The Wood Foundation

How the Wood Foundation Manages Grants Through Sharepoint and Power Apps.

Overview

Customer

The Wood Foundation.

About

The Wood Foundation, established in 2007 by Sir Ian Wood, is a Scottish charity that empowers individuals and communities seeking to create positive social change in the UK and Africa through funding and expertise. They have supported programs in the UK, Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania.

Sector

Charity.

Org. Size

36

Service

Technology Consulting & Delivery

Key Goals

7GB of data made accessible

5512 files and over 16500 records processed

Creation of no-code grant management solution

Challenges

The Wood Foundation had a grant management solution built with SharePoint and a JavaScript framework that became obsolete due to Microsoft’s new updates. They were unable to process their 7GB of data and files as the technology was inoperative and lacked technical support. The provider of the original build had gone into liquidation, and they sought the help of Appetite for Business to create a more accessible and modern solution.

  • Grant management solution built with SharePoint and a JavaScript framework was complex and required written code to use and customise.
  • SharePoint Online refused the written code due to Microsoft’s new updates.
  • Inability to process 7GB of data and files due to obsoletetechnology.
  • Lack of technical support as the provider of the original build had gone into liquidation.
  • Need for a more modern and accessible solution.

Solutions

The Wood Foundation approached Appetite for Business for a new grant management solution. Appetite for Business advised them to move away from the JavaScript framework and created two custom applications with Power Apps to provide more flexibility with data and technology. The SharePoint and Power Apps solution allows easy access to grant data and files, accelerated report creation, and enhanced usability through mobile and computer devices.

  • Move away from JavaScript framework involving coding and keep SharePoint as the main front-end solution.
  • Create two custom applications with Power Apps to offer users more flexibility with data and technology.
  • Ensure seamless integration with any future updates and continuous operation by using Microsoft solutions.
  • Provide easy access to grant data and files, accelerated report creation, and enhanced usability through mobile and computer devices.

Outcomes

While renovating their SharePoint environment and adopting Power Apps, The Wood Foundation have generated a no-code and complete grant management platform, which has led the team to flexibly supervise multiple applications from a single tool.

  • Staff can access 7GB of data, 5,512 files, and over 16,500 records.
  • Users can create and edit categories without custom code.
  • Automated email and documentation generation for specific projects.
  • Automated holiday and absence tracking solution saves time for the grants team with a transparent company-wide calendar, staff are no longer required to create multiple email conversations and can quickly evaluate availability when delegating tasks.

Who We Help?

Whatever, your situation we can help you to de-risk and accelerate your M365 adoption.  

For Owners

Small team? At capacity? Don’t know where to start? Work with us and always be in the know with data at your fingertips. Save yourselves the stress so you can digitally transform your organisation and processes. Hold on to and develop talent. Identify areas for more efficiency. Stay secure and compliant and move the business forward.

For IT

Juggling with strategy and small in-house team? With a specialist partner like us we can help simplify management, achieve compliance and guide you on best practice governance and strategy, keeping data secure whilst giving people access to the insights they need.

For Finance

Overseeing a global business? Let us help you go from data to insight to action. Free up cash flow by identifying efficiencies, removing legacy systems and removing bottlenecks. Increasing real time visibility, measuring metrics, mitigating risk and achieving better compliance and transparency.

For HR

Worrying about upskilling or reskilling your talent pipeline to meet changing technology needs and digital skills shortage? Let us help you to boost productivity, knowledge sharing and wellbeing in remote workers. Deliver a best-in-class employee experience from onboarding to offboarding. Provide better access to employee voices to guide, transform and evolve.

Sectors We Have Worked In

With experience and clients across a wide range of sectors and industries, we understand the challenges you face.  

Energy/Renewables 

We have core domain experience in this area,  providing solutions that have transformed the way our customers manage their businesses and use their data to extract maximum value. 

Construction  

We know how important it is to support construction companies who want to rapidly digitize their processes to support off site workers and remove manual processes, avoid delays, and drive project efficiencies. 

Professional Services  

We have been trusted by customers to streamline and secure operations and develop bespoke responsive apps within Microsoft 365 to increase productivity and deliver differentiating services.

Transport & Travel  

We understand the pressure to streamline operations, reduce costs and increase efficiency. Appetite for Business provide M365 development and support services to improve efficiency and QHSE audit and compliance.

Pharmaceutical  

From regularly working with pharma organisations, we understand the challenges to support collaboration, productivity, and paper lite initiatives to streamline processes, increase visibility and comply with regulations. 

Public Sector   

We are on the UK Government G-Cloud framework.  We can support you with process transformation, employee engagement and digital working practices with a variety of solutions.  

Healthcare  

From advisory and best practice around large digital transformation programmes to out of the box and bespoke digital solutions we can help you adopt modern working practices. 

Not for Profit  

Every penny counts.  So, we help you do more with less, from licensing to better information access, tracking data for metrics and creation of dashboards all to ensure regulatory compliance.

Partners

Our Services

Discover our range of Microsoft services. Customised, comprehensive and client-centric.

Strategy

Plan a Microsoft 365 strategy that lays the foundation for future growth, innovation and success.

Skills

Educate and empower your workforce with the skills to harness the full potential of Microsoft technologies.

Software

Customised Microsoft solutions designed to improve collaboration, automation and optimise efficiency.

Security

Safeguard your data with 24/7 monitoring and proactive protection that helps you sleep at night.

Support

Receive unparalleled assistance and expert guidance that keeps your Microsoft ecosystem running smoothly.