’re constantly innovating. Temelio is backed by a team of advisors, including grantmakers, nonprofits, and industry experts who provide key insights and inform product updates. This means the software isn't just built by developers; it’s shaped by people who have spent decades in the field.
Temelio is making waves in the grantmaking space! Foundations praise our exceptional customer support, how quick and easy it is to get up and running, and how much time the system saves.
“We found Temelio to be user-friendly, intuitive, and simple, with excellent functionality and everything we need in a grants management system. As compared with our previous clunky grants systems, it was a breath of fresh air. Onboarding was easy and quick, and the platform has eased complex processes for the foundation and for our grantees alike.”
- Alexis Martin, Kapor Foundation
Grant Frog is a straightforward, budget-friendly grants management software designed for grantseekers who need a structured way to track their funding pipeline without the complexity of enterprise software. It focuses on centralizing deadlines and documentation to ensure no opportunity or report falls through the cracks.
Nonprofit reviewers praise this grants management platform for its ease of use, noting that its features are practical and well-designed. Some users would like to see more robust AI capabilities in the future and point out that the system has a small learning curve.
OpenWater is a robust application and review cloud designed for organizations managing high volumes of submissions. While widely used for grants, it’s also a top choice for scholarships, fellowships, and professional awards that require multi-stage review cycles.
Many reviewers praise OpenWater’s customer support and the platform’s flexibility, which allows customization to meet diverse organizational needs. However, others note that the user interface can be hard to navigate at times and requires additional team training.
Fluxx provides strong grant software that powers some of the world’s biggest philanthropic organizations. Its end-to-end solution is designed to handle complex, multi-year funding cycles and massive portfolios with high levels of transparency. While Fluxx also provides grants management software for nonprofits, the features highlighted below are part of its grantmaking toolkit. Keep in mind that Fluxx works only for the biggest foundations and requires a dedicated team to manage it.
Fluxx users praise the system for its ease of use and streamlined workflows. Some reviewers claim that while the system can be customized to your unique needs, those customizations can be expensive and out of reach for smaller grantmakers.
SmarterSelect is an online application management solution tailored for foundations, community groups, and educational institutions that primarily award scholarships and straightforward grants. This scholarship and grant software is designed to be plug-and-play, allowing you to launch new programs in a matter of hours using pre-built templates.
SmarterSelect reviewers appreciate this grants management software’s ability to organize and evaluate submissions. Some users note that the system isn’t flexible and requires a learning curve.
Benevity is a global leader in workplace giving and volunteering software, ideal for managing employee matching gifts and volunteer programs at scale. However, because its primary focus is the employee experience, it lacks the specialized workflows required to run a formal corporate grant cycle.
For corporations with formal grant programs, we strongly recommend using a purpose-built platform like Temelio for grantmaking alongside Benevity for employee giving and volunteering.
Companies that use Benevity appreciate the platform’s ability to track contributions to different causes. Some complain that the interface feels outdated and can be clunky or difficult to navigate.
Instrumentl is a solution designed to help grantseekers discover best-fit grants, craft winning proposals, and manage awarded funds. It combines a massive grant database of 400,000+ funders with specialized tools to win and manage grants.
Organizations using Instrumentl praise its data visualizations and robust database. They say it’s incredibly easy to find relevant funding opportunities, but some users desire more customization and project management features.
Salesforce Grantmaking is an enterprise-level solution that lives within the Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud, making it a strong choice for large grantmakers already using Salesforce as their core CRM. Rather than acting as a standalone tool, it integrates directly with the broader Salesforce ecosystem, allowing foundations to connect their grantmaking data with fundraising, program management, and constituent relationships. By connecting grant data to the broader Salesforce ecosystem, organizations gain a holistic view of their mission and impact.
Since Salesforce is designed for larger organizations, smaller grantmaking teams will do better by opting for a system like Temelio and integrating it with their broader Salesforce instance.
Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud users frequently highlight the platform’s scalability and its ability to eliminate data silos by unifying multiple departments in one system. However, reviewers often note that because it is a highly sophisticated enterprise tool, successful implementation typically requires a dedicated Salesforce administrator or a specialized consultant.
GrantMatch is a grants management software and consulting agency that helps municipalities and large corporations maximize their government funding, primarily in Canada. The GrantMatch Hub combines AI-powered grant matching capabilities with a comprehensive grant program database. Unlike most grants software providers, GrantMatch also provides consulting from a team of funding experts to help you secure funding.
GrantMatch Hub users praise the platform for keeping them informed about current opportunities relevant to their businesses’ needs. Customers also appreciate GrantMatch’s unique consulting services.
Choosing the best grants management software is a critical step in scaling your mission. While each platform we’ve covered offers unique strengths, the right solution ultimately depends on your organization’s specific needs, budget, and existing technology stack.
For foundations seeking a powerful, end-to-end, relationship-focused system, Temelio offers a comprehensive solution for modern grantmaking. Get everything you need to manage applications, reviews, reporting, and grantee relationships in one solution. Meanwhile, grantseekers might prefer the targeted discovery tools found in GrantHub or Instrumentl.
For a visual comparison of these top platforms, check out this chart:
Grants management software is specialized technology designed to streamline the entire grant lifecycle, from the initial application and review process to post-award reporting and impact analysis. These platforms act as a central hub for all grant-related activities, though their exact features vary depending on the intended user (grantmakers like foundations vs. grantseekers like nonprofits).
Grants management software is used by a diverse range of organizations dedicated to social impact and resource distribution. While each platform serves a specific niche, the primary users include:
While both groups participate in the same ecosystem, they typically use different types of software tailored to their unique perspectives. Grantmaker-facing tools focus on the “giving” side—application management, review committees, and fund disbursement. Grantseeker-facing tools focus on the “receiving” side—prospecting for new funders, storing boilerplate proposal text, and tracking submission deadlines.
However, modern platforms like Temelio are designed to bridge this gap. While built for grantmakers, they also feature robust, applicant-facing portals that streamline the submission process, creating a more positive and transparent experience for the nonprofits applying for open grants.
When evaluating potential grant software, prioritize features that reduce administrative friction, support relationship building, and improve data accuracy. For grantmakers, look for:
Beyond features, there are several strategic factors your organization should weigh during the research process, including:
Transitioning from spreadsheets to a centralized work hub is key for any organization that’s serious about its impact. As the grantmaking landscape becomes increasingly data-driven, having a single source of truth for your budgets, applications, and historical relationships is the best way to remain competitive and compliant.
By selecting a tool tailored to your specific needs and workflow, you can finally reclaim the hours lost to administrative overhead and reinvest them in the communities you serve.
As you narrow down your options and refine your strategies, check out these educational resources:
Maya Kuppermann is the Co-Founder and CEO of Temelio, a modern grants management platform built for small and mid-sized foundations and philanthropic organizations. With experience spanning nonprofit leadership, family philanthropy, and technology, Maya brings a practitioner’s perspective to building software that simplifies and strengthens grantmaking. She has worked closely with over one hundred funders to modernize their operations and improve the grantee experience. Maya is passionate about leveraging technology to increase the effectiveness and accessibility of philanthropy.
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