Grant Management: Embracing The Changes

The subject of grants management has recently come in for a lot of debate in the last number of years, in terms of how it is such a rewarding, but also developing job.

Recently that used to mean a lot of manual tracking, write ups, paper trails and other administrative tasks coming to the fore. This was a disadvantage of a meaningful job, where the time spent looking after budgets, audits or whatever the case may be combined to an amount of time that could have been spent more productively in managing other tasks.

Trends towards cloud-based software and digitisation have moved forward, not without some form of hiccups, as users or customers that have relied on the paper-based systems to date will be understandably a bit reserved at first.

Therein lies the makings of a successful grant management system, keeping it easy and straightforward to use, accessible tools that add up to more success further down the line.

The main aspects of a running a modern, successful grant management system can be addressed as such:

• Application management
• Communication for all parties involved
• Tracking prospects of grants
• Managing overall workflow

The automatic regulation means that time is saved for aspects of community development, while giving project managers a visible view of how each stage of the grant is progressing.

Staff turnover can also be an issue, for as the employees of a respective company change hands, it can be difficult to follow aspects of the movement and what specifically an individual may have been working on up to that point. Trying to piece together these activities would be difficult if the pieces of data were stored in different places.

Digital solutions for the future

Microsoft have recently announced a global skills initiative, with the aim of transferring digital skills to over 25 million people by the end of 2020. This is aimed at bringing together their company, while updating and adding resources from the likes of LinkedIn and GitHub. The combination will look at a few key factors

• Use of data to identify jobs and skills
• Free access to learning content and skills development resources
• Certifications (low cost/free) to help people pursue the jobs via this end

This is one of a number of such digital movements building on the world of data and technology in this climate. It’s safe to say something involving such giant companies has moved a long way from the days of copying and scanning documents into electronic folders. Now companies are looking to boost the economy and redefine the approach to work.

 In such a climate, grant management systems allow users to track multiple streams of funding for a single program. Reports can be processed without spending extra hours gathering the financial or analytical documents. In a lot of companies or organisations, there is a split in terms of management between the main office and the financial side, but now two separate parts can manage the same project with a different purpose but similar view.

Security in the cloud

As mentioned early on, new customers may initially be wary of cloud storage and of terms such as ‘online data’, but the interesting thing here is that their own private networks, or personal storage methods, are likely to be far less secure. Companies have put a lot of investment and critical thinking into security infrastructure, to make it as stable and secure an environment as any you’ll find in this digital age.

In line with this, the impact that small businesses have felt due to the closures and cost of any additional safety measures required in the midst of the pandemic has been hugely significant. The chance for these small businesses to respond to the changing market is already unfortunate, and trying to manage updated forms, documents and agendas is something all put on top of that additionally.

Submit.com helps to lessen the burden here by protecting this data and backing up everything to such a secure resource.

Within the grant management systems are further elements which could help small businesses and those struggling to keep up with these unpredictable measures being enforced globally.

Further reading on this side of Submit’s approach to management and security can be accessed here.

The solution and making the switch

All told, one of the most important features in a modern grant management system is to rapidly and effectively show and share results. The visual displays should ideally be a good showcase for capturing and sharing all this data in one place, effectively helping businesses and organisations show spending, results and anything required.

The grant managers can easily access this information and check the lifecycle or history of the grant, production and reports instead of spending excess time trying to collect material from various different sources. The ability to update and track the process of any grants is another bonus in terms of an effective system.

As mentioned in line with the security protocols, sensitive personal and financial data should rightfully be prioritised as it no doubt runs through the mind of any grant professional. Having the flexibility to support and update this is a benefit that all but pays for itself.

There is also the prospect of being mindful of the environmental side of the discussion. Certainly, cutting down on printing and paper is a positive in the 21^st century that helps add to all round sustainability.

Submit have made this a priority with a manageable system, where help is at hand at each stage of the application process if anything appears less than clear. For any questions and queries about the system and how to get in touch, please contact sales@submit.com for further information. There is also a free trial available, with respect to managing your forms and documents, and fulfilling on the security and ease of access promises we’ve talked about here. Don’t hesitate to get in touch today!