As foundations across the country report being squeezed by software vendors who raise prices based on how much good they do, one Minnesota-based platform is publicly committing to a different approach.
BLOOMINGTON, MN, UNITED STATES, October 30, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — akoyaGO, a fully configurable foundation management software platform built on Microsoft Dynamics 365, has released a plain-language guide explaining how its pricing model works. The guide also includes five questions foundations should ask any software provider before signing or renewing a contract.
The publication follows a year of industry conference conversations in which foundation leaders repeatedly told akoyaGO about pricing concerns with other vendors. Some said they are happy with the products they already use but have faced what they called “startling” price increases.
One exchange in particular stuck with the team. A foundation leader described how her organization is now limiting the number of scholarships it awards, because surpassing a certain threshold would push it into a higher pricing bracket under its current vendor. In other words, the software vendor’s pricing structure is directly shaping the foundation’s scholarship program — and students are the ones feeling the consequences.
“At akoyaGO, we believe that true partnership means more than providing great technology. It means understanding the responsibility foundations have to the communities they serve and being a partner they can count on. As we grow, we remain committed to investing in our products, our people, and the service our clients deserve, while keeping our pricing fair, predictable, and transparent. Our clients should not have to worry about unexpected price increases or restrictive long-term contracts. Ultimately, our goal is simple: to give foundations the confidence, stability, and technology they need to focus on what matters most: serving their communities and amplifying their impact.” – Mark Montoya, CEO, akoyaGO
What are foundations telling akoyaGO about other pricing models?
Not every foundation has had the same experience, and some have enjoyed stable pricing from their vendors over the years. But a common pattern has emerged this year from other providers: significant increases that are tied to a foundation’s growth, such as the volume of its grantmaking or its assets under management. When the price tag goes up as impact grows, every new program or additional award must be weighed against the next software bill.
Foundations have told akoyaGO this has forced difficult trade-offs, including capping scholarship or grant programs to remain below a pricing threshold, budgeting around renewal increases that are hard to predict, and even considering leaving a product they genuinely like purely because of cost.
How does akoyaGO’s pricing work today?
akoyaGO is an all-inclusive solution built specifically for foundations. CRM, grant, scholarship, donor, fund and financial management all live in one platform, rather than in separate point solutions with separate price tags.
Not tied to growth. akoyaGO’s pricing model is not based on assets under management or the volume of grantmaking.
Increases capped at 5%. Annual increases are capped at 5%, so foundations can plan their technology budget from one year to the next. akoyaGO’s Terms of Service also provide 90 days’ notice before any fee increase.
Improvements included. To date, new features and improvements to the standard product have been included in clients’ existing pricing.
Flexibility in the agreement. Clients may end their agreement at will, with no contract dates locking them in. Their data is housed in their own Microsoft Azure tenant, and they are its sole owner. akoyaGO has maintained a 97% client retention rate over the last three years.
akoyaGO does not claim to be the lowest cost option. For some foundations, especially those replacing more than one system, it may lower overall costs. For others, the value shows over time through functionality, process improvement, predictable pricing, and one centralized platform for foundation operations.
What are five questions to ask any provider about pricing?
Whether evaluating akoyaGO or reviewing a current system at renewal, these questions show how a pricing model will behave as a foundation grows.
Question: Is my annual price tied to assets under management or grant volume?
akoyaGO Answer: No. Our pricing model is not based on either.
Question: How much can my price increase each year?
akoyaGO Answer: Annual increases are capped at 5%.
Question: Which modules are included, and which cost extra?
akoyaGO Answer: akoyaGO is all-inclusive: CRM, grants, scholarships, donor, fund, and financial management system all in one database.
Question: Are new features included in my subscription?
akoyaGO Answer: To date, enhancements to the standard product have been included in existing pricing.
Question: Who owns my data, where does it live, and is there a cost to retrieve it?
akoyaGO Answer: Your data lives in your own Microsoft Azure tenant, and you own it.
Foundations that want to talk through how akoyaGO’s pricing works for an organization like theirs can schedule a time with the akoyaGO team at the akoyaGO Sales Booking Page. The full article is available on our Blog at akoyago.com.
akoyaGO is a fully configurable foundation management software platform built on Microsoft Dynamics 365. For more than 40 years, akoyaGO has helped community, private and family foundations, grantmakers, scholarship providers, fundraising organizations, and Jewish and Catholic foundations optimize efficiencies and maximize philanthropic impact. The platform includes akoyaGO CRM, GOapply, GOfund, GOdonate, GOsupport and GOverify.
Ameliea Dulaney
akoyaGO, Inc.
Ameliea.Dulaney@akoyago.com
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Why it matters: When software pricing is tied to a foundation’s grantmaking volume, the very growth these organizations are supposed to pursue becomes a financial penalty. akoyaGO’s transparent, capped pricing model offers an alternative that lets foundations expand their impact without worrying that their technology bill will grow alongside it — a consideration that should be part of any foundation’s vendor evaluation.
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