Client Spotlight: Canary + Santa Fe Community Foundation
Powering emergency financial support to individuals in need over the holidays.
Organization:
Santa Fe Community Foundation (SFCF)
santafecf.org
Founded: 1981
Size & Scope:
- Staff of 18 managing 545 philanthropic funds
- $144M in assets under management
Industry: Philanthropy & Community Impact
The Opportunity
One of the largest nonprofit funders in New Mexico, Santa Fe Community Foundation (SFCF) aims to create a northern New Mexico where all people can find opportunity, build connections, and contribute to their communities’ well-being. Managing over $144 million in assets, the Foundation stewards 545 philanthropic funds, each dedicated to strengthening communities across the region.
One of their hallmark initiatives, the Empty Stocking Fund, has provided vital emergency assistance to local families during the holiday season. However, as part of broader organizational improvements led by newer leadership team members, the fund’s operational challenges became increasingly apparent:
- Fragmented process: Multiple stakeholders (newspaper, nonprofits, bank, foundation) had different roles in the application intake, decision-making, and fund distribution processes, creating inefficiencies and archaic processing systems.
- A need for enhanced oversight: With so many layers, SFCF wanted to find a way to centralize decision-making and distributions in order to streamline its fiduciary management of the program.
- Administratively burdensome: With 10 nonprofit organizations devoting as many as 20 hours per week for more than 12 weeks, SFCF wanted to find a way to give these hard-working nonprofits valuable time back during what’s often the most administratively intense time of the year. Additionally, their key banking partner was needing to walk away from the project given the incredible workload (application processing and check cutting) being placed on the staff.
- Growth limitations: Though the fund raised up to $500,000 annually and helped hundreds of families, SFCF felt that in order to grow the program, system changes were necessary for long-term sustainability.
SFCF knew that with the right systems in place, they could not only strengthen the Empty Stocking Fund’s fiscal management but potentially expand its reach. SFCF needed a trusted technology partner to modernize emergency fund delivery — ensuring compliance, efficiency, and sustainability while maintaining meaningful connections with community partners.
The Solution
SFCF needed a partner with both compliance expertise and proven technology that could elevate their impactful but administratively intricate program. Canary’s platform offered the perfect balance: enterprise-grade compliance controls with the flexibility to honor SFCF’s community-centered approach. Through its partnership with Canary, SFCF transformed the Empty Stocking Fund from a complex multi-stakeholder initiative into a streamlined, scalable solution while enhancing the fund’s local impact and mission. How?
- Automated, compliant grant distribution: Canary’s platform ensured standardized documentation, tracking, and reporting, strengthening compliance efforts.
- Faster, more equitable relief: Requests were now handled in less than two weeks on average, some as quickly as a few days, getting funds to those in crisis when they needed it most.
- More efficient operations: By streamlining the emergency relief process, Canary’s platform reduced administrative burden, allowing SFCF staff to focus on expanding impact rather than managing complex fund distribution logistics.
- Stronger community engagement & donor confidence: With improved transparency and operational efficiency, SFCF is better positioned to fundraise and promote the fund’s impact.
“From where we sit, we feel really good about what we were able to accomplish together. This partnership has allowed us to maintain our community responsiveness while adding the professional oversight and consistency we needed.”
Sandra Session-Robertson, Vice President of Development and Donor Relations at Santa Fe Community Foundation
The Impact
Through Grant Circle, powered by Canary, SFCF enhanced their ability to provide fast, meaningful relief to community members facing financial hardships. By streamlining emergency assistance, they helped ensure families could stay in their homes, keep the lights on, and cover essential expenses when it mattered most. The impact was substantial:
After successfully transforming a complex, multi-stakeholder process into a streamlined digital solution, SFCF is enthusiastic about refining this approach alongside Canary for year two of the program. Sandra Session-Robertson, Vice President of Development and Donor Relations at SFCF, reflected, “From where we sit, we feel really good about what we were able to accomplish together. This partnership has allowed us to maintain our community responsiveness while adding the professional oversight and consistency we needed.”
$411,691 distributed in emergency assistance
292 community members supported
$1,271 average grant, helping cover essentials like rent, utilities, and transportation
66% of recipients reported their grant covered their emergency need
Real Stories from Santa Fe Residents
A Growing Movement for Emergency Relief
Canary’s work with Santa Fe Community Foundation is part of a larger effort to modernize emergency relief delivery across industries. While initially focused on employers, Canary has expanded its impact, partnering with:
- Community organizations to deliver grants to individuals in crisis.
- Private equity firms to support employees across portfolio companies.
- Philanthropic organizations to help hardworking individuals.
Santa Fe Community Foundation’s journey shows how the right technology and partnerships can unlock new possibilities for direct assistance to create stronger, more resilient communities.
Canary’s emergency relief solutions are trusted by employers, community organizations, and philanthropic foundations to get critical funds to those who need them most. Learn more about how our technology can support your mission — connect with us today.
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