Launch Day! Consumers Guide to Grants Management Software Released

Today is Launch Day at Idealware. Such celebratory days used to be somewhat rare, but as we've grown, we've dramatically increased the number of reports, articles and other publications we release each year. Which is not to take away from the moment--it's important to acknowledge accomplishments and celebrate wins, though we tend do so fleetlingly because we're already moving on the next big thing... or two, or three. 

The release of our Consumers Guide to Grants Management Software marks the end of an extended effort of planning, exhaustive research, scores of system demos and interviews, and detailed reviews--not to mention writing, editing, layout and fact-checking. A number of people were involved, from Idealware staff to vendors to grantmaking organizations and our partners at the Grants Managers Network and Technology Affinity Group.

This 169-page report--free to download [4]--helps grantmakers understand and compare the features and processes used by 20 grants management systems that help private foundations accept and review applications and track grants throughout their life cycles. It shows how each system stacks up against 17 high-level categories, and details the functionality of each against more than 125 specific critieria.  

Did I say this marked the end of the effort? Well, that's not entirely true. This guide is designed for private foundations--a followup guide comparing the grants management systems and processes used by community foundations is already under way. 

Download the report here [4]. Let us know what you think of it in the comments. 

And thanks, as always, for your support of Idealware, and for all the work you do to make the nonprofit sector--and the world--a better place.