Organizations looking to make the transition to a new grant management system need to ask themselves several key questions.
Among them: What is the vendor’s product roadmap? What support and training opportunities does the vendor offer? Is your organization ready to make the transition? Do you know what needs to change and what needs to stay the same?
Organizations need to identify the features and functionalities that are essential, what is working well and what isn’t.
Before making the transition, organizations should take the time to clean up their data and consider if the vendor offers any services to help with data migration.
Organizations should also take a close look at their applications to identify and eliminate questions.
Determine how well the new GMS integrates with existing software and other essential tools.
Choose a system that can grow with your organization and that can handle an increase in applicants, users, and grants.
Make sure the new GMS complies with all relevant regulations and industry standards.
Read case studies and talk with organizations that use the GMS you are evaluating.
Ensure the vendor plans for continual product enhancements and major functionality upgrades that align with your long-term needs.