How much does grant management software actually cost?

If you go to a pricing page on a grant management software website, it’s actually pretty rare to find a price. Some people think that means there’s something secretive or gamey about how GMS pricing works, but that’s actually not what’s happening. 

As a sales leader who’s been on the inside of thousands of GMS contracts, I work with all kinds of grant teams. Small nonprofits whose grant programs get dozens of applicants and have no need for automations or budgeting modules all the way up to government agencies that receive millions of applications and need reimbursements and complex reporting tools. That’s why there’s no one-price-fits-all model. There’s a huge range of what teams actually need from their GMS. 

If you’re in the market for grant management software, diving into pricing models will help orient you as you shop around. 

What are the most common GMS pricing models?

For grantmakers looking for grant management software, there are usually two routes. A software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution or custom-built software. Custom-built software tends to be more expensive and takes much longer to build. Plus, because of the time and resources you pour into it, you often don’t have the flexibility to change course as you would with an existing SaaS platform. So these days, most grantmakers choose an existing grant management software instead of building their own. 

Most SaaS solutions are priced on a usage-based model. You pay for the number of team seats you need and the number of programs you run. Here are some good ways to think about costs:

One-time grant management software costs 

One-time costs happen once, and you don’t have to worry about them again. This usually includes things like implementation, training, or building custom workflows. 

How much does implementation cost? 

The cost of implementation can range from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands, depending on how complex the program is and how many hours of implementation support you need. If your team needs a data import to bring historical data into a new platform, that’s often an additional cost. The price varies depending on the volume and the format of the data.

How much does training cost? 

Self-guided training is often free. It’s worth checking what kind of videos, articles, or other resources your vendor offers to support you. For one-on-one training that isn’t included in your implementation package, you can often pay $300-500 hourly. Many vendors offer pre-built training packages alongside a la carte hours.

How much does it cost to build a custom workflow?

The cost of a custom workflow can have a huge range, depending on the complexity and the amount of effort needed to build it. For example, a simple plugin might cost a few thousand dollars. A complex custom AI script could be tens of thousands of dollars. Whatever the cost, a custom workflow only makes sense if there’s a clear financial ROI. Luckily, the majority of grantmakers can get what they need without custom workflows if they find the right software for their programs. 

Recurring grant management software costs

Recurring costs are what you can expect to pay annually. That’s often the software subscription and support. 

How much do subscriptions cost?

The cost of your software subscription depends on the features and functionality you need, the size and number of your programs, and the size of your team. The software subscription for most grant programs will probably cost between $10,000 and $100,000 per year.

How much does support cost?

The cost of support can vary widely depending on whether you need support in multiple languages, across time zones, via email or phone. The cost of technical support might be built into your subscription. But if you need programmatic support for applicants or other additional support, that can range from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands. 

Out-of-the-box functionality vs custom scoping

Out-of-the-box functionality is what the software can do right away, without any changes for your particular program. Custom scoping refers to the unique workflows a GMS team builds specifically for you. 

Custom scoping tends to add to the cost of grant management software. There can be a wide range here, depending on whether you just need one simple workflow or a system of complex automations. 

For example, if you need to build a workflow that pushes every transaction into accounting for approval, it might cost $30,000 just to build out that custom flow. On the other hand, if you can use in-app approval flows to bring stakeholders into the system, you can heavily reduce or eliminate that cost. 

Most grantmakers don’t need custom scoping if they find the software that truly fits their programs. When my team and I help plot out a plan for automations or other custom workflows, we always map out the financial ROI. The plan has to make sense for an organization over the long term. So often, the programs that have custom scoping have large volumes of applications and/or lengthy manual processes.  

So, how much does grant management software cost?

Here's a quick overview of common grant management software cost ranges.

As always, your GMS quote will depend on your team's key grant management feature needs. The pricing equation is complicated.

Why don’t companies put their pricing on their pricing pages? 

It’s not enough for grant management software to just digitize your process anymore. A GMS has to add value for your team by helping you run programs better and more efficiently. And that looks different depending on the size, scope, and complexity of your program. 

So to get you an accurate price, a sales team needs to talk to you. They need to understand exactly what you’re trying to achieve in the platform. If a GMS partner tries to price your solution without that information, it usually goes one of two ways: 

• They quote you a too-high price that includes all the features you could possibly need, even if some won’t work well for you. 
• They quote you a too-low price, which means you miss out on features and automations that could really help your team. Or you get a rough surprise when you realize the original quote didn’t include the support and functionality you need. 

So when you go to a pricing page and it prompts you to book a meeting, that’s not meant to be a bait-and-switch. That’s meant to get you the information you need as fast as possible.

Though we need to have a conversation to build your unique price quote, it doesn’t have to be a long or confusing process. My team can walk through your program and build a quote quickly. And we’re always transparent about what’s behind those costs. (Want to talk? Schedule a call.)

What should you know before a GMS price conversation?

It’s worth remembering that it’s in everyone’s best interest that you get a software solution that works well for you at a good price. Because if you don’t get the value you need out of the software, you’re not going to renew when the time comes. 

Though I always encourage prospective customers to push back and ask questions in pricing conversations, you don’t need to come into these conversations as if they’re a battle. 

Here are some tips about how to make the pricing conversation productive and thorough. 

Do: Go in with an open mind 

Don’t: Try to replicate your current system

Looking for new software is a chance to reimagine your processes to work better for your whole team. Instead of trying to recreate all your current workflows in the new software, be open to the ways you can improve your whole system. It might mean that once you map it out, the six steps you’re used to become a three-step process. 

Do: Ask what you’re not asking for

Don’t: Assume you know everything the software can do

Grant management software is evolving quickly with new AI features coming online all the time. Even if you’re already using a GMS, you might be surprised what else is out there. In your conversation, ask what features you don’t know to ask for. This will spur the sales team to tell you about the latest developments in the platform. Then you can figure out together whether they make sense for your program. 

Do: Ask what you need to submit a ticket to do

Don’t: Assume self-service means you can do everything yourself

When a software claims to be “self-service,” push to get clarity about what that actually means. Some software that claims to be self-service, but actually requires you to submit a ticket to do a lot of tasks. I’ve seen a lot of grantmakers get burned on cost because they sign a contract based on the assumption they can do a lot themselves. But then when they need to build a program, or change a form, they have to contact their vendor to do it, and pay for each request. 

Do: Lean on your GMS partner’s experience 

Don’t: Try to figure it out alone

A sales and implementation team at an established GMS has probably seen hundreds or thousands of grant programs. They can guide you through decisions about how to set up your programs. Ask them what they’ve seen work and not work for other organizations or teams like yours. 

Do: Be up front about your budget 

Don’t: Save the budget question for the end

Being upfront allows the sales team to work within your budget. They can give you a realistic picture of what your grant program will look like on the platform. If you let them build without thinking about cost, you might end up with features and functions you can’t afford. Also, being clear about your budget will help them build a compelling case for more budget if that’s what you need to take to your leadership team. 

Find a true tech partner 

Like every part of the software vetting process, the pricing conversation is a moment to build a true partnership with your tech vendor. You want someone willing to spend time with you, listen to feedback, understand your programs from the inside-out, and build collaboratively.

If you’re exploring your GMS options, we’re happy to build you a custom quote. Get in touch with our team to learn more about what your programs would look like in Submittable.

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