Grantmakers Information Technology Survey Report 

V. Challenges/Emerging Issues 

Technology Issues That Grantmakers Are Not Prepared to Address 

Costs of Keeping up with New Technology 

The Technology Affinity Group (TAG) has begun to address the issue of technology 

costs for grantmakers. TAG currently has a discount purchase program in place with 

CDW, a national provider of technology hardware, software and peripheral equipment. 

TAG is also in the process of establishing a discount purchases program with Hewlett 

Packard that will enable foundations to purchase HP (and Compaq) products at discounts 

of up to 25 percent. In addition, Microsoft has an Open Charity License program that 

provides nonprofit organizations with greatly discounted software, and several other 

vendors have similar programs.   

Integration of Database Software to Other Applications 

Nearly 40 percent of all foundations use MicroEdge GIFTS for grant management 

software and another 20 percent use NPO Solutions GIFTS or Foundation Power 

software systems. Nineteen percent of foundations reported not using any grants 

management software (Table A 10). 

Primary Grants Management/Gifts Management Software or Service (n = 310) 

In response to the open ended question about technology challenges, many foundations 

cited the need to integrate the foundation's grants management software with other 

applications, including accounting software, budgeting systems, financial statements and 

fund software, contact management systems, office applications and Web content 

delivery systems.  

 62