I have dabbled in Trello over the years but never stuck with it. However now I face a situation where I think it could really help.
We are a small grant foundation with around 50 active grants at any one time (each one is like a project or a business account, I guess?).
Each grant goes through multiple stages (sometimes moving ahead or backwards by more than one stage) in its lifecycle, from application to final report and post-report follow-ups.
Many of the milestones have dates, which I try to track with a spreadsheet but checking the spreadsheet and keeping it updated is time-consuming and messy (sometimes I wish I just got an email reminder, or notification, that a milestone due date was coming and I needed to write to the grant holder to request something... e.g. "OK, it's the second payment tranche, can you send us an invoice?" etc).
I was wondering, do the users here think a single Trello Board could be setup to manage these multiple grants in a way that tracks their passage with our organisation, and can set due dates on each grant that send notifications and keep things in a calendar? It would be fantastic if I could get Trello to track and manage all of this, instead of a very unweildy spreadsheet.
Even better, if there was a way to input a template for each grant at setup (with dates etc) then that would be even better... but no grant is identical, so each would undoubtedly have unique milestones and dates in it too.
If someone could tell me whether this suits Trello (yes because x, maybe because y, or no because z), and comment on the use case, I'd be very grateful!
Absolutely, Trello could be a fantastic solution for managing your grant tracking, and it sounds like it would simplify your workflow significantly compared to using a spreadsheet.
With Trello's Standard paid plan, you can use Advanced Checklists which can be then added to template cards to create a standardized process for each grant. Here's how it could work:
In summary, Trello can definitely be configured to manage your grants effectively, providing you with the ability to set up templates, assign tasks with due dates and reminders, and organize your workflow visually. Adding our CRM Power-Up would further enhance Trello's functionality, giving you comprehensive management tools to handle your grants with ease.
Thanks @Alberto Estévez this is a fantastic answer and really helpful - gives me a lot to go on immediately so I've signed us up to Premium for a few months to have a go.
If I may, can I ask a few follow up questions that will probably be quick yes/nos for you?
Otherwise, HUGE thanks to you!
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Hi John,
Sure! Here’s a breakdown:
Yes, you can receive Trello notifications. For more information, check out the details here:Trello notifications center.
No, not directly out of the box. However, you can create an automation using Zapier by storing the relevant parties in custom fields. Crmble also allows you to link multiple contacts with different roles to your cards, and it includes integration with Gmail and Google Workspace accounts.
Not in the free plan. Any paid plan should allow you to do this.
You should definitely make good use of Advanced Checklists to set reminders for each item, which can then be assigned to specific Trello users. The advance plan includes additional views to the Kanban board which lets you organize your work better.
Overall, with Trello and a bit of time—and possibly some help from a third-party automation tool like Zapier or Make—you can create a highly customized service. For even more features, consider using Crmble.
I'd be happy to demo it for you whenever you like. You can use the link in my previous message.
Hope this helps! Happy Trello-ing!
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Fantastic, thanks @Alberto Estévez ! I will have a go with these functions and be in touch if I need anything else.
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