Instrumentl

Instrumentl is designed to be plug-and-play, meaning it requires minimal setup time and is accessible via a web browser. The implementation process typically follows these stages:

1. Account Setup and Onboarding (1–3 Days)

• Users sign up for a 14-day free trial or a paid plan.
• During onboarding, users are guided through:
  • Creating their organization profile
  • Setting up project goals
  • Defining funding needs (e.g., program area, geographic focus)

• Instrumentl’s AI begins matching relevant grants based on this input.

2. Grant Discovery and Workspace Configuration (1–5 Days)

• Users can immediately begin searching for grants using filters like:
  • Funder type
  • Geographic scope
  • Funding amount
• Users set up workspaces for each project or program, where they can:
  • Track deadlines
  • Assign tasks
  • Upload documents

  • Collaborate with team members.

3. Training and Support (Ongoing, Optional)

• Instrumentl offers:
  • Live onboarding sessions
  • Weekly webinars
  • 1:1 support calls for teams

• Users can access a knowledge base and video tutorials to self-learn.

4. Integration and Customization (1–2 Weeks, Optional)

• For advanced users (Pro and Advanced plans), setup may include:
  • CRM integrations (Salesforce, Raiser's Edge NXT, Virtuous)
  • Custom fields and report templates

  • API access for data syncing

5. Full Usage and Optimization (2–4 Weeks)

• Most organizations are fully operational within 2–4 weeks.
• Teams begin using features like:
  • AI-powered Apply Advisor for proposal writing
  • Spend-down tracking and reporting tools

  • Collaboration tools for internal and external stakeholders

Estimated Total Time to Full Implementation

• Basic Use: 1–3 days
• Full Team Integration: 1–2 weeks
• Advanced Customization: Up to 4 weeks.

Instrumentl offers several customization features, especially for users on the Professional Plan and above. Here are the key customization options:

Custom Fields

• Users can create custom fields to track data specific to their organization’s needs.
• These fields can be applied to:
  • Opportunities (e.g., grant type, likelihood of reapplying, internal notes)
  • Funders (e.g., relationship status, average grant size, geographic focus)
• Examples include:
  • Priority status
  • Probability of winning
  • Internal IDs
  • Renewal dates
  • Client-specific notes

  • Payment frequency and budget tracking

User Roles & Permissions

• Admins can assign custom roles and permissions to team members, ensuring secure collaboration.

CRM & Calendar Integrations

• Integrates with Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge NXT, Virtuous, and Google/Outlook/Apple Calendar for syncing grant data and deadlines.

External Collaborator Access

• Allows inviting external stakeholders (e.g., consultants or partners) with limited access to specific projects.

API Access (Advanced Plan)

• For enterprise users, Instrumentl offers API access to integrate with internal systems.

Instrumentl’s pricing is transparent and mostly all-inclusive, but here are the details:

Setup Fees

• No setup fees are mentioned for any plan.

• Personalized onboarding and training are included in Pro and Advanced plans.

Maintenance Costs

• There are no separate maintenance fees. All updates and platform improvements are included in the subscription.

Support Charges

• Standard support is included in all plans.
• Personalized support and training are included in the Professional and Advanced plans.

• Additional users can be added for $5/user/month on the Pro plan.

Optional Add-ons

• API access, SSO, and branded reports are available only on the Advanced plan ($899/month).

Instrumentl provides a comprehensive onboarding and training ecosystem designed to help users quickly become proficient with the platform. Here are the key offerings:

Live Weekly Trainings

• Instrumentl 101 and 102 sessions are offered weekly.

• These cover platform basics, advanced features, and best practices.

Workshops and Webinars

• Regular grant writing workshops, strategy sessions, and live events are hosted.

• Topics include prospecting, proposal writing, and funder engagement.

Self-Guided Resources

• Access to a knowledge base, video tutorials, and eBooks.

• Users can find these under the Resources tab in their account.

YouTube Channel

• Recordings of past training sessions and webinars are available for on-demand viewing.

Customer Support

• Support is available via:
  • Live chat (inside the platform)
  • Email: [email protected]

• Support is known for being responsive and personalized.

Team Onboarding

• Admins can invite team members and assign roles.
• New users receive email invitations with login credentials and setup instructions.

Data Integrity and Cybersecurity Awareness

• Instrumentl promotes cyber preparedness and data integrity through its partnerships and grant listings (e.g., Cyber Preparedness Grant by The Gadfly Project).
• This suggests a strong awareness of cybersecurity best practices.

User Authentication

• Secure login credentials are required for all users.

• Admins can manage user access and permissions, reducing unauthorized access.

Role-Based Access Control

• Custom roles and permissions allow organizations to control who can view or edit sensitive data.

Cloud-Based Infrastructure

• As a SaaS platform, Instrumentl likely uses encrypted cloud storage and secure data centers, though specifics (e.g., AWS, Azure) are not disclosed.

Instrumentl follows a seasonal release cycle, typically launching major updates 2–3 times per year. These updates are well-documented and include both new features and improvements based on user feedback.

Update Frequency

• Spring, Summer, and Fall Releases are common.
• Examples include:
  • Fall 2023 Release: Introduced award tracking, customizable calendars, and payments tracking.

  • Spring 2024 Release: Focused on full lifecycle grant management enhancements.

Update Management

• Updates are automatically applied to the cloud-based platform—no user action is required.
• Users are notified via:
  • Email announcements
  • In-app notifications

  • Blog posts and product update pages

• Instrumentl incorporates user feedback into its product roadmap, ensuring that updates align with real-world needs.

Instrumentl follows a seasonal release cycle, typically launching major updates 2–3 times per year. These updates are well-documented and include both new features and improvements based on user feedback.

Update Frequency

• Spring, Summer, and Fall Releases are common.
• Examples include:
  • Fall 2023 Release: Introduced award tracking, customizable calendars, and payments tracking.

  • Spring 2024 Release: Focused on full lifecycle grant management enhancements.

Update Management

• Updates are automatically applied to the cloud-based platform—no user action is required.
• Users are notified via:
  • Email announcements
  • In-app notifications

  • Blog posts and product update pages

• Instrumentl incorporates user feedback into its product roadmap, ensuring that updates align with real-world needs.

Instrumentl offers flexible scaling options to accommodate growing or shifting organizational needs:

Scaling Up:

• You can upgrade your plan at any time to access more features, projects, or users.
• For example:
  • The Professional Plan includes 20 projects and 5 users by default.
  • Additional users can be added for $5/user/month.

  • The Advanced Plan supports 40 projects, 10 users, API access, and SSO.

Scaling Down:

• You can downgrade your plan at the end of your billing cycle.

• Instrumentl offers a “Maintenance Mode” for organizations undergoing temporary changes (e.g., budget cuts, staffing changes). This allows continued access to data at a reduced fee, though it's not available for all accounts.

Plan Flexibility:

• All plans come with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.
• You can switch plans by contacting support or adjusting settings in your account dashboard.

Instrumentl provides clear and user-friendly policies:

Renewal:

• Subscriptions are billed annually and auto-renew unless canceled before the renewal date.

Cancellation:

• You can cancel at any time via:
  • Account settings
  • Live chat
  • Email: [email protected]
• If canceled:
  • Access continues until the end of the billing cycle.
  • No refunds for unused time unless within the first 30 days of a new annual plan (covered by the 30-day money-back guarantee).

Data Retention:

• Data is retained for 30 days after cancellation.
• Users can export their data or request Maintenance Mode to preserve access.

Instrumentl emphasizes grant compliance best practices, especially for nonprofits managing government or foundation grants:

Grant Compliance Support:

• Helps users comply with:
  • Federal grant regulations, including 2 CFR 200 (Uniform Guidance for U.S. federal grants).
  • Funder-specific reporting and tracking requirements.
• Tools include:
  • Spend-down tracking
  • Award tracking
  • Deadline reminders

  • Custom fields for compliance data

Security and Privacy:

• While formal certifications like SOC 2 or ISO 27001 are not publicly listed, Instrumentl follows standard SaaS security practices:
  • Role-based access control
  • Secure login and user permissions
  • Cloud-based infrastructure with encrypted data handling.