Grants are a lifeline for small nonprofits — but managing them is a part-time job in itself. Tracking deadlines, reporting requirements, budgets, and compliance across multiple funders is error-prone and time-consuming without the right system. A single missed deadline or incorrect report can cost you future funding.
We compared the top grant management tools for small nonprofits on affordability, ease of use, and features that matter when you’re managing a handful of grants, not a portfolio of hundreds.
Quick Comparison
| Software | Best For | Starting Price | Free Plan | Grant Tracking | Reporting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instrumentl | Finding and managing grants | $179/mo | Yes (limited) | Yes | Yes |
| GrantHub by Foundant | Small nonprofits managing grants | $65/mo | No (free trial) | Yes | Yes |
| CommunityForce | Scholarship and grant management | Custom | No | Yes | Yes |
| SurveyMonkey Apply | Grantmakers and scholarship programs | Custom | No | Yes | Yes |
| Smartsheet | Custom grant tracking on a budget | $7/mo | Yes | Custom | Custom |
1. Instrumentl — Best for Finding AND Managing Grants
Instrumentl is unique because it does two things: helps you find grants that match your nonprofit, and helps you manage the ones you win. It’s part grant database, part project management tool. If your biggest challenge is finding the right grants in the first place, Instrumentl solves that problem first.
Pros:
- Grant discovery engine matches you with relevant opportunities
- Tracks deadlines, requirements, and application status
- Pipeline view of all active grants and applications
- Automated deadline reminders
- Stores documents and proposals
- Good for nonprofits managing 5-20 grants
- Integrates with common tools
Cons:
- Pricing starts at $179/month — expensive for very small nonprofits
- Grant database is US-focused
- Management features are less deep than dedicated grant management tools
- Not designed for complex reporting requirements
- Limited customization of workflows
- Fewer integrations than Smartsheet
Pricing: Growth $179/mo; Pro $349/mo; Enterprise custom; free tier with limited features
Best for: Small nonprofits that need help finding grants as much as managing them, and have the budget for a combined discovery + management tool.
2. GrantHub by Foundant — Best Purpose-Built Grant Management
GrantHub is built specifically for nonprofit grant management. It tracks applications, deadlines, budgets, reporting requirements, and funder relationships — all in one place. It’s simpler and more affordable than enterprise grant management systems, making it ideal for small nonprofits.
Pros:
- Purpose-built for nonprofit grant management
- Tracks applications, deadlines, and reporting requirements
- Manages funder relationships and communication history
- Budget tracking by grant and program
- Task assignments and deadline reminders
- Document storage for proposals and reports
- Good reporting for board and funder updates
- Excellent customer support
Cons:
- No grant discovery/database feature
- Not designed for grantmakers (only grantseekers)
- Pricing scales with features, can get expensive
- Limited integration with accounting software
- Fewer customization options than Smartsheet
- No free plan (free trial only)
Pricing: Essentials $65/month; Professional $125/month; Premium $225/month
Best for: Small nonprofits that know which grants they’re pursuing and need a dedicated system to track applications, deadlines, and reporting.
3. Smartsheet — Best for Custom Grant Tracking on a Budget
Smartsheet isn’t a grant management tool — it’s a spreadsheet-based project management platform that you can customize to track grants. If you’re currently managing grants in Excel and want something more powerful without paying for dedicated grant software, Smartsheet is the bridge.
Pros:
- Most affordable option for grant tracking
- Highly customizable — build exactly the workflow you need
- Familiar spreadsheet-like interface (easy for Excel users)
- Automation rules for deadline reminders and status updates
- Good collaboration features
- Integrates with most tools via Zapier
- Scales from simple to complex
- Free plan available
Cons:
- Not purpose-built for grants — you build the system yourself
- No grant discovery features
- Requires setup time and ongoing maintenance
- No built-in funder database
- Reporting requires building your own dashboards
- Can become complex if your grant portfolio grows
- No compliance tracking out of the box
Pricing: Free (2 sheets); Pro $7/user/month; Business $25/user/month; Enterprise custom
Best for: Budget-conscious nonprofits currently using spreadsheets that want more power without paying for dedicated grant management software.
4. CommunityForce — Best for Scholarship and Grant Programs
CommunityForce is designed for organizations that give grants and scholarships (grantmakers), not just receive them. If your nonprofit runs a scholarship program or manages a grantmaking process, CommunityForce handles the full cycle from application to award to reporting.
Pros:
- Full grant lifecycle management (application → review → award → reporting)
- Built-in application forms and review workflows
- Scholarship and fellowship management
- Automated communications with applicants
- Reporting and analytics
- Compliance tracking
- Good for organizations that both give and receive grants
Cons:
- Pricing requires a consultation (not transparent)
- More complex than small nonprofits need
- Primarily designed for grantmakers, not grantseekers
- Learning curve for setup
- Overkill for nonprofits managing fewer than 10 grants
- Limited grant discovery features
Pricing: Custom (typically starts around $200+/month)
Best for: Nonprofits that run scholarship or grant programs (grantmakers), not just organizations that receive grants.
How to Choose
1. What’s your biggest challenge?
Finding grants → Instrumentl. Tracking and managing grants → GrantHub. Budget is the primary constraint → Smartsheet. Running a grant/scholarship program → CommunityForce.
2. How many grants do you manage?
1-5 → Smartsheet or even a well-organized spreadsheet. 5-20 → GrantHub or Instrumentl. 20+ → Instrumentl or enterprise grant management.
3. What’s your budget?
Under $100/month → Smartsheet. $100-200/month → GrantHub. $200+/month → Instrumentl or CommunityForce.
Our Top Pick
For most small nonprofits, GrantHub hits the sweet spot — it’s purpose-built for grant management, affordable, and doesn’t try to be everything. If finding grants is your bigger challenge, Instrumentl is worth the premium. And if you’re just getting started and budget is tight, a well-structured Smartsheet setup costs less than $10/month and beats a spreadsheet any day.
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.