Step Up Foundation is dedicated to helping families access education by providing hundreds of scholarships each year. As the program grew, so did the complexity of tracking disbursements, budgets, and receipts. The team needed a better way to manage scholarships with full accountability.

The Problem

For years, Step Up relied on spreadsheets to track requests and payments. Each scholarship had to be approved, logged, and documented manually. Receipts were emailed or stored in separate folders, making reconciliation slow and incomplete.

The system was fragile. Staff spent hours moving data between sheets, budgets were hard to monitor, and receipts often went missing. With so many scholarships to manage, it was becoming impossible to keep everything accurate and audit-ready.

The Solution

Step Up Foundation implemented Givefront to simplify and automate the entire process.

• Scholarship disbursement with cards: Families now receive funds through Givefront cards, giving the organization real-time visibility into every transaction.
• Requests feature: Instead of juggling spreadsheets, staff review and approve scholarship requests directly in Givefront, with each request tied to the correct budget.
• Budget tracking: Funds are allocated across programs automatically, giving leadership a clear picture of what has been distributed to each family and what remains.
• Receipts and documentation: Families upload receipts with a quick photo or text, and Givefront flags any missing documentation.
• Accounting sync: All transactions flow directly into QuickBooks Online, already coded to the right accounts.

The Impact

With Givefront, Step Up Foundation has turned a manual process into an automated one. Staff can see in real time how scholarship dollars are being used. Families receive funds faster. Auditors have complete documentation at their fingertips.

Most importantly, Step Up can expand its scholarship programs without adding extra administrative burden.

Looking Ahead

As Step Up Foundation grows, its partnership with Givefront ensures that financial accountability will grow with it. What once required endless spreadsheets is now a streamlined system that supports both the mission and the families it serves.

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