Finding the right grant can make or break a nonprofit’s year. But between searching databases, tracking deadlines, writing proposals, and managing post-award reporting, grant work eats enormous amounts of staff time — time most nonprofits don’t have.

The right software can cut that time dramatically. We compared the best grant writing and management platforms on finding grants, tracking applications, managing reporting, and writing proposals so you can pick the one that fits your workflow.

Quick Comparison

1. Instrumentl — Best for Finding and Winning Grants

Instrumentl combines grant discovery with application tracking and proposal tools in one platform. It matches your nonprofit’s profile against a database of over 15,000 funders and sends you curated recommendations — which is why most nonprofits sign up in the first place. But the platform has grown well beyond prospecting: it now includes grant writing AI assistance, deadline tracking, document management, and funder relationship tracking.

Pros:

• Best-in-class grant matching algorithm — saves hours of manual searching
• Tracks deadlines, requirements, and application status in one place
• Built-in AI writing assistant helps draft proposals faster
• Funder relationship tracking with notes and history
• Sends weekly email updates with new matching opportunities
• Integrates with common nonprofit tools
• Clean, modern interface that non-technical staff can use
• Growing library of grant proposal templates

Cons:

• Pricing can be steep for smaller nonprofits
• Grant database leans heavily toward private and foundation grants (fewer federal)
• Reporting features aren’t as deep as dedicated grant management platforms
• Limited collaboration features for teams
• AI writing assistant is helpful but still requires significant editing
• No true post-award grant management or compliance tracking

Pricing: Essential $179/mo; Professional $349/mo; Enterprise custom

Best for: Small to mid-size nonprofits that want an all-in-one platform for finding grants and managing the application process from discovery through submission.

Get Instrumentl →

2. GrantHub by Foundant — Best for Grant Lifecycle Management

GrantHub is purpose-built for managing the full grant lifecycle — from prospecting through post-award reporting. Where Instrumentl shines at discovery, GrantHub shines at organization and tracking. It handles task assignments, deadline reminders, document storage, reporting calendars, and funder communication history. If your nonprofit manages many grants simultaneously and needs to track who’s doing what and when, GrantHub keeps it all under control.

Pros:

• Excellent task management with assignments, deadlines, and reminders
• Tracks every grant from prospecting through post-award reporting
• Robust reporting calendar with automated reminders
• Stores all grant documents and correspondence in one place
• Funder relationship tracking with full history
• Good collaboration features for grant teams
• Tracks both restricted and unrestricted grant funds
• Strong customer support and onboarding

Cons:

• Limited built-in grant discovery — you’ll need another tool for prospecting
• No AI proposal writing tools
• Pricing is not transparent (requires demo)
• Can feel complex for organizations managing only a few grants
• Proposal writing is basic — no templates or guided workflows
• Fewer integrations than some competitors

Pricing: Custom pricing (estimated $1,500–$3,000+/year depending on organization size)

Best for: Mid-size to large nonprofits managing multiple active grants who need strong tracking, reporting, and team collaboration more than they need grant discovery.

Get GrantHub →

3. SurveyMonkey Apply — Best for Running Grant Programs

SurveyMonkey Apply (formerly FluidReview) is different from the other tools on this list — it’s built for organizations that give grants, not just apply for them. If your nonprofit runs its own grant or scholarship program and needs to collect, review, and score applications, this is the platform. But it also works well for nonprofits that both apply for and administer grant programs.

Pros:

• Highly customizable application forms with conditional logic
• Robust review and scoring workflows for evaluating submissions
• Excellent reporting on program outcomes and applicant data
• Manages the full cycle: applications, reviews, awards, reporting
• Scales well for organizations running multiple programs
• Good automation for notifications and reminders
• Strong data export and analytics
• Brandable applicant portal

Cons:

• Not designed for grant prospecting or discovery
• No built-in proposal writing tools
• Pricing is high and requires a demo
• Overkill if you only need to apply for grants (not run programs)
• Steeper learning curve than purpose-built grant tools
• Customization requires setup time and support
• Not ideal for small nonprofits with simple needs

Pricing: Custom pricing (estimated $3,000–$10,000+/year depending on program volume)

Best for: Foundations, community organizations, and nonprofits that administer their own grant or scholarship programs and need a platform to collect and evaluate applications.

Get SurveyMonkey Apply →

4. Grants.gov — Best Free Resource for Federal Grants

Grants.gov is the official federal government portal for all discretionary grant opportunities. It’s not flashy, it’s not a management platform, and it has zero proposal writing tools — but it’s the definitive source for federal grants, and it’s completely free. Every nonprofit that applies for federal funding needs to know this platform, even if they use other tools for discovery and tracking.

Pros:

• Completely free — no subscription or hidden costs
• The authoritative source for all federal grant opportunities
• Comprehensive search with detailed eligibility information
• Submit applications directly through the platform
• Workspace feature allows team collaboration on applications
• Email notifications for new opportunities matching your criteria
• Reliable and always up to date — it’s the government’s own system
• Detailed FOA (Funding Opportunity Announcement) information

Cons:

• Only covers federal grants — no private foundations or corporate grants
• Interface is dated and can be difficult to navigate
• No grant management or tracking beyond basic submission status
• No proposal writing tools or templates
• Registration process is lengthy (can take weeks)
• Search functionality is powerful but not intuitive
• No funder relationship tracking
• Limited support options

Pricing: Free

Best for: Any nonprofit applying for federal grants — use this as your primary federal grant search tool alongside a private/foundation grant discovery platform.

Get Grants.gov →

5. GrantStation — Best for Grant Research

GrantStation is a research-focused membership platform that gives you access to a large database of private funders, federal grantmakers, and state-level opportunities. It doesn’t track applications, manage reporting, or help you write proposals — it’s strictly for finding opportunities and researching funders. But that focus makes it the most affordable dedicated grant research tool available, and its funder profiles are detailed enough to help you decide whether a grant is worth pursuing before you invest time in an application.

Pros:

• Extensive funder database with detailed profiles and giving history
• Most affordable dedicated grant research tool
• Funder search includes private, corporate, and community foundations
• Gives insights into funder priorities and past giving patterns
• Great educational resources — webinars, articles, and templates
• State-by-state grantmaker directories
• Clean, straightforward interface
• Excellent for prospect research at a low cost

Cons:

• No application tracking or management
• No reporting or compliance features
• No proposal writing tools
• No deadline tracking or reminders
• Database can lag behind real-time funder changes
• Doesn’t include the application portal — you apply elsewhere
• Limited collaboration features
• You’ll need another tool for anything beyond research

Pricing: Individual $129/yr; Organization $499/yr

Best for: Nonprofits that need affordable, thorough grant research and are happy using spreadsheets or other tools for tracking and writing.

Get GrantStation →

How to Choose

1. What’s your biggest pain point?

• Finding grants → Instrumentl or GrantStation (or both — they complement each other)
• Tracking applications and deadlines → GrantHub
• Running your own grant program → SurveyMonkey Apply
• Federal grant applications → Grants.gov (required) + something for private grants

2. How many grants do you manage at once?

• 1–5 → Instrumentl or even a well-organized spreadsheet
• 5–20 → GrantHub or Instrumentl
• 20+ → GrantHub for tracking + Instrumentl for discovery

3. What’s your budget?

• $0 → Grants.gov (free) + your own spreadsheets
• Under $200/yr → GrantStation for research
• $2,000–$5,000/yr → Instrumentl (best all-in-one)
• $3,000+/yr → GrantHub (tracking) or SurveyMonkey Apply (program administration)

4. Do you write proposals or review them?

• Writing proposals → Instrumentl (has AI writing assistance)
• Reviewing proposals → SurveyMonkey Apply
• Both → Instrumentl for writing + SurveyMonkey Apply for reviewing

5. Do you need post-award management?

• Yes, and it’s complex → GrantHub
• Yes, but it’s simple → Instrumentl or spreadsheets
• No, just need to find and apply → GrantStation + Grants.gov

Our Top Pick

For most small to mid-size nonprofits, Instrumentl is the best starting point — it handles the thing nonprofits struggle with most (finding the right grants) and adds enough tracking and writing tools to cover the full application process. If you’re primarily managing existing grants rather than finding new ones, GrantHub is the stronger choice. And every nonprofit applying for federal funding should have Grants.gov bookmarked regardless of what else they use.

For research-only budgets, GrantStation delivers the most funder intelligence per dollar. And if you’re on the other side of the table — running your own grant program — SurveyMonkey Apply is built for exactly that.

SoftDecide helps churches, nonprofits, and small organizations find the right software. Our comparisons are independently researched. We may earn a commission if you purchase through links on this page — at no extra cost to you.