Key Takeaways from the 2024 SphinxConnect Conference
Attain Partners and leaders in the classical music industry convened in Detroit, Michigan, last week for SphinxConnect, the largest American gathering focused on diversity in the arts.
Attain Partners shares the Sphinx Organization’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and actively celebrates our employees’ unique experiences, perspectives, and viewpoints—this enables us to deliver the highest quality services to our diverse clients. For many years, the Sphinx Organization has been both raising awareness around the issue of diversity in classical music and working to change the demographics of America’s orchestras to mirror the demographics of the nation more closely. It was an honor to engage with attendees and discuss how our digital transformation services can help them better reach and serve their communities.
Diversity Ignites Excellence
Diversity in classical music, the pipeline from music training to full-time employment, and the overall future of classical music were hot topics of discussion throughout SphinxConnect.
Since the goal of diversifying both on stage and behind the scenes has become consensus, many conversations turned to, “How?”
How do we make orchestras into places where players from historically excluded communities can thrive?
How do we develop a diverse applicant pool for our administrative positions?
How can people from historically excluded communities make a difference in organizations that are still (often unconsciously) hostile to their unique contributions?
How do we make orchestral and chamber music concerts into experiences that speak to today’s diverse audiences?
How can we engage our community effectively?
How do we introduce audiences to music by composers they’ve never heard of?
Some of these questions are perennial in the classical music world, but SphinxConnect brings together the kind of people who are building solutions, trying new things, and, most importantly, measuring their impact. Attendees shared success stories, advice, failures, and missteps in their own organizations’ attempts to increase diversity.
Diversity is Within Reach, Regardless of Your Resources
As we explored successful solutions in sessions and conversations, we kept coming back to the same question, “How can I do that at my organization?”
We noticed the budget differential between someone’s home organization and the one offering advice made the big wins seem impossible. But, just as often, the “My org could never pull that off,” feeling stems from some of the most common challenges that nonprofits face.
While talking to attendees about Attain Partners’ work and how we partner with nonprofits to help them meet their missions, we heard a lot of common challenges. These hurdles include, but are not limited to:
Data silos and disconnection: Using too many different systems results in siloed, disconnected data with no single source of truth.
Technical complexities in data access: Staff faces challenges extracting information from complex technical processes.
Lack of tracking mechanisms: Absence of tracking mechanisms makes reporting on and/or understanding impact or program performance next-to-impossible.
Manual processes: Almost nothing is automated, so basic, repetitive business processes consume most of the staff’s time.
Ineffective change management: Big changes have been attempted, but largely failed due to resistance from staff.
Lack of strategic planning: The desire to diversify the workplace has no strategy or plan guiding it, so no progress is made.
Addressing bottlenecks: Staff can see the friction points in public-facing processes (ticketing, applications, giving, etc.), but are powerless to fix it.
Insufficient alumni and donor engagement: Attempts to engage alumni or donors fall flat because those attempts amount to regular email blasts.
Like every industry, classical music has its own challenges. Yet they also face many of the same issues (e.g., organizational, technological, funding) that other nonprofit organizations encounter.
The Attain Partners team has extensive experience partnering with nonprofits to help improve systems for future diversity, and digital transformation, and ultimately mission advancement. Our consultants, many with firsthand nonprofit experience and deep personal connections to performing arts, help organizations build success by starting from a place of commitment to the mission.
Interested to learn more about how Attain Partners can advance your mission and bring diversity to your community? Let’s talk about how we can work together to create impact!
No matter if your organization is beginning its Salesforce journey or 10+ years into development, Attain Partners is here to help you achieve your digital transformation goals.
Jaemi Loeb is a Senior Consultant at Attain Partners and a veteran nonprofit leader. Her expertise sits at the intersection between technology and people, tools, and daily operations. She is passionate about helping organizations to streamline their workflows and use data to meet their missions.
https://attainpartners.com/wp-content/uploads/[email protected]12572401Olivia PychaOlivia Pycha2024-01-31 17:32:592024-03-21 15:35:08Championing Diversity and Excellence in the Arts
Attain Partners Embraces Employees’ Diversity and Works to Invent the Future Together
At Attain Partners, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Allyship (IDEA) isn’t just a program—it’s ingrained in our DNA. We celebrate our employees’ unique experiences, perspectives, and viewpoints, which enable us to deliver the highest quality services to our diverse clients. Our seven core values, The Attain Way, motivate us as consultants, committing us to excellence, achieving the best results for our clients, improving the communities in which we live and work, and attaining insanely great success.
Last year, to support the Program’s three foundational pillars—Education, Engagement, and Operations—we launched five inaugural Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).
Our ERGs play a vital role in our organization, creating a sense of belonging for our more than 250 employees working in-person—at our HQ office in McLean, Virginia, and our office in New Delhi, India—and remotely from their home offices.
Attain Partners’ five ERGs are at the heart of our DEI efforts, providing a platform for our employees to connect, share perspectives, and support each other authentically and without judgment. They exemplify our commitment to creating an inclusive and vibrant workplace where everyone has the opportunity to be heard and thrive.
Attain Partners’ Five New ERGs to Foster a Sense of Belonging
The Attain Partners IDEA Program launched the ERGs in the summer of 2023, and we are excited to report overwhelming adoption and success. Our Attain Allies ERG, Parents and Caregivers Support ERG, People of Color ERG, Queer ERG, and Women in Leadership ERG are all employer-recognized workplace groups created to build community among employees with shared identities and/or experiences.
Our ERG leads applied to the position, were interviewed, and selected for their commitment to fostering a sense of belonging for each of these five groups of Attain Partners employees. Please join us in celebrating the successful launch and learn more about why our ERG leads are excited to be part of the IDEA program.
Attain Allies ERG
Co-led by Jaemi Loeb and Alex Nichols, Attain Allies welcomes and serves all Attain Partners employees who share an interest in allyship and learning to become better allies. The objective of the Attain Allies ERG is to build and foster community among Attain Partners team members who are passionate and curious about the ERG, provide a safe space for those who identify within the ERG, continue to define Allyship in a constantly evolving space, and perform acts of allyship by assisting other ERGs.
At first, I was excited to co-lead the Allies ERG because it was a chance to get people together to talk about and work on issues that I care a lot about. But then I met the varied, insightful, thoughtful, and caring people who are actually forming the group. Now I’m excited to work with them toward meaningful change both at Attain Partners and out in the world—and energized by the group’s desire to take concrete action and support of people who need it.
Jaemi Loeb
Attain Allies ERG Co-Lead and Senior Consultant
I am proud to co-lead the Allies ERG because it is a vital component in shaping the future of Attain Partners and ensuring we are a best-in-practice workplace for all employees. The kickoff meeting was a complete eye-opener, and it was refreshing to hear attendees’ viewpoints about Allyship and how we can improve the culture of Attain Partners to make it more inclusive. I’m looking forward to witnessing the impact this ERG has on Attain Partners and continuing to support my fellow co-workers.
Alex Nichols
Attain Allies ERG Co-Lead and Senior Talent Acquisition Professional
Parents and Caregivers Support ERG
Led by Laura Bourland, Parents and Caregivers Support is a community and safe space for all Attain Partners employees who are parents, guardians, in the process of becoming a parent or guardian, or are caregivers to others such as a parent or relative. This is a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible space where employees can connect, share, learn, and build belonging at work and find camaraderie in achieving a work/life balance as a parent and/or caregiver. Together, we support and advocate for each other’s personal and professional journeys and serve as liaisons for company benefits and policies.
I am excited to co-create the Parents and Caregivers ERG to share in precious moments, support each other through challenges, grow in personal and professional endeavors, and explore ways to give back to our communities. Caring for others challenges us to be masters of boundaries, prioritization, and multitasking—I love that Attain Partners is dedicating resources to foster a sense of belonging for all and am excited to be on this journey with my ERG! Our discussions about work/life balance and self-care have already made an impact in my daily life.
Laura Bourland
Parents and Caregivers Support ERG Co-Lead and Marketing Manager
People of Color ERG
Led by Brooke Williams, People of Color welcomes and serves all Attain Partners employees who identify as a Person of Color and share interests, backgrounds, causes, and/or characteristics. The objective of the People of Color ERG is to provide and create a safe space for those who identify within the ERG, provide the tools and resources requested and/or needed to learn about and discuss issues and topics related to people of color, and build and foster a community among Attain Partners team members who identify as a person of color through workshops, social gatherings, and cultural events.
Leading the People of Color (POC) ERG is incredibly important to me; it is not an opportunity that I take lightly. As a young, emerging professional of color, it is imperative to me to be a part of a company that honors, respects, and makes room for the experiences and truths of their employees of color. During our POC ERG kick-off meeting, hearing the experiences of fellow colleagues who identify as a person of color was not only eye-opening but affirming. I’m so excited for what’s to come from our ERG! I am honored to have been selected to help lead the charge in creating a safe space for the People of Color at Attain Partners, because I believe that every person deserves representation and validation in any and every space that they are in.
Brooke Williams
People of Color ERG Lead and Analyst, Attain Digital
Queer ERG
Led by Lindsay Baldovin, the Queer ERG welcomes all Attain Partners employees who identify as part of the Queer community. The collective goal is to foster a vibrant and inclusive community among team members who share a passion for and curiosity about Queer issues. Through engaging events and activities, the ERG members build connections, honor the richness of the diverse identities that constitute our community, and strive to transform our company into an exceptionally welcoming workplace for Queer individuals.
I am thrilled to lead the Queer ERG because it’s not very often that a group made by and for Queer folk exists in the workplace. I’ve worked at a few companies where I didn’t feel comfortable coming out, so it means a lot to be able to create a supportive space for other individuals like me. Our group is already planning initiatives to make Attain Partners more inclusive to a variety of Queer identities and looking at ways we can support LGBTQ+ organizations across the country, and I’m excited to see the work we can do together in the future.
Lindsay Baldovin
Queer ERG Lead and Senior Finance Analyst
Women in Leadership ERG
Co-led by Nadia Kikilo and Amanda Seymour, the Women in Leadership ERG exists to build and foster community among Attain Partners’ women team members who are passionate and curious about becoming leaders, and to provide a safe space, both in-person and virtually, for its members to develop leadership skills and characteristics. Additionally, the ERG strives to empower one another through positivity, encouraging personal and professional growth and development.
I am very excited about supporting our future women leaders by creating this safe space for collaboration, professional development, and mutual support. Our ERG had a great kick-off meeting bringing in guest speakers for an engaging event!
Nadia Kikilo
Women in Leadership ERG Co-Lead and Senior Manager, Research Enterprise Services
I’m excited to be a part of the Attain Partners IDEA program and a co-lead for the first Women in Leadership ERG because I can continue my passion for empowering women to grow professionally and personally as they want. I believe our ERG will be a positive space for all women who are leaders, or those who are developing their skills to step into a leadership role, as well as a place to share experiences and provide advice to further our development. We have members from various backgrounds who have been at different levels of leadership, as well as women newer to their profession looking for mentorship to advance in their career. Our kick-off meeting went great, and we’ve gained more members since.
Amanda Seymour
Women in Leadership ERG Co-Lead and Manager, Research Enterprise Services
About Attain Partners
Attain Partners is a leading management and technology consulting firm delivering services and solutions to advance client missions across the education, nonprofit, healthcare, and state and local government landscapes. We’re an innovative and values-driven firm working to disrupt the status quo to change the world and improve the lives of those we serve.
At Attain Partners, we actively acknowledge and appreciate the importance of creating an environment in which all team members feel valued, included, and empowered to do great work and share ideas. If you’re interested in growing your career with a company that cares deeply about inclusion, diversity, equity, and allyship, explore our open roles.
About the Authors
Laura Bourland is a Manager at Attain Partners with over 12 years’ experience helping education, nonprofit, and technology organizations better connect business goals to the human experience. She holds a BS in Advertising from San José State University and is passionate about using data to drive digital transformation.
Kyle Cadieux is a Senior Manager in the Attain Digital practice and an IDEA Board member and founder. Kyle has a demonstrated knowledge in Organizational Change Management, Organizational Design, and Human Capital Management. Prior to Attain Partners, Kyle supported Organizational Transformation work for the Federal Government at various Consultancies. Kyle is a Prosci® Certified Change Management Practitioner and holds an M.A. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology.
Jenifer Parker is a dedicated Human Resources professional and IDEA Program Chair at Attain Partners, driving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. With a passion for inclusion and allyship, Jenifer excels in helping organizations craft and implement their DE&I strategies. She holds a professional certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Arts from Wake Forest University. Her vision is to create a world where HR and DE&I are thoughtfully designed to foster inclusive environments, empowering all individuals to thrive.
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https://attainpartners.com/wp-content/uploads/[email protected]13662560Olivia PychaOlivia Pycha2024-01-24 14:35:362024-07-08 15:55:01Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) Foster a Sense of Belonging
Rosetta Stone for Migrating to Salesforce from Raiser’s Edge: Understanding Portfolio and Moves Management and Third-Party Apps
If you’ve been following our blog series about migrating to Salesforce from Raiser’s Edge, you’ve already learned how some of your most common Raiser’s Edge functions work in Salesforce.
Now, let’s talk about some fundamental workflow differences. The following Salesforce workflows have no direct analog in Raiser’s Edge, though they can be achieved through a mix of functions, so you probably have a way of achieving the same thing.
Portfolio and Moves Management
Users of Raiser’s Edge often struggle to keep track of which donors are being managed by whom and where a donor is within a cultivation/stewardship plan. Salesforce has a range of features that can make this simple.
Stewardship Path
Just like Opportunities have stages, Contacts and/or Accounts can have a stewardship path. This is represented by a path at the top of the record page and can be set up and customized during implementation. You can move a Contact/Account from one stage to the next manually or set up automations to change the stage for you when certain things happen, such as the Contact makes a gift over a certain amount or attends a certain event. Like the stages on an Opportunity, you can easily report on how many Contacts or Accounts are in which cultivation/stewardship stage to get insight into your pipeline.
Engagement Plans
Engagement Plans are a standard feature of Salesforce consisting of lists of tasks that function like templates for fundraising staff. They can be applied to a donor or potential gift either via automation or manually.
So, let’s say you have a standard series of calls you make to a donor any time they enter a giving society by giving at a certain level; or, maybe you have a standard set of emails and calls you make to all new donors. You can set up an Engagement Plan for each set of tasks and, when applied to a donor, the relevant Engagement Plan will automatically create and assign the necessary tasks so that your team can stay on top of their responsibilities.
Fundraiser Assignments
It is common for fundraising teams to divide and conquer, so it’s important to know who is working with which donors. Salesforce makes this simple.
During your implementation or down the road, you can use out-of-the-box functionality for Account teams or a custom solution that meets your particular use case. Depending on your needs, you can track your fundraising team assignments either manually or automatically. Once fundraisers are assigned to either an Account or Contact, you can include that information in reports and lists to review the health of various portfolios and ensure that you don’t duplicate efforts.
Third-party Apps
One of the most powerful features of Salesforce is its ecosystem. Between pre-built integrations with outside systems and a world of Salesforce-native apps, the ability to extend the base functionality of Salesforce turns out to be a feature in and of itself.
At Attain Partners, we design implementations with a “buy” rather than a “build” mentality, allowing us to leverage the world of existing Salesforce apps rather than custom-building every bit of functionality. This approach both speeds up the build phase of the implementation project, and, in the end, saves money and avoids technical debt (i.e., it doesn’t add an additional set of maintenance requirements to your IT team’s life).
But what is a Salesforce-native app? Is it another system to keep track of and deal with? Nope! The “Salesforce-nativeness” of an app means that it lives completely within Salesforce. You may need to know about it for navigational purposes, but you may also be able to safely forget it exists.
Salesforce apps function a lot like plugins in that they add structure and functionality directly into your system. For example, if you do galas or other fundraising events, you may use an app called Blackthorn, which handles event planning and management. When you set up events and tickets, publish them to your website, and monitor registration, you’ll be using the Blackthorn app; but, you’ll access the relevant features from the Salesforce app launcher the same way you would access other areas of your Salesforce. The record pages, buttons, and general structure will look just like the rest of your Salesforce, so you’ll be up and running in no time.
If you work in advancement in higher education, you might be using ascend, made by UC Innovation (UCI). This app covers a broad range of functionality and may feel like the “version” of Salesforce you use. It makes subtle changes and enhancements to standard Salesforce features to tailor them for use by higher education advancement departments. So, while you may see the ascend logo, you won’t really experience any distinction between ascend and the other areas of your Salesforce.
Discover the Strength of the Salesforce Ecosystem
Phew! We’ve covered a lot. We’ve learned how many of your daily operations tasks happen in Salesforce and Raiser’s Edge differ in their structure and workflow. You may be thinking, “Ok, I’ve learned all I need.” But wait, there’s more!
One of the areas where Salesforce really shines in the CRM space is its reporting capabilities. Watch for Part 4 of our Migrating to Salesforce from Raiser’s Edge series to learn how to turn your data into useful information.
Do you want to learn about portfolio and moves management or third-party apps in Salesforce? Send us a message to schedule time to chat with our experts.
Attain Partners – Salesforce Experts
No matter if your organization is beginning its Salesforce journey or 10+ years into development, we are here to help you achieve your digital transformation goals.
Jaemi Loeb is a Senior Consultant at Attain Partners and a veteran nonprofit leader. Her expertise sits at the intersection between technology and people, tools, and daily operations. She is passionate about helping organizations to streamline their workflows and use data to meet their missions.
https://attainpartners.com/wp-content/uploads/Newsletter-Graphic_2024-01_Raisers-Edge-3.webp12562401Olivia PychaOlivia Pycha2024-01-17 12:00:002024-05-22 18:46:00Migrating to Salesforce from Raiser’s Edge—Part 3: Portfolio and Moves Management and Third-Party Apps
Ellucian is sunsetting Advance Web. While migrating to Ellucian CRM Advance may seem like the only option available, now is a good time to consider if the new solution really meets your needs, as well as what new features are coming to the table. This is also an opportunity to explore migrating to other systems. Consider UC Innovation’s ascend. Attain Partners experts employ reusable, automated processes that can help seamlessly and efficiently extract and migrate your data.
Migrating to a new system can present concerns.
When migrating to an entirely new system, you may feel hesitation, asking yourself many important questions like:
What will be done with my existing Advancement records and other documents?
How will I generate and track receipts?
Can I keep up with my existing practices while finding ways for technology to improve business processes to give staff more flexibility to service their Advancement customers by lightening their workload with automation?
Attain Partners can help.
Document Extraction and Data Migrating
Our experts have experience extracting tens of thousands of documents out of a single Advance Web instance and into ascend. We’ll take all your existing data from Advance Web—no matter how robust your catalog is—and migrate it into ascend efficiently and securely so that no legacy data is lost, keeping all your data safe for regulatory, reporting, and marketing purposes.
Receipt Generation and PDF Creation
We can create a custom receipt object that satisfies requirements for a variety of needs, departments, and/or donors using tailored picklists that can be linked between all related pieces. This allows for a customizable receipt based upon various criteria with batching options below 1,000 records per batch. Using PDF generation tools, documents can be stored on all related records for ease of access for staff to review as well as providing robust reporting capabilities.
Attain Partners – Salesforce Experts
No matter if your organization is beginning its Salesforce journey or 10+ years into development, Attain Partners is here to help you achieve your digital transformation goals.
To learn more, check out our Salesforce Innovation services, read case studies about our work, and explore blog posts from Attain Partners’ Salesforce team.
Christopher Wray is a Senior Specialist at Attain Partners. He has worked in higher education for over 11 years, both on the university side and as a consultant. With an extensive background in Information Technology, Chris has worked with a number of different applications, security needs, and areas of infrastructure and has a deep understanding of the education markets he serves.
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https://attainpartners.com/wp-content/uploads/[email protected]12572401Olivia PychaOlivia Pycha2023-12-18 16:54:362024-05-29 14:29:10Thinking of Migrating from Ellucian Advance Web to UC Innovation's ascend?
Education Cloud: What We’ve Learned to Date Session Highlights
Technology is pivotal in streamlining operations and enhancing constituent engagement in the ever-evolving education landscape. As a Salesforce Summit Partner and the 2022 Salesforce Consulting Partner of the Year – Education, Attain Partners brings extensive experience in harnessing Salesforce and its innovative solutions, such as Salesforce Education Cloud, to drive lasting positive impact.
Since its launch, Attain Partners has been at the forefront of harnessing Education Cloud. Collaborating closely with Salesforce, we have successfully implemented the new Cloud across numerous leading education institutions—most notably at NOLA Public Schools, where we spearheaded the first-ever K-12 implementation of Education Cloud.
If you missed our recent webinar, Education Cloud: What We’ve Learned to Date, hosted by Attain Partners’ Sean Speer, Higher Education Solution Engineer; Doug Barrow, Higher Education Market Lead, Salesforce Practice; and Jason Cook, Principal Salesforce Consultant, this blog post will break down the key topics and discoveries discussed.
One of the key aspects of our journey with Education Cloud is understanding the significance of this solution within the broader Salesforce ecosystem. Salesforce Education Cloud is no longer just a managed package, like EDA before it—it’s now a core Salesforce product. This transition is significant because it allows organizations to harness the full power of the innovation and development Salesforce is investing in its full suite of Industry Clouds.
No longer are the solutions for the social sector siloed; solutions are now built using Common Components—features and functionality that are used across multiple industries. This allows the social sector to take advantage of all the innovation happening in both the commercial sector and the social sector.
The adoption of Person Accounts is a monumental change that brings Education Cloud in line with the other industry clouds. This allows Education Cloud to take advantage of all the Common Components available to every vertical. It also means better support for B to B (“Organization Management”) and B to C models (“Contact Management”).
This shift aligns Education Cloud with the rest of the Salesforce platform, offering organizations the opportunity to capitalize on the ongoing innovation across different Salesforce Clouds, allowing for greater flexibility in what users represent in Salesforce.
Aside from aligning Education Cloud with the rest of the Salesforce platform and other Industry Clouds, person accounts offer various additional benefits. For users who deal with a lot of relationships, there’s a new feature called Party Role, which essentially serves as a more customizable, enhanced version of the Relationship feature.
Enhanced address management with Contract Point Address
Ad-hoc tagging of and defining data about constituents, and the ability to report on that with the introduction of Person Attributes
The Attain Partners team has been pleased by the learning curve—or its lack thereof. Overall, these features and improvements collectively contribute to smoother user experience.
Person Accounts: The Bad-ish and the Ugly
However, there are some complexities to consider. Be aware that potential user confusion can arise, particularly for frontline staff. The challenge of distinguishing between an Account field and a Contact field can also cause confusion, both for users and administrators.
One notable challenge that can arise when disentangling the two lies in data migration. For IT and technical teams responsible for migrating data into Salesforce, the transition to Person Accounts will necessitate a thorough understanding of which fields are being accessed and modified.
Additionally, it’s important to note that Affiliations in Education Cloud are not yet reciprocal, and new nomenclature might require a bit of adjustment.
Workaround solutions may be required to tackle challenges and/or bugs not yet addressed by Salesforce. For example, to capture edge cases in cases of user error, we’ve found that building custom Flows is an effective workaround solution.
Our experience implementing Education Cloud has revealed some general learnings. As to be expected in a v.1 model, we have encountered occasional bugs, though these have not created any roadblocks.
Despite these challenges, we have been impressed by Salesforce’s responsiveness. They have actively addressed issues, listened to our feedback, and worked collaboratively to resolve them. While there have been a few rough edges to smooth out, the overall experience has been extremely positive.
The common component model has been especially impactful, as the built-out components being leveraged from other Industries are powerful and mature since they have already gone through their respective iterations.
Q: Can you have a Contact record and a Person Account for the same individual? A: By default, a Person Account is both a Contact and a Person Account—they are kept in sync. You cannot have both and treat them as separate things; it is simultaneously a Contact and an Account. You can search for a Contact, and if that Contact happens to be a Person Account, when you click on them it will take you to the Person Account page for that Contact. There is effectively no difference.
Paving the Way Forward: Driving Positive Change with Education Cloud
Our journey with Salesforce Education Cloud has been marked by significant changes and valuable insights. The transition to Person Accounts aligns Education Cloud with the broader Salesforce ecosystem, offering a myriad of benefits. While there are challenges, they are manageable, and Salesforce’s continued responsiveness to feedback ensures that Education Cloud continues to evolve and improve.
Attain Partners remains committed to driving positive change in education and nonprofits, and Education Cloud will continue to play a crucial role in that mission. We look forward to what the future holds!
Attain Partners – Salesforce Experts
No matter if your organization is beginning its Salesforce journey or 10+ years into development, Attain Partners is here to help you achieve your digital transformation goals.
To learn more, check out our Salesforce Innovation services, read case studies about our work, and explore blog posts from Attain Partners’ Salesforce team.
Attain Partners Welcomes Andrew Whittaker to Share His Expertise on Revolutionizing Institutions Through Cutting-Edge Technology
Andrew Whittaker joined us in December as a Director of Strategic Accounts to provide technology implementation expertise to our higher education clients. With decades of experience in his professional career (as well as growing up in a home that was focused on Advancement!), Andrew has seen firsthand how the right technology can transform an institution, allowing it to achieve its Enrollment and Fundraising goals.
Andrew is a tremendous addition to our already outstanding Higher Education team at Attain Partners. First and foremost, Andrew builds on a relationship of trust. He is focused on clients’ needs first and has decades of experience working in higher education IT and Advancement. He has both technical expertise and is an expert on fundraising technology and business processes. We’re thrilled to welcome him to the team and cannot wait to introduce him to our clients.
Doug Barrow
Managing Director and Higher Education Market Lead, Attain Partners
Please join us in celebrating our newest team member, Andrew Whittaker, as he shares his expertise and why he loves working in Higher Education.
Attain Partners (AP): How did you get into Higher Education Technology and Advancement?
Andrew Whittaker (AW): I grew up around Higher Education and Advancement. My father served multiple universities as VP of Advancement. Early out of college, I worked at my alma mater in their IT organization. My focus was implementing new learning technologies into the classroom, specifically Blackboard technology. I then joined a company that provided information analytics and prospect screening solutions for campaign fundraising. One of the first Software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies to offer CRM solutions for Higher Education, National Nonprofits, and Healthcare Organizations ultimately acquired this company.
AP: What did you do before joining Attain Partners?
AW: Before joining Attain Partners, I served as an executive at a start-up technology firm that utilized the latest in Generative and Conversation AI technologies to facilitate conversational learning and development. Before that, I was the Senior Vice President of Sales and Partnerships at UC Innovation, where I focused on expanding the early adoption of the ascend application.
AP: What brought you to Attain Partners?
AW: During my time at UC Innovation, I had the opportunity to collaborate closely with the Attain Partners team on several initiatives. I was impressed by their ability to consistently put the company’s core values into action, delivering tangible results for their clients. The team members at Attain Partners are exceptionally talented, and their unwavering dedication to helping clients adopt the latest technologies and achieve their goals is truly remarkable.
AW: I appreciate all of the core values embraced across Attain Enterprises. The core value that speaks to me the most is Team for Speed. I believe that in order for any transformative technology initiative to be successful, it requires the input and expertise of many perspectives. A collaborative team environment that is effective in working together can help to achieve the desired results in a bold and disciplined manner.
AP: What do you like most about the work you do?
AW: I like the opportunity to collaborate with clients and hear about their vision for where they want their institutions to be as a result of incorporating new technologies and process changes.
AP: What are the biggest ways you’ve seen Advancement efforts impact organizations?
AW: I have a vivid memory of a presentation given by a university president, where he described Advancement as the means to fund the “margin of excellence.” Each Advancement organization has its own unique pursuit of excellence. I have witnessed a wide range of impactful Advancement efforts, from preventing the closure of a college to funding research initiatives that will yield positive impacts a decade from now.
AP: What do you read and watch to keep current?
AW: I am a huge fan of conferences to connect with others and keep current on the latest technologies serving the Higher Education space. Conferences such as AASP, CASE, and Dreamforce are at the top of my list.
Attain Partners – Salesforce Experts
No matter if your organization is beginning its Salesforce journey or 10+ years into development, Attain Partners is here to help you achieve your digital transformation goals.
To learn more, check out our Salesforce Innovation services, read case studies about our work, and explore blog posts from Attain Partners’ Salesforce team.
With more than 20 years of experience, Andrew Whittaker is a highly trusted sales executive who excels in guiding enterprise clients through the complex process of selecting and implementing technical solutions across diverse industries including Higher Education, Healthcare, and Nonprofits. He brings a strong entrepreneurial spirit and provides consultative advice at all stages of technology adoption. Andrew has a passionate drive to help organizations achieve their missions through the implementation and use of the latest cutting-edge technology innovations.
Interested in speaking directly with Andrew? Fill out this form to be connected!
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Gil Tran shares more insight into proposed revisions
On November 9, 2023, Attain Partners’ Gil Tran, formerly of the Federal OMB, hosted a tremendously informative webinar around the upcoming Uniform Guidance changes titled Extreme Makeover: Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200 Edition – Proposed Revisions, where he did a deep dive into the notable specifics, logistics, and impacts of the proposed revisions.
As a follow-up to this detailed session, we brought Gil back for a live Q&A session, moderated by Amanda Seymour, to answer the burning questions that remained after the webinar. Read further for a sample of just a few of the topics discussed and questions answered during this interactive session.
Tell us a little bit more about how applying the indirect cost rate to the newly proposed increased threshold on the subawards of $50k would require a revision to the IDC rate. How does that work and what about with the threshold of equipment potentially being increased, do you have to revise your MTDC as well, to apply the F&A rate for equipment up to $10k instead of $5k?
It’s very important to understand that the effective date of the final revision is going to be for all the awards that start after that day, so let’s pick April 1st, 2024. That’s when the final revision comes into place, including the definition for the MTDC to go from $25k up to $50k, and equipment from $5k up to $10k. It’s going to be for awards that go into effect after that date. However, for the indirect costs charge on a bigger amount of a subaward up to $50k, or a larger amount of supplies ($10k), you are required to get a new indirect cost rate.
There are two ways to do it. The automatic way is by doing it the next time you submit an indirect cost proposal with the Department of Health and Human Service cost allocation services (CAS) or the Office of Naval Research (ONR) to get an update—or, if you think that the indirect cost recovery amount is going to have a big impact, you can request a federal renegotiation and a revised rate.
What would the IDC treatment be if a five-year project has a subaward that runs for the same five years at $50K each year? Can the passthrough entity charge IDC for each year of the same subaward, or only for year one?
If you have a subaward for five years, you can only charge in the first year as the subaward is a continuous thing. Let’s say the subaward is $1M, divided up in 10 years. In order to consider as separate ten subaward portions, you must have separate annual reviews—before you start the second year (i.e., you have to have some kind of stoppage with an end date and reviews prior to the beginning and funding of the next year’s award), then you can charge every year. But, if your subaward is for 10 years continuously, you can only charge the first $50k once in the initial year.
Can you clarify between the words “contract” and “grants” when referring to the de-minimus rate? It’s not allowed on cost reimbursement contracts, but is it allowed on grants?
That’s a good distinction because cost reimbursement contracts have some special treatment under the Uniform Guidance. And this is cost reimbursement contracts under FAR. So in Section (201.01 (c)), the Uniform Guidance has a discussion on the treatment of cost reimbursement contracts, and basically says they are excluded for most of the 2 CFR subpart requirements, but the cost principle applies. Only certain subparts apply to the cost reimbursement contracts—the subpart E. However, under this proposal, OMB clarifies that the de-minimus rate is not available for cost reimbursement contracts.
What is the purpose of the limitation of pension costs for state and local governments when they are not limited for the private sector? Has there been appropriate consideration of the administrative effort in burden?
You really can’t compare public with the private sectors, right? The Uniform Guidance is to provide cost treatment requirements for federal funds provided to a nonprofit, the state and local government, colleges, universities—not the private sector. From my familiarity with the Uniform Guidance, the purpose of allowing the pension cost is basically that you have pension plans that are used consistently for both sides, whether you’re funded by the state or the federal government. The second part is that the state really pays the cost for the pension plans. The Uniform Guidance policy is that it would not pay for liability that has not been funded or accrued by the grantees. During my entire career with the federal government, the pension issue is probably one of the most complicated cases and areas.
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Allyship at Attain Partners
At Attain Partners, we’re dedicated to creating an environment where individual growth and professional excellence go hand-in-hand. Our success lies in the cultivation of a diverse, inclusive, and equitable culture. Learn about the significant impact of our Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Allyship (IDEA) Program, and discover how it can shape your journey toward success.
Creating Opportunities for Success
The IDEA Program at Attain Partners isn’t merely a philosophy—it’s a driving force for personal and professional growth. Endorsed by our Executive Committee and embedded at every level of leadership, this program’s foundation rests upon three fundamental pillars: Education, Engagement, and Operations.
Education
Our IDEA Program offers exclusive access to DEI experts, conferences, and resources, providing the tools to expand your understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Engagement
We host networking opportunities, provide direct access to our leadership team, and encourage community involvement, making work both fulfilling and purposeful.
Operations
We revamp policies, examine representation and demographics in key roles, and ensure fairness and equity through comprehensive salary reviews.
Our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are instrumental in upholding these pillars and fostering a sense of belonging among our extensive team of more than 250 employees.
Your Place in Our Empowered Community
The power of our ERGs lies in their dedication to fostering a culture where every individual’s voice is valued and supported. Currently comprised of five vibrant groups, our ERGs serve as vital platforms for connection, mutual support, and personal growth. As our company continues to grow and our workforce evolves, our commitment to IDEA means we will introduce more ERGs, creating spaces where every unique voice finds support and a sense of belonging. Our inaugural Employee Resource Groups are:
Queer
The Queer ERG welcomes all employees identifying with the Queer community. It nurtures an inclusive community, honors diverse identities, and creates a more welcoming space through engaging events and connections.
People of Color
The People of Color ERG offers a safe space for all employees who identify as People of Color. It provides resources for learning and discussing related issues while fostering a community through workshops and cultural events.
Parents and Caregivers Support
The Parents and Caregivers Support ERG offers a safe and inclusive community for all employees who are parents, guardians, or caregivers. It’s a space to connect, share, advocate, and support one another’s work-life balance, while also serving as a resource liaison for company policies and benefits.
Women in Leadership
The Women in Leadership ERG is dedicated to empowering women and creating a safe space for them to develop their leadership skills and achieve their career goals. Through mentorship, networking, and professional development opportunities, this ERG strives to cultivate a community where women can thrive and support one another.
Attain Allies
The Attain Allies ERG supports all employees interested in fostering allyship. It aims to cultivate a community, offer a safe space, define and adapt allyship, and support other ERGs.
Attain Partners’ Inclusive Growth Promise
Our IDEA Program is a testament to our commitment to creating an environment where your growth is supported, your unique voice is valued, and your journey with us is one of purpose and progress. Our focus on IDEA creates a workplace where you can thrive, your individuality is celebrated, and you have opportunities for growth and advancement.
At Attain Partners, we actively acknowledge and appreciate the importance of creating an environment in which all team members feel valued, included, and empowered to do great work and share ideas. If you’re interested in growing your career with a company that cares deeply about inclusion, diversity, equity, and allyship, explore our open roles.
About the Author
Jenifer Parker is a dedicated Human Resources professional and IDEA Program Chair at Attain Partners, driving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. With a passion for inclusion and allyship, Jenifer excels in helping organizations craft and implement their DEI strategies. She holds a professional certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Arts from Wake Forest University. Her vision is to create a world where HR and DEI are thoughtfully designed to foster inclusive environments, empowering all individuals to thrive.
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Embarking on a Salesforce implementation is no small feat, especially when tasked with transitioning clients from legacy platforms. Attain Partners recently collaborated with the Michigan Small Business Development Center (Michigan SBDC) to implement Salesforce migrating all existing data and developing new processes and workflows for the organization.
In this post, hear from Maury Davis, a Senior Salesforce Consultant at Attain Partners, and Josh Billington, Assistant State Director, Strategic Innovation Operations at Michigan SBDC, as they share insights gained from our recent collaboration. They shed light on key themes that underscore successful Salesforce implementations to help you get the most out of your relationship with your implementation partner.
Historical Data Migration: A Weighty Undertaking
The migration of historical data is a monumental task that demands meticulous planning. Cleaning historical data before migration is not just a best practice; it’s a prerequisite to ensure the integrity and quality of data in the new system. Attain Partners’ collaboration with the Michigan SBDC highlighted the significance of dedicating ample time and resources to this critical phase.
Data cleansing and mapping is critically important, especially if there is a significant data architecture difference between the systems in question. Careful planning with Salesforce Objects and fields, in addition to deleting/hiding out-of-the-box fields with no relevance, saved Michigan SBDC time and money in the long run.
Data Import Matching Rules: Balancing New and Legacy Data
Establishing matching rules for both historical and incoming data is a pivotal step in maintaining data accuracy. Whether importing legacy data or collecting new information through intake forms, having robust matching rules ensures that the Salesforce database remains consistent and reliable.
Though it’s difficult to obtain 100% clean data all the time, matching rules along with thoughtful validation rules will keep maintenance tasks manageable and reporting concise.
Process Documentation: Charting the Course
Thorough documentation of current and former scenarios is indispensable. Utilizing tools such as LucidChart or Visio helps create a visual representation of processes, aiding in a comprehensive understanding of workflows and related validation rules. Attain Partners’ experience emphasizes the importance of maintaining detailed documentation to facilitate smooth transitions and troubleshooting. While working with Michigan SBDC, we found Field Trip to be immensely valuable in helping us understand data mapping and provide clarity around naming conventions of fields in objects. This helped us tremendously when delving into the reporting as well as the object relationships in those reports.
Change Management: A Vital Ingredient
Change is a constant, yet managing it effectively remains a challenge. Acknowledging that people resist change, Attain Partners recommends making a conscious effort to maintain continuity and familiarity wherever possible. This not only eases the transition for end-users but also secures buy-in for the new Salesforce system.
Michigan SBDC faced several challenges in its migration from a 20-year-old system to Salesforce:
When designing its Salesforce instance, the team gravitated towards re-designing the old system in a new environment. They found this limited creativity while designing the new system, causing some constraints that could have otherwise been avoided.
They had a technical debt due to their legacy system, which required developing training content and being consistent in pointing users to that content.
Process alignment was another hurdle. Michigan SBDC had 10 geographical regions all operating in slightly different ways with their workflows. Attain Partners worked on designing a system that incorporated “best practices” from each workflow, a significant change management endeavor.
Implementation and Managed Services: A Unified Approach
Recognizing the interconnected nature of implementation and managed services, Attain Partners advocates for treating them as a package deal. Integrating the Managed Services team into the implementation process ensures a seamless handover and ongoing success. In our collaboration with the Michigan SBDC, this approach proved instrumental in achieving a smooth transition. It also provided us with a clearer understanding of Michigan SBDC’s processes and workflows that support its mission. SBDCs, being programs under the U.S. Small Business Administration, adhere to policy definitions that translate into these workflows and data governance. Combining implementation and managed services teams reduced communication breakdowns on these sometimes-intricate details.
Budgetary Considerations and Long-term Success
While SBDCs are nonprofit, state-, and federally-funded entities, it’s crucial not to compromise on critical aspects due to financial constraints. Recognizing the long-term value of a well-implemented Salesforce system, we emphasize the importance of strategic budget allocations to avoid delays or roadblocks that could impede success.
It is paramount that other SBDCs consider all the ancillary subscriptions and licensing associated with their Salesforce instances. Basic SBDC operations, like training, hinged upon such licensing with the use of Blackthorn integration. Other potential basic add-ons would be appointment calendaring, market research integrations like Vertical IQ, and maintenance tools like Demand Tools, each of which can be immensely valuable.
Key Takeaways for SBDCs Moving to Salesforce
Our collaboration with the Michigan SBDC has provided us with a wealth of insights into the intricacies of Salesforce implementation. The key themes discussed—from historical data migration to change management—serve as a comprehensive guide for anyone embarking on similar projects. By learning from these experiences, we can navigate the complexities of Salesforce implementations with greater confidence and ensure the long-term success of our clients’ transition to this powerful platform.
Attain Partners – Salesforce Experts
No matter if your organization is beginning its Salesforce journey or 10+ years into development, we are here to help you achieve your goals. Contact Attain Partners today to learn how we can help you achieve your goals by harnessing the power of Salesforce.
Maury Davis is a Senior Salesforce Specialist at Attain Partners. Maury has worked in higher education and nonprofit organizations for over 15 years, focusing his last 10 years on demonstrating the value of the Salesforce Platform to his employers and clients.
Josh Billington is an Assistant State Director of Strategic Innovation Operations at the Michigan Small Business Development Center. Joshua has worked in Small Business Consulting and Economic Development, Operations, and entrepreneurship for over 15 years.
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Each configuration or design choice you make when implementing or updating Salesforce—from field names and picklist values to page layouts and automations—is an opportunity to focus on inclusion.
At Attain Partners, we don’t just champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB)—we live it! The Attain Way inspires and motivates us as consultants, committing us to excellence, achieving the best results for our clients, improving the communities in which we live and work, and attaining insanely great success.
During Nonprofit Dreamin’, Attain Partners experts Jaemi Loeb and Melany Barrett presented a session on how to weave inclusion into Salesforce design and configuration. The presentation focused on this work as a way of connecting the intent of broader DEI programs with the action and daily operations of an organization. After reviewing why inclusion matters both in a workplace and in an organization’s interactions with the public, Jaemi and Melany offered an overview of how inclusion fits into different phases of the Salesforce lifecycle and concepts for guiding technical decisions. This blog post will dive deeper, providing both the conceptual advice offered in the presentation and more detailed tips for each area.
Let’s start with a few, general reminders about how technology solutions, like Salesforce, can help proactively build inclusivity, respect, and trust.
Be transparent about how data is collected and used.
2. Representation within picklist values
Understand how people self-identify and give them as many options as possible, so they can see themselves reflected in your list.
Be clear when values are for federal reporting, since those options tend to be more limited than a genuinely inclusive list would be.
3. How you name fields matters
Leverage feedback and research from both your staff and your constituents.
Use non-gendered language, where relevant, to foster a culture where gender is not assumed based on position or other irrelevant factors.
Pick clear and specific field names to avoid relying on institutional knowledge. Not only is such reliance a risk to your data quality, but it puts people who may not be plugged into the network of informal institutional knowledge at a disadvantage in performing their job tasks.
4. If your organization collects gender information, include a “Pronouns” field, because one cannot always be inferred from the other.
Remember, pronouns are not “preferred,” like an ice cream flavor or a nickname. They are the proper third-person form of address for the people they are attached to.
5. Be aware that some field names can be seen publicly when using Salesforce Experience Cloud.
If you wouldn’t want the public to see what you’re calling a field, reconsider the name.
Managing fields with an eye for inclusion impacts both your staff and your constituents. Similarly, naming conventions for your Salesforce instance can impact how inclusive and welcoming your environment is both for your internal staff and for your constituents.
Naming Conventions
1. Be careful with automatic household and other naming conventions.
The automatic nature of these requires you to make assumptions that may not be accurate for all households, families, etc. Always know where the override button is.
2. Ensure conventions for naming reports, Flows, Flow components, etc., are well-documented, included in onboarding/training, and are easily accessible.
See “How you name fields matters,” above regarding dangers of relying on institutional knowledge.
3. Where possible, use non-gendered names for Relationships (connections between constituents) and Affiliations (connections between constituents and organizations/companies).
For example, parent and child are more broadly applicable than father and daughter.
With inclusive language permeating your Salesforce design, you’re well on your way to building a welcoming culture, both internally and externally. But, of course, there’s more to Salesforce than language—there’s information design and layout to consider. So, here are some ideas on how you can use the layouts of Salesforce records to avoid unintentional barriers for your staff.
Page Layouts (Internal)
1. Leverage built-in, best-in-class layouts that already take into account assistive technology, color contrast for those with low color vision, etc.
2. Employ inclusive representation during design.
Map out workflows and information needs for as many types of staff members as possible.
Engage frequent focus groups to test design and user experience with representatives of as many roles and demographic groups as possible.
Consider creating a process to request personalized page layouts for people who need accommodations. Not everyone processes information in the same way and not everyone’s vision works the same way. What works for “most people” may be impossible to navigate for someone who uses a screen reader, is neurodivergent, or otherwise processes information and images differently than “most people.”
3. Do not rely on color coding as the only source of a given piece of information.
When color coding to convey information, choose high-contrast color schemes with a visible legend.
While page layouts control the look and feel of record pages your staff use, Experience Cloud is where you design the layouts your donors and constituents will use when interacting with your data. This could be a donor portal, a constituent portal, or even an event list. Like with any public-facing website, inclusion and accessibility should be at the core of your design thinking.
Salesforce Experience Cloud
1. Design flexible data and constituent profiles.
Create intentional opportunities to update information, even information that might once have been seen as unchanging, like name and gender.
Offer a simple process for stakeholders to update and/or add relevant information.
If branding or colors you’ve added don’t meet at least an “A” rating, now is a good time to re-evaluate them.
3. Mobile-friendly sites may be the norm, but be sure to test your site on actual devices.
Mobile devices account for a majority of internet traffic, so this is a general best practice. People who use mobile devices may not have access to a computer or may not be physically able to use a computer. Some layouts may become indecipherable on a smartphone—opt for features that are supported on both desktops and mobile devices.
4. Don’t let your Experience Cloud site be the only access option or the only source of certain information.
For example, be sure there’s a way for people to update their information over the phone or find out about the next program at your office. Not everyone has internet access.
Enabling Inclusivity through Salesforce Design
Creating an inclusive workplace starts with intention but is realized through daily operational decisions. Your Salesforce instance provides an excellent opportunity to translate this intention into action. At Attain Partners, we offer change management, DEI transformation, and Salesforce implementation services that can collectively promote inclusion and cultivate a more welcoming environment for all.
No matter if your organization is beginning its Salesforce journey or 10+ years into development, Attain Partners is here to help you achieve your digital transformation goals.
To learn more, check out our Salesforce Innovation services, read case studies about our work, and explore blog posts from Attain Partners’ Salesforce team.
Melany Barrett is a Strategy Director at Attain Partners. With over a decade of experience in Higher Education, she has demonstrated knowledge in business process improvement, project management, organizational assessment, and faculty affairs administration. Prior to Attain Partners, Ms. Barrett supported Higher Education administration and strategic initiatives as a member of an internal consulting team. She is a key contributor to the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Allyship (IDEA) Performance Maturity Framework™, leading DEI assessments for institutions. She is a Prosci® Certified Change Management Practitioner who has extensive knowledge and training in the field and holds an MBA from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business.
Jaemi Loeb is a Senior Consultant at Attain Partners and a veteran nonprofit leader. Her expertise sits at the intersection between technology and people, tools, and daily operations. She is passionate about helping organizations to streamline their workflows and use data to meet their missions.
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