If You're Not Tracking, You're Losing
Let me tell you a hard truth:
The majority of missed grant deadlines, dropped balls, and lost dollars have nothing to do with lack of funding opportunities—they have everything to do with lack of tracking.
Tracking grants is not a "nice to have"—it’s your secret weapon.
Whether you’re applying for foundation grants, corporate gifts, faith-based funding, or aiming for federal dollars, you need an airtight system that keeps you ahead of deadlines, organized with documents, and focused on follow-up.
Why Tracking Grants Changes the Game
Think of your grant strategy like a garden.
You can plant all the right seeds (ideas), choose the best soil (programs), and even water occasionally (apply for a few grants). But without regular care and organization, your garden will become overrun, dry out—or worse, produce nothing.
A good tracking system lets you:
See your full pipeline of funding opportunities
Prepare for upcoming deadlines in advance
Monitor which funders you’ve approached
Stay compliant with reporting timelines
Increase your success rate (and your confidence!)
If you’re tired of “feast or famine” funding cycles, this is your first fix.
Core Components of a Grant Tracking System
Before we talk software or spreadsheets, let’s define the essential parts of a strong system. Whether you’re building this in Excel or using a CRM, your system should capture these 8 things: