The verdict in three sentences
With 600 applications a year received as PDFs, a Montréal corporate foundation spends most of its programs team on logistics rather than supporting project leaders. A grant management portal covering online submission, jury scoring grids, disbursements and impact reports costs roughly CAD 60,000 to 130,000 (EUR 40,000 to 90,000) as a custom build in 2026, against CAD 18,000 to 45,000 per year for an off the shelf SaaS. Custom makes sense when your review workflows are unusual or you plan to run the platform for at least 4 years.
What PDF based review really costs
The programs director describes a familiar cycle: incomplete forms, supporting documents sent across several emails, scoring spreadsheets consolidated by hand, then tracking disbursements of CAD 7,500 to 120,000 per grantee in another file.
| Step | Time per file on PDF | Time with portal | Gain on 600 files |
|---|---|---|---|
| Completeness check | 25 min | 5 min, automatic checks | 200 h |
| Chasing missing documents | 15 min | 2 min, automatic reminders | 130 h |
| Preparing files for the jury | 20 min | 0, direct access | 200 h |
| Consolidating scores | 10 min | 0, automatic calculation | 100 h |
| Tracking agreements and payments | 30 min per grantee, 120 grantees | 8 min | 44 h |
| Collecting impact reports | 45 min per grantee | 10 min | 70 h |
Total: about 744 hours per year freed, close to half a position. At CAD 78,000 loaded cost per program officer, that is CAD 33,000 per year, and above all time given back to grantee support.
Custom build or grant management SaaS?
Market tools work well for standard workflows. Custom wins when the foundation combines several programs (scholarships, awards, skills based sponsorship), many external jurors or integration with the group's accounting system.
| Criterion | Off the shelf SaaS | Custom portal |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 cost | CAD 18,000 to 45,000 | CAD 60,000 to 130,000 |
| Annual cost afterwards | CAD 18,000 to 45,000 | CAD 9,000 to 18,000 maintenance |
| 5 year cumulative cost | CAD 90,000 to 225,000 | CAD 96,000 to 202,000 |
| Specific review workflows | Limited settings | Unlimited |
| Foundation branding | Vendor interface | Full brand guidelines |
| Data ownership | Vendor contract | Full, hosted in Québec or Canada |
Québec's Law 25 on personal information adds obligations: a privacy impact assessment before transferring data outside Québec, a designated privacy officer and documented retention periods. A custom portal hosted in Canada simplifies that file.
Functional scope
| Module | Content | Indicative budget |
|---|---|---|
| Submission form | Steps, drafts, supporting documents, completeness checks | CAD 12,000 to 23,000 |
| Internal review | Statuses, comments, assignment to program officers | CAD 10,000 to 22,000 |
| Jury area | Weighted scoring grids, conflicts of interest, ranking | CAD 10,000 to 23,000 |
| Agreements and payments | E-signature, payment schedule, accounting export | CAD 9,000 to 22,000 |
| Impact reports | Indicators per program, reminders, dashboard | CAD 9,000 to 20,000 |
| Public calls website | Pages per call, calendar, FAQ, grantees, FR and EN | CAD 10,000 to 20,000 |
Total: CAD 60,000 to 130,000. At Kolonell, a custom application ranges from 2.5 to 15M+ FCFA (EUR 3,810 to 22,870+) depending on complexity for a first release, the rest quoted after scoping. Timeline: 3 to 4 months, planned so your next call for proposals opens on the new platform.
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Sophie, programs director of a corporate foundation in Montréal, compares a SaaS at CAD 33,000 per year with a custom portal at CAD 100,000 plus CAD 13,000 of annual maintenance. Over 5 years, the SaaS costs CAD 165,000 and the custom build CAD 152,000. She adds the 744 hours freed each year, worth CAD 33,000, reinvested in supporting 30 more grantees. Custom wins from year five, with a bilingual platform in the foundation's colours and data hosted in Canada.
FAQ
How long until the first call for proposals opens?
Count 3 to 4 months, scoping included. A call can open with submission and the jury area, with impact reports in a second release 6 weeks later.
How are juror conflicts of interest handled?
Each juror declares their ties, and the platform automatically hides the files concerned. Building this rule costs CAD 2,200 to 4,500.
Is the platform Law 25 compliant?
Yes: Canadian hosting, configurable retention periods, data export and deletion on request, and a privacy incident register delivered with the platform.
Can we import previous years' files?
Yes, through spreadsheet and PDF import. For 1,500 historical files, migration costs on average CAD 4,500 to 9,000.
What if we add a new program?
A new call type with its form and grid is configured in 2 to 5 days of development, roughly CAD 2,200 to 6,000.
Let's scope your project. We scope your grant management portal: programs, review workflow, juries, payments, indicative budget and a plan aligned with your next call. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
