About the Irving Harris Foundation

Client: Irving Harris Foundation 
Industry: Private Foundation – Family 
Key Stakeholders: June Matayoshi (Grants Manager) 
Client Since: 2013 
Tools Used: SmartSimple Cloud 

$10- $15
million annually in grants

Overview 

Irving Harris Foundation is a small family foundation based in Chicago. They provide grants to not-for-profit
organizations focused on enhancing early childhood, reproductive health & justice, arts & culture, Jewish culture and
social justice.


Their mission is to enhance the quality of life for children, families and communities by advancing human potential,
social justice, equality, creative experience and expression. They invest in initiatives that focus on the healthy social
emotional development and well-being of young children and their families through community vitality and creative
development.

Challenges 

For over two decades, the Foundation used MicroEdge GIFTS, a system that initially met their needs when operations were smaller. However, with a growing team and a more complex grantmaking portfolio, the system fell behind. 

Key frustrations included: 

  • Over-reliance on paper and manual workflows 
  • No integration with modern tools like e-signature platforms 
  • Rising fees with declining support quality 
  • Disorganized grant data spread across multiple channels 

With multiple communication and submission channels (email, fax, and paper), the process was chaotic and inefficient. The Foundation knew it was time to transition to a modern, streamlined, and cost-effective platform. 

Solutions Implemented 

The Foundation transitioned from a desktop, paper-based environment to a modern, online grants management platform with SmartSimple Cloud. Though the data migration process came with expected hurdles, SmartSimple’s support team worked closely to overcome them and ensure a smooth implementation.  

What SmartSimple Delivered: 

  • A central repository for all grant-related data 
  • Automated workflows that replaced manual processes 
  • A user-friendly, online portal for grantees 
  • Easy file sharing and document storage 
  • Premium Support Services with a Dedicated Support Representative] 
  • Integration with Signority for online document signing 

Impact & Outcomes 

Since the transition, the Foundation has seen major operational improvements: 

  • Reduced contract turnaround time by 50% 
  • Streamlined workflows with automation 
  • Greater staff satisfaction and confidence in the system 
  • Consistent, responsive customer service 
  • A scalable, future-ready platform 

Client Testimonials 

“The more we use the system the better the team here feels about SmartSimple Cloud. Everyone is finding the automated workflows much more efficient than our manual process ever was. Foundations are typically slow to get with the times, but now I feel like I’m way ahead of the curve.” 
— June Matayoshi, Grants Manager 

“SmartSimple Cloud had a clean, simple look, and that was a big draw for our staff. We were very excited by the potential we could see for us by choosing SmartSimple Cloud.” 
— June Matayoshi, Grants Manager 

Key Takeaways 

The Irving Harris Foundation went from feeling stuck in a paper-process rut to leading the charge in grants management modernization. With SmartSimple Cloud, they have full control, real-time visibility, and a partner in support, empowering them to focus more on impact and less on administration.