Using a Grants Management Dashboard to Align Staff, Strategy, and Stakeholders

Grants management is the engine behind impactful philanthropy. However, when data is scattered, teams get out of sync, and stakeholders lose visibility, even the most well-intentioned grantmaking processes can stall. More significantly, this can cause grantors and stakeholders to feel uncertain about continuing to support your foundation.

That’s where a grants management dashboard becomes indispensable.

In this article, we’ll explore what a grants management dashboard is, how it aligns cross-functional teams, and what to look for when choosing or building one that truly supports your mission.

The right dashboard brings your grantmaking work into focus

Between open applications, in-progress reviews, fund disbursements, compliance reporting, and post-award check-ins, it’s easy for critical information to get lost in silos. Even the most capable grantmaking teams can struggle to stay aligned when working across disconnected systems or spreadsheets.

A well-designed grants management dashboard solves this issue by unifying essential data and surfacing what matters most. In doing so, teams can stay coordinated, and leadership has full visibility.

For example, program officers can instantly see how many applications are in review, finance teams can monitor disbursement schedules, and executives can track funding allocation by priority area. 

Instead of chasing updates through emails or status meetings, stakeholders can view progress and performance in real time, ultimately leading to improved collaboration. 

This kind of shared visibility is more than convenient; it’s essential for scaling impact and building trust internally and externally.

As per a report by Markets & Markets, the global grant management software market size is projected to reach USD 1.9 billion by 2024, at a CAGR of 10.5% during the forecast period. 

Translation? Organizations are increasingly recognizing the value of integrated solutions.

What is a grants management dashboard?

A grants management dashboard is a centralized visual tool that provides real-time visibility into the status of your grantmaking process. It offers an at-a-glance view of key metrics, timelines, and responsibilities so that staff, leadership, and stakeholders stay on the same page.

Modern grant management systems have evolved significantly since their early days, when they were designed almost exclusively for one end user: a foundation grants administrator. 

Today's solutions empower users across an organization with tools specific to their roles. These dashboards transform complex data into actionable insights through intuitive visualizations like charts, graphs, and progress indicators that update automatically as work progresses.

Unlike traditional spreadsheets or basic reporting tools, a grants management dashboard integrates information from all aspects of the grant lifecycle, from application review to final impact reporting, creating a cohesive picture of your foundation's work.

How dashboards help connect strategy with action

Effective grants management dashboards bridge the gap between your organization's high-level mission and your team's daily work. 

Here’s how:

• For leadership:

• Strategic oversight: Dashboards give leadership clear visibility into funding status, outcomes, and upcoming deadlines without requiring them to dig through detailed reports.

• Mission alignment: Visualized data helps leaders quickly assess whether current funding aligns with strategic priorities and make adjustments when necessary.

• Resource allocation: Real-time budget tracking makes it easier to optimize funding distribution across different program areas or initiatives.

• For staff:

• Cutting through the clutter: Instead of hunting through emails or spreadsheets, staff immediately see what demands attention.

• Staying ahead of delays: Visual progress updates give your team a heads-up if things are slowing down, allowing for quick adjustments to keep grant processes on track.

• Managing workload: A shared view of tasks and timelines helps everyone manage their capacity and makes coordinating efforts much more straightforward.

An effective dashboard promotes open communication and visibility throughout the grant process, creating an environment where foundations can meet or exceed funding goals and achieve greater financial control. At any moment, you can see exactly where your funding is going and its overall impact.

Key features to look for in a grants management dashboard

Certain features are essential for maximizing their effectiveness when evaluating grants management dashboards. Here’s an overview.

Customizable reporting views

Different roles within your organization need different information. 

Look for dashboards that allow:

• Role-based views that show each user the metrics most relevant to their responsibilities

• The ability to create and save custom reports and visualizations

• Options to drill down from high-level overviews to detailed information

Visual data representation

Effective dashboards transform complex data into easily understood visuals:

• Charts and graphs that illustrate funding distributions, timelines, and outcomes

• Progress bars that show completion status for various processes

• Graphs that visualize the reach of your funding

Real-time updates

The best dashboards offer automation capabilities that allow staff to concentrate on strategy, relationships, and opportunities otherwise lost in an unruly grantmaking process. 

This includes:

• Automatic refreshing when new data is entered

• Real-time status updates for applications, reviews, and reports

• Alerts for approaching deadlines or issues requiring attention

Integration capabilities

Your dashboard should connect seamlessly with your other systems. 

Make sure you have:

• Integration with your application and review processes

• Connection to financial systems for accurate budget tracking

• Compatibility with external data sources for impact measurement

How a good dashboard supports your whole grantmaking team

A grants management dashboard is a unifying tool that strengthens collaboration across your organization. 

According to the 2022 State of Philanthropy Tech survey by the Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG), 77% of foundations are planning to move to a hybrid/remote workplace model for the future, making effective dashboard solutions even more critical for maintaining connectivity and alignment across distributed teams.

And as mentioned, a great dashboard isn't just ideal for leadership. 

It likewise creates value across your entire organization:

• Staff: Gain clarity into priorities, reduce redundant updates, and spend less time hunting for information.

• Grantees: Stay informed about application status and upcoming requirements, without the need for emails or calls.

• Executives and board members: Access high-level summaries of funding allocation, program progress, and community outcomes.

• Partners and stakeholders: Share clean, visual updates reinforcing transparency and credibility.

With insightful dashboards and reporting tools for data-driven decision-making, grants management systems increase efficiency through automated reminders, task assignments, and document storage. This frees your team to focus on relationship-building and strategic work rather than administrative tasks.

Tips for getting the most from your grants management dashboard

To maximize the value of your grants management dashboard, follow these best practices.

Focus on key metrics

Start with the data points that directly support your grantmaking goals. Avoid cluttering your dashboard with unnecessary information. 

Here’s how:

• Identify 3-5 key performance indicators (KPIs) that most accurately reflect your progress toward strategic objectives.

• Review and refine your metrics periodically to align with your evolving priorities.

Ensure integration and accuracy

Verify that your dashboard integrates with other grant management tools to reduce double data entry and maintain data integrity.

It is crucial to establish clear data entry protocols to ensure consistency across your organization and schedule regular data quality checks to address any discrepancies.

Encourage widespread adoption

Provide training that helps staff understand how to interpret and use dashboard information effectively. Highlight success stories demonstrating the dashboard's value in simplifying workflows or improving outcomes.

Finally, gather feedback from users to identify opportunities for improvement. Grant management is a continuous process and always a "work in progress.” 

Creating feedback loops with team members and grantees to gather insights can help pinpoint areas for refinement and elevate your overall system.

Communicate security and reliability

The TAG survey also revealed that foundations are experiencing significantly fewer cybersecurity breaches, with only 12% reporting a violation in the past two years (down from 22% in 2020). 

When implementing a grants management dashboard, it's important to prioritize security features that protect sensitive grantee information. 

Community foundations have improved their security posture, with 80% implementing multi-factor authentication and 75% using email/content filtering.

To that end, consider these security best practices for your grants management dashboard:

• Implement role-based access controls that limit data visibility based on user permissions

• Ensure your system employs encryption for data both in transit and at rest

• Regularly back up dashboard data to prevent loss during system outages

• Choose a vendor with a strong track record of security compliance and incident response

Bring your grantmaking into clear view with the right tools

The right grants management dashboard doesn't just display data—it empowers your team to make informed decisions and stay focused on impact. 

By providing real-time visibility into your grantmaking activities, dashboards help connect daily tasks with strategic goals, improve stakeholder collaboration, and ultimately enhance your foundation's effectiveness.

When everyone in your organization can see the complete picture of your grantmaking work, you can move beyond simply managing grants to truly maximizing their impact. 

With clear insights into processes and outcomes, you can continuously refine your approach to better serve your mission and the communities you support.

Ready to bring your grantmaking into clear view? 

Explore Foundant's grant management software to discover how the right dashboard can transform your foundation's work.