Web-based automation of grant review process
Snapshot
Kalles Group consultants streamline the grant review process for a global non-profit organization by implementing a web-based grant management system.
Challenge
Our client, a large Seattle-based nonproÂfit organization, had been using manual records for much of its core services of receiving, processing, and reviewing grants and contracts. As a result, the client was experiencing difficulty in maintaining accuracy and security at each stage of the grant and contract processes, which needlessly increased the costs of producing and exchanging data. As a result, the exasperated proposers and reviewers were frequently not able to experience the standards of efficiency and usability that they expected.
Approach
Using an iterative, feedback-driven methodology, Kalles Group integrated with two client teams to design, develop, implement, and maintain a web-based (Microsoft Dynamics CRM) grants management system.
Kalles Group consultants:
- Rapidly identified requirements and speciÂfications for the new application
- Worked closely with user-interface (UI) designers to develop UI structure and create content.
- Outlined and wrote web content
- Consulted with a development team based in Manila to define and implement SharePoint and .NET conÂfigurations
- Crafted and maintained internal documentation for system administrators
- Consulted with design teams to optimize the usability of the  nal product—ensuring clear and consistent terms and deÂfinitions in all end-user communications
- Worked with information security teams to ensure the viability of the new system
- Streamlined end-user documentation and change communication processes for grants and contracts management systems
Results
Our client is now able to more rapidly receive, review, and sort grants with greater accuracy and security. With less printing and mailing, and therefore an accelerated turnover rate for each proposal, our client has experienced signiÂficant operating cost reductions and increased grants and contracts administration capacity. With the new system, proposers located all over the world now have access to an intuitive and self-contained system that contains a catalogue of materials for support. Perhaps most signiÂficant is that these enhancements have improved the relationships between our client and its stakeholders.