Blackbaud Grantmaking alternative: how Submit.com compares in 2026
A source-linked comparison of Submit.com and Blackbaud Grantmaking for teams running grant, scholarship and awards programmes. Covers pricing, UK procurement credentials, implementation, ease of use and security before you decide.
Quick take: Submit.com vs Blackbaud Grantmaking
Submit.com is a purpose-built grant, scholarship and awards management platform designed for UK and Irish local authorities, universities, foundations and nonprofits. It is a UK G-Cloud listed supplier on the Digital Marketplace, SOC 2 Type 1 and SOC 2 Type 2 certified, Cyber Essentials certified, GDPR compliant and an AWS Technology Partner. Starting price is from €5,995 per year. Programme teams configure and launch workflows themselves within days using a no-code builder.
Blackbaud Grantmaking (built on the MicroEdge GIFTS heritage, acquired by Blackbaud in 2014) is a cloud-based grant management platform for foundations, nonprofits, hospitals, corporations and government agencies. Blackbaud Europe Ltd is a UK G-Cloud listed supplier and Blackbaud operates cloud environments in the United States, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica and the United Kingdom. The platform sits within the broader Blackbaud ecosystem alongside Raiser's Edge NXT for fundraising and Financial Edge NXT for finance, and is widely used by large foundations and grantmaking organisations globally.
Both platforms manage the full grant lifecycle. They differ most on pricing transparency, ease of use and implementation speed, UK compliance certifications beyond G-Cloud, programme scope beyond grants, and the size and complexity of organisation each tends to suit.
Sources reviewed in this section
Submit.com and Blackbaud Grantmaking at a glance
Submit.com
- From €5,995 per year. Custom quote by programme volume, users and modules.
- Grants, scholarships, awards, permits, licences, HR vacancies, talent casting and broader submissions on one platform.
- SOC 2 Type 1 and SOC 2 Type 2 certified. Cyber Essentials certified. GDPR compliant. UK G-Cloud listed supplier. AWS Technology Partner.
- SSO and MFA supported and in production at Cork City Council (DPIA completed).
- No-code drag-and-drop workflow builder. Launch first programme within days using pre-built templates.
- Multilingual applicant portals with verified support for Irish (Gaeilge), Welsh, Polish and English.
- Stripe-powered payments for fee collection and award disbursement, in production at Cork City Council.
- External reviewer access can be category-restricted (Cork Lifelong Learning Awards uses 23 external judges this way).
- Verified public sector customers include Suffolk County Council, Cork City Council, Mid Ulster District Council, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Kildare County Council, Meath County Council, Cork City LEO, DLR LEO and University College Cork (Ignite).
Blackbaud Grantmaking
- Pricing not published on blackbaud.com. UK G-Cloud listing: GBP £2,565.75 per licence per year (per UK Digital Marketplace). Third-party procurement data (Vendr) suggests mid-size foundations commonly pay considerably more once implementation, training and additional users are included; verify with Blackbaud directly.
- Cloud-based grant management with built-in CRM, configurable dashboards, a library of pre-built reports, applicant portal, reviewer workflows and payment schedules. UK Digital Marketplace listed.
- GDPR-supportive per blackbaud.co.uk. SOC 2 Type 2 and SOC 1 Type 2 reports available via account manager (per G-Cloud listing). ISO27001, NIST CSF and PCI DSS frameworks referenced. No Cyber Essentials certification found at time of review.
- Pre-built integrations with Financial Edge NXT, Raiser's Edge NXT, Candid GuideStar Charity Check and CSI WatchDOG. SKY API. SSO via Blackbaud ID (Azure AD, SAML 2.0, ADFS, Okta).
- AI-powered form translation into over 25 languages including French, Spanish and Welsh, announced 18 July 2024 (per Blackbaud press release).
- Implementation typically delivered by Blackbaud implementation consultants. Independent UK grant management guides cite 3 to 6 months as a typical timeline.
- Disclosure: a ransomware attack discovered in May 2020 affected approximately 13,000 Blackbaud customers and over 1 million donor records. Blackbaud paid USD 3 million to settle SEC charges in 2023 over misleading disclosures, and USD 49.5 million to settle a multi-state US Attorneys General investigation. Blackbaud has invested in security improvements since.
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Online applications processed by Cork City Council on Submit.com in 2020, up from approximately 1,000 the year before
Source: Cork City Council case study
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Active forms across 8 departments at Cork City Council, up from a single pilot
Source: Cork City Council case study
0 days
Saved per month at Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown LEO on evaluation committee meetings alone
Source: DLR LEO case study
Sources reviewed in this section
Why Submit.com stands out against Blackbaud Grantmaking
For UK and Irish grantmakers evaluating both platforms, these are the differences that matter most. Every claim is sourced from public vendor materials, verified customer case studies or independent third-party directories.
What sets Submit.com apart
Submit.com publishes a starting price from €5,995 per year. Blackbaud does not list pricing on blackbaud.com. The G-Cloud listing shows £2,565.75 per licence per year, but implementation and total contract costs are typically substantially higher.
Submit.com is Cyber Essentials certified, SOC 2 Type 1 certified and SOC 2 Type 2 certified. No Cyber Essentials certification was found for Blackbaud Grantmaking on its G-Cloud listing or on blackbaud.com at time of review. Blackbaud makes SOC 2 reports available via account manager.
Submit.com advertises launch within days using pre-built templates and no-code configuration. Blackbaud Grantmaking implementation typically takes 3 to 6 months with Blackbaud implementation consultants, per blackbaud.com and independent UK guides.
Submit.com's drag-and-drop builder allows programme teams to configure and change workflows without IT support. Independent reviews of Blackbaud Grantmaking on Capterra and Software Advice consistently note a steep learning curve and many clicks for routine tasks.
Submit.com covers grants, scholarships, awards, permits, licences, HR vacancies, talent casting and broader submission workflows on one platform. Blackbaud Grantmaking is purpose-built for grant management specifically.
Submit.com lets you grant external reviewers access only to specific categories. Cork Lifelong Learning Awards configured 23 external judges this way; scores calculated automatically and overall totals were visible only to internal staff.
Online fee collection, application charges and award disbursement supported natively via Stripe. In production at Cork City Council for parking permit payments.
Submit.com has no publicly reported data breaches. Blackbaud disclosed a major ransomware attack in May 2020 affecting approximately 13,000 customers and over 1 million donor records, settled with the SEC for USD 3M (2023) and with 49 US states for USD 49.5M (2023).
We've got a slick, efficient grant process now. Happier team, way less paperwork. Going digital was not just a tech upgrade, it was a mindset shift, and it's really made all the difference.
Beverley Davies, Grants & Programmes Manager, Suffolk County Council
Submit.com vs Blackbaud Grantmaking: feature comparison
All claims are drawn from Blackbaud's own website, its UK G-Cloud Digital Marketplace listing, independent review directories (Capterra, G2, GetApp, Software Advice, SourceForge), specialist UK grant management guides, and Submit.com's own pages and verified customer case studies. Items not publicly confirmed are labelled accordingly.
| Dimension | Submit.com | Blackbaud Grantmaking |
|---|---|---|
| Core use case | Grant, scholarship, awards, permits, licences and broader submission management for public sector, universities, foundations and nonprofits. | Grant management for foundations, nonprofits, hospitals, corporations and government agencies. Full lifecycle from application to payment. |
| Starting price | From €5,995 per year. Custom quote by programme volume. | Not listed on blackbaud.com. G-Cloud licence price: £2,565.75 per licence per year. Third-party procurement data (Vendr) and independent UK guides suggest total annual cost is materially higher once implementation, training and additional users are included. Contact Blackbaud for a full written quote. |
| UK public sector procurement | Listed UK G-Cloud Digital Marketplace. Cyber Essentials certified. GDPR compliant. SOC 2 Type 1 and Type 2. | Partial UK G-Cloud Digital Marketplace listed (Blackbaud Europe Ltd). GDPR-supportive. No Cyber Essentials certification found. |
| Data residency | AWS UK and EU regions confirmed (per Submit.com security page). | Cloud environments in United States, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica and the United Kingdom (per blackbaud.com). UK environment available; verify which environment your data is stored in with Blackbaud before signing. |
| Cyber Essentials | Certified | Not found Not listed in G-Cloud entry or on blackbaud.com at time of review. |
| SOC 2 | SOC 2 Type 1 certified and SOC 2 Type 2 certified (per Submit.com security and compliance page). | SOC 2 Type 2 and SOC 1 Type 2 reports available via account manager or Blackbaud Compliance Portal (per G-Cloud listing). |
| Security history | No publicly reported data breaches. AWS UK and EU infrastructure. | Ransomware attack discovered May 2020 affecting approximately 13,000 customers and over 1 million donor records. USD 3M SEC settlement (March 2023) over misleading disclosures. USD 49.5M settlement with 49 US state attorneys general (October 2023). Blackbaud has invested in security improvements since. SOC 2 Type 2, annual penetration tests and ISO27001 frameworks referenced in current G-Cloud listing. |
| Implementation speed | Days, using pre-built templates and the no-code builder. Programme teams configure without IT. | Typically 3 to 6 months with Blackbaud implementation consultants, per Plinth UK guide and blackbaud.com. |
| Ease of use | G2 "Easiest to Use" badge. No-code drag-and-drop builder. | Praised for data depth and report library. Capterra, G2 and Software Advice reviews cite a steep learning curve, many clicks for routine tasks and complex navigation. |
| Programme types covered | Grants, scholarships, awards, permits, licences, HR vacancies, talent casting and any application-based workflow. | Primarily grant management, including multi-entity grantmaking. Not marketed as a scholarship or awards management tool. |
| Reporting and dashboards | Real-time dashboards, exportable reports (CSV, Excel, PDF), full audit trails and immutable activity logs. | Pre-built report library, configurable dashboards and outcome reporting (per blackbaud.com and independent guides). |
| Multilingual support | Multilingual applicant portals with verified support for Irish (Gaeilge), Welsh, Polish and English. Used by Kildare County Council for statutory Irish language compliance. | AI-powered form translation into over 25 languages including French, Spanish and Welsh, announced 18 July 2024 (per Blackbaud press release). Platform UI languages listed as English, Dutch, French and Spanish on GetApp. |
| CRM capability | Programme and applicant relationship management within Submit.com. External CRMs (Salesforce, HubSpot, others) can be connected via API. | Built-in CRM with relationship, contact and giving history. Integrates with Raiser's Edge NXT for broader fundraising data (per blackbaud.com). |
| Integrations | Stripe payments (in production at Cork City Council). API available for connection to CRMs, finance systems and data warehouses. SSO with social and enterprise identity providers. | Financial Edge NXT, Raiser's Edge NXT, Candid GuideStar Charity Check, CSI WatchDOG. SKY API. SSO via Blackbaud ID: Azure AD, SAML 2.0, ADFS, Okta. |
| External reviewer functionality | Category-restricted external reviewer access. Cork Lifelong Learning Awards configured 23 external judges this way. | Reviewer management referenced in product materials; verify scope of access controls and category restrictions with Blackbaud directly. |
| Typical organisation size | Councils, universities, foundations and nonprofits of all sizes. Configurable for small to large programmes. | Best suited to medium to large foundations managing 10 or more grants per year. Smaller foundations can access a Basic implementation. |
| Typical customer base | UK and Irish public sector, higher education, foundations and nonprofits. Named customers include Suffolk CC, Cork City Council, Mid Ulster DC, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown CC, Kildare CC, Meath CoCo, UCC (Ignite), KAUST and High Fives Foundation. | Global foundations, US and international nonprofits, hospitals, corporations and government agencies. UK presence confirmed (UK cloud environment, Blackbaud Europe Ltd UK G-Cloud listing). |
Sources reviewed in this section
Submit.com vs Blackbaud Grantmaking: best fit by team
Select the team type closest to yours to see where each platform tends to suit best.
UK or Irish local authority
Submit.com is the stronger fit for UK and Irish local authorities. It is a UK G-Cloud listed supplier, Cyber Essentials certified, GDPR compliant, and SOC 2 Type 1 and Type 2 certified, with confirmed UK and EU data residency. It is already live with Suffolk County Council, Cork City Council, Mid Ulster District Council, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Kildare County Council and Meath County Council. Blackbaud Grantmaking is also UK G-Cloud listed, but no Cyber Essentials certification was found at time of review. Blackbaud's implementation typically requires 3 to 6 months and experienced consultants, which adds time and cost. Submit.com launches within days using pre-built templates.
Foundation or philanthropic funder
Both platforms serve foundations, but with different strengths. Blackbaud Grantmaking is used by large global foundations and has a broad pre-built report library, built-in CRM and Financial Edge NXT integration for complex financial management. If your foundation already uses Raiser's Edge NXT or Financial Edge NXT, the ecosystem integration is a genuine advantage. Submit.com suits foundations that want fast deployment, transparent pricing from €5,995 per year, multilingual portals and a single platform covering grants, scholarships and awards without a lengthy implementation project. Submit.com customers include The Katherine Howard Foundation, the High Fives Foundation and Developing Healthy Communities.
University or higher education institution
Submit.com is a strong fit for universities managing scholarships, bursaries, fellowships and research grants on one platform. Verified higher education customers include University College Cork (Ignite graduate incubation programme) and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). Blackbaud Grantmaking is primarily a grant management tool and is not marketed for scholarships or awards as distinct programme types. For higher education institutions requiring UK G-Cloud, Cyber Essentials and SOC 2 Type 2 for procurement, Submit.com is the more complete option.
Nonprofit or charity
Both platforms work for nonprofits that run grant programmes. Blackbaud Grantmaking is widely used across the global nonprofit sector and offers a deep report library and a broad ecosystem. Independent user reviews consistently flag high total cost, steep learning curve and complex navigation. Submit.com offers transparent starting pricing from €5,995 per year, SOC 2 Type 1 and Type 2 certification, Cyber Essentials certification, GDPR compliance, multilingual portals and a no-code builder that smaller charity teams can manage without dedicated technical staff.
Sources reviewed in this section
Submit.com or Blackbaud Grantmaking? A 3-question check
Answer three questions for a general steer. Always request a scoped demo and written quote from both vendors before committing.
Tell us about your programme
1. How quickly do you need to go live?
2. Do you need Cyber Essentials certification for procurement?
3. Are you already using other Blackbaud products (Raiser's Edge NXT, Financial Edge NXT)?
Your steer
Security and compliance
Submit.com
- SOC 2 Type 1 certified
- SOC 2 Type 2 certified
- Cyber Essentials certified
- GDPR compliant
- UK G-Cloud listed supplier on the Digital Marketplace
- AWS Technology Partner; AWS UK and EU regions
- SSO and MFA supported; deployed in production with DPIA at Cork City Council
- Role-based permissions, full audit trails and immutable activity logs
- Daily backups and real-time replication
- No publicly reported data breaches
Blackbaud Grantmaking (per G-Cloud listing and blackbaud.co.uk)
- UK G-Cloud listed supplier (Blackbaud Europe Ltd)
- GDPR-supportive per blackbaud.co.uk
- SOC 2 Type 2 and SOC 1 Type 2 reports available via account manager or Blackbaud Compliance Portal
- ISO27001, NIST CSF and PCI DSS frameworks referenced in G-Cloud security statement
- Annual penetration tests and periodic vulnerability scans (per G-Cloud listing)
- CSA STAR Registry listed (per G-Cloud listing)
- SSO: Blackbaud ID supports Azure AD, SAML 2.0, ADFS and Okta
- Cloud environments: United States, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica and the United Kingdom
- No Cyber Essentials certification found at time of review
- May 2020 ransomware breach acknowledged; substantial settlements paid (USD 3M SEC, USD 49.5M US states); subsequent investment in security improvements
Integrations
Submit.com integrations
Stripe for online payments and fee collection (in production at Cork City Council for parking permit payments). Dropbox for file uploads. Submit.com REST API for connection to CRMs (e.g. Salesforce, HubSpot), finance systems and data warehouses, with OAuth or token-based authentication and webhooks for event-driven updates. SSO with social and enterprise identity providers (plan dependent). Full catalogue on Submit.com's API and Integrations page.
Blackbaud Grantmaking integrations
Pre-built integrations: Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT (accounting and finance), Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT (fundraising CRM), Candid GuideStar Charity Check (tax status verification), CSI WatchDOG (watchlist screening). SKY API available with REST endpoints for payments, organisations, requests, activities, contacts and requirements. SSO via Blackbaud ID connects Azure AD, SAML 2.0, ADFS and Okta.
Blackbaud's integrations are strongest for organisations already using the Blackbaud ecosystem. API-built custom integrations are possible but require developer resource.
Sources reviewed in this section
Implementation and onboarding
Submit.com advertises that most organisations launch their first programme within days using pre-built templates and the no-code builder. Programme teams configure workflows without IT support or additional professional services fees. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, for example, configured 22 admin users across 8 departments with restricted permissions during onboarding with Submit.com's Solutions and Customer Success teams.
Blackbaud Grantmaking is delivered with experienced implementation consultants (per blackbaud.com). Independent UK grant management guides (including Plinth's UK Blackbaud Grantmaking alternatives guide) cite a typical implementation of 3 to 6 months. The G-Cloud listing confirms onboarding can be delivered on-site or off-site. Capterra and Software Advice reviews note that configuration without consultants is difficult and that ongoing changes can require additional paid help.
Sources reviewed in this section
Submit.com pricing vs Blackbaud Grantmaking pricing
Submit.com publishes a starting price. Blackbaud does not.
- Submit.com: from €5,995 per year. Custom quote by programme volume and modules. Request a quote here.
- Blackbaud Grantmaking: pricing not published on blackbaud.com. The UK G-Cloud Digital Marketplace listing shows £2,565.75 per licence per year. Third-party procurement data (Vendr) and independent UK guides note that total annual cost is materially higher once implementation, training, additional users and support are included. Implementation is typically a separate line item. Independent reviews on Capterra and Software Advice repeatedly cite high and increasing annual costs.
Sources reviewed in this section
When to choose Submit.com over Blackbaud Grantmaking
Submit.com is the stronger choice when:
- You need Cyber Essentials certification as a procurement requirement (Submit.com holds it; no Blackbaud Cyber Essentials listing found).
- You want a strong public sector compliance stack: SOC 2 Type 1, SOC 2 Type 2, Cyber Essentials, GDPR, UK G-Cloud and AWS Technology Partner.
- You want to go live in days without a 3 to 6 month implementation project or consultant fees.
- You need transparent starting pricing from €5,995 per year for budget planning and procurement approval.
- You want no-code configuration your programme team controls without IT dependency.
- You need a single platform covering grants, scholarships, awards, permits, licences and HR rather than a grants-only tool.
- You need multilingual portals with verified Irish (Gaeilge), Welsh, Polish and English support.
- You need category-restricted external reviewer access already proven at scale (23 external judges at the Cork Lifelong Learning Awards).
- You want Stripe payments already proven in production at Cork City Council.
- You prefer a vendor with a clean security history and confirmed UK and EU data residency.
When Blackbaud Grantmaking may fit better
To be fair and transparent, Blackbaud Grantmaking is likely the better fit when:
- You are a large foundation or grantmaking organisation already invested in the Blackbaud ecosystem (Raiser's Edge NXT, Financial Edge NXT) and want CRM and finance integration in one vendor relationship.
- You need deep CRM functionality to manage relationships, giving history and constituent records alongside grant management.
- You want access to a broad pre-built report library and configurable dashboards for complex, multi-entity grantmaking portfolios.
- You have the budget, timeline and internal capacity for a services-led, 3 to 6 month implementation with Blackbaud implementation consultants.
- You need watchlist screening and tax-status verification via built-in Candid GuideStar and CSI WatchDOG integrations without additional API work.
Sources reviewed in this section
Frequently asked questions: Submit.com vs Blackbaud Grantmaking
Is Submit.com a good alternative to Blackbaud Grantmaking?
Yes, particularly for UK and Irish grantmakers that want fast deployment, transparent pricing, a strong compliance stack (SOC 2 Type 1 and 2, Cyber Essentials, GDPR, UK G-Cloud) and a no-code platform covering grants, scholarships and awards. Submit.com starts from EUR 5,995 per year and launches within days. Blackbaud Grantmaking is stronger for large foundations needing deep CRM integration, complex multi-entity reporting and an existing Blackbaud ecosystem, but typically costs significantly more and requires a 3 to 6 month implementation.
How does Submit.com's pricing compare to Blackbaud Grantmaking?
Submit.com publishes a starting price from EUR 5,995 per year. Blackbaud does not publish pricing on its website. The UK G-Cloud listing shows GBP 2,565.75 per licence per year, but independent UK grant management guides and third-party procurement data note that total annual cost is materially higher once implementation, training and additional users are included. Request a full written quote from both vendors covering all implementation, training and support costs.
Is Blackbaud Grantmaking available on the UK G-Cloud Digital Marketplace?
Yes. Blackbaud Grantmaking (supplied by Blackbaud Europe Ltd) is listed on the UK G-Cloud Digital Marketplace. Submit.com is also a UK G-Cloud listed supplier. Both can therefore be procured directly by UK public sector organisations via the Digital Marketplace framework.
Is Blackbaud Grantmaking Cyber Essentials certified?
No Cyber Essentials certification was found for Blackbaud Grantmaking in its G-Cloud listing or on blackbaud.com at the time of this review. Submit.com is Cyber Essentials certified. If Cyber Essentials is a hard procurement requirement for your organisation, verify Blackbaud's current status directly with Blackbaud before proceeding.
What happened with the Blackbaud data breach?
In May 2020 Blackbaud disclosed a ransomware attack that affected approximately 13,000 of its customers and over 1 million donor records globally. Blackbaud paid USD 3 million in March 2023 to settle SEC charges over misleading disclosures about the scope of the attack, and a further USD 49.5 million in October 2023 to settle a multi-state investigation by 49 US state attorneys general. Blackbaud has since invested in security improvements; the company's G-Cloud listing references SOC 2 Type 2 audits, annual penetration tests and ISO27001 frameworks. Whether this history is disqualifying depends on your organisation's risk assessment and due diligence process.
How long does it take to implement Blackbaud Grantmaking?
Blackbaud Grantmaking typically takes 3 to 6 months to implement, according to blackbaud.com (which references experienced implementation consultants) and independent UK grant management software guides including Plinth's. Smaller organisations can access a Basic implementation with fewer configurations. Submit.com advertises launch within days using pre-built templates and a no-code builder, without IT support or professional services fees.
Does Blackbaud Grantmaking support multiple languages?
Yes. Blackbaud added AI-powered form translation into over 25 languages including French, Spanish and Welsh, announced 18 July 2024 (per Blackbaud press release). The platform UI is listed as English, Dutch, French and Spanish on GetApp. Submit.com supports multilingual applicant portals with verified Irish (Gaeilge), Welsh, Polish and English coverage, and is used by Kildare County Council to meet statutory Irish language compliance.
Does Submit.com support SSO and MFA?
Yes. Submit.com supports single sign-on (SSO) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) and is in production with both at Cork City Council. Staff on the internal network sign in automatically via SSO; when working remotely a second authentication layer is required. The deployment included a data protection impact assessment (DPIA) to satisfy GDPR obligations for forms handling sensitive personal data.
Can Submit.com cover scholarships and awards as well as grants?
Yes. Submit.com covers grants, scholarships, awards, permits, licences, HR vacancies, talent casting and broader application-based workflows on one platform. Cork City Council, for example, manages over 100 active forms across 8 departments on Submit.com. Blackbaud Grantmaking is purpose-built for grant management specifically.
Does Blackbaud Grantmaking integrate with Financial Edge NXT?
Yes. Blackbaud Grantmaking has a pre-built integration with Financial Edge NXT for grant accounting and with Raiser's Edge NXT for fundraising CRM. This Blackbaud ecosystem integration is one of its strongest differentiators for organisations already using those products.
See Submit.com in action
Book a 15-minute demo and see how Submit.com handles your specific grant, scholarship or awards programme, from applicant intake to post-award reporting. Pricing from €5,995 per year.
Sources reviewed
All Blackbaud claims on this page are drawn from publicly available materials published by Blackbaud Inc., the UK G-Cloud Digital Marketplace, the US Securities and Exchange Commission, independent news outlets, third-party review directories and specialist UK grant management guides. All Submit.com claims are drawn from submit.com and verified customer case studies.