How the Merck Family Foundation managed its digital transformation in grants management

The Merck Family Foundation is a philanthropic organization focusing on supporting innovative projects in education, healthcare, and community development. With a mission to create sustainable and measurable impact, the foundation operates both domestically and internationally, partnering with a diverse range of organizations.

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Challenges

The foundation faced several challenges. Managing a high volume of projects, exceeding 100 applications per year, was challenging for the small team of two. Manual data handling across various lists and spreadsheets was time-consuming and error-prone. Additionally, the lack of transparency in tracking and reporting the impact of funded projects further complicated their operations. Human resources’ changes compounded the difficulties in maintaining continuity and institutional knowledge, highlighting the need for a more efficient and sustainable system.

Solution

To address these challenges, the Merck Family Foundation implemented Optimy. The foundation discovered Optimy through consultations with other foundations and sector experts, who shared their positive experiences with the platform. The implementation process began in 2020 and was smooth and well-supported by the Optimy team. The software provided a centralized platform for all project data, accessible to all team members, and automated many processes, streamlining application handling, data entry, and reporting. Integrated tools for tracking and measuring project outcomes against predefined indicators were included, and its user-friendly interface facilitated quick adoption by the team.

Results

The Merck Family Foundation's adoption of Optimy has streamlined its operations and delivered significant benefits. Automated processes reduced the administrative burden, allowing staff to focus on strategic tasks. Real-time access to data improved transparency and accountability in project reporting. The ability to track and visualize impact data enabled more effective evaluation of funded projects. Centralized data storage ensured continuity and facilitated smoother transitions during personnel changes.

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