Grant management software is invaluable when it comes to evaluating applications that are submitted en-masse or if you are an institution, school or agency that offers multiple grants, loans or awards. It can help keep your applicant’s submission in order and properly categorized.

Functionality

The best grant management software is fully customizable and allows you the granting staff the opportunity to configure every aspect of designing the online application. Every aspect of the project’s management and work flow can be automated. The entire process is streamlined and leaves a virtual paper trail that has details that can be located through search filters.

It is web-based so all of the appropriate parties and partners can easily access the tools necessary to operate the system. This also makes it easy for the information to cross over into different department.

Furthermore this software takes care of the entire management process from beginning point to end point so that you are focused on the adjudication process and finding money for your programs and not shuffling paper.

Frees Up Your Staff

Using this type of grant application management software frees up your staff to focus on what is important – the adjudication process and less time on organizational problems, paper flow management and answering questions from applicants. This is because the software provides a single point of contact online for grant applicants who do have questions.

Confidentiality and Security

This type of online application management system offers your applicants the ability to have their own secure private portal which can only be seen by authorized personal. This makes it difficult for grant information to be lost or stolen.  Never again will anyone’s application for a grant or scholarship not make it on time through the mail or be lost on the bottom of a slush pile.

Document Storing and Viewing

This portal can be made public online so that the appropriate external reviewers, funders or partners can also collaborate and evaluate the applications with you. There is no need to have meetings in person as this all can be done virtually. This can save travel time, hotel costs and hours of organizational time.

You can also generate full reports about all kinds of aspects of an application to help you assess the viability of an application for funding.

Improved Due Diligence

Grant proposal management programs also provide enhanced reporting and management as well as keep a history of each applicant. This helps you and your staff monitor who is applying and maintain due diligence. You will also be able to weed out those who are applying twice and evaluate the eligibility of those who have applied for other grants under their own names.

Furthermore the entire process is web-based so it is always backed up and you never lose a document. Quite simply all of your information is stored in a database application that is more efficient and more private than Google docs, MS Access or spreadsheets.

Configuration to Your Needs is Key

The best management system of this sort is usually one that is modular in nature so you can stack the applications you need. Good ones have the ability to include your GIS data and GIS applications in the package as well financial packages for the purposes of budgeting and controlling the disbursements of grants.

Configurability is absolutely necessary in case your policies or information change at any time and you should be able to change anything you want, including workflow and data requirements.