Case Study: The Annenberg Foundation achieves faster, streamlined grantmaking with SmartSimple Cloud

How the Annenberg Foundation accelerated its grantmaking to capture the vital work of grantees across the US and world

The Annenberg Foundation, one of the largest family foundations in the United States, faced a decentralized, paper‑heavy grants process that slowed applicant vetting and required duplicate systems for program and administration teams. To modernize the applicant experience, reduce manual data entry and streamline workflows, The Annenberg Foundation selected SmartSimple Cloud and implemented SmartSimple Cloud for Grants Management.

SmartSimple Cloud delivered a centralized, cloud‑based solution with two‑step LOI/application workflows, branded program forms, automated reminders, a reports portal, and an Email Anything feature to attach communications to grant records. The result: applications rose from 217 to 389 (an ~80% increase), data‑entry and scanning were largely eliminated, the team transitioned smoothly to remote work, and the Foundation supported 200+ grants totaling $40.7M in 2020—clear measurable efficiency gains achieved with SmartSimple Cloud.

The Annenberg Foundation

Katrina Ashley

Senior Grants Manager