How WELD Seattle Streamlined Program Administration

WELD Seattle equips criminal justice system-impacted individuals with housing, employment, and other resources to help them successfully re-enter society. The nonprofit’s temporary employment program, Weld Works, reduces the re-arrest rate from 76% to 3% for the clients they serve. While highly impactful, the program was very time-intensive for staff to manage. 

Like many nonprofit professionals, Raven Dudley, Senior Accountant, did way more than her title suggests, including managing the organization’s Salesforce system. She knew the Weld Works program needed an efficient way to collect job applications, assign clients to jobs, and track client hours worked. So, she applied for the Pro Bono Program to get help configuring Salesforce to streamline program administration. 

With pro bono support from Salesforce employee, Steve Cooper, Raven was able to create two online forms for their website – one for employers to post jobs and one for clients to apply for jobs. Both forms feed data directly into Salesforce, enabling staff to quickly match job seekers with employers and track hours worked. Now, staff spend less time on program administration and are better able to track and report program outcomes to funders.

“In addition to having an MBA and being a brilliant accountant, Raven wanted to learn everything there was to know about Salesforce,” said Steve. “So, we built this together – often with her in the driver’s seat. It was a really great experience.”