Data residency simplified: How to pick the right region for your grant data

Article by Dan Whitty, Senior Information Security Manager at Good Grants

Running a grant program often means collecting sensitive applicant data. Names, contact details, submissions and creative work from around the world. As privacy concerns grow more pronounced in 2026, one question keeps surfacing in client conversations: Where does all of that data actually live, and who can get to it?

The good news is that Good Grants has a straightforward answer. You can choose your preferred hosting region at signup. We currently offer data residency within Australia, Canada, Europe, Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates and the United States, and your data stays stored and processed in that region permanently. No silent migrations, no surprises.

Why does data residency matter?

Data residency is simply the practice of keeping information stored in a specific geographic location. For your programs, this matters for three practical reasons.

First, performance. When your data lives close to your applicants, reviewers and admin team, everything runs faster. Low latency, especially for large creative uploads like videos or artwork, makes the submission process painless.

Second, regulatory alignment. Different jurisdictions have different rules about personal data. Hosting in a region that aligns with your participants’ local privacy frameworks, whether that’s the GDPR in Europe, or Australia’s Privacy Act, means your program is naturally better positioned to meet those expectations, and the rights of individuals.

Third, trust. Applicants are increasingly aware of where their data goes. Being able to say “your data is stored in your region and stays there” is a simple, powerful message that builds confidence in your program.

Choosing the right region for your program

With growing global attention on data privacy, more organisations are thinking carefully about where their program data is hosted, and for good reason. Privacy regulations vary by jurisdiction, and participants increasingly expect their information to be stored in a region that reflects their local standards.

Finally, this isn’t about avoiding any single country. It’s about giving you the flexibility to make the right choice for your program, your participants and your regulatory environment.

A choice most platforms don’t offer

The ability to choose your hosting region is not standard in this industry. Very few grant software providers offer any regional flexibility for hosting customer data, leaving you locked into a single location with no option to choose otherwise.

For many organisations, particularly government agencies, universities and large enterprise foundations, selecting a technology platform isn’t a simple decision. It usually requires going through formal procurement, IT security review and legal sign-off. Data residency is increasingly a line item in these processes, and being unable to demonstrate where participant data is stored can stall or disqualify a service entirely.

With Good Grants, you can confirm your hosting region from day one, providing clear answers to procurement questionnaires, satisfying internal data governance policies and removing a common blocker from vendor assessments. For grant managers navigating procurement, having regional hosting already in place turns what is often a lengthy back-and-forth into a simple tick-box answer.

Your applicants trust you with their work. Your region choice is part of how you can honour that trust.