When a nonprofit needed a new intake process fast, Wipfli Digital answered the call. It built a digital workflow in less than three weeks so the agency could distribute $16 million in CARES Act funds and help more people.
Our impact
- 11.5M
in CARES Act funding disbursed
- 52
hours cut from application processing time
- 2+
days cut from call center backlog
- 30
minutes saved per call
Challenge
Community Action Partnership of Kern’s (CAPK’s) manual application process was putting $16M in CARES Act assistance in jeopardy. Applicants had to speak with call center employees, who keyed in information, scanned supporting documents and used Excel to determine eligibility and calculate assistance. Then there was a formal paper application. Intake was redundant and overwhelming for staff. And it was frustrating for people who needed help. It took 3-5 days for CAPK staff to return intake calls and submit applications.
Solution
CAPK asked Wipfli to use Microsoft Dynamics 365 to streamline the application process — and to complete the project in three weeks. Wipfli was working on Microsoft Dynamics 365 infrastructure for another CAPK program, so CAPK asked Wipfli to build off that foundation and create a digital intake workflow that met the housing authority’s requirements.
Services provided
Results
In about two weeks, Wipfli created a new application process that allowed applicants to provide all their information and supporting documentation online. It also automated scoring, verification, eligibility and rental assistance calculations. In one click, CAPK employees can compile the entire application packet in the format required by the housing authority.
Now, rental assistance applications can be completed in about two hours — instead of 2-3 days. And it cut 3-5 days off the backlog of applicant phone calls to return. Completed applications are automatically sent to the housing authority within the next day, and the whole process is easily reported and audited against.
