5 Best Corporate Grant Management Software Solutions Compared

For precise, targeted impact among specific communities or populations, corporate grants are hard to beat. They’ve become a cornerstone of many companies’ CSR (corporate social responsibility) programs, and purpose-built software has made managing these grants easier than ever.

That’s not to say that every CSR software is right for your organization. You may have heard of a few particular providers—many of which we’ll cover in this guide–but are wary about some of the reported downsides.

It’s nice to have choices, but actually choosing the best fit for your organization can be tricky or even overwhelming. Keep reading to find out more about some of the popular corporate grant management software providers!

Table of Contents:

• What Is Corporate Grant Management Software?
• 7 Essential Parts of an Effective Corporate Grant Management Program
• Corporate Grant Management Software Comparison
  
  • 1. Benevity Grants Management
  • 2. Groundswell
  • 3. CyberGrants (Bonterra)
  • 4. Submittable
  • 5. Blackbaud Grantmaking
• Groundswell Approaches Workplace Grant Management Differently

What Is Corporate Grant Management Software?

Corporate grant management software is the digital application and tools your company uses to carry out every stage of the grantmaking lifecycle. Manual processes, such as Google Sheets or other rudimentary digital tools, may not be sophisticated enough to help your CSR or HR staff keep up with everything. They may even create more work.

While many nonprofits also use software to support their operations, corporate grant management software is specifically designed for companies/granters.

Monetary Awards are Just One Example of Corporate Grants

While monetary grants are perhaps the most well-known example of corporate grantmaking, they represent just one of many possibilities. 

Other types of grants include:

• In-kind grants, which involve giving non-monetary contributions—labor, specialized skills, product, and equipment, to name a few.
• Employee-nominated grants, wherein your employees bring up worthy nonprofits for consideration instead of having the nonprofits come to you.
• Scholarships for students attending higher-learning institutions.
• Disaster relief, for when funds must reach grantees as quickly as possible.

Loads more options are available for your company as you ponder the most efficient way to make an impact.

The Value of Strategic Grantmaking

When deciding on the best corporate grantmaking software for your organization, it’s important to understand what strategic grantmaking is. 

Strategic grantmaking allows your company to delve deeper into the benefits of targeted grants for the company itself. Issuing social impact grants that produce positive effects is worthy on its own, but the more strategic you are with your grants, the better you can support your company’s specific CSR goals and reach the populations you want to reach. Strategic grantmaking also extends to your employees, empowering them to help manage the program.

Why go through all the trouble of establishing a corporate grantmaking program for your employer? Besides increasing goodwill and making a positive impact on your community, employees want to work somewhere with a purpose. Up to 74 percent of Gen Z workers say that workplace culture and purpose are more important to them than a paycheck.

7 Essential Parts of an Effective Corporate Grant Management Program

The most effective grant platforms are those that support every stage of the grantmaking process.

• Planning stage. Companies identify the impact they want the grant to have, set the parameters, and announce the grant.
• Award stage. The company reviews grant applications and chooses the grantee. The two parties also agree on payout and performance terms.
• Management stage. The grantee uses the funds in accordance with the contract while the company monitors progress. Each side compiles reports and, eventually, the final evaluation.

To support each stage, your grantmaking platform needs to have purpose-built features. We recommend that your software include:

1. Reporting capabilities and data visualizations.
2. A database of vetted nonprofits.
3. Self-service program-building tools.
4. An AI-assisted, automated scoring system.
5. Collaborative communication tools.
6. Timestamps for every action (to support a strong audit trail).
7. Mobile capabilities.

Corporate Grant Management Software Comparison

Now that we know what to look for in a corporate grantmaking software, we can zoom in on some of the top options on the market.

1. Benevity

• What It Is: CSR platform provider aimed at enterprise-level clients, offering digital-tool suites for both companies and nonprofits.
• Pros: Integrated CSR programs, global reach
• Cons: Sophisticated onboarding, relatively few customizations

Benevity is a well-established CSR software provider that caters to large corporations, including global ones. Grant recipients occasionally experience delays in receiving funds. 

2. Groundswell

• What It Is: All-in-one, mobile-first CSR software for support at every stage of the corporate grants lifecycle. 
• Pros: Grants module integrated with employee volunteering and other CSR programs; instant donation matching and 24-hour grant distribution timeline
• Cons: Let our customer service team know if you encounter any!

Groundswell was built to accommodate companies—and corporate grant programs—of all sizes. Our corporate grant management software is built into the same platform as other CSR programs, so clients can enjoy a unified experience.

3. CyberGrants (Bonterra)

• What It Is: Grant management software for companies and enterprises. It exists under the Bonterra umbrella of digital suites.
• Pros: Reporting capabilities; varied features through Bonterra’s umbrella
• Cons: Slow customer support; learning curve for some administrators

One of the oldest grant management software programs, CyberGrants, is now a Bonterra property. Although Bonterra offers plenty of digital tools for corporations and nonprofits, finding pricing for each product requires contacting the company directly.

4. Submittable

• What It Is: Low-code CSR platform created for grants and donation management that’s added capabilities over the years
• Pros: User-friendliness; easy to onboard and implement
• Cons: Constrained reporting features; inconsistent customization capabilities

Submittable is regarded as one of the easier grant management platforms to learn, with a handful of automated workflows that save clients time. The lack of a mobile app and the slow timelines for distributing donations keep Submittable from entering elite territory.

5. Blackbaud Grantmaking

• What It Is: Grantmaking software for enterprise-level clients, including foundations.
• Pros: Robust reporting features; customizable application forms and workflows
• Cons: Clunky integrations with YourCause (Blackbaud’s employee giving and volunteering solution); difficult to master

Blackbaud’s grantmaking platform offers plenty of bells and whistles, but many of them are reportedly confusing or non-intuitive. The downsides may not outweigh the advantages unless your company has a large internal CSR team to execute and manage grants.

Groundswell Approaches Workplace Grant Management Differently

The CSR software market lacked a comprehensive, affordable, and intuitive option that maintained robust integration capabilities. Groundswell set out to change that and fill a yawning gap within the industry.

We make it possible to manage every aspect of every stage of the grantmaking cycle without losing touch with your other CSR programs. The all-in-one platform lets you avoid juggling multiple logins, and our five-star-rated mobile apps keep your deskless employees engaged.

To find out why so many of our clients agree that Groundswell reigns as the best corporate grant management software, schedule a demo today!