{"id":803,"date":"2024-07-15T20:35:51","date_gmt":"2024-07-16T00:35:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev-tech-impact-guides.pantheonsite.io\/grants-management-systems\/?page_id=803"},"modified":"2024-07-15T20:35:51","modified_gmt":"2024-07-16T00:35:51","slug":"finding-the-system-that-works-best-for-your-foundation","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/guides.techimpact.org\/grants-management-systems\/finding-the-system-that-works-best-for-your-foundation\/","title":{"rendered":"Finding the System that Works Best for your Foundation\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Finding the System that Works Best for your Foundation<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

If you\u2019ve been using a grants management system for a while and it is making you want to tear your hair out, you might be tempted to look for a new system. Moving from one platform to another is neither an easy task nor an inexpensive proposition. It takes months to configure a new system and to migrate your data from the old system to the new one.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The first step is to figure out why your current system is causing you frustrations and ask your current vendor if they can make any fixes or adjustments so it works better for you. If the problems are too big, however, or the system can no longer meet your needs, it\u2019s time to consider a new one.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With so many vendors in the marketplace, it can be daunting to figure out how to start looking for a grants management system. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that you\u2019re not looking for the best system. There <\/span>is<\/span><\/i> no single best system. Instead, you\u2019re looking for the best system <\/span>for your foundation<\/span><\/i>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The first step is to look at how you do your work. How do you solicit applications? What are your review processes? How do you handle grant payments? What are your reporting requirements? Who needs to be informed about your work, and what kind of information are they looking for? This can be an excellent time to think about how to improve your processes to become more efficient and effective and to incorporate principles of values-driven grantmaking and trust-based philanthropy into your giving.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are numerous steps you can take to reduce burdens on your applicants and grantees. Sit down for conversations with staff across the foundation to learn more about your processes. What are some of their frustrations or pain points? What is your foundation doing well? You should also talk with your grantees about their experience with applications and reporting to find out where in your processes they are experiencing difficulties and whether they work with other funders that have simpler systems. Finally, it helps to evaluate the technical abilities of staff who will be using the grants management system to identify how comfortable they are working with databases and whether they may need a more \u201chigh touch\u201d customer support solution.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At this point, you may consider bringing in outside consultants to help pull together a list of requirements and manage the system selection process. They can help you identify your business needs and suggest several systems that might meet them as a starting place. A software selection consultant is especially a good idea if your foundation does not have in-house expertise or experience evaluating and selecting technology vendors.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

From the conversations with your colleagues\u2014and consultant, if you decide to work with one\u2014you should be able to come up with a list of functionality that you can then prioritize into \u201cmust haves\u201d and \u201cwant to haves.\u201d Use these to narrow down your search with the help of the next section of this guide, in which we\u2019ve categorized systems by certain differentiating characteristics\u2014for example, which are easiest to use out-of-the-box, which have stronger reporting capabilities, and which are suited to international grantmakers. The online version of this report includes a detailed comparison chart you can sort and filter by system function. At this stage, your goal should be to identify three to five systems you\u2019d like to explore further.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Read their full profiles in this report to see whether they may be a fit and help you narrow down the list to your top three prospects. At that stage, you can contact the vendors to talk through your needs and set up system demos. Provide them with your requirements, along with background information on your current system, processes, and challenges, and give them a list of features you want to see demonstrated.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Most system demos will be led by members of the sales team. They\u2019ll want to show you all the ways the software can do exactly what you need it to. It\u2019s important to look deeper and ask specific questions about <\/span>how<\/span><\/i> it can meet your needs. If the vendor says the software can do something, ask them to demonstrate it for you. It is very helpful to have a cross-section of the staff participate in the demo to get different perspectives on whether the system fits your processes and whether it is user friendly for everyone.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ask about pricing and which features or services will have additional costs. It is also important to have someone who understands your security and data needs talk to the vendor about their security and privacy practices to make sure that the system will allow you to comply with any and all regulations to which you are subject. If there is functionality that is non-negotiable\u2014for example, required by your fiscal\/audit policies or compliance with government or industry regulations such as GDPR or HIPAA\u2014make sure you receive assurance in writing that the system has the necessary certifications or functions.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One thing to keep in mind is that your processes will likely not map directly to how a grants management system works\u2014especially when you are working with a tight budget. While many systems are both flexible and highly configurable, this flexibility can also translate to additional costs. In order to find a system that meets your needs and your budget, you may have to adjust some of your workflows or practices.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You should also talk to the vendors about their priorities and culture. As foundations, you work to make this world a better place, and it is important to work with vendors who support and model the values that you hold. Finding vendors who are committed to ethical and human-centered development practices is one more way to deliver on your mission.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Following the demos, you should be able to narrow your list to two or three finalists. To help make your final decision, ask each vendor for references and talk to current clients. Ask the vendors to provide you with a \u201csandbox\u201d version of the system so you can try your hand at using it.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve made a decision and signed a contract, consider whether you have clarity on what you want to achieve with the new system and the in-house expertise to implement it successfully. Migrating to a new system is an opportunity to make changes to your forms and processes that will allow you to work more efficiently and effectively, but you need to plan all of this out before moving forward with implementation.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This lets you focus implementation on how to make those changes and not on what changes to make. An implementation consultant experienced with your chosen system can help you ensure a smooth implementation and improve user adoption. Experienced consultants can help you avoid miscommunications and common pitfalls that can cause extra work or a delay in launch.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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