Starwood’s Journey from Strategy to Impact

Are you a “funder” or an “investor”? Learn how Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide partnered with Versaic and

The Rensselaerville Institute (TRI) to evolve their giving mindset to an “investor,” and the amazing impact they are building in communities today.

Establish Mission & Focus

CONSERVATION WORKPLACEREADINESS

HUMANRIGHTS

DISASTERRELIEF

COMMUNITYVITALITY

Starwood identified focus areas that align community development objectives and the company’s strategy goals.

1

Formulate a Plan Starwood had a lot of questions & challenges around working

with grant partners, streamlining the process, and building for impact. So they partnered with TRI.

“The Starwood team understands that their grantee’s results ARE the Foundation’s results. It’s that mindset that drives how Starwood partners

with their grantees to achieve those results together.” –WENDY WATSON-HALLOWELL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RESULTS CONSULTING, TRI

2

Fostering Employment

Career Development

Employer Readiness

Funding Priorities

WORKPLACE READINESS�STRATEGIC RESULT FRAMEWORK

Desired Results

Unemployed local residents obtain and

retain local living wage jobs

Local workers advance into higher career

opportunities

Local employers change their practices and policies to employ,

retrain and advance local residents

*Underserved socially, geographically or economically

Program Types

Hard Skill Training

Soft Skill Training

Social Skills Training

Advanced Skill Training

Leadership and Management Training

Global Mindedness

Employer Engagement

Job Matching

Workforce Skill Development & Training

Strategy

HOW WE CONTRIBUTE

• Direct Service Grants• Capacity Building Grants• System Reform Grants• Associate Engagement• Associate Advocates

• Collaborative Partnerships

Address the skills and access gaps faced

by underserved* or unemployed residents

in current and future Starwood

Communities

Impact

A skilled and diverse local

workforce that drives business

growth and economic success

Starwood made a mindset shift from “funder” to “investor” and created a results-oriented framework.

Bring the Vision to Life: Implementing the System

To capture data, track impact and support their plan, Starwood partnered with Versaic to build a custom-configured grants management system.

3

The Versaic system brought

Starwood’s vision to life

“We needed a system that had the ability to capture results through the entire grantmaking process, could evolve with us, and a team that was willing to partner

with us to build that out. Versaic really offered the ability to do everything.” – KRISTIN MEYER, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS,

STARWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS WORLDWIDE, INC.

Starwood is able to better partner with

grantees and understand impact

System Launch and Results The solution was custom-configured to Starwood’s needs

and it is updated as Starwood’s programs evolve.

“Versaic thinks about “data use” rather than simply “database,” and creates great decision-making systems for clients.”

–WENDY WATSON-HALLOWELL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RESULTS CONSULTING, TRI

4

Starwood uses data collection, impact reporting, automated tracking, and a streamlined submission process to achieve impact.

To learn more, read the full eBook here.

www.versaic.com 877-712-9495