Research grant management software to accelerate innovation
From crafting applications and reviewing submissions to tracking budgets, manage the entire grant process swiftly, effectively, and confidently.
Trusted by foundations across the globe
eBook
A Guide to Evaluating Research Grant Management Systems
Discover best practices and expert tips when evaluating grant management systems.
Build relationships with research grantees
Collaborate seamlessly with researchers and institutions in real-time
Foster transparent, ongoing communication to support long-term research goals.
Capture all touchpoints across the research grant lifecycle
Log meetings, site visits, and virtual check-ins to maintain a complete engagement history.
Gain a comprehensive view of each grantee’s research journey
Access a full timeline of proposals, awards, reports, and outcomes.
Engage our subject matter experts
Our client support teams have years of experience in the philanthropic sector to help support best practices and streamline workflows for your unique foundation.
Simplify processes across your foundation
Use tailored workflows to streamline internal collaboration
Coordinate across program officers, finance, and legal teams with ease.
Plan and manage multi-year research initiatives
Visualize long-term funding commitments and milestones across programs.
Monitor budgets and allocations with dynamic dashboards
Track spending, forecast future disbursements, and ensure compliance.
Streamline research applications and reviews
Design intuitive applications for researchers and institutions
Make it easy for applicants to submit proposals aligned with your foundation’s goals.
Enable collaborative review and feedback directly within the portal
Use in-form commenting to guide applicants and refine submissions.
Automate data import from applications and progress reports
Reduce manual entry and ensure consistency across records.
Engage external reviewers and subject matter experts
Facilitate peer review processes to assess scientific merit and feasibility.
Gain better financial oversight of your research funding
Leverage real-time analytics to understand funding impact
Analyze who is receiving funding, what research areas are being supported, and how those investments are translating into outcomes like publications, patents, or policy influence.
Ensure financial transparency across stakeholders
Generate clear, accessible financial reports for program staff, leadership, and board members to evaluate spending patterns and funding effectiveness.
Track research budgets with precision
Use personalized dashboards to monitor grant disbursements, manage multi-year commitments, and ensure funds are used as intended.
Visualize financial and programmatic data together
Combine budget data with research outputs to assess return on investment and inform future funding strategies.
Testimonial
Here’s what people are saying
SmartSimple definitely had the most flexible platform on the market. The competition only offered ‘out of the box’ solutions, while SmartSimple’s presentation showed us not only the functionality of their software, but the passion and commitment to shaping the system we wanted.”
Donal Keane, Science Foundation Ireland
Find the right grant management solution
Following our merger, we’ve combined the strengths of multiple platforms to offer a more robust and flexible suite of solutions. The chart below is a starting point to help you understand which option may be the best fit. From there, our team will work closely with you to tailor the perfect plan for your organization’s evolving needs.
Grant Lifecycle Manager
For smaller organizations looking to launch and manage your grant program quickly with minimal setup.
Excels at:
- Speed to implementation
- Ease of use
- Repeatable workflows
GivingData
For organizations looking to launch, manage, and measure your grant program with ease.
Excels at:
- CRM
- Forecasting
- Compliance
SmartSimple Cloud
For large organizations that need enterprise-grade features, support, and services.
Excels at:
- Automation
- Configurability
- Robust integrations
Let’s connect to find the solution that fits your organization best.
Ready to explore our grant management software for research grantmaking?
Discover how our grant management software for research can transform your grantmaking processes and maximize your impact.
With powerful features customized to:
- Meet your team’s unique needs
- Save time
- Boost operational efficiency
- Improve your foundation’s decision-making.
FAQs
Why is grant management software important for foundations?
Grant management software streamlines application processes, improves data accuracy, and boosts transparency for foundations. This results in better decision-making and more efficient fund distribution, ultimately increasing their impact on grant recipients and their communities.
How can foundations select the right research grant management software?
Foundations should assess their specific needs, evaluate software features and scalability, check user reviews, and ensure compatibility with existing systems. Trial periods and demos can help them determine the best fit.
What should foundations look for in grant management software?
Foundations should seek out grant management software with user-friendly interfaces, robust reporting and analytics, scalability, customization options, and strong security features. They should also consider how well the software will integrate with their current systems and whether it offers reliable customer support.
How do foundations implement grant management software?
Foundations must first identify their individual requirements and select a suitable platform. Next, they should integrate it with their existing tech stack, train staff, and establish protocols for data migration and ongoing support.
What are best practices for foundations using research grant management software?
Common grant management best practices include regularly backing up data, continually training staff, setting clear protocols, monitoring and evaluating software performance, and maintaining open communication with the software provider to receive support and stay abreast of updates.
What are common challenges foundations face with research grant management software?
Foundations must often address several key challenges to achieve effective and efficient grant management, including data migration issues, integration difficulties, data security concerns, slow user adoption, training obstacles, and fragmented software update management.