Our own Shawn Garrison recently sat with Charles Jun, Operations Manager at The Lenfest Institute for Journalism to talk about their experience with Fluxx.
The Lenfest Institute for Journalism was started by Gerry Lenfest, a media executive and entrepreneur who embraced the necessity of local journalism in the community. While an important part of shaping an objective narrative of democracy in our society, local journalism has seen significant challenges to thrive in the modern world. In response, Jerry founded The Lenfest Institute, which is dedicated to researching and developing sustainable models for local news outlets.
The Institute currently gives out grants, creates training programs, and helps synthesize solutions for these pressing problems within local journalism in the U.S. - all with the goal to ensure that local news outlets stay running, produce high quality news, and help sustain a vibrant democracy.
Growth within The Lenfest Institute Spurs the Need for a Scalable Solution
As an organization, The Lenfest Institute began to experience a transition from a start-up phase to a more mature, full-fledged organization. With this growth arose the need to ensure that their processes are organized, their data centralized, and be positioned for long term sustainable growth. This need sent them out into the market to search for a solution that would provide them with the features they needed and help them to operate more efficiently as they scaled.
They reviewed many vendors, but ultimately Fluxx stood out to them as meeting every need they had - and beyond. Dubbed the “Cadillac of grants management software”, Charles found that not only was Fluxx feature-rich with many of the capabilities they needed, but it also could be configured to match their processes exactly. For Charles and The Lenfest Institute, Fluxx was the perfect solution for their needs.
Connected Data Ensures Critical Information is a Click Away
Prior to Fluxx, The Lenfest Institute was leveraging a series of disparate systems and documentation to help manage their grantmaking processes. What struck them as most beneficial within Fluxx was the Universal Search and Connected Data features. Within Fluxx, they can conduct a simple search on any keyword, and it will not only pull up the records they need, but the Connected Data will display all related information, right there within the record. This feature almost had a “smart” quality to it; the system knows what they will need to see and displays it for them immediately - without ever having to leave the screen to find information. This centralization of data has been innumerable in saving time and getting a fuller picture of their process.
Additionally, The Lenfest Institute’s grantees have been thoroughly impressed with their grantee portal within Fluxx. Not only does it look and feel like The Lenfest Institute for Journalism brand, but all information for each grantee is available in a centralized place. This means that any current or past grant information, reports, organizational information, instructions, financials, and more is accessible within a few clicks.
Long-Term Growth and Scalability with a True Technology Partner
As The Lenfest Institute for Journalism continues to grow and scale their operation, they have been pleased with the relationship the Fluxx team has provided with helping them achieve their mission. With a focus on their unique needs, the Fluxx team has been instrumental in not only providing support with their solution, but also guidance and best practices as they continue to configure new processes and programs within the organization.
Fluxx has given their years of first-hand knowledge in philanthropy to customers like The Lenfest Institute of Journalism to help them adapt and accommodate the programs they have implemented, making them a great partner in their journey towards growing for the future.
If you are interested in learning more about the Lenfest Institute for Journalism, you can visit them at: https://www.lenfestinstitute.org/
If you would like to learn more about Fluxx grants management software, visit us here.
