How to Leverage Your Grants Management System to Elevate Grantee Well-Being

Philanthropy is known for stretched dollars and thin margins so one more meal can be served and one more person can get support. As funders, you’ve probably worked with nonprofit organizations with staff nearing burnout, sending reports when they are supposed to be on vacation and completing applications when most people would be asleep.

While part of that dedication is inherent to the work they do and the communities they serve, there are ways that you as a funder can use your grants management system to give them back a little time—and maybe help them take a step back from burnout.

In his webinar, Beyond the Check: Enhancing Grantee Well-Being for Lasting Social Impact, Meico Marquette Whitlock provided examples of how organizations were incorporating well-being into their grant programs. For many of those efforts, the basis is an intuitive grants management system.

From streamlined applications to implementing trust-based philanthropy principles, your grant management system can support your goals to improve your grantees’ well-being. Here are three ways you can get started.

1. Simplify Applications to Save Time—for You and Your Grantees

Streamlining your grant application not only benefits your team but also makes the process more accessible and respectful for applicants. Start by ensuring every question in your application collects data that will genuinely inform your funding decisions. Avoid asking for unnecessary information that adds extra steps for applicants and creates more data for your team to manage.

Allow organizations to preview the full application upfront, so they can assess the scope of effort required before committing time and resources. This helps applicants plan better and ensures fewer incomplete submissions in your system.

If your application serves a diverse pool of applicants, consider providing translation options for those whose first language is not English. Many grant management systems now offer tools for language translation, enabling applicants to view your questions in their preferred language. This fosters inclusivity and makes it easier for organizations to share their information accurately.

You can also optimize your application using conditional logic. By tailoring questions to an organization’s specific circumstances, applicants only see what’s relevant to them. For instance, you might skip detailed financial questions for newer organizations with simpler financial records. This reduces unnecessary effort and streamlines the application for both sides.

By thoughtfully simplifying your application process, you save time, reduce barriers, and show your commitment to respecting the diverse needs of your applicants—all while ensuring you gather the data needed to make informed decisions.

2. Identify Connections for Peer Networks

Your grant management system (GMS) can do more than manage applications—it can help you identify connections between organizations with similar characteristics or challenges. By leveraging this capability, you can foster peer networks and partnerships that empower grantees to share insights, collaborate, and learn from one another.

Custom fields in your GMS are essential for tracking key data points that reveal shared traits among applicants and grantees. For example, you might create fields to capture information such as staff size, geographic location, or the age of an organization. These details allow you to categorize groups with common experiences, making it easier to spot opportunities for connection.

Say your system tracks location data, and you notice several grantees operating in rural areas with limited internet access. By connecting these organizations, you could help them exchange strategies for overcoming shared obstacles or even collaborate on collective solutions. Similarly, tracking staff size might show which organizations are navigating similar resource challenges, making them ideal candidates for peer learning or mentorship programs.

When you document relationship details between contacts and organizations, you add another layer to your network-building efforts. You’ll be better equipped to answer questions like, “Which grantees are tackling similar initiatives?” or “Who can benefit from connecting with others in their region or industry?”

If you join a funder alliance around a particular impact area, this level of tracking can help you identify organizations that you weren’t able to fund but that might be good for another funding organization in your alliance. 

Your GMS is a powerful asset for building meaningful relationships within your community of grantees. By making intentional use of custom fields and relationship tracking, you can turn raw data into actionable insights that strengthen connections and amplify impact.

3. Establish More Transparent Communication

By creating opportunities for clear communication and feedback throughout the grant process, you can build stronger relationships and help grantees focus on their work instead of worrying about unclear timelines.

Start by developing a notice of award and grant distribution process that ensures grantees know when to expect funds. Outline important details like the awarded amount, specific requirements, and the timeline for deliverables in the notice of award. Including these specifics helps grantees plan effectively and minimizes the potential for surprises. Provide a transparent payment schedule, complete with dates and conditions for disbursement, to keep expectations aligned.

Be intentional about offering relationship-focused support in all communication, starting with your notice of award. Provide obvious contact information so grantees know exactly who to reach out to with questions. Open lines of communication make it easier to address concerns, offer guidance, and foster trust.

Transparent communication may also include flexible reporting options. Allowing grantees to submit reports in different formats—such as written summaries, video testimonies, or interviews—can make the process more accessible and less stressful. Offering options shows you’re committed to supporting them in ways that fit their capacity and style.

By establishing transparent communication, offering relationship-focused support, and providing flexibility, you create an environment where grantees feel valued. These efforts ultimately lead to stronger partnerships and better outcomes for everyone involved.

Launch Innovative Grant Programs that Support Well-Being

Using a GMS, you can design programs that truly cater to the needs of your grantees while keeping the application process simple and accessible. By creating responsive programs with easy-to-build applications, you empower grantees to focus on their work rather than navigating complicated requirements.

By leveraging functionality in your GMS, you can create grant programs that prioritize well-being and foster meaningful change. Your efforts not only support grantees in their missions but also build stronger relationships grounded in trust and understanding. With a thoughtful approach and the right tools, you have the power to shape grantmaking into a process that genuinely uplifts those you serve.

Learn how Headwaters Foundation for Health was able to stay flexible and launch back-to-back rapid response funds using Blackbaud Grantmaking.