Industry’s Only Grants Management Survey Reviews Staffing, Technology, and Legislative Trends based on Insights from Over 600 Federal, State & Local and Nonprofit Grant Managers  

STERLING, Va., March 11, 2024 – REI Systems, with support from the National Grants Management Association (NGMA) and the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at George Washington University, announced the results of the Annual Grants Management Survey. Over 15,000 professionals in grants management and related fields were invited to take this survey. Established in 2016, it is designed to inform the grants community of emerging issues and trends to help improve grants management.  

Key insights from the 2024 survey highlight the increased integration of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) principles throughout the grant management lifecycle, particularly emphasized during the pre-award stage for which 50% of respondents indicated progress. Additionally, the survey highlights critical issues such as the challenge of finding and retaining qualified personnel, the growing demand for greater standardization and automation, and the persistent technological hurdles that underscore the urgency for modernizing Grants Management systems. Moreover, it reveals that administrative monitoring continues to be the most labor-intensive aspect for grant managers, consuming over 35% of their time.  

 “While this year’s State of Grant Management Survey indicates significant improvement in some aspects of Grant Management, such as incorporating DEIA, several challenges remain for grant managers who are burdened with administrative tasks, compliance, and talent shortages,” stated Heather Morgan, Grants Offering Lead at REI Systems. “These findings emphasize the need to simplify, automate, and modernize the management process and technology to ease day-to-day operations so that grant managers can better focus on the mission and the continued effort needed to properly staff and train the grant workforce.”  

 Additional key findings and trends from the report show that:   

• Approximately half of respondents struggle to effectively measure performance outcomes with the top reasons cited being shortage of staff and available tools. 
• Over 70% of respondents indicated qualified staff as the most significant success factor for grants management and 48% said retaining them is the biggest challenge.  
• Grant recipient training decreased despite it being cited as a top priority  
• 38% of survey participants indicate that it takes 1-2 years to fully train new resources to independently execute grants management actions   
• With direct data entry just over 30%, there is a need for more online data systems for grants reporting and more system-to-system automation to minimize redundancy and reduce the burden on grantees.  
• Technology challenges including inflexibility, cost to maintain, and poor user experience are fueling the demand for modern, affordable, adaptable Grant Management Systems.  

For additional details and to download the full report and watch the on-demand findings Webinar, please visit:  https://www.reisystems.com/insights/reisurveys/   

 About REI Systems  

REI Systems provides reliable, effective, and innovative technology solutions that advance government missions. Our technologists and consultants are passionate about solving complex challenges that impact millions of lives. We take a Mindful Modernization® approach in delivering our application modernization, grants management systems, case management systems, government data analytics, and advisory services. Mindful Modernization is the REI Way of delivering mission impact by aligning our government customers’ strategic objectives to measurable outcomes through people, processes, and technology. For more information, please visit: www.REIsystems.com.