Change is constant, and the grants management system marketplace is no exception. First, just to clarify, in this guide we’re talking about systems used by foundations and other grantmakers to track grants over their entire lifecycle; we’re not talking about systems for individuals or organizations to track their applications and submissions for grants. Managing a grantmaking program is hard. Every grant means a universe of administrative details that need to be planned, scheduled, carried out, monitored, and reported on. On top of that are tasks that relate each individual grant into a foundation’s program and activities that ensure that all of a foundation’s programs fit into a strategic framework. Grants management systems were initially developed to solve that primary level of grantmaking challenges by providing a place to house and manage the details that comprise the grant lifecycle. As technology changed to facilitate communication and collaboration, so did grants management systems. At the same time, the philanthropic sector became more introspective, undertaking efforts to define strategic and effective philanthropy and adopt data-driven decision-making processes. The pressure to collect more data on grants and grantees in formats that facilitate analysis and reporting once again expanded the role of grants management systems…