Executive summary

The S2C collective was struggling with overwhelming paper-based grant management processes and a lack of internal bandwidth to tackle the necessary upgrades. By transitioning to Temelio's flexible grants management software, they were able to integrate their existing tools, seamlessly represent multiple organizations thanks to Temelio’s multi-instance capabilities, and boost team morale by eliminating decision fatigue.

• ~60 pilot applications processed flawlessly: Used Temelio to manage their Community Giving Initiative applications to stress-test the system without disrupting daily operations.
• 100% digitization of grant workflows: Successfully transitioned the S2C team from paper-and-email-based tracking to a fully centralized, cloud-based database.
• 2 philanthropic entities unified in 1 system: Consolidated the complex administrative workflows and grant tracking for programs for both Chamberlin Philanthropy and the Chamberlin Education Foundation into a single ecosystem.
• 20+ years of historical grantmaking: Modernized its processes for a long-standing portfolio of over two decades of charitable giving.

Foundation overview

Formed in 2021, the S2C Collective serves as an administrative and advocacy umbrella for various philanthropic projects, including the local work of the Chamberlin Education Foundation (CEF). While S2C itself is a young organization, it was established to manage a long-standing portfolio of charitable giving. Its team has over 20 years of experience in grantmaking and philanthropy. 

The collective aims to develop programs that fund initiatives directly impacting students and schools. The foundation supports educators and community partners to advance educational equity and excellence in West Contra Costa public schools. Their vision is to create a free, high-quality public school ecosystem that: 

• Values student intellect and identity.
• Encourages students to reach their full potential.
• Delivers equitable outcomes, particularly for Black, Latinx, and other historically under-resourced students.

The challenge: Overwhelming paper-based grant management processes

When Angelina Chacon-Garcia joined S2C as Grants Manager, it was clear that the existing team lacked the bandwidth and expertise to manage their grants system effectively. As a new staff member, understanding the existing programs while navigating the outdated, paper-based processes was a struggle, highlighting the critical need for a digital solution to improve workflow.

The primary friction points included:

• Administrative overwhelm: Relying on paper-based processes was a major hassle for the staff.
• Decision fatigue: Platforms used in the past, such as Salesforce, caused significant decision fatigue due to a lack of user-friendliness.
• Disjointed communication: The foundation relied heavily on email-driven processes, which negatively impacted overall team morale.

The solution: A flexible and clear database system

To find a better system, S2C gathered software requirements from their core departments to identify essential features. Because they operate as a family-based philanthropic organization, they needed a system that prioritized structural flexibility above all else.

They ultimately chose Temelio for several critical reasons:

• Backend and user flexibility: Temelio provided the adaptability required for users and the backend to manage complex organizational structures.
• Smooth integrations: The system integrated smoothly with their existing tools, which helped improve data management.
• Clarity over clutter: While other systems offered extra bells and whistles, Temelio's clarity and structured decision-making ecosystem made it the optimal choice.

The results: Seamless transitions and boosted morale

The rollout of Temelio was straightforward, aligned perfectly with the provided timeline, and allowed the team to transition from paper to digital systems seamlessly. S2C initially tested the platform with its Community Giving initiative, which involved around 60 applications. Testing with a smaller initiative ensured the system would work without overwhelming their operations.

Improved team well-being

Moving away from outdated platforms and email chains significantly improved the daily experience and morale for the staff. The S2C teams leveraged our centralized CRM, native reporting tools, and other capabilities to improve efficiency.

• The impact: "Moving away from email-driven processes has boosted morale across the team. The user-friendly nature of the system reduces decision fatigue, which was a big issue with other platforms like Salesforce." — Angelina Chacon-Garcia

Managing complex organizational structures

A unique complexity for S2C was understanding how to legally represent and manage multiple distinct organizations within one platform.

• The impact: "Temelio’s flexibility, especially in managing multiple instances, made this much easier. Your team made sure everything felt seamless for the user."

Responsive and personalized support

The foundation benefited from quick, efficient, and well-timed customer service, ensuring that in-depth questions received answers from the right experts.

• The impact: "The support has been excellent. I regularly use the chat feature, which gets responses quickly and efficiently. The team is very responsive, and if a question needs more in-depth attention, it’s routed to the right person.”

A credible and evolving partnership

S2C appreciates Temelio's visible impact on their daily workflow and the platform's continuous evolution.

• The impact: "I’m excited to see how Temelio continues to evolve. You’ve earned a lot of credibility with the quick improvements and visible impact on our work. It’s clear your team takes pride in sharing progress, which has been really appreciated."

About the Author

Maya Kuppermann is the Co-Founder and CEO of Temelio, a modern grants management platform built for small and mid-sized foundations and philanthropic organizations. With experience spanning nonprofit leadership, family philanthropy, and technology, Maya brings a practitioner’s perspective to building software that simplifies and strengthens grantmaking. She has worked closely with over one hundred funders to modernize their operations and improve the grantee experience. Maya is passionate about leveraging technology to increase the effectiveness and accessibility of philanthropy.