Transforming Refugee Assistance with Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud
Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota’s Center for New Americans provides a lifeline to individuals escaping some of the world's most dire situations, helping them establish new lives in the United States.
The cornerstone of their refugee assistance work is the Reception and Placement (R&P) Program. This vital public-private partnership with the U.S. Department of State has been a beacon of hope for nearly 50 years, offering sanctuary to those fleeing persecution. Since 1948, LSS has empowered up to 350 newcomers, connecting them to essential services and integrating them into welcoming communities.
For Alicia Roy, Associate Director of Resettlement, the mission starts at the airport, where her team warmly welcomes new clients. They provide immediate essentials like furnished housing and hot meals, and guide them to critical benefits and services, including Social Security cards, healthcare, schools, English classes and employment opportunities.
The Challenge
LSS of South Dakota's intake processes were complex, with decentralized data storage relying on hard copies and spreadsheets, making it difficult for case managers to track critical deadlines and maintain compliance with federal programs like the Reception & Placement Program. Reporting was a particularly cumbersome task, requiring nearly six business days to compile data for federal reports. Additionally, managing financial support for clients through manual, paper-based workflows led to delays and inefficiencies. These challenges hampered their ability to provide timely and effective assistance to refugees, requiring a more streamlined solution to enhance both compliance and operational efficiency.
The Solution: Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud Implementation
Nonprofit Cloud
Adobe E-Signature
Administering a federal program demands rigorous compliance. For the Reception & Placement Program, this involves managing over 40 mandatory documents and services within strict deadlines. Previously, LSS relied on cumbersome hard copies and numerous spreadsheets, with each case manager independently tracking due dates and files to meet requirements, such as 90-Day Home Visits or medical appointments. Transitioning to Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud has revolutionized this process. Now, tasks and activities are automatically generated and assigned to the right team member, ensuring timely completion and effortless auditing and monitoring with advanced reporting tools.
Efficient Financial Benefits Tracking with Salesforce
The Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), Matching Grant (MG), and Reception & Placement (R&P) programs provide crucial financial support to help clients settle into their new communities. Previously, requesting payments was a slow, paper-based process fraught with delays and manual calculations. With Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud, LSS has transformed this system into a seamless digital workflow, drastically reducing approval times and simplifying benefit management.
“Switching to Nonprofit Cloud has drastically improved our operations. The clear labeling system has reduced misfiling, and the support provided has enabled us to handle troubleshooting independently. It's saving us so much time, and the overall efficiency has been remarkable.”
- Alicia Roy, Associate Director of Resettlement
The Impact: Enhanced Efficiency and Client Satisfaction
Decreased Administrative Tasks
Enabled Real-Time Reporting
Provided a 360-degree View of Clients
Improved Data Accuracy
Delivered Personalized Case Management
Improved Data Auditing and Compliance
- Action Plan Templates: Customized for different client pathways, streamlining case management.
- Case Teams: Teams with specific roles to enhance operational efficiency.
- Auto-Assigned Due Dates: Based on each client's arrival date, ensuring timely service delivery.
- Document Checklists: Ensured completion of all necessary documentation.
- Care Plan Templates: Provided clear goals and action items for each client.
- Benefit Assignments: Automatically created for eligible clients.
- Automated Attendance Tracking: Ensured compliance with ESL requirements.
- Automated Approval Processes: Streamlined routing of expense requests.
- Customized Reports and Dashboards: Met federal reporting requirements.
- Historical Data Migration: Successfully transferred previous client records into the system.
