David and Lucile Packard Foundation

Fluxx overhaul and optimization—improving grantee and grantmaker user experience

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation set about a major overhaul of their grantmaking practices and system with four main goals: to improve the grantee experience, increase staff efficiency, increase the quality of grantmaking data, and leverage technology.

36

sets of questions consolidated into one flexible proposal

15

average hours saved per grantee on proposal and reporting requirements

19%

reduction in time from proposal to grant

Guided by a co-developed strategic roadmap, the Foundation and Grantbook worked together to tackle critical changes to the Foundation’s grantmaking operations across systems, processes, procedures, and roles. Together we overhauled the Foundation’s Fluxx system, embedding these critical changes in the day-to-day work.

Launched in May of 2022, Packard’s GMS re-implementation has meant centering the grantee and incorporating many “trust-based” practices.

GRANTBOOK SERVICES

Implementation Readiness
Fluxx Re-implemantation
Ongoing Fluxx Support

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A mother holding her baby, who is holding a stethescope to a doctor's chest

Challenge

Like many influential foundations, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation has grown exponentially since its inception in 1964. By the time the Foundation launched its grantmaking initiative—Grantsformation—it had been many years since a dedicated focus on grantmaking processes. As an early adopter of Fluxx, the Foundation realized it was not taking full advantage of more recent features and that the data in the system was not structured to deliver the insights the Foundation needed. In addition, the Foundation noted a disconnect between their values and some grantmaking practices that could be burdensome for grantees.

Journey

Grantbook worked with the Foundation to convert the wishlist of changes to systems, practices, processes, and data into an actionable roadmap and then began excuting against that roadmap. Given the broad-reaching impacts of the changes, staff engagement across the entire organization was required, as well as seeking feedback from grantee partner representatives.
At the heart of the roadmap were over 50 changes to the GMS, including migrating to the Fluxx grantee portal, streamlining the proposal and compliance requirements, and improving staff and grantee user experience.

Impact

As a result of this change journey, the Foundation now has a robust operational infrastructure.
Furthermore, their efforts to walk the talk of grantee-centricity have borne fruit. Recent Grantee Perception Report results reveal a meaningful drop in grantee administrative effort and more and more grantee partners are securing flexible funds or greater funding for indirect costs that support their financial resilience.

Grantbook continues to support the Foundation in continuous improvement efforts and new initiatives as it continues its Grantsformation journey.

“So often change gets stuck in bold vision and strategy statements. The hard, painstaking work of drawing that strategy down through the myriad people, process, and technology choices is where intention comes fully to life, and where real transformation begins.”

— Nikki Barrett, CEO Grantbook, from Alliance Magazine Article: Transformation: No digital silver bullet, March 2023