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Nonprofits · head to head

Blackbaud Grantmaking vs Galaxy Digital

Blackbaud Grantmaking logo

Blackbaud Grantmaking

Nonprofits

Grants management for foundations and corporate givers inside the Blackbaud ecosystem

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Galaxy Digital logo

Galaxy Digital

Nonprofits

Digital marketing platform for nonprofits

From
On request
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.; Galaxy Digital volunteer-focused tool, not a general-purpose social media management platform
  • They diverge on capability: Blackbaud Grantmaking covers Online application portal, Galaxy Digital covers Email marketing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blackbaud Grantmaking and Galaxy Digital actually diverge.

Attributes where Blackbaud Grantmaking and Galaxy Digital differ
AttributeBlackbaud GrantmakingGalaxy Digital
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile-responsive
FoundedUnknown2009

Identical on both: starting price (On request), 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 Galaxy Digital

  • Email marketing
  • Social media management
  • Online advertising
  • Analytics
  • Automation
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Mailchimp

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 Galaxy Digital
  • A community foundation managing hundreds of donor advised funds with separate grant recommendationsnot Galaxy Digital
  • A corporate giving programme needing documented US charity status checks before every paymentnot Galaxy Digital
  • A foundation whose board approves grants by docket and needs a repeatable, auditable packet processnot Galaxy Digital

Galaxy Digital

  • 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.

Galaxy Digital

  • Volunteer-focused tool, not a general-purpose social media management platform
  • Enterprise-only pricing model with custom quotes
  • Acquired by Better Impact, creating transition uncertainty for existing customers

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

Galaxy Digital

On request
  • Starter$99/month
    • Email marketing
    • Basic social media
  • Professional$299/month
    • Advanced analytics
    • Social media management
    • Automation

Which should you pick?

Choose Blackbaud Grantmaking if

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

Choose Galaxy Digital if

  • You need email marketing.
  • You work on Web, Mobile-responsive.
  • You also want social media management.
Galaxy Digital review

Questions people ask

Is Blackbaud Grantmaking or Galaxy Digital better?
Neither clearly leads. Blackbaud Grantmaking starts at On request and Galaxy Digital at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blackbaud Grantmaking or Galaxy Digital?
Blackbaud Grantmaking starts at On request and Galaxy Digital at On request.
Does Blackbaud Grantmaking or Galaxy Digital run on more platforms?
Blackbaud Grantmaking runs on Web. Galaxy Digital runs on Web, Mobile-responsive.
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 Galaxy Digital is typically brought in for.
What can Blackbaud Grantmaking do that Galaxy Digital cannot?
Blackbaud Grantmaking covers Online application portal, Due diligence checks, Board dockets, Payment scheduling. Galaxy Digital covers Email marketing, Social media management, Online advertising, Analytics.

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.

Galaxy Digital: What does Galaxy Digital's Get Connected do?

Get Connected is a volunteer management platform that helps nonprofits recruit, schedule, track, and report on volunteer engagement at scale through centralized scheduling and impact reporting.

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.

Galaxy Digital: Does Get Connected integrate with social media platforms?

Yes. Get Connected includes social media integration with quick-share icons and direct posting to volunteers' social networks, plus live infographic-style impact reporting shareable on social media.

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.

Galaxy Digital: What is the current status of Galaxy Digital?

Get Connected by Galaxy Digital was acquired by and is now part of Better Impact, which continues to provide the volunteer management and social media integration services.

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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