When Walder Foundation selected akoyaGO as its CRM and grants management platform, the decision was grounded in vision.
Walder Foundation was looking for a system that could support not only its current grantmaking operations, but also its long-term goals—one that offered strong out-of-the-box functionality, flexibility, and the ability to grow alongside increasingly sophisticated reporting and analytics needs.
akoyaGO provided that solution with software built on Microsoft Dynamics 365.
What followed was a deliberate, forward-looking effort to build on an already strong system through partnership, intentional planning, and a shared commitment to long-term impact.
Starting with a Strong, Configurable Software Solution
From the beginning, akoyaGO served as Walder Foundation’s core software solution for grants management—centralizing grants data, workflows, and reporting while supporting clarity, consistency, and confidence across the organization.
Walder Foundation was particularly drawn to akoyaGO’s:
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Configurable structure and workflows
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Ability to support complex grantmaking practices
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Compatibility with Microsoft tools already in use
This combination allowed Walder Foundation to think expansively about how technology could support decision-making, learning, and future growth.
“We were excited about akoyaGO because there was so much opportunity—it gave us a strong system to build from.”
A Partnership-Driven Approach to Expansion
As Walder Foundation continued to explore how it wanted to use its data more deeply, the team took a strategic approach—considering how specialized expertise could help accelerate progress and ensure thoughtful, well-designed outcomes.
Rather than viewing technology as a standalone solution, Walder Foundation viewed it as part of a broader partnership model—one that combined a strong platform with collaborators who could help tailor and extend its use in alignment with organizational goals.
That approach led to a partnership with Grantbook.
Grantbook worked alongside Walder Foundation and akoyaGO, focusing on analytics, reporting, and visualization that draws directly from akoyaGO data—helping the Foundation translate information into insight.
“From our perspective, it feels seamless because Grantbook understands akoyaGO well enough that we don’t have to explain the system every time—we can focus on outcomes instead.” — Brittany Andersen, Walder Foundation
Collaboration in Practice: Clear Roles, Shared Goals
A key factor in the success of this partnership has been clarity.
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akoyaGO remains the system of record and single source of truth for grants management
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Grantbook supports advanced integrations and visualization built on akoyaGO data
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Walder Foundation's internal team leads the strategic design of its grantmaking practices, processes and accountability for deliverables
This structure allows each group to contribute where they are strongest, while maintaining a cohesive, well-supported system.
“It’s been really effective to clearly identify how akoyaGO supports our core work and how partners can help us build on that. Once those lines were clear, everything became much smoother.” — Brittany Andersen, Walder Foundation
Turning Data into Insight
One of the most visible outcomes of this collaboration is Walder Foundation’s approach to reporting and analytics. Using akoyaGO as the source of truth, Walder Foundation leverages Power BI dashboards to support:
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Board Reporting
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Identification of YOY Trends
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Financial Analysis
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Future Goal: Evaluation and Learning
“Power BI is central to how we do board reporting, budget monitoring, and financial analysis—it’s become essential to how we use our akoyaGO data.” — Brittany Andersen, Walder Foundation
A shared data model ensures consistency across reports, allowing the Foundation to confidently analyze trends, investments (for grant spend), and grant practices while maintaining akoyaGO as the primary data source.
Building with Stability in Mind
Throughout this process, Walder Foundation remained focused on sustainability and long-term ownership.
The goal was not to outsource responsibility for the system, but to intentionally extend how akoyaGO could be used, while keeping strategy and decision-making firmly in-house.
“You don’t have to do everything in-house to have a highly effective, well-supported system that meets your organization’s needs.” — Brittany Andersen, Walder Foundation
This approach gives the Foundation flexibility—allowing support to scale alongside priorities while preserving institutional knowledge and control.
An Ecosystem Designed to Support Growth
Walder Foundation’s experience reflects a future-oriented approach to grantmaking technology.
Every foundation has unique needs, and Walder Foundation’s team recognized early on that a strong platform paired with thoughtful partnerships could support both current operations and future evolution.
Because akoyaGO provides flexibility and configurability, the Walder Foundation was able to imagine what was possible. Through collaboration with Grantbook, those possibilities were translated into practical, usable outcomes—supporting stronger reporting, clearer insights, and more confident decision-making.
For akoyaGO, Walder Foundation’s story underscores the value of an ecosystem approach. akoyaGO is designed to support a wide range of foundation needs and to work alongside partners who can help organizations tailor their systems strategically.
Walder Foundation’s collaboration with Grantbook illustrates how this ecosystem can support organizations that are thinking proactively about growth and complexity.
Looking Ahead
“We feel really good about the system we’ve built, how it’s staffed, and how it supports our work—and we’d be happy to be a resource for others considering a similar approach.” — Brittany Andersen, Walder Foundation
As grantmaking continues to evolve, Walder Foundation’s experience offers a compelling example of how organizations can use akoyaGO as a strong technology solution, supported by strategic partnerships, to build thoughtfully for what’s next.
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