STEA managed to digitalize its grant application process by implementing a new system solution with the help of Innofactor
The Funding Centre for Social Welfare and Health Organisations (STEA) operates in connection with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health of Finland and is responsible for distributing the profits of the state’s gambling monopoly, Veikkaus, to NGOs. The system solution developed in co-operation with Innofactor covers everything there is to managing grants and paperwork is no longer required.
STEA distributed grants worth over €360 million last year. Innofactor has a great deal of experience concerning the public sector and was able to digitalize STEA's operations in co-operation with the organisation.
“Our co-operation with Innofactor began in 2014 when we kicked off the grant system project. At that time, STEA was still working as a branch of Finland’s Slot Machine Association (RAY). Previously, all grant applications and other processes had been processed on paper, so we also took the leap into the digital world with the project,” says product owner Anu Mäkinen.
STEA’s system solution consists of three parts. It includes online services in Azure as well as Microsoft Dynamics CRM, the main tool used by STEA employees. The solution also includes Dynasty 360°, which functions as an electronic archive.
“STEA’s grant system is able to process everything from grant applications right up to their payment. It is also used to supervise, monitor and evaluate everything in the process,” Mäkinen says.
Innofactor’s team is working on site at STEA’s premises together with Mäkinen. She stresses that working at the customer’s premises is important when working with Scrum.
“Currently, we have a team of three people working with us. They are really nice people and they impress us with their expertise every time,” Mäkinen says.
“I think that without Innofactor we wouldn’t be so agile in our development, which would slow us down immensely,” Mäkinen says.
The main goal of the co-operation was to get rid of physical paperwork, and that has been achieved. The system is working well and STEA is happy with the solution.
“The largest benefit is obviously having a good information system that serves our needs, but the feeling of having a partner that we can rely on is also important,” Mäkinen summarises.
"The largest benefit is obviously having a good information system that serves our needs, but the feeling of having a partner that we can rely on is also important."
Anu Mäkinen
Product Owner
STEA
The following technologies were a part of STEAs solution:
