CRM Consultants & Implementation Partners in Savannah, MO

Value Stream Consulting advises grantmaking organizations on both technology and operational processes. Private foundations make up most of its client base, but its published testimonials also come from nonprofits, including a national nonpartisan civic group dedicated to voter education and Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry campaign, as well as scholarship providers such as The Ireland Funds.

Organizations evaluating CRM partners should see the firm as a niche specialist rather than a broad generalist. Its expertise lies in grant management systems and in Salesforce as it is applied within the philanthropic sector.

Engagement model

Projects follow a four-stage framework, and an organization can begin at whatever stage matches its current needs. Most engagements open with a review of existing operations. Consultants trace how tasks currently move through the organization, identify points of friction and propose a more streamlined approach, all before any software is chosen.

With the redesigned processes agreed upon, the consultants help the client pick a suitable platform and map out a rollout strategy. They then carry out the implementation and remain available afterward for support and regular tuning as the client's needs evolve.

• Analysis of existing operations and redesign of workflows
• Platform evaluation and architecture planning
• Configuration, data conversion and staff instruction
• Organizational change guidance to encourage uptake by employees
• Ongoing assistance and iterative enhancements after go-live

Salesforce and grants platform experience

Testimonials frequently highlight the firm's Salesforce work. A foundation that has worked with the consultancy for over a decade recounts a project lasting several months that shifted its environment to Salesforce Lightning and phased out its Foundation Connect package.

A second foundation reports that the team arrived after another provider's deployment had collapsed, ranked the outstanding issues and largely reconstructed the system from the ground up. An organization that grants scholarships says the consultants streamlined how it manages awards within Salesforce.

Beyond these projects, the firm maintains relationships with vendors of grant management software and has piloted an integration linking the GivingData grants system to Mailchimp.

Team and philosophy

Empathy sits at the center of the consultancy's stated approach. Members of its team bring experience in operational improvement, technology advising and grants administration, and a number of them have previously been on the receiving end of consulting engagements. According to the firm, that history helps its staff appreciate the day-to-day demands placed on people who work in philanthropy.

Clients consistently point to quick replies, frequent status meetings, disciplined coordination of projects and a collaborative manner that makes the consultants feel like colleagues instead of external contractors.

The consultancy has a long-standing presence in the greater Kansas City area. It maintains an office in Savannah, Missouri, a short distance north of the Kansas City metropolitan area, and also uses a mailing address in Kansas City, Missouri. Foundations and purpose-driven organizations seeking a partner for Salesforce or grants systems will find a sector-focused choice here.

This applies especially to those who want process redesign to come ahead of technical setup, or who need help rescuing a struggling deployment or securing sustained managed support.