Keeping paper records (vs. everything online)
The New Mexico Humanities Council has recently moved to Foundant for its grant management software and, with staff working from home due to pandemic, I'm more reluctant to print out paperwork (LOI, application, evaluations, etc.) for grants being awarded. It seems easier to "store" all documents in Foundant, use Foundant's email system for communications and attach documents to organization's records than making a paper file for each grant awarded, etc. Our previous system was custom made and application information (only) kept on our website - all follow-up was done on paper and we have filing cabinet drawers full of paper files.
When our auditor has visited annually, I usually get a list of files they would like to review and pull the paper files for them to review/inspect.
I'd like to hear others' thoughts on how they may have transitioned (or not) from paper to digital records and how it has worked.
Thanks for being willing to share!
Comments
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Hi @LucySilva!
I am a Client Success Manager here at Foundant.
As you know, Foundant is all about getting your workflows paperless. I also think that with everything happening in our world, there is a bigger emphasis on going paperless. So thank you for starting this conversation!
Just from the conversations that I am having with my clients, the questions tends to be "we have been doing it this way this whole time, how do we adapt?" and "How will this change affect our data long term?"
I think these are two great questions to start with when it comes to changing your workflow in general. You want to make sure that implementing this change will not have significant negative impact nor will it shock the entire process you have created. Going 100% paperless may not always be the best thing for a Foundation but I believe it starts with an internal conversation.
I have a couple clients in mind who I'd like to invite to the conversation, @ErinSamarasinghe and @RebeckahBerry who have done an awesome job utilizing Foundant for "going paperless" or at least mainstreaming the process.
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Hi @LucySilva!
You are more than welcome to take a look at how we developed our LOA within GLM. We even added places where folks can upload a W9 and invoice so it's all attached to their granted project in one place and the entire LOA is paperless. I think the amazing staff at Foundant, like @Marius Dereskevicius can even take this LOA and transfer it to your sandbox so you can review it and personalize it for your own use. You are most welcome to use it!
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I know we left this here in June, but it reminds me of when I worked elsewhere and the auditors wanted particular documents from the NPO files and we had gone paperless. I printed them from the database for the auditors the first year, and from then on, we provided them as PDF.
Where I am now, we have both paper and electronic and until that changes, we'll make copies or print from the database.
Heidi
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