A skilled volunteer delivered a client tracking software solution selection and data migration project to help Foster Village Charlotte. As a result they anticipate saving staff over 520 hours annually, allowing them to focus on foster family success.
Now includes one-year post-project Impact Update.
Foster Village Charlotte provides advocacy and support to families fostering children through several programs, including providing welcome packs, one-on-one support and being a resource hub. They create connections with dignity for children and families experiencing foster care by meeting urgent needs, providing educational and emotional support, and advocating as a collective community voice for children.
Foster Village Charlotte (FVC) was tracking, reporting and managing caregiver data manually when they reached out to Apparo for help with identifying a software solution to streamline their processes. Volunteer, Derik Timmerman from Sparrow Nonprofit Solutions, came together with Apparo to identify a solution to meet FVC needs and assisted with migrating data into the new system. The new system will streamline caregiver tracking leading to an anticipated savings of 520 hours staff annually, a value of almost $15,000 in staff time saved. Staff will have more time to build deeper connection with families, develop resources and research ways they can continue to support foster families. They will also have more time to develop relationships with current and potential donors and raise awareness about their mission and foster care in our community, potentially increasing revenue.
Staff time saved combined with having caregiver and foster family information readily available, will allow FVC to work directly with each family to ensure they are receiving the support they need. FVC has a goal to increase the number of caregivers engaging in a program after receiving the welcome packet from 25% to 40%. Because staff will have easy access to caregiver information, they will be able to be more responsive to the caregiver needs and recommend the programs beyond the welcome packet that can best support the caregiver and the foster family in that moment. FVC Co-Founder/Director of Programs & Development, Becky Santoro, shared, “Having this information readily available will help us to respond to the twists and turns of the foster care system and will allow staff to better identify and meet the needs of each caregiver and foster family. We will see our mission even more deeply fulfilled because we will have a more holistic picture of a foster parent.” The system will also allow FVC to have better data to make programming decisions. Santoro shared, “Having the system in place will allow us to understand the benefits and impacts of our programming and identify trends so we can make high quality, strategic decisions. ”
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Santoro commented, “This project was like a breath of fresh air and has been so impactful for our organization. In our world of crisis center work where we are often putting out fires and dealing with high priority needs, it was so helpful to have these project partners come along side us to help us be strategic in finding the right solution.”
Traci Prillaman, FVC Co-Founder/Director of Operations, shared her thoughts on the project, “Having an expert come in to do the leg work and help us find the right solution for our organization was extremely beneficial.” Adding, “Derik brought an out of the box solution to our need for a client focused tracking system. His extensive knowledge of the product allowed us to move forward quickly and have the advantages of real time usage and integration.”
Project Volunteer, Derik Timmerman, contributed 45 hours to this work and along with Apparo delivered a project worth almost $11,000. Derik shared a little about his experience, “It is really special to deepen relationships with Apparo and get to know Foster Village Charlotte. I had fun and we really crushed it. I really feel strongly about the work Apparo is doing and my work on this project is more than a transaction for me, this is an emotional journey.”
Impact Update: New nonprofit software has been a “lifeline” to Foster Village Charlotte.
One year after this project was completed we met again with Becky Santoro to learn about the significance and impact of Planning Center, the software they selected and implemented to track their families. Becky shares, “It’s hard to put the impact into words. It’s just so good. We know that we are a sustaining factor in people’s ability to foster and Planning Center helps us deliver that critical support. It’s been priceless.”
- Ease of onboarding of new staff, critical as they grow – “Planning Center helps us build the capacity of our small team.”
- Ease of gathering data needed for reporting, grants and management decision making – “We know have stronger data and it literally takes minutes to gather.”
- Ability to serve each foster family more holistically and individually, building their capacity to be successful foster parents
- Ability to track every interaction and have the information at their fingertips – “With more robust data, we can make foster parents feel better cared for now and they come to us for more help, before a situation becomes critical. We’re better at building trust and strong relationships.”
- Use of workflows in Planning Center triggers critical follow-ups “Now we don’t miss anyone who may have been leaving a breadcrumb or signal that they are having trouble.”
- Both of the above have driven their ability to meet their goal of increasing engagement in programs and services. In 2021 25% of their families two advantage of two or more support services. In 2022 they reached their pre-project goal of 40%.
- The structure and best practices established when they implemented Planning Center has allowed her team to focus on people and relationships, not processes. “This is the biggest gift to me as a leader. My team is well equipped in their roles and I don’t have to be on admin support, which took up so much of my time before.” This freed time has allowed Becky to focus on critical donor development.
Not only has Planning Center transformed the way they work, but also inspired Foster Village chapters around the country to make a change. Becky presented the software to other nonprofits, including several other chapters of Foster Village. Champions of Change and Foster Village Austin have already implemented Planning Center. As Becky shares, “The ripple effects from this project have been immense.”
In closing, Becky shares, “You gave us a lifeline. I thought we were doing ok with our spreadsheets, but realized that we needed to figure out how to do things better. It was the right time and right place and right project. I always credit Apparo when I tell others about Planning Center. I tell them, it’s important to ask for help in areas where you are not an expert and Apparo provides that very well. I’m so incredibly grateful.”
