Case Study: Knight Foundation achieves 24-hour grant turnaround and scales small-grantee funding with Fluxx

Knight Brings Unprecedented Value to Smaller Grantees

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which awards roughly 450–500 grants a year to support journalism, media innovation, community engagement and the arts, faced a slow, 27‑step grantmaking lifecycle that could take 30–60 days. Dan Schoenfeld, Knight’s Director of Grants Administration, sought to streamline processes for smaller, routine awards so the foundation could move funds faster and let program staff focus on larger, strategic grants.

Using Fluxx, Knight implemented a 2‑step expedited workflow for 501(c)(3) grants under $75,000 that leverages the Guidestar API and a shortened agreement. The change cut overall steps to six and enables expedited awards within 24 hours; in 18 months Knight completed 184 expedited grants totaling $16 million (average ~$48,600), increased annual capacity (from an estimated 50 to 120 expedited grants), and freed staff time while delivering timely support to smaller grantees.

Knight Foundation

Dan Schoenfeld

Director of Grants Administration