Foodlink is a regional nonprofit food bank in New York state and part of Feeding America, a network of 200 food banks across the United States. The organization distributes millions of pounds of food annually to food pantries and community meal programs, improving many thousands of people’s health and food security.
Last year alone, Foodlink distributed over 25 million pounds of food to 400 community partners across their 10-county service area in upstate New York. By making Foodlink’s operations more efficient, Jotform Enterprise has contributed to its mission to “leverage the power of food to end hunger and build healthier communities.”
| Forms | Submissions | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | 10,111 | 7 |
Foodlink’s operations are complex. The organization must adhere to a variety of both state and federal rules and regulations regarding food safety. It also manages partnerships with 400 outside nonprofits that are predominantly volunteer-run. Jotform Enterprise has been instrumental in helping Foodlink streamline its operations while maintaining compliance with regulations.
“Jotform Enterprise allows us to simplify and track things and make sure we’re checking the box from a compliance and requirement standpoint while keeping things as simple as possible for our members,” says Mike Pitts, vice president and senior director of Foodlink’s distribution center.
Streamlining the member onboarding process with Jotform Sign
Foodlink works with a number of member organizations to collect and distribute food, as well as to run a variety of community programs. Using Jotform Enterprise, Foodlink created a new process to onboard member organizations. New members must sign multiple agreements for the various programs Foodlink runs. Previously, the process was done manually, with Foodlink staff emailing the new members each document that needed to be signed and returned.
Using Jotform Smart PDF Forms, Foodlink staff were able to upload the existing PDF agreements for each program and convert them into online forms. “This is just super easy,” says Pitts. “The tool automatically detects these fields, and it works phenomenally.”
Foodlink then uses Jotform Sign to make signing the agreements an automated, two-step, online process. First, the new member signs the application. Second, the document is automatically sent to Foodlink for signature. “The e-signature in Jotform has been awesome,” Pitts says. “We use it for every type of agreement we have.”
Using Jotform Enterprise to manage registration for training
Foodlink also uses the workflow approvals features of Jotform Enterprise to manage various trainings, both in-person and online.
For example, Foodlink offers monthly in-person food safety training for community members, and the registration process is entirely run through Jotform Approvals. Community members can easily register for training through an online form. Registrations are then sent automatically to the appropriate Foodlink staff to manage on the backend.
For example, some registrants are eligible for scholarship funding for the training, so staff must first determine their eligibility. If someone isn’t eligible for a scholarship, Foodlink staff can input the price the individual needs to pay, and then send an automated email to the registrant with a link to a payment collection form. Registrants receive different automated emails depending on whether they are receiving a scholarship or are being asked to pay.
The process is seamless and efficient for Foodlink staff, and the registrants aren’t even aware of the intricate approval workflow behind the scenes that is making the process so simple for them.
Simplifying government funding applications
Foodlink receives government funding from the state of New York that it distributes to roughly 200 of its members. Every year, Foodlink members fill out an application for a share of the funding. After all the applications are submitted, Foodlink scores them and then awards the funding accordingly.
Jotform Enterprise revolutionized the way we interact with our members.
Mike Pitts, VP/Senior Director, Foodlink
Before implementing digital processes, Foodlink sent every organization the same paper application. “We were sending everybody the same giant application with no ability to tailor it,” says Pitts. “Jotform allows us to customize it based on the first couple of questions they’re answering. They’re going to see a customized application that’s specific to them. That never existed before.”
Using conditional logic, the application changes according to an applicant’s responses, teeing up only the questions that are relevant to them. It adjusts based on factors like the size of the organization, its service hours, the number of people it serves, and more. Scores are calculated automatically using one of Jotform’s many available widgets.
The final step of this process is sending personalized emails with an award letter to the organizations receiving funding. For each organization, an award letter is automatically generated using the information from its application, which is attached to the scoring form. Using Jotform’s integration with Excel, the letter is populated with information about the organization, the award amount, what the funds will be used for, and more.
The new process saves both the nonprofit organizations and Foodlink staff from spending countless hours on manual, administrative tasks. “There’s no way we can upload 300 PDFs and one by one invite people to sign all these documents,” says Pitts. “That would take forever.”
Instead, members retrieve their letters by entering their phone number into a form, and they then seamlessly receive a personalized award letter to sign and accept the offer. A PDF copy is also generated and sent to Foodlink for its records.
“Jotform Enterprise revolutionized the way we interact with our members,” says Pitts.
Creating a seamless auditing process
Foodlink is required by several regulatory bodies to conduct annual member site monitoring visits to verify proper handling of the products received from the food bank.
“We are ultimately responsible for the food we distribute and the use of the funds we distribute,” notes Pitts. “Reps would go out with a piece of paper and ask our agencies all these questions, but we found that they would only fill in some of the information. There was no way that we could use the data they brought back.”
The Jotform Enterprise Mobile App allowed them to create an electronic monitoring form, which the account representatives access on an iPad when they go out in the field. “Jotform has allowed us to guide our reps in the questions they need to ask,” says Pitts.
The form has a variety of fill-in and checkbox questions regarding food safety standards — on topics like proper dry and refrigerated food storage — and fields to upload photos. The form is part of a workflow that notifies the director of operational compliance if certain answers are chosen, flagging that form so they can follow up with the agency.
We love how much Jotform Enterprise can do. It’s incredible.
Mike Pitts, VP/Senior Director, Foodlink
Jotform Enterprise features that have made a big impact
Jotform’s widgets have been a standout offering for Foodlink. “The form inserts and widgets have been super helpful,” says Pitts. “It has increased functionality, allowing the form process to be simplified yet expandable. I’ve been super impressed.”
Staff throughout the organization also use Jotform Teams to improve collaboration and data management. “Jotform Teams is super effective in giving form and submission data access to some people and not others,” says Pitts. “Individuals can see everything specific to their team and without having access to every form we create.”
Pitts also highlights how the Jotform Enterprise customer success team is immensely helpful in making Foodlink’s processes work. “Jotform Enterprise customer support response time is the fastest I have ever seen in any organization,” says Pitts. He also uses the virtual support meetings feature and finds speaking with the Jotform Enterprise tech team helpful.
A new tool in the fight against hunger and poverty
As Foodlink continues its fight to eradicate hunger and poverty, it continues to find new ways to use Jotform Enterprise to support its mission. By leveraging technology, the organization has taken significant steps toward building healthier communities.
“We love how much Jotform Enterprise can do,” says Pitts. “It’s incredible.”
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