Conscience Bay Research’s Salesforce Success Story
“Thanks to the ImagineCRM team, I no longer worry about missing a grant or misreporting data. Everything’s in one place, visible and accurate.”
-Matt Lappé.
Introduction
Conscience Bay Research (CBR) is the philanthropic arm of Conscience Bay Company, a family office based in Colorado with investments in both commercial real estate and regenerative agriculture.
With a deep commitment to climate, sustainability, and resilience, CBR supports nonprofits across urban and rural communities, straddling political, geographic, and cultural divides. Over the past four years, CBR has deployed over $40 million to more than 100 grantees, from grassroots organizations to national policy initiatives.
Why Did You Decide to Embark on a Digital Transformation?
With just a two-person team managing millions in grants and a growing network of grantee relationships, Conscience Bay Research knew they needed to future-proof their operations. At the time, they were using a blend of Google spreadsheets, QuickBooks, donor-advised fund portals, and shared drives.
“It worked in the early days, but as we grew, it became clear that we needed a more professional, integrated system to match the scale of our ambition,” said Executive Director Matt Lappé.
“I’ve always wanted to do everything to a world-class standard, and I was increasingly aware that if we continued relying on manual systems, there was always a risk that something could be miscoded or overlooked. I wanted to make sure our small team had the best tools available - not just to stay organised, but to deliver excellence in everything we do.”
That desire to lead with clarity, consistency, and care drove the decision to invest in Salesforce and build a purpose-fit solution.
Why Salesforce?
After speaking to peers across the philanthropic sector, one name kept coming up: Salesforce. Matt had successfully used Salesforce in a previous nonprofit leadership role and knew its potential. One of CBR’s close partners, Tempest Advisors, recommended ImagineCRM as a nonprofit-specialist Salesforce partner.
Choosing ImagineCRM as a Partner
“It’s been an absolute joy working with ImagineCRM,” Matt shared. “From the very beginning, they translated my abstract hopes into a real strategy, milestones, and tools. Rebecca and Miguel - our technical lead and project manager – have been phenomenal. They’re not just experts; they bring energy and positivity to every meeting. I always felt heard.”
What has been the impact of having Salesforce?
Although the system had just gone live at the time of writing, the benefits were already clear:
Confidence and Clarity: “I no longer worry about missing a grant or misreporting data. Everything’s in one place, visible and accurate.” - Matt shared
Time Saved on Board Reports: Previously, preparing quarterly updates took days of checking and rechecking spreadsheets. Now? “With dashboards in Salesforce, I can update our progress in real-time and pull clean, clear reports instantly.” - Shared Matt
Scalability for Growth: Matt went on to share, “We’re preparing to grow. Salesforce makes it easy to onboard new staff or collaborators without needing to explain a tangle of spreadsheets. Everything’s structured and repeatable.”
Stronger Grantee Relationships: With automatic reminders and integrated communication tools, CBR can offer clearer and more timely engagement with its grantees.
“We can finally deliver the consistency and clarity that our grantees deserve,” Matt kindly shared.Increased Capacity to Do Good: Matt commented, “Every hour we save on admin is a dollar we can redirect to our mission. Investing in Salesforce gives us more room to make an impact.”
“With dashboards in Salesforce, I can update our progress in real-time and pull clean, clear reports instantly.”
A System Built by ImagineCRM in 2025 – What’s Next?
With their new Salesforce system live, Conscience Bay Research is poised to expand its giving and strengthen its relationships across the Mountain West and beyond. “The ROI is already clear,” said Matt. “We’re a small team, but now we’ve got the tools of a much larger operation.”
“The investment in Salesforce is paying for itself in time saved, mistakes avoided, and confidence gained,” he added. “We can give more, do more, and scale our mission – and that’s what really matters.”
Advice to Other Funders?
“If your mission is to do good, then efficiency is a multiplier. ImagineCRM helped us build a system that turns complexity into clarity. It’s worth every penny.”
“With dashboards in Salesforce, I can update our progress in real-time and pull clean, clear reports instantly.” - Matt shared
Let’s Connect!
If you’d like to talk with the ImagineCRM team about your needs, please send us an email. Also, follow us on Instagram for all the latest news and updates. We can’t wait to meet you!
