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Nonprofits · head to head

Blackbaud Grantmaking vs Classy

Blackbaud Grantmaking logo

Blackbaud Grantmaking

Nonprofits

Grants management for foundations and corporate givers inside the Blackbaud ecosystem

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Classy logo

Classy

Nonprofits

Platform for modern nonprofit fundraising

From
$300/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Blackbaud Grantmaking no pricing is published at any tier, and Blackbaud contracts commonly run multiple years, so a foundation that finds the fit wrong is locked in past the point where switching is cheap.; Classy email receipts come from platform rather than organization email, causing issues with spam filtering
  • They diverge on capability: Blackbaud Grantmaking covers Online application portal, Classy covers Online fundraising platform.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blackbaud Grantmaking and Classy actually diverge.

Attributes where Blackbaud Grantmaking and Classy differ
AttributeBlackbaud GrantmakingClassy
Starting priceOn request$300/month
Pricing modelquoteUnknown
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile
FoundedUnknown2006

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Nonprofits).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Blackbaud Grantmaking

  • Online application portal
  • Due diligence checks
  • Board dockets
  • Payment scheduling
  • Grantee reporting
  • Financial Edge integration
  • Reporting and dashboards

Only in Classy

  • Online fundraising platform
  • Peer-to-peer fundraising
  • Event management
  • Donation management
  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • Salesforce
  • Slack

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Blackbaud Grantmaking

  • A private foundation already running Blackbaud Financial Edge that wants grant liabilities to post to the ledger without manual journalsnot Classy
  • A community foundation managing hundreds of donor advised funds with separate grant recommendationsnot Classy
  • A corporate giving programme needing documented US charity status checks before every paymentnot Classy
  • A foundation whose board approves grants by docket and needs a repeatable, auditable packet processnot Classy

Classy

  • Business operationsnot Blackbaud Grantmaking
  • Productivitynot Blackbaud Grantmaking
  • Automationnot Blackbaud Grantmaking

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Blackbaud Grantmaking

  • No pricing is published at any tier, and Blackbaud contracts commonly run multiple years, so a foundation that finds the fit wrong is locked in past the point where switching is cheap.
  • Implementation and data migration from a legacy GIFTS or Access database are separately priced professional services and regularly exceed the first year licence.
  • The interface carries a long lineage and feels dated next to newer grants platforms, which shows up as training time for programme staff and reluctance among occasional users.
  • Value depends heavily on being inside the Blackbaud stack; a foundation running Sage or NetSuite for accounting loses the integration that is the main commercial argument for the product.
  • Blackbaud disclosed a ransomware incident in 2020 affecting customer backups and later settled with US regulators, so due diligence teams at some funders now require additional security review before approving the vendor.

Classy

  • Email receipts come from platform rather than organization email, causing issues with spam filtering
  • Limited customization options for donation page templates and design
  • No live phone support, only email tickets with slow response times
  • Salesforce integration reportedly has implementation issues and does not follow best practices
  • High pricing and onboarding complexity unsuitable for small organizations

Pricing, plan by plan

Blackbaud Grantmaking

On request
  • Blackbaud Grantmaking$undefined/year
    • Grant application, review and award management
    • Applicant and grantee portals
    • Payment scheduling and liability tracking

Classy

$300/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Classy review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Blackbaud Grantmaking if

  • You need online application portal.
  • You also want due diligence checks.
Blackbaud Grantmaking review

Choose Classy if

  • You need online fundraising platform.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want peer-to-peer fundraising.
Classy review

Questions people ask

Is Blackbaud Grantmaking or Classy better?
Neither clearly leads. Blackbaud Grantmaking starts at On request and Classy at $300/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blackbaud Grantmaking or Classy?
Blackbaud Grantmaking starts at On request and Classy at $300/month.
Does Blackbaud Grantmaking or Classy run on more platforms?
Blackbaud Grantmaking runs on Web. Classy runs on Web, Mobile.
What is Blackbaud Grantmaking best used for?
Blackbaud Grantmaking is most often used for a private foundation already running blackbaud financial edge that wants grant liabilities to post to the ledger without manual journals, a community foundation managing hundreds of donor advised funds with separate grant recommendations, a corporate giving programme needing documented us charity status checks before every payment, a foundation whose board approves grants by docket and needs a repeatable, auditable packet process. Of those, a private foundation already running blackbaud financial edge that wants grant liabilities to post to the ledger without manual journals and a community foundation managing hundreds of donor advised funds with separate grant recommendations are not what Classy is typically brought in for.
What can Blackbaud Grantmaking do that Classy cannot?
Blackbaud Grantmaking covers Online application portal, Due diligence checks, Board dockets, Payment scheduling. Classy covers Online fundraising platform, Peer-to-peer fundraising, Event management, Donation management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Blackbaud Grantmaking: Is this the same as GIFTS Online?

Yes, in lineage. It comes from MicroEdge GIFTS, which Blackbaud acquired in 2014, and has been rebranded and reworked since.

Classy: What is the pricing structure for Classy/GoFundMe Pro?

GoFundMe Pro pricing is custom and enterprise-based, starting around $300+ per month plus per-transaction platform fees. Organizations typically sign annual subscriptions with tiered pricing based on feature set and fundraising volume, with multi-year contracts locking in commitments.

Source
Blackbaud Grantmaking: What does it cost?

Blackbaud does not publish grantmaking pricing. Expect a quoted annual subscription plus a separate implementation and migration fee, and expect a multi-year term to be proposed.

Classy: Does Classy integrate with Salesforce?

Yes, GoFundMe Pro (Classy) offers deep Salesforce integration with real-time sync of donations, supporters, and campaigns to Salesforce. Data syncs to Gift Transactions, Gift Commitments, and Person Accounts for unified donor insights.

Source
Blackbaud Grantmaking: Do we need Financial Edge to get value?

No, but the general ledger integration is the strongest single reason to choose it. Without Financial Edge, compare it more carefully against Foundant and SmartSimple.

Classy: How customizable are donation pages on Classy?

Classy offers limited design customization for donation pages, with most campaigns using similar templates. While organizations can build highly branded experiences, there are constraints compared to some competitors.

Source
Blackbaud Grantmaking: Does it verify charity status automatically?

Yes for US grantees, using charity status data as part of due diligence screening before payment.

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