What is grant management?
Navigating the grant management process can be challenging, especially when juggling multiple applications, deadlines and reporting requirements. Without a clear system in place, it's easy for important tasks to slip through the cracks. This can put funding opportunities and compliance with donor guidelines at risk.
The grant management template is designed to alleviate the complexities of this process by offering a structured, streamlined approach. With this template, your team can centralize all grant-related tasks and data, improve collaboration and stay organized throughout the grant lifecycle.
What is the grant management template?
The grant management template is a customizable workflow designed to help organizations efficiently oversee the entire lifecycle of grants. This workflow breaks down the process of managing grant applications from initial research to final reporting. Each task card includes clear actions and checklist items to make it easy to track grant progress.
The template gives you a clear and repeatable structure to ensure that no critical step in the process is missed. Whether you're a nonprofit, educational institution or community group, it helps your team stay organized and focused on securing funding.
Why use the grant management template?
Managing grants can be a complex and time-consuming process, often involving multiple team members, documents and deadlines. The grant management template offers several benefits that streamline this process:
Centralized tracking: Keep all grant information, such as application details, deadlines and documents, in one accessible location for greater transparency.
Visualizing the workflow: Break down the grant lifecycle into manageable steps, ensuring a logical flow from research to final reporting. By using checklists at every stage, you gain clarity and control over complex processes.
Ensuring compliance: Monitor application requirements and reporting deadlines to ensure adherence to donor guidelines and maintain eligibility for future funding.
Enhancing decision-making: Evaluate and prioritize grant opportunities based on deadlines, alignment with goals and competition level.
With this template, you can increase your chances of securing funding while reducing the administrative burden of grant management.
How to use the grant management template
Step 1: Add your tasks
Create a new task by clicking the + in any board section. Sections like Research grants, Prepare application, Submit, Await response, Awarded, and Report and close represent the phases of the grant project. Be sure to add each task to the appropriate section.
Step 2: Assign tasks to team members
Next, delegate the individual tasks within the team. Open a task, click “Assign” and choose the appropriate person. This ensures that everyone knows what they are responsible for, creating accountability and focus.
Step 3: Schedule start and end dates
Next, assign clear deadlines to each task. To do this, open the task, select the calendar icon and select the due date.
You can also click the timeline icon to set start and end dates that align with the project’s phases. With tasks scheduled, you can view the project timeline or calendar for an overview of how tasks flow, helping you manage resources effectively.
Step 4: Track progress with checklists
As team members work on their assigned tasks, checklist items should be ticked off as they’re completed. These lists break down tasks into actionable steps, making it easy to monitor progress.
Step 5: Mark tasks as completed
When all checklist items within a task are ticked off, mark the task as Done. This signals that the task no longer needs attention and ensures focus remains on pending work. You can then archive the task to keep your board tidy and up to date.
Step 6: Review and adjust progress across phases
At the end of each project phase, review the completed tasks to ensure they meet objectives before moving on. For example, ensure all tasks under Prepare application are fully complete before proceeding to Submit.
Use the Review feedback task if an application is declined to gather insights, note areas for improvement and refine your approach for future grants.
Step 7: Close the project successfully
The final phase includes tasks like preparing and submitting your final project report. Use the checklist to ensure all reporting requirements are met, such as attaching necessary documents and analyzing data against objectives.
Once reporting is complete, finalize by reconciling expenses, notifying stakeholders and archiving documents for future reference.
By following these steps, the template keeps your grant management process organized, efficient and aligned with project goals.
