The Skillman Foundation

The Skillman Foundation is pleased to announce that we’ve launched a new system for process and management of our grantmaking — Fluxx.

The Foundation began this journey a year ago and, as we sunsetted the Good Neighborhoods Initiative, we believed it to be the right time to transition to a more robust grants management system. The Foundation engaged in strategic planning and developed a framework for the next iteration of our work while we simultaneously designed a grantmaking process that matched our new and rigorous agenda.

With all of this being said, now is the optimal time to introduce Fluxx. For many years, we’ve heard feedback from grant partners and staff – that our grants management system is outdated and inefficient. To address this issue, and make your experience with the Foundation as efficient and timely as possible, we’ve spent an abundance of time preparing to shift from our old grants management system to Fluxx.

What is Fluxx?

Fluxx is a cloud-based management system designed to make the entire grant process more transparent, accountable, and easier to navigate. It will allow us to use more consistent workflows with both potential and existing grant partners. Above all, we hope it will give you more time and flexibility to focus on what matters most: the work.

Going forward, we’ll use Fluxx in every stage of our workflow, as we gather information internally and externally, perform due diligence amongst departments, gather and sign documents, schedule payments and review reports. This new system will help us collaborate in more consistent and thoughtful ways, since you, as potential and active grant partners, will have the same access to our system as our programmatic staff.

Fluxx Features:

• Dashboard-displays organization info, requests/grants, reports and funds awarded in one location
• Integrated collaboration-communicate with internal and external users in real time
• Mobile-access Fluxx wherever you are, whenever you need, with streamlined IOS and Android mobile apps (phone, iPad/tablet, or computer)
• Increased transparency-ability to see in real time where an application is in the review process, when payments have been processed

While Fluxx will be new for our Foundation, it is already being used by many others in Michigan, including McGregor, Kresge, William Davidson, Ralph C. Wilson, Max and Marjorie Fisher Foundations as well as others.

Our existing system is now offline and Fluxx will be open for all grant partners by the end of May. At that time, you will receive an email with instructions along with a webinar on how to use the new system. If you have immediate questions, email Mary Beth or myself at grants@skillman.org.

There are bound to be hiccups along the way. While we are working to make the transition as smooth as possible, we look forward to your feedback and patience throughout the process. The success of our new system is contingent on staff and grant partners comments, questions and assistance in making the system a success.

New to Fluxx? Want more information about the software and how to use it?

Check out our recent Fluxx Information Webinar. Skillman staff walk through the basic functions of Fluxx and explain how it will help create a more straightforward grant making process.