Overview

Foster Success is a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring teens and young adults transitioning out of foster care are educated, housed, financially stable, employed, and connected to a reliable support system by the time they turn 26.

The Challenge

For a nonprofit collecting robust amounts of data from young applicants on a regular basis, efficiency, ease of use, accurate reporting, and reliability are crucial components for successful business outcomes.

Unfortunately, Foster Success’ existing data collection methods were not properly optimized and contributed to a myriad of operational inefficiencies, including:

• Applicants being asked the same question, regardless of when they last applied
• Inconsistent and disorganized data collection
• A lack of dependable tracking systems to monitor applicants’ progression through Foster Success programs

The Solution

Both new and existing programs for Foster Success created a heavy administrative burden that needed to be rectified so they could properly serve the needs of prospective applicants. To streamline and make Foster Success’ existing methods of data collection, storage, and monitoring more cohesive, Galvin:

• Implemented a Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud Program Management Module to provide a more focused view of each client’s participation and status by program
• Created a process using Pardot web form that fed into Salesforce Nonprofit Program Management as well as Salesforce automation to expand survey accessibility and allow for improved applicant tracking
• Incorporated a bi-annual tool in the Experience site to collect basic data points more deliberately and less frequently instead of on every application
• Updated Foster Success’ annual impact survey so responses from young people are easier to collect and monitor over time in Salesforce

The Results

Easier, More Reliable Data Reporting

Foster Success’ clients can now apply for program participation with less effort. Additionally, staff are now able to readily view the clients’ status, which programs they’re participating in, associated progression levels, and critical compliance and fund tracking. Not only do these configurations provide efficiency, compliance adherence, and a better client experience, but they also enable Foster Success to better prepare for future state growth as they add more programs with various data and application needs. Lastly, Foster Success staff are now able to report back to DCS with key metrics demonstrating their impact on applicants’ progress in their journey out of foster care and toward self-sufficiency.

Streamlined Data Collection

Integration of the bi-annual “pop-up screen tool” within the Experience site allows for program applicants to only enter their key data twice a year, drastically reducing the pain of duplicate entry. Additionally, these specific Salesforce solutions enable a more seamless data collection process for Foster Success’ annual impact survey, allowing easy updates to be made year-to-year for consistent results.

Upcoming Projects

Data reporting at Foster Success has significantly improved and will continue to do so as plans to further streamline data storage and collection methods—along with the implementation of program-specific dashboards—are put into action.