MaxGhenis/complete-comparison-policyengine.md

## complete-comparison-policyengine.md

      
    Raw
  

              complete-comparison-policyengine.md
            
          
    Complete Project Management Comparison for PolicyEngine

🔄 Update: CRM Integration Required

New Context: PolicyEngine is also implementing CiviCRM for constituent relationship management. This significantly changes the landscape for non-technical work (grants, papers, partnerships).
Key Insight: CiviCRM has built-in grant tracking, potentially eliminating the need for separate grant management tools!

Your Use Cases

PolicyEngine needs a system for:
Technical Work (80% of daily activity)


✅ Bug tracking across repos (policyengine-app, policyengine-api, etc.)
✅ Feature requests and enhancements
✅ Code-related tasks and refactoring
✅ Fast triage and prioritization
✅ GitHub integration (PRs, commits, branches)
✅ API access for AI agents (check deadlines, query issues)

Non-Technical Project Management (20% but critical)


✅ Grant applications and tracking
✅ Paper submissions (journals, conferences)
✅ Financial reports and compliance
✅ Blog post planning and publishing
✅ Research project coordination
✅ Partnership and outreach tracking

Current Setup: GitHub Projects v2 + ad-hoc in policyengine/issues repo
Problem: GitHub Projects API can't efficiently filter by due date, limiting AI agent automation

🆕 CiviCRM for Non-Technical Work

Major Discovery: CiviCRM (your planned CRM) has built-in grant management!
CiviCRM Grant Tracking Features

CiviCRM is purpose-built for nonprofits and includes:

✅ Grant Applications: Track applications with custom fields
✅ Grant Types: Different categories (foundation, government, corporate)
✅ Grant Status: Submitted, Approved, Rejected, Paid, etc.
✅ Amount Tracking: Requested amount, awarded amount, budget
✅ Funder Relationships: Link grants to funder contacts in CRM
✅ Deadlines: Application deadlines, report due dates
✅ Reporting: Grant pipeline dashboards, success rates
✅ Attachments: Store proposals, budgets, reports
✅ Financial Reports: Track disbursements, spending
✅ Paper Tracking: Can track as "Cases" or custom entity
✅ Multi-currency: For international grants

CiviCRM API for Claude Code

REST API v4 (modern):
// Query grants with upcoming deadlines
const response = await fetch('https://policyengine.org/civicrm/ajax/api4/Grant/get', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'X-Civi-Auth': 'Bearer ' + process.env.CIVICRM_TOKEN,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    select: ['id', 'grant_type_id', 'amount_total', 'application_received_date', 'contact_id'],
    where: [
      ['application_received_date', '<=', addDays(new Date(), 30)],
      ['status_id:name', 'NOT IN', ['Awarded', 'Rejected']]
    ],
    orderBy: { application_received_date: 'ASC' },
    limit: 50
  })
});

const grants = await response.json();
PHP API (alternative):
$result = civicrm_api3('Grant', 'get', [
  'application_received_date' => ['<=' => date('Y-m-d', strtotime('+30 days'))],
  'status_id' => ['!=' => 'Awarded'],
  'options' => ['limit' => 50, 'sort' => 'application_received_date ASC'],
]);
What CiviCRM Can Handle

Excellent for:

✅ Grant applications and pipeline tracking
✅ Funder/foundation relationship management
✅ Partner organization contacts
✅ Paper co-author contacts
✅ Donor/supporter tracking
✅ Financial compliance reporting
✅ Event management (conferences, workshops)
✅ Email campaigns to stakeholders

Not good for:

❌ Engineering bug tracking
❌ Code-related tasks
❌ GitHub integration
❌ Fast developer triage

Cost & Hosting


Software: Free (open source)
Hosting options:

Self-hosted: $0 + server costs (~$20-50/month)
Managed hosting: $50-200/month (CiviHosting, Tadpole, etc.)


Typical total: $50-100/month for managed hosting

Implications for Your Decision

If using CiviCRM for grants:

✅ Don't need Notion/Jira/Monday for grant tracking
✅ Don't need custom grant database
✅ Focus tool selection on engineering work only
✅ Save money - one less tool to pay for


🔧 Custom Database Option

Alternative: Build your own grant/paper tracker integrated with PolicyEngine
Option: Django/FastAPI Grant Tracker

# models.py
from django.db import models

class Grant(models.Model):
    name = models.CharField(max_length=200)
    funder = models.ForeignKey('Funder', on_delete=models.CASCADE)
    amount_requested = models.DecimalField(max_digits=10, decimal_places=2)
    amount_awarded = models.DecimalField(max_digits=10, decimal_places=2, null=True)
    deadline = models.DateField()
    status = models.CharField(max_length=20, choices=STATUS_CHOICES)
    probability = models.IntegerField(default=50)  # 0-100
    grant_type = models.CharField(max_length=50)

    @property
    def expected_value(self):
        return float(self.amount_requested) * (self.probability / 100)

class Paper(models.Model):
    title = models.CharField(max_length=500)
    conference = models.CharField(max_length=200)
    submission_deadline = models.DateField()
    authors = models.ManyToManyField('Author')
    status = models.CharField(max_length=20, choices=PAPER_STATUS)
    related_grants = models.ManyToManyField(Grant, blank=True)

# API endpoint optimized for Claude Code
from rest_framework.decorators import api_view
from rest_framework.response import Response
from datetime import date, timedelta

@api_view(['GET'])
def upcoming_deadlines(request):
    days = int(request.GET.get('days', 30))
    end_date = date.today() + timedelta(days=days)

    grants = Grant.objects.filter(
        deadline__lte=end_date,
        status__in=['draft', 'submitted', 'under_review']
    ).order_by('deadline')

    papers = Paper.objects.filter(
        submission_deadline__lte=end_date,
        status__in=['draft', 'in_review']
    ).order_by('submission_deadline')

    return Response({
        'grants': GrantSerializer(grants, many=True).data,
        'papers': PaperSerializer(papers, many=True).data
    })
Advantages of Custom Database


✅ Full control - exactly your data model
✅ PolicyEngine integration - same codebase, shared models
✅ Custom API - designed for Claude Code from day one
✅ Your infrastructure - already have Django/PostgreSQL
✅ Open source - your code
✅ No external service - no additional hosting

Disadvantages


❌ Build time - 1-2 weeks initial development
❌ Maintenance - ongoing updates and bug fixes
❌ Feature development - CiviCRM has years of features
❌ Opportunity cost - why build when CiviCRM exists?
❌ Missing CRM features - contact management, email campaigns

When to Build Custom

Build if:

You want tight PolicyEngine integration (shared models, calculations)
You have specific requirements CiviCRM doesn't meet
You prefer full control over data model
You have development capacity

Use CiviCRM if:

You need full CRM (contacts, donors, email campaigns)
You want proven grant management out-of-box
You prefer not maintaining another codebase
You value established nonprofit tool


Revised Architecture: Engineering Tool + CRM

New recommended approach: Separate concerns

Engineering tool (Linear, Jira, or GitHub Projects) for technical work
CiviCRM for grants, funders, papers, financial reports
Aggregator service to query both APIs for "all deadlines"

Example: Combined Deadline Query

// Claude Code integration: query all deadlines
async function getAllDeadlines(daysAhead = 30) {
  const endDate = addDays(new Date(), daysAhead);

  const [technical, grants, papers] = await Promise.all([
    // Option A: Linear API
    linear.issues({
      filter: {
        dueDate: { lte: endDate.toISOString().split('T')[0] },
        state: { type: { nin: ['completed', 'canceled'] } }
      },
      orderBy: 'dueDate'
    }),

    // CiviCRM API - grants
    fetch('https://policyengine.org/civicrm/ajax/api4/Grant/get', {
      method: 'POST',
      headers: { 'X-Civi-Auth': 'Bearer ' + process.env.CIVICRM_TOKEN },
      body: JSON.stringify({
        where: [
          ['application_received_date', '<=', endDate.toISOString().split('T')[0]],
          ['status_id:name', 'NOT IN', ['Awarded', 'Rejected']]
        ],
        orderBy: { application_received_date: 'ASC' }
      })
    }).then(r => r.json()),

    // Could also query papers from CiviCRM as Cases or custom entity
    // Or from your custom database if built
  ]);

  return {
    technical: technical.nodes.map(formatTechnical),
    grants: grants.values.map(formatGrant),
    all: [...technical.nodes, ...grants.values].sort(byDate)
  };
}
Result for Claude Code:
📅 All Upcoming Deadlines (Next 30 Days):

Oct 5  [Bug] Fix authentication error (@Sarah)
Oct 6  [Grant] NSF POSE Phase 2 - $1.5M (@Max)
Oct 7  [Feature] Add UK carbon tax analysis (@Mike)
Oct 8  [Paper] AEA Conference submission (@Max, @Nikhil)
Oct 9  [Financial] Q3 Foundation Report (@Finance)
Oct 12 [Bug] API timeout on large simulations (@Pavel)
Oct 15 [Grant] Ford Foundation - $250K (@Nikhil)


Revised Option Matrix

Given CiviCRM for non-technical work:
Option A: Plane + CiviCRM (Recommended - Fully Open Source) 🏆

Engineering: Plane (self-hosted, Linear-like UX)
Non-Technical: CiviCRM (grants, funders, papers)
Cost:

Plane: $20-50/month (infrastructure)
CiviCRM: $50-100/month (managed hosting)
Total: $70-150/month ($840-1,800/year)

Pros:

✅ Fully open source (both tools)
✅ Linear-like UX (fast, clean)
✅ Good APIs for Claude Code
✅ Data sovereignty (self-hosted)
✅ Low cost (saves $1,200-2,200/year vs Linear)
✅ Aligns with OSS values

Cons:

❌ DevOps burden (manage two systems)
⚠️ Less polished than Linear (newer project)
⚠️ Two APIs to integrate

Option B: Jira + CiviCRM (If Jira OSS Approved)

Engineering: Jira (if free OSS license)
Non-Technical: CiviCRM
Cost:

Jira: $0 (if OSS approved)
CiviCRM: $50-100/month
Total: $50-100/month ($600-1,200/year)

Pros:

✅ Lowest cost (Jira free + cheap CiviCRM)
✅ Both APIs work for deadline queries
✅ Open source CRM
✅ Saves $1,500-2,000/year vs Linear + CiviCRM

Cons:

❌ Jira slow for engineering daily use
⚠️ JQL learning curve

Option C: Linear + CiviCRM (Best UX, Proprietary)

Engineering: Linear (proprietary, best-in-class)
Non-Technical: CiviCRM
Cost:

Linear: $120-150/month
CiviCRM: $50-100/month (managed hosting)
Total: $170-250/month ($2,000-3,000/year)

Pros:

✅ Best engineering UX (fastest, most polished)
✅ Best API for Claude Code
✅ No self-hosting (fully managed)
✅ Clean separation (tech vs non-tech)

Cons:

❌ Proprietary (not open source)
❌ Highest cost ($1,200-2,200/year more than Plane)
⚠️ Two APIs to integrate

Option D: GitHub Projects + CiviCRM (Simplest, Weak API)

Engineering: GitHub Projects (free, already using)
Non-Technical: CiviCRM
Cost:

GitHub: $0
CiviCRM: $50-100/month
Total: $50-100/month ($600-1,200/year)

Pros:

✅ Lowest cost
✅ No migration (already on GitHub)
✅ CiviCRM solves non-tech needs

Cons:

❌ GitHub API problem remains (can't filter deadlines)
❌ Doesn't solve your core issue (AI agent deadline queries)


Updated Comparison Matrix (With CiviCRM Context)


Option
Cost/Year
Engineering
Non-Tech
API Quality
Open Source
Recommended


Plane + CiviCRM
$840-1,800
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅ Both
🏆 Best Overall


Jira + CiviCRM (OSS)
$600-1,200
⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅ Both
Best Value


Linear + CiviCRM
$2,000-3,000
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⚠️ CiviCRM only
Best UX


GitHub + CiviCRM
$600-1,200
⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐
⚠️ CiviCRM only
Cheapest


Previous options (Linear + Notion, Monday, Asana) are less relevant now that CiviCRM handles non-technical work.

🆓 Open Source Linear Alternative: Plane

Since you value open source and are using CiviCRM (OSS), consider Plane:
What is Plane?


Open source Linear clone - MIT licensed
Nearly identical UX to Linear (built by ex-Jira users)
Self-hosted or cloud options
Active development - growing community
GitHub: https://github.com/makeplane/plane (20k+ stars)

Features


✅ Linear-like speed - fast, keyboard-driven interface
✅ Issues & projects - same concepts as Linear
✅ Cycles (sprints) - iteration planning
✅ GitHub integration - bi-directional sync
✅ API - GraphQL and REST
✅ Multiple views - List, Kanban, Calendar, Spreadsheet
✅ Custom properties - extend issue metadata

API for Claude Code

Plane API (similar to Linear):
// REST API
const response = await fetch('https://plane.policyengine.org/api/v1/workspaces/pe/projects/eng/issues/', {
  headers: {
    'X-Api-Key': process.env.PLANE_API_KEY
  },
  params: {
    target_date__lte: '2025-10-09',
    state__group__in: 'started,unstarted'
  }
});

const issues = await response.json();
Supports date filtering:

✅ Query by target_date (due date)
✅ Filter by state, assignee, labels
✅ Order by any field
✅ Pagination

Deployment Options

Option 1: Self-Hosted (Free)
# Docker Compose (easiest)
git clone https://github.com/makeplane/plane
cd plane
docker-compose up -d

# Or Kubernetes for production
Cost:

Software: $0 (open source)
Infrastructure: $20-50/month (DigitalOcean/AWS)
Total: $20-50/month

Option 2: Plane Cloud (Paid)

Free tier: 5 users, 1 workspace
Pro: $8/user/month (same as Linear)
Cost for 15 users: $120/month

Plane + CiviCRM Architecture

Engineering: Plane (self-hosted)
Non-Technical: CiviCRM
Total Cost:

Plane: $20-50/month (infrastructure)
CiviCRM: $50-100/month (managed hosting)
Total: $70-150/month ($840-1,800/year)

Saves $1,000-1,500/year vs Linear + CiviCRM
Pros & Cons

Pros:

✅ Open source (aligns with your values)
✅ Linear-like UX (fast, clean)
✅ Good API for deadline queries
✅ Self-hosted (full control, data privacy)
✅ Much cheaper than Linear ($20-50 vs $120-150/month)
✅ Active community and development

Cons:

❌ Self-hosting overhead - need to manage server
❌ Less polished than Linear (newer project)
❌ Smaller ecosystem - fewer integrations
❌ DevOps required - updates, backups, monitoring
⚠️ Less mature - may have bugs

Comparison: Linear vs Plane


Feature
Linear
Plane (Self-Hosted)
Plane Cloud


Cost (15 users)
$120-150/mo
$20-50/mo
$120/mo


UX Speed
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐


API Quality
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐


GitHub Integration
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐


Deadline API
✅ Yes
✅ Yes
✅ Yes


Open Source
❌ No
✅ Yes
✅ Yes


Self-Hosted
❌ No
✅ Yes
❌ No


Maintenance
None
High
None


Polish/Stability
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐


Recommendation for Plane

Use Plane if:

✅ You have DevOps capacity to self-host
✅ You want open source for engineering tools too
✅ You want to save $1,000+/year vs Linear
✅ You value data sovereignty (self-hosted)

Use Linear if:

✅ You don't want to manage infrastructure
✅ You want maximum polish and stability
✅ $100/month difference isn't significant
✅ You prefer SaaS simplicity

Updated Option: Plane + CiviCRM

Engineering: Plane (self-hosted, open source)
Non-Technical: CiviCRM (open source)
Cost: $70-150/month ($840-1,800/year)
Pros:

✅ Fully open source stack
✅ Good APIs for Claude Code
✅ Low cost (saves $1,200-2,200/year vs Linear + CiviCRM)
✅ Data sovereignty (self-hosted)
✅ Linear-like UX for engineering

Cons:

❌ DevOps burden (two systems to maintain)
⚠️ Less mature than Linear

This might be your ideal setup: Open source everything, good APIs, reasonable cost.

Updated Final Recommendation Matrix


Option
Cost/Year
Open Source
API Quality
DevOps
Best For


Plane + CiviCRM
$840-1,800
✅ Both
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
High
OSS advocates


Jira + CiviCRM (OSS)
$600-1,200
✅ Both
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Low
Free/cheap


Linear + CiviCRM
$2,000-3,000
⚠️ CiviCRM only
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Low
Best UX


GitHub + CiviCRM
$600-1,200
⚠️ CiviCRM only
⭐⭐
None
Simplest


Previous options (Linear + Notion, Monday, Asana) are less relevant now that CiviCRM handles non-technical work.

Option 1: Jira + Confluence (All-in-One)

⭐ Best for: Unified system for both technical and non-technical work

Technical Work


✅ API: Powerful JQL for deadline queries
✅ GitHub Integration: Bi-directional sync available
✅ Issue Tracking: Excellent for bugs, features
⚠️ Speed: Notoriously slow UI
⚠️ Developer UX: Complex, frustrating for daily use

Non-Technical Project Management


✅ Custom Workflows: Perfect for grant processes

Grant stages: Draft → Review → Submit → Under Review → Awarded/Rejected
Paper pipeline: Draft → Internal Review → Submission → Revision → Published
Financial reports: Pending → In Progress → Review → Submitted


✅ Custom Issue Types: Create "Grant Application", "Paper Submission", "Financial Report"
✅ Custom Fields: Track grant amounts, deadlines, review stages, submission dates
✅ Confluence Integration: Write grant proposals, papers, documentation
✅ Advanced Permissions: Control who sees financial/sensitive information
✅ Dashboard & Reporting: Track grant pipeline, publication status
✅ Calendar View: See all grant deadlines, paper submissions
✅ Attachments: Store grant docs, financial reports, paper PDFs

API for Your Needs

Querying deadlines (works well):
// All grants due in next 30 days
const grants = await jira.searchJira(
  'issuetype = "Grant Application" AND duedate <= 30d AND status != Awarded ORDER BY duedate',
  { fields: ['summary', 'duedate', 'customfield_10001'] } // amount
);

// Papers awaiting review
const papers = await jira.searchJira(
  'issuetype = "Paper Submission" AND status = "Under Review"'
);

// All deadlines across all types
const allDeadlines = await jira.searchJira(
  'duedate >= now() AND duedate <= 7d AND status not in (Done, Awarded, Published) ORDER BY duedate'
);
Strengths:

✅ Server-side filtering for deadlines
✅ Can query across different work types
✅ Powerful for complex queries
⚠️ JQL learning curve
⚠️ More verbose than Linear

Pricing


Free if approved for open source license (likely eligible)
Includes Jira + Confluence + unlimited users
$0/month potential cost

Pros & Cons

Pros:

✅ Handles both technical and non-technical work well
✅ Free if OSS approved (huge savings)
✅ Confluence for documentation, grant writing, papers
✅ Mature workflows for complex processes (grants)
✅ Good API for deadline automation
✅ Advanced reporting for grant pipeline tracking
✅ One tool for everything (less context switching)

Cons:

❌ Slow UI - frustrating for daily engineering work
❌ Complex setup - 4-8 hours initial configuration
❌ JQL learning curve - 1-2 weeks to master
❌ Not optimized for engineers - feels heavy
❌ Approval wait - 1-2 weeks for OSS license

Best for: Teams that want one tool for everything and get the free OSS license

Option 2: Linear + Notion (Best of Both Worlds)

⭐ Best for: Engineering speed + flexible project management

Technical Work → Linear


✅ API: Best-in-class for deadline queries
✅ GitHub Integration: Seamless, native
✅ Speed: 5-10x faster than Jira
✅ Developer UX: Built for engineers
✅ Issue Tracking: Excellent for rapid triage

Non-Technical Project Management → Notion


✅ Grant Database: Track applications with custom properties

Properties: Grant name, Amount, Deadline, Status, Probability
Views: Pipeline (Kanban), Calendar, Table, Timeline
Formulas: Calculate expected value, days until deadline


✅ Paper Tracker: Conference/journal submission pipeline

Properties: Title, Conference, Deadline, Status, Authors
Views: By deadline, By conference, By status
Linked databases: Connect papers to related grants


✅ Financial Reports: Calendar with report deadlines
✅ Long-Form Writing: Draft grant proposals, papers, blog posts
✅ Documentation: All-in-one wiki for research, methodology
✅ Templates: Reusable grant application, paper submission templates
✅ Collaboration: Comments, mentions, real-time editing

API for Your Needs

Linear API (Technical deadlines):
// Engineering deadlines
const techDeadlines = await linear.issues({
  filter: {
    dueDate: { lte: addDays(new Date(), 7) },
    state: { type: { nin: ['completed', 'canceled'] } }
  },
  orderBy: 'dueDate'
});
Notion API (Non-technical deadlines):
// Grant deadlines from Notion database
const grantDeadlines = await notion.databases.query({
  database_id: grantsDatabaseId,
  filter: {
    and: [
      { property: 'Deadline', date: { on_or_before: addDays(new Date(), 30) } },
      { property: 'Status', select: { does_not_equal: 'Awarded' } }
    ]
  },
  sorts: [{ property: 'Deadline', direction: 'ascending' }]
});

// Paper submission deadlines
const paperDeadlines = await notion.databases.query({
  database_id: papersDatabaseId,
  filter: {
    property: 'Submission Deadline',
    date: { next_week: {} }
  }
});

// Combined view for all upcoming deadlines
const allDeadlines = {
  technical: techDeadlines.nodes,
  grants: grantDeadlines.results,
  papers: paperDeadlines.results
};
Strengths:

✅ Both have excellent APIs
✅ Can query each separately or combine
✅ Notion API supports date filtering
⚠️ Requires combining data from two sources

Pricing


Linear: $120-150/month (15 users @ $8-10/user)
Notion: $120/month (15 users @ $8/user)
Total: ~$240-270/month

Pros & Cons

Pros:

✅ Linear speed for engineering work (best UX)
✅ Notion flexibility for grants, papers, documentation
✅ Best APIs for both use cases
✅ Each tool excels at its purpose
✅ Great for writing (grant proposals, papers in Notion)
✅ Databases in Notion perfect for grant/paper tracking
✅ Fast setup - 2-3 hours total

Cons:

❌ Two tools - context switching
❌ Higher cost - $240-270/month
❌ Two integrations to maintain
❌ Split data - technical vs non-technical in different places

Best for: Teams willing to pay for best-in-class tools for each use case

Option 3: Linear Only (Engineering-First)

⭐ Best for: Pure engineering focus, minimal non-technical work

Technical Work


✅ API: Best-in-class
✅ GitHub: Seamless
✅ Speed: Fastest
✅ Developer UX: Best

Non-Technical Project Management


⚠️ Can work but awkward:

Create "Grant" team or project
Use issues for grant applications, papers
Custom labels: "grant", "paper", "financial"
Due dates work fine


❌ Missing:

No long-form writing (grant proposals)
No rich databases (just issue lists)
No templates for grant applications
Limited custom fields
Not designed for non-technical stakeholders


API for Your Needs

Works for both, but limited for non-technical:
// Can query all deadlines including grants/papers
const allDeadlines = await linear.issues({
  filter: {
    dueDate: { lte: addDays(new Date(), 30) }
  },
  orderBy: 'dueDate'
});

// Filter by label for grants
const grants = await linear.issues({
  filter: {
    labels: { name: { eq: 'grant' } },
    dueDate: { lte: addDays(new Date(), 90) }
  }
});
Pricing


$120-150/month (15 users @ $8-10/user)

Pros & Cons

Pros:

✅ Best technical workflow
✅ Best API for deadline queries
✅ Single tool (less complexity)
✅ Lower cost than dual setup

Cons:

❌ Poor for grant writing (no long-form docs)
❌ Limited for complex workflows (grant stages)
❌ Not designed for non-technical work
❌ Missing database features for tracking grants/papers

Best for: If non-technical work is <10% and simple

Option 4: Notion Only (All-in-One Alternative)

⭐ Best for: Unified workspace, lighter technical needs

Technical Work


⚠️ Can work but not optimal:

Bug database instead of issue tracker
Not as fast as Linear for triage
GitHub integration via third-party (Notion2GitHub)


❌ Missing:

Not optimized for rapid issue triage
Slower than Linear/GitHub Projects
Weaker GitHub integration


Non-Technical Project Management


✅ Excellent:

Perfect for grant tracking, paper pipelines
Long-form writing (proposals, papers)
All-in-one workspace
Rich databases with relations


API for Your Needs

Notion API supports date filtering:
// Query all databases for upcoming deadlines
const bugDeadlines = await notion.databases.query({
  database_id: bugsDatabaseId,
  filter: { property: 'Due Date', date: { next_week: {} } }
});

const grantDeadlines = await notion.databases.query({
  database_id: grantsDatabaseId,
  filter: { property: 'Deadline', date: { next_month: {} } }
});

// Combine all deadlines
const allDeadlines = [...bugDeadlines.results, ...grantDeadlines.results]
  .sort((a, b) => new Date(a.properties.DueDate) - new Date(b.properties.DueDate));
Pricing


$120/month (15 users @ $8/user)

Pros & Cons

Pros:

✅ Great for non-technical work (best option)
✅ All-in-one workspace
✅ Lower cost than dual setup
✅ Flexible databases for any use case
✅ Great for documentation and writing

Cons:

❌ Not optimized for engineering workflows
❌ Slower than Linear for daily triage
❌ Weaker GitHub integration
❌ Not built for developers

Best for: Research-heavy teams with lighter engineering needs

Option 5: Monday.com (Visual Project Management)

⭐ Best for: Mixed teams, visual workflows, flexibility

Technical Work


⚠️ Can work but not optimal:

Bug tracking boards
Feature request pipelines
GitHub integration available (third-party)
Not as fast as Linear for engineering triage


⚠️ Missing:

Not built for developers
Slower than Linear/GitHub Projects
Less technical feel


Non-Technical Project Management


✅ Excellent:

Grant tracking: Visual pipeline with columns (Draft → Review → Submit → Awarded)
Paper submissions: Timeline view for conference deadlines
Financial reports: Calendar and Gantt views
Custom boards: Unlimited flexibility for any workflow
Automations: Auto-assign, send reminders, status changes
Dashboards: High-level view of all projects
Multiple views: Kanban, Gantt, Calendar, Timeline, Map
Dependencies: Link grants to related projects
Budget tracking: Track grant amounts, expenses


API for Your Needs

Monday.com API (GraphQL):
# Query all items with upcoming deadlines
query {
  boards(ids: [123456, 789012]) {
    items(
      limit: 100
      query_params: {
        rules: [
          {
            column_id: "deadline"
            compare_value: ["2025-10-02", "2025-10-09"]
            operator: between
          },
          {
            column_id: "status"
            compare_value: ["Done", "Awarded"]
            operator: not_any_of
          }
        ]
      }
    ) {
      id
      name
      column_values {
        id
        text
      }
    }
  }
}
JavaScript SDK:
const mondayClient = require('monday-sdk-js')();
mondayClient.setToken(process.env.MONDAY_API_TOKEN);

// Query deadlines across all boards
const query = `query {
  boards(ids: [${bugBoardId}, ${grantBoardId}, ${paperBoardId}]) {
    name
    items(query_params: {
      rules: [{
        column_id: "deadline",
        compare_value: ["${today}", "${nextWeek}"],
        operator: between
      }]
    }) {
      name
      column_values(ids: ["deadline", "person", "status"]) {
        text
      }
    }
  }
}`;

const response = await mondayClient.api(query);
Strengths:

✅ Server-side date filtering (GraphQL)
✅ Can query across multiple boards
✅ Rich metadata in columns
⚠️ More complex than Linear API
⚠️ Need to know board IDs and column IDs

Pricing


Free: Up to 2 seats (not viable)
Basic: $9/seat/month = $135/month for 15 users (3 seat minimum)
Standard: $12/seat/month = $180/month (recommended - has automations)
Pro: $19/seat/month = $285/month (advanced features)
Typical cost: $180/month for Standard

Pros & Cons

Pros:

✅ Highly visual - great for stakeholder communication
✅ Flexible - can model any workflow
✅ Great for non-technical - grants, papers, financial tracking
✅ Automations - auto-reminders for deadlines
✅ Multiple views - see data many ways (Kanban, Gantt, Calendar)
✅ Good API - GraphQL with date filtering
✅ Dashboards - high-level overview of all work
✅ Integrations - connects to many tools

Cons:

❌ Not for developers - feels slow for engineering work
❌ Can get expensive - $180-285/month
❌ Overwhelming - too many features, complex
❌ GitHub integration weak - third-party, not native
❌ Slower than Linear for rapid issue triage
⚠️ Previous experience - you tried it before (why did you stop?)

Best for: Teams wanting visual project management for both technical and non-technical work

Option 6: Asana (Project & Task Management)

⭐ Best for: Traditional project management, task tracking

Technical Work


⚠️ Can work but not ideal:

Bug tracking projects
Feature development tracking
GitHub integration available (Unito, Zapier)
Not built for developers


❌ Missing:

Slow for engineering triage
Not developer-focused
Weaker GitHub integration than Linear


Non-Technical Project Management


✅ Good:

Grant tracking: Projects for each grant application
Paper submissions: Tasks with subtasks for each submission
Portfolio view: See all grants/papers in one place
Timeline: Gantt-style view of deadlines
Forms: Intake forms for new grant applications
Templates: Reusable grant, paper submission workflows
Goals: Track OKRs, grant targets
Workload: See who's overloaded with grant work


API for Your Needs

Asana API (REST):
const asana = require('asana');
const client = asana.Client.create().useAccessToken(process.env.ASANA_TOKEN);

// Query tasks with upcoming deadlines
const tasks = await client.tasks.findAll({
  workspace: workspaceId,
  assignee: 'me',
  completed_since: 'now',
  opt_fields: 'name,due_on,assignee,projects'
});

// Filter by due date (client-side - API doesn't support date filtering!)
const upcomingDeadlines = tasks.data.filter(task => {
  if (!task.due_on) return false;
  const dueDate = new Date(task.due_on);
  const daysUntil = (dueDate - new Date()) / (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24);
  return daysUntil >= 0 && daysUntil <= 7;
}).sort((a, b) => new Date(a.due_on) - new Date(b.due_on));

// Advanced search (supports date filtering)
const results = await client.workspaces.tasks.typeahead({
  workspace: workspaceId,
  resource_subtype: 'default_task',
  query: 'due_on:2025-10-02..2025-10-09'
});
Strengths:

⚠️ Limited date filtering in main API
✅ Advanced search supports dates but complex
⚠️ REST only (no GraphQL)
⚠️ Need to query by workspace/project
❌ Weaker API than Linear/Jira/Monday

Pricing


Free: Basic features, unlimited tasks (limited for teams)
Premium: $10.99/user/month = $165/month for 15 users
Business: $24.99/user/month = $375/month (advanced features)
Typical cost: $165/month for Premium

Pros & Cons

Pros:

✅ Familiar - widely used, intuitive
✅ Good for project management - tasks, subtasks, dependencies
✅ Templates - reusable workflows
✅ Multiple views - List, Board, Timeline, Calendar
✅ Good for non-technical - grants, papers work well
✅ Moderate cost - cheaper than Monday Pro

Cons:

❌ API limitations - date filtering awkward
❌ Not for developers - feels slow for engineering
❌ GitHub integration weak - third-party only
❌ Client-side filtering needed for deadline queries
❌ Not optimized for either technical or non-technical (jack of all trades)

Best for: Traditional project managers comfortable with Asana, lighter deadline automation needs

Option 7: GitHub Projects + Notion (Hybrid Budget)

⭐ Best for: Minimal cost, separate concerns

Technical Work → GitHub Projects


✅ Free
✅ Native GitHub integration
❌ Poor API for deadline queries (your current pain)

Non-Technical Project Management → Notion


✅ Perfect for grants, papers
✅ $120/month

API for Your Needs

Still limited by GitHub Projects API:

Engineering deadlines remain problematic
Notion API works well for non-technical deadlines
Doesn't solve your core problem (AI agents querying technical deadlines)

Pricing


$120/month (Notion only)

Pros & Cons

Pros:

✅ Lower cost than Linear + Notion
✅ Solves non-technical needs well

Cons:

❌ Doesn't solve API problem you're trying to fix
❌ Still can't query engineering deadlines efficiently

Best for: If budget is tight and you can live with GitHub Projects limitations

Comprehensive Comparison Matrix


Criterion
Jira + Confluence
Linear + Notion
Monday.com
Asana
Linear Only
Notion Only
GitHub + Notion


Cost (15 users/mo)
$0 (if OSS)
$240-270
$180
$165
$120-150
$120
$120


Engineering Speed
⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐
⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐


GitHub Integration
⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐
⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Tech Deadline API
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐


Grant Tracking
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Paper Submissions
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Long-Form Writing
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐
⭐⭐
⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Financial Reports
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Visual/Dashboard
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐


Automations
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐


Setup Time
6-8 hours
2-3 hours
3-4 hours
3-4 hours
2 hours
2 hours
1 hour


Learning Curve
High (JQL)
Low
Medium
Low
Low
Low
Low


Context Switching
None
Some
None
None
None
None
Some


Developer Experience
⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐
⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐


Non-Tech Stakeholders
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


AI Agent Integration
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐


Use Case Examples

Example: Grant Application Workflow

Jira + Confluence

1. Create "Grant Application" issue type
2. Custom fields: Amount, Funder, Deadline, Probability
3. Workflow: Draft → Review → Submit → Under Review → Awarded/Rejected
4. Write proposal in Confluence (linked to Jira issue)
5. Track all grants in Jira dashboard
6. Query via API: "All grants due in next 60 days with >50% probability"

Experience: ✅ Professional, structured, good for compliance
Linear + Notion

1. Notion database: Grants
2. Properties: Amount, Funder, Deadline, Probability, Status
3. Write proposal as Notion page (linked to database entry)
4. Track in Kanban view: Draft → Review → Submit → Under Review → Awarded
5. Query via Notion API for deadlines
6. Linear used only for technical work

Experience: ✅ Flexible, visual, great for writing proposals
Linear Only

1. Create issue with label "grant"
2. Title: "Grant: [Funder Name] - [Amount]"
3. Description: Grant details (but no rich formatting)
4. Due date: Application deadline
5. No good place for proposal draft
6. Query via API works but limited metadata

Experience: ⚠️ Works but feels hacky, missing key features
Example: Paper Submission Tracking

Jira + Confluence

1. "Paper Submission" issue type
2. Fields: Conference, Deadline, Authors, Status
3. Write paper in external tool (Overleaf, Google Docs)
4. Track submission status in Jira
5. Confluence for notes, reviews, revision tracking

Experience: ✅ Good tracking, weak for actual writing
Linear + Notion

1. Notion database: Papers
2. Properties: Conference, Deadline, Authors, Status, Review Stage
3. Draft paper in Notion or link to Overleaf
4. Track reviews and revisions in Notion
5. Visual pipeline view

Experience: ✅ Excellent, especially if drafting in Notion
Linear Only

1. Issue with label "paper"
2. Track submission deadline
3. No good place for paper content or reviews

Experience: ⚠️ Bare minimum tracking only
Example: AI Agent Query - "What deadlines are coming up?"

Jira + Confluence

// Single query across all types
const allDeadlines = await jira.searchJira(
  `duedate >= now() AND duedate <= 7d
   AND status not in (Done, Awarded, Published)
   ORDER BY duedate ASC`,
  {
    fields: ['summary', 'duedate', 'issuetype', 'status', 'assignee']
  }
);

// Returns: bugs, features, grants, papers, financial reports
// All in one query, with type metadata
Result:
📅 Upcoming Deadlines (Next 7 Days):

Oct 5: Bug - Fix authentication error (Sarah)
Oct 6: Grant - NSF POSE Phase 2 Application ($1.5M)
Oct 7: Feature - Add UK carbon tax analysis (Mike)
Oct 8: Paper - AEA submission "UBI Microsimulation" (Max, Nikhil)
Oct 9: Financial Report - Q3 Foundation Report

Experience: ✅ Single source of truth, unified view
Linear + Notion

// Query Linear for technical deadlines
const techDeadlines = await linear.issues({
  filter: {
    dueDate: {
      gte: new Date().toISOString().split('T')[0],
      lte: addDays(new Date(), 7).toISOString().split('T')[0]
    },
    state: { type: { nin: ['completed', 'canceled'] } }
  },
  orderBy: 'dueDate'
});

// Query Notion for grants
const grantDeadlines = await notion.databases.query({
  database_id: grantsDatabaseId,
  filter: {
    and: [
      { property: 'Deadline', date: { next_week: {} } },
      { property: 'Status', select: { does_not_equal: 'Awarded' } }
    ]
  }
});

// Query Notion for papers
const paperDeadlines = await notion.databases.query({
  database_id: papersDatabaseId,
  filter: { property: 'Deadline', date: { next_week: {} } }
});

// Combine and sort
const combined = [
  ...techDeadlines.nodes.map(i => ({ type: 'tech', ...i })),
  ...grantDeadlines.results.map(g => ({ type: 'grant', ...g })),
  ...paperDeadlines.results.map(p => ({ type: 'paper', ...p }))
].sort((a, b) => new Date(a.dueDate) - new Date(b.dueDate));
Result: Same as above
Experience: ✅ Works perfectly, just more code
Linear Only

const allDeadlines = await linear.issues({
  filter: {
    dueDate: { lte: addDays(new Date(), 7) }
  },
  orderBy: 'dueDate'
});

// Returns bugs, features, AND grants/papers if tracked as issues
// But missing rich metadata (grant amount, conference name, etc.)
Experience: ⚠️ Works but loses context/metadata

API Comparison for Deadline Queries

Query: "All deadlines in next 30 days across all work types"


Tool
Lines of Code
Server Filtering
Rich Metadata
Complexity
API Quality


Linear
5-10
✅ Yes (GraphQL)
⚠️ Limited
Low
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Jira
5-10
✅ Yes (JQL)
✅ Full
Medium (JQL)
⭐⭐⭐⭐


Monday.com
10-20
✅ Yes (GraphQL)
✅ Full
Medium
⭐⭐⭐⭐


Linear + Notion
30-40
✅ Yes (both)
✅ Full
Medium (2 APIs)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Notion
30-40
✅ Yes
✅ Full
Medium (multiple DBs)
⭐⭐⭐⭐


Asana
40-50
⚠️ Limited
✅ Full
High (client-side)
⭐⭐⭐


GitHub Projects
100+
❌ No
⚠️ Limited
High
⭐⭐


API Code Examples

Jira (Simplest for unified data):
const deadlines = await jira.searchJira(
  'duedate <= 30d AND status not in (Done, Awarded) ORDER BY duedate',
  { fields: ['summary', 'duedate', 'issuetype', 'customfield_10001'] }
);
Linear + Notion (Best APIs, need to combine):
const [tech, grants, papers] = await Promise.all([
  linear.issues({ filter: { dueDate: { lte: '2025-11-01' } } }),
  notion.databases.query({
    database_id: grants,
    filter: { property: 'Deadline', date: { next_month: {} } }
  }),
  notion.databases.query({
    database_id: papers,
    filter: { property: 'Deadline', date: { next_month: {} } }
  })
]);
const all = [...tech.nodes, ...grants.results, ...papers.results].sort(...);
Linear Only (Cleanest code, limited metadata):
const deadlines = await linear.issues({
  filter: { dueDate: { lte: '2025-11-01' } },
  orderBy: 'dueDate'
});

Decision Framework

Step 1: Apply for Jira OSS License

Do this first (10 minutes):

https://www.atlassian.com/software/views/open-source-license-request
Likely to be approved (public repos, nonprofit, open source)
No downside to applying

If approved (1-2 weeks): Get Jira + Confluence free
If denied: Continue to Step 2

Step 2: Choose Based on Priorities

Priority 1: Engineering Speed & Developer Experience

→ Linear + Notion ($240/month)

Best engineering workflow
Best non-technical project management
Best APIs (but need to combine)
Worth the cost for daily velocity

Priority 2: Cost Savings

→ Jira + Confluence (if OSS approved, $0)

Can't beat free
Handles both use cases well
Accept slower UI for savings
Good enough for everything

→ Notion Only (if Jira denied, $120/month)

If engineering needs are lighter
Excellent for grants/papers
Acceptable for technical work

Priority 3: Simplicity (One Tool)

→ Jira + Confluence (if free)

Single source of truth
No context switching
Professional workflows

→ Notion Only ($120/month)

If Jira denied
Flexible for everything
Better for non-technical

Priority 4: Best-in-Class for Each

→ Linear + Notion ($240/month)

Each tool excels
Worth paying for quality
AI agent integration perfect


Recommendation for PolicyEngine

Given your specific situation:

80% technical, 20% non-technical (but non-technical is critical)
Want AI agents to query deadlines
Currently using GitHub Projects + policyengine/issues repo
Hitting API limitations

Path 1: Apply for Jira OSS → If Approved, Use Jira + Confluence

Why:

Free saves $1,500-3,000/year
Solves API problem (JQL handles deadlines well)
Perfect for grants (custom workflows, Confluence for proposals)
One tool for everything (less complexity)
Professional (good for grant applications, partnerships)

Accept:

Slower UI (but you're used to GitHub Projects)
JQL learning curve (1-2 weeks, worth it for free)
Setup time (6-8 hours)

Timeline:

Apply now (10 min)
Wait 1-2 weeks for approval
If approved: Migrate (2-3 days of work)
ROI: Immediate ($1,500+/year saved)

Path 2: If Jira Denied → Linear + Notion

Why:

Best APIs for AI agents (both excellent)
Best engineering UX (Linear)
Best for grants/papers (Notion databases)
Each excels at its purpose

Accept:

$240-270/month cost
Two tools (some context switching)
Need to combine APIs for unified deadlines

Timeline:

Sign up immediately (free trials)
Migrate Linear: 2-4 hours
Set up Notion: 2-3 hours
Build combined deadline query: 1-2 hours


Immediate Next Steps

Week 1: Apply & Trial


Apply for Jira OSS license (10 minutes)
Start Linear trial (14 days free)
Start Notion trial (free tier or trial)
Test APIs for deadline queries

Week 2-3: Wait & Evaluate


Test Linear with policyengine-app issues
Test Notion with grants/papers database
Build deadline query combining both APIs
Wait for Jira response

Week 4: Decide


If Jira approved: Go with Jira + Confluence (free wins)
If Jira denied: Choose Linear + Notion (best experience)
If budget tight: Choose Notion only (good enough)


Summary Table


Option
Cost/Year
Best For
API Quality
Solves Your Problems
Notes


Jira + Confluence
$0 (if OSS)
Unified, free
⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅ Yes
Apply for OSS license


Linear + Notion
$2,900-3,200
Best-in-class
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅ Yes
Best UX, higher cost


Monday.com
$2,160
Visual workflows
⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅ Yes
You tried before - why stop?


Asana
$1,980
Traditional PM
⭐⭐⭐
⚠️ API weak
Familiar but limited API


Linear Only
$1,440-1,800
Pure engineering
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⚠️ Tech only
Missing grant/paper features


Notion Only
$1,440
Research-heavy
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⚠️ Weak for tech
Good for grants, slow for bugs


GitHub + Notion
$1,440
Budget option
⭐⭐ (GitHub)
❌ No
Doesn't fix API problem


About Monday.com - You Tried It Before

Important question: Why did you stop using Monday.com?
Common reasons teams abandon Monday.com:

🐌 Too slow for daily engineering work (Kanban feels sluggish)
😵 Too complex for simple needs (overwhelming features)
💰 Cost creep (started cheap, got expensive with features needed)
🔌 Weak GitHub integration (couldn't sync issues/PRs well)
👨‍💻 Engineers hated it (felt like "management tool" not "dev tool")
🎨 Too visual, not technical (engineers want speed, not pretty boards)

If this was your experience: Monday.com probably isn't the answer. It's excellent for non-technical work (grants, papers) but engineers typically find it frustrating.
If you stopped for other reasons (team changes, didn't set it up right, etc.): It's worth reconsidering for the non-technical half of your work.
Key insight: Monday.com is like Jira - handles both technical and non-technical work, but engineers find it slow. The difference is Jira might be free (OSS license), while Monday.com costs $180/month.

My Honest Take (Updated for CiviCRM)

Game-changer: You're getting CiviCRM anyway, which has built-in grant tracking!
This changes everything:

✅ Grant tracking solved - CiviCRM does this out-of-box
✅ Non-technical work handled - Grants, funders, papers in CRM
✅ Focus decision on engineering tools only
✅ Save money - don't need Notion/Monday for grants

Your actual decision: Pick an engineering tool
Top 3 Recommendations

1. Plane + CiviCRM (Open Source Everything) 🏆

Cost: $840-1,800/year
Why: Fully open source, good APIs, Linear-like UX
Accept: Self-hosting two systems
Best if: You have DevOps capacity and value OSS

2. Jira (OSS) + CiviCRM (Free)

Cost: $600-1,200/year (just CiviCRM hosting)
Why: Both free, both have APIs
Accept: Jira slower than Linear/Plane
Best if: OSS approved and budget matters

3. Linear + CiviCRM (Best UX)

Cost: $2,000-3,000/year
Why: Best engineering experience, best APIs
Accept: Higher cost, proprietary tool
Best if: You value speed over open source

Action Plan

Week 1:

✅ Apply for Jira OSS license (10 min, free to try)
✅ Trial Plane (docker-compose up, test for 1-2 days)
✅ Trial Linear (14-day free trial)
✅ Set up CiviCRM (you're doing this anyway)

Week 2-3:
5. Test each with real issues
6. Build test deadline query integrating with CiviCRM
7. Get team feedback (especially engineers)
8. Wait for Jira OSS response
Week 4: Decide

If Jira approved: Jira + CiviCRM (free wins)
If strong OSS preference: Plane + CiviCRM (open source stack)
If speed critical: Linear + CiviCRM (best UX)

Don't Consider


❌ Linear + Notion - CiviCRM replaces Notion need
❌ Monday.com - You tried it, didn't work, CiviCRM better for grants
❌ Asana - Weaker API, CiviCRM better for grants
❌ GitHub Projects alone - API can't filter deadlines
❌ Custom grant DB - CiviCRM already has this

The Fully Open Source Dream

Plane + CiviCRM might be perfect for you:
Engineering: Plane (OSS, self-hosted, Linear-like)
+ CRM/Grants: CiviCRM (OSS, nonprofit-focused)
+ Infrastructure: Your own servers
+ Cost: $70-150/month
+ Philosophy: Fully open source, data sovereignty
+ APIs: Both excellent for Claude Code

This gives you:

✅ Open source everything
✅ Linear-like speed for engineering
✅ Purpose-built grant tracking (CiviCRM)
✅ Full control and data sovereignty
✅ Saves $1,200-2,200/year vs Linear

The only cost is DevOps time. If you have capacity, this might be ideal.
Want me to help you:

Set up Plane locally for testing?
Draft the Jira OSS application?
Build a prototype deadline aggregator (Plane/Linear/Jira + CiviCRM)?
Create a CiviCRM grant tracking demo?
Option	Cost/Year	Engineering	Non-Tech	API Quality	Open Source	Recommended
Plane + CiviCRM	$840-1,800	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	✅ Both	🏆 Best Overall
Jira + CiviCRM (OSS)	$600-1,200	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	✅ Both	Best Value
Linear + CiviCRM	$2,000-3,000	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⚠️ CiviCRM only	Best UX
GitHub + CiviCRM	$600-1,200	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐	⚠️ CiviCRM only	Cheapest
Feature	Linear	Plane (Self-Hosted)	Plane Cloud
Cost (15 users)	$120-150/mo	$20-50/mo	$120/mo
UX Speed	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
API Quality	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
GitHub Integration	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Deadline API	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Open Source	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Self-Hosted	❌ No	✅ Yes	❌ No
Maintenance	None	High	None
Polish/Stability	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Criterion	Jira + Confluence	Linear + Notion	Monday.com	Asana	Linear Only	Notion Only	GitHub + Notion
Cost (15 users/mo)	$0 (if OSS)	$240-270	$180	$165	$120-150	$120	$120
Engineering Speed	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
GitHub Integration	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Tech Deadline API	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐
Grant Tracking	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Paper Submissions	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Long-Form Writing	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐	⭐⭐	⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Financial Reports	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Visual/Dashboard	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
Automations	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐
Setup Time	6-8 hours	2-3 hours	3-4 hours	3-4 hours	2 hours	2 hours	1 hour
Learning Curve	High (JQL)	Low	Medium	Low	Low	Low	Low
Context Switching	None	Some	None	None	None	None	Some
Developer Experience	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
Non-Tech Stakeholders	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
AI Agent Integration	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐
Tool	Lines of Code	Server Filtering	Rich Metadata	Complexity	API Quality
Linear	5-10	✅ Yes (GraphQL)	⚠️ Limited	Low	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Jira	5-10	✅ Yes (JQL)	✅ Full	Medium (JQL)	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Monday.com	10-20	✅ Yes (GraphQL)	✅ Full	Medium	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Linear + Notion	30-40	✅ Yes (both)	✅ Full	Medium (2 APIs)	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Notion	30-40	✅ Yes	✅ Full	Medium (multiple DBs)	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Asana	40-50	⚠️ Limited	✅ Full	High (client-side)	⭐⭐⭐
GitHub Projects	100+	❌ No	⚠️ Limited	High	⭐⭐
Option	Cost/Year	Best For	API Quality	Solves Your Problems	Notes
Jira + Confluence	$0 (if OSS)	Unified, free	⭐⭐⭐⭐	✅ Yes	Apply for OSS license
Linear + Notion	$2,900-3,200	Best-in-class	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	✅ Yes	Best UX, higher cost
Monday.com	$2,160	Visual workflows	⭐⭐⭐⭐	✅ Yes	You tried before - why stop?
Asana	$1,980	Traditional PM	⭐⭐⭐	⚠️ API weak	Familiar but limited API
Linear Only	$1,440-1,800	Pure engineering	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⚠️ Tech only	Missing grant/paper features
Notion Only	$1,440	Research-heavy	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⚠️ Weak for tech	Good for grants, slow for bugs
GitHub + Notion	$1,440	Budget option	⭐⭐ (GitHub)	❌ No	Doesn't fix API problem