How Stanley Thomas Johnson Foundation enhanced its grant management with Optimy
Stanley Thomas Johnson Foundation
The Stanley Thomas Johnson Foundation is a Swiss-based independent foundation that supports projects in culture, education, humanitarian aid, and medical research. Its mission is to improve people's quality of life and promote mutual cultural understanding. As an independent foundation, it takes a long-term view, supporting areas neglected by the public sector and commercial sponsors — favouring innovative approaches and partnerships with long-term potential across 750 applications per year.
country: Switzerland | grants approved: ~150 per year
750 applications, diverse criteria, and a complex evaluation process
Managing grant applications across four distinct fields — each with different eligibility criteria — and running a rigorous three-step evaluation process placed enormous operational demands on the foundation's administration team.
- 750 applications per year spanning culture, education, humanitarian aid, and medical research
- Varying eligibility criteria per application type (organisations, individuals, special projects)
- A three-step evaluation process (pre-evaluation, expert review, board validation) needing digital support
- Need to integrate with the foundation's banking system for semi-automated payment releases
Tailored forms, bank integration, and a seamless migration
Optimy was selected as the comprehensive solution for the foundation's complex grant management needs. Three distinct application forms were configured — for organisations, individuals, and the special "Second chance for a first education" project — each tailored to its specific criteria.
- Three tailored application forms: Separate forms for organisations, individuals, and special initiatives — each with unique fields and eligibility logic.
- Banking system integration: A "data carried exchange" with the foundation's bank enables semi-automated payment releases, minimising manual data entry.
- Integrated three-step evaluation: Pre-evaluation, external expert examination, and board validation all managed within Optimy — accessible to all user types.
- Seamless migration with full history: Six years of project history successfully migrated from the previous platform — no data loss, no disruption.
150 grants approved annually with full oversight and precision
Since moving to Optimy, the Stanley Thomas Johnson Foundation has achieved a reliable, scalable grant management operation. The platform's reporting and controlling tools meet the foundation's comprehensive oversight requirements, and the team continues to expand its use of templates and reports.
750
Applications/year (Across four distinct fields and three applicant types)
150
Grants approved (Annually, with full traceability and reporting)
6
yrs History migrated (Complete project history preserved from the previous tool)
3-step
Evaluation (Pre-eval, expert review, board validation — all in Optimy)
Optimy streamlined our intricate three-step evaluation process, ensuring accessibility for all users, from office staff to board members. Its user-friendly interface simplified our procedures, making it an essential tool for our foundation's success.
Head of Administration — Stanley Thomas Johnson Foundation
A complex, multi-field grant operation with 750 annual applications is now managed with precision, full history, and bank-integrated payments — all in one platform.
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