As a Client Success Manager supporting clients through implementing their grants or scholarship databases, I often hear Administrators lament that their board will not go online to evaluate applications or learn to use the powerful software at their fingertips. As a community foundation board member myself with over 9 years of service on two separate community foundations, I wish I could appeal to them directly to help them understand the power of their investment. At Foundant, our success is based on making our clients' jobs easier and reducing the amount of work for administrators of the system by using the full functionality of the software. So, in the spirit of helping grants and scholarship Administrators be successful, here is my open letter to a board member.
Dear Board Member,
Thank you for being passionate about helping people and engaging in community challenges. You are involved and supportive of all the amazing work happening in our community and are making a better place for all of us to live and work. The power of your funding and role as an ambassador has connected many in our community who might have otherwise missed out on help. You have an amazing staff that works tirelessly to implement strategic goals set forth by you and your fellow board members. You have purchased a powerful software system to manage your grant and scholarship giving and your staff has diligently worked to become experts and build out solutions.
The software can save precious time, for both you and your staff. I am sure you have been getting updates over recent months on their work customizing the database and now they need YOU to use it too. If you have an email address - you are ready to dive into the online world of reviewing applications, learning more about the organizations you fund, and reading feedback and stories about the impact your funding is making in the community. Here are five compelling reasons why I think you should directly interact with the software:
1. Using the software for online review SAVES YOU TIME and allows you to efficiently consider requests and provide valuable feedback. Print packets took resources and time away from your staff and you can now save a lot of trees.
2. Harness the POWER of Foundation Center and GuideStar resources on nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations at your fingertips.
3. 24/7 ACCESS to information and documentation on all the organizations you fund. All you need is an internet connection!
4. Online reviews result in SHORTER MEETINGS and allow for thoughtful decisions so you never feel rushed to make funding decisions.
5. COMPLIANT documentation of grants or scholarships throughout the process and maintain the integrity of the data and ease of IRS reporting.
I hope you will be willing to use the power of your cloud-based online grantmaking software to show support for your amazing staff and make your work more efficient. At Foundant Technologies we value our client’s success and, with your engagement in the software, we will be successful.
