InfoStrat has been building grants management systems for government agencies since 1999 and we have implemented a wide array of grant systems. The number of users, complexity of your business rules and the extent of your automation goals are cost drivers for the system. We will discuss some of the factors that must be considered to help you come up with a cost estimate for your requirements.
The Type and Number of Grant Programs
Grants are typically either Competitive Grants or Formula Grants. You may also need to track loans in addition to grants. Formula grants award funds to the applicant based on a preset formula. For example, some federal agencies distribute funds to states for activities based on a calculation of need per state.
Competitive grants are awarded based on merit. Applicants compete for the limited funds and it is somewhat similar to applying to college where an extensive application must be submitted with copious details on how the money will be spent complete with resources needed and project schedule and the impact that will be made. The more detailed the application, the more complex and costly is the process of building the web forms (and associated database fields) that the applicants will use to enter their applications.
Scoring of Competitive Grant Applications
Just like in the college admissions scenario, competitive grant applications will be read and scored according to a set of criteria. Sometimes applications are scored by grant program staff or more frequently by external reviewers who have expertise in the grant program area and can serve as independent experts in determining the best applicant for the program type. If the applications need to be made available to people outside the organization, portal functionality will need to be developed that enables an external reviewer to log in to the system, read the application in its entirety and then to enter the scores for each of the criteria. The areas for entering these scores will be forms of varying complexity depending on level of detail required and to determine a cost for developing these.
Post Award Reporting
In many grant systems we have built, the government agency has strict post award reporting requirements which the grant recipient must adhere to. In some cases, the grant recipient will not be given the money until the required report has been submitted. These reports typically include financial reports and narrative reports which detail the work being done and status to date. Oftentimes, money is not disbursed all at once but in increments during the life of the grant as progress is being made and validated through the submitted reports. Consequently, a grant system typically needs to have a public portal which enables the grantee to easily login in and enter the required reports on a monthly, quarterly or semi-annual or annual basis depending on the requirements of the specific grant program.
Reports and Dashboards
Grant administrators typically need to provide status on grant money spent to date or grants given in a target geography. Determine what reports are needed and the complexity of each report to estimate the cost.
Dynamics 365 Subscriptions
Because Grants Manager Plus is based on Microsoft Dynamics 365/Power Apps, you need to purchase subscriptions or licenses to Dynamics 365 from Microsoft through InfoStrat or your reseller. Government agencies and nonprofit organizations are eligible for product discounts. The best prices are from your volume licensing agreement such as a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement.
You can choose from several Dynamics 365 apps and subscription types. The least expensive is Power Apps. You may want additional apps such as Customer Service for better engagement with grantees. Microsoft charges for named users with its subscriptions.
Customizations
One of the best things about Grants Manager Plus is that it is easily customized to match your data requirements. You can compare your data model to the data model of the solution and add new fields that you need. You will also want to list and document your automated business processes so they can be implemented in the solution. Grants Manager Plus contains a number of business processes but these can vary significantly depending on the number of people participating in the process and the steps that you follow for a grant.
Reporting
Most of our clients want custom reports in addition to standard reports. You can reduce the cost of report writing by using the built-in ad hoc reporting tool, and also by using dashboards and business intelligence tools such as Microsoft Power BI.
Portal Options
You can choose from several portal options, including Microsoft Power Pages (formerly Dynamics Portal) and The Portal Connector.
Data Migration
How will you handle data on prior grants? Will you maintain your old system for historical data? Data migration can be expensive, but it affords you the ability to clean up data for better reporting.
Integration
Identify the systems that you plan to integrate, such as your financial management system. In order to estimate the cost of data migration services, you need specifications for the integration with as much detail as possible. You may also consider an integration product such as Scribe or Kingswaysoft for some integration.
For more information on Grants Manager Plus, see:
5 Ways to Ensure Compliance with Your Grant Management System
6 Things to Look for in Grant Management Software
Estimating the Cost of a Microsoft Grants Manager Plus Implementation
Extending Grants Manager Plus
Flexible Grant Management Software: Long Term Considerations
Grant Management for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)
Grant Management Portal: What to Include
Grant Management with FedRAMP Certification: Microsoft Dynamics 365
Grants Manager Plus: Theme and Variations
InfoStrat Grants Manager Plus Review on FinanceOnline
InfoStrat Releases New Version of Grants Manager Plus
InfoStrat Releases New Videos on Grants Manager Plus
Microsoft Grants Manager Plus
Microsoft Grants Manager Plus Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Online Resources for Microsoft Grants Manager Plus
Portal Options for Microsoft Grants Manager
Statewide Grant Management Systems
The DATA Act Driving Grant Management Automation
The Story of InfoStrat and Grant Management
Usage Scenarios for Microsoft Grants Manager
User Stories for Grants Manager Plus
Understanding Budget, Payments and Milestones in Grants Manager Plus
Understanding Grant Management Data: CDBG-DR Programs
Understanding Programs in Grants Manager Plus