Preview the grant tracker
These are selected fields from the download's Example tab. The opportunities, funders, people, and dates are fictional. The workbook also includes source URLs, checked dates, requested and awarded amounts, and reporting dates. Start your own records in the blank Tracker tab.
| Opportunity | Application date | Status | Owner | Next action | Action due |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workshop project support | Dec 15, 2026 | Preparing | Maya | Confirm project budget and applicant rules | Nov 20, 2026 |
| Arts project inquiry | Not yet recorded | Research | Jordan | Check whether unsolicited inquiries are accepted | Nov 23, 2026 |
Start using the tracker in Excel or Google Sheets
Open the workbook in Excel, or import the same file into Google Sheets.
Download the XLSX workbook and open it in Excel. Save a working copy with your organization or project name.
Read the two fictional rows on the Example tab, then enter your own opportunities on the blank Tracker tab. Replace the example.org source addresses with official sources.
Choose a status, assign an owner, and give the next action its own due date. Keep the Application date for the funder's deadline, including any internal buffer in your action planning.
Use the same XLSX download to create a Google Sheets copy. You will need a Google account to use Sheets; downloading the workbook does not require a GrantFlex account. The steps below follow Google's Excel import guidance, linked under Sources.
Download the grant tracker, then open a blank spreadsheet in Google Sheets on your computer.
Choose File › Import › Upload and select grant-tracker.xlsx from your downloads.
Choose Create new spreadsheet, then Import data. If prompted, choose Open now. This keeps your other spreadsheets intact.
Name the new spreadsheet and confirm that both Tracker and Example tabs are present.
Check the Example tab's imported dates against the preview above. In a blank Tracker row, enter a temporary opportunity name, select Research in the Status dropdown, and enter a past Action due date to check the overdue highlight. Clear the temporary row before adding real opportunities. Formatting and controls can differ between spreadsheet apps.
Use the Tracker tab for your real work. Share that copy only with the people who need access, and agree which copy your team will maintain.
Set up one row for each opportunity
Start with the funder's own opportunity page. Record the program name and source URL so the next person can verify the details. A general foundation homepage is useful background, but it may not show the requirements for a particular program.
Enter amounts as numbers in a consistent currency. A possible award is not committed income: keep the requested amount separate from the amount awarded. The workbook's example is fictional and must be replaced with your own verified information.
Keep the fields useful
- Funder and opportunity
- The organization and specific program you are considering.
- Source and checked date
- The official URL and when you last verified it.
- Deadline
- Your working date; confirm the time zone and submission time in the source.
- Status and owner
- The current stage and the person responsible for the next step.
- Next action and due date
- A concrete action, such as confirming eligibility or approving a budget.
- Award and report date
- The actual award, if confirmed, and the next reporting obligation.
Use a short weekly review
Use one main tracker for the organization rather than circulating independent copies. If several people edit it, agree where the authoritative version lives. Consultants should keep each client's confidential work in that client's permitted location.
- Check the official source again before committing staff time to an application.
- Filter for work due next and ask each owner whether the next action is still correct.
- Separate the funder's deadline from your earlier internal review and approval dates.
- Update decisions when you decline, submit, receive an award, or learn that a program changed.
- Record reporting obligations after reviewing the actual award agreement.
Write a next action someone can finish
“work on application”
“Maya will confirm the workshop budget with the program lead before the internal review.”
Keep the public deadline in its own field and the review task's due date beside the action.
Know when to move into a shared workflow
A spreadsheet works well when the team can keep status and ownership current. When supporting documents, decisions, proposal sections, and outreach are scattered, consider a workspace that keeps those pieces together. The tracker is a planning tool; it does not check eligibility or submit applications.
Compare the free spreadsheet with GrantFlex's tracking workflow