Grant Management Software: 2025 Comparison Review
We tested five leading grant management platforms over 6 months. Here's which tools deliver best value for UK organizations.
The Tools Reviewed
| Platform | UK-Focused | Starting Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crafty | ✓ UK-specific | £49/month | UK charities, AI writing |
| Instrumentl | ✗ US-focused | $179/month (~£142) | Funder research depth |
| GrantHub | ~ Limited UK | $99/month (~£79) | Pipeline tracking |
| Foundant GLM | ✗ US-focused | $295/month (~£235) | Enterprise organizations |
| Submittable | ~ Universal | $129/month (~£102) | Form management |
Detailed Comparisons
1. Crafty (UK) - £49/month
Strengths
- • UK funder database (360Giving integrated)
- • AI writing assistant trained on UK applications
- • Best value for money
- • Built-in compliance checker
Weaknesses
- • Newer platform (less mature features)
- • Limited integrations vs competitors
- • Small team = slower feature development
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5) - Best for UK organizations under £500K income
2. Instrumentl (US) - $179/month (~£142)
Strengths
- • Massive funder database (400K+ US funders)
- • Smart matching algorithms
- • Excellent deadline tracking
- • Strong customer support
Weaknesses
- • Limited UK funder coverage
- • Expensive for small UK charities
- • US-centric features/terminology
- • No AI writing assistance
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5) - Good if targeting US foundations, poor for UK-only work
3. GrantHub - $99/month (~£79)
Pipeline-focused CRM for grant management:
- ✓ Strong Kanban-style pipeline visualization
- ✓ Team collaboration features
- ✓ Reasonable price point
- ✗ Limited UK funder database
- ✗ No writing assistance
- ✗ Basic reporting
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐½ (3.5/5) - Decent for tracking, weak for funder research
4. Foundant GLM - $295/month (~£235)
Enterprise-grade but expensive:
- ✓ Comprehensive feature set
- ✓ Advanced reporting/analytics
- ✓ Multiple user permissions
- ✗ Expensive (£2,820/year)
- ✗ Overkill for small-medium organizations
- ✗ US-focused database
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5) - Only for large organizations (£5M+ income)
5. Submittable - $129/month (~£102)
Form/submission management platform:
- ✓ Excellent form builder
- ✓ Works for any geography
- ✓ Good document management
- ✗ Not grant-specific (general submission tool)
- ✗ No funder database
- ✗ No grant-specific features
Rating: ⭐⭐½ (2.5/5) - Not purpose-built for grant seeking
Feature Comparison Matrix
| Feature | Crafty | Instrumentl | GrantHub |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK Funder Database | ✓✓ | ✗ | ~ |
| AI Writing Assistant | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Pipeline Tracking | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Deadline Reminders | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ |
| Team Collaboration | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Reporting/Analytics | ~ | ✓✓ | ~ |
Our Recommendations
For UK Charities (Under £500K): Crafty
Best value, UK-specific database, AI writing help. Perfect fit for small-medium UK organizations.
For US-UK Organizations: Instrumentl
If targeting both US and UK funders, Instrumentl's depth justifies cost despite weak UK coverage.
For Large Teams (5+ People): GrantHub
Superior collaboration features make it worth it for larger grant teams managing complex pipelines.
Value for Money Analysis
| Tool | Annual Cost | Value Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Crafty | £588 | Excellent (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐) |
| GrantHub | £948 | Good (⭐⭐⭐⭐) |
| Instrumentl | £1,704 | Fair (⭐⭐⭐) |
| Foundant | £2,820 | Poor (⭐⭐) |
Final Verdict
Best Overall for UK Organizations: Crafty (⭐⭐⭐⭐½)
UK-specific focus, AI writing assistance, and excellent value make Crafty the clear choice for UK charities. Only organizations targeting US funders or requiring enterprise features should look elsewhere.
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