--- title: Linux Foundation Education Transforms and Simplifies Scholarship Program with SmarterSelect description: Linux Foundation partnered with SmarterSelect to revolutionize their scholarship management process and created a single-system application process. image: https://www.smarterselect.com/hubfs/The-Linux-Foundation-Case-Study-Blog-IMG.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://www.smarterselect.com/blog/linux-foundation-education-transforms-and-simplifies-scholarship-program-with-smarterselect#main-content) [![SmarterSelect Logo](https://www.smarterselect.com/hubfs/SmarterSelect-Logo-Blue.svg) ](https://www.smarterselect.com/) - Solutions Show submenu for Solutions - [How it Works](https://www.smarterselect.com/how-smarterselect-works) - [Scholarships](https://www.smarterselect.com/scholarship-management-system) - [Grants](https://www.smarterselect.com/grant-management-system) - [Awards](https://www.smarterselect.com/award-management-system) - [Special Programs](https://www.smarterselect.com/special-programs) - [Plans](https://www.smarterselect.com/pricing) - [Blog](https://www.smarterselect.com/blog) Show submenu for Blog - [Resources](https://www.smarterselect.com/resources) - [Reviews](https://www.smarterselect.com/reviews) - [Login](https://app.smarterselect.com/login) Open main navigation Close main navigation - Solutions Show submenu for Solutions - [How it Works](https://www.smarterselect.com/how-smarterselect-works) - [Scholarships](https://www.smarterselect.com/scholarship-management-system) - [Grants](https://www.smarterselect.com/grant-management-system) - [Awards](https://www.smarterselect.com/award-management-system) - [Special Programs](https://www.smarterselect.com/special-programs) - [Plans](https://www.smarterselect.com/pricing) - [Blog](https://www.smarterselect.com/blog) Show submenu for Blog - [Resources](https://www.smarterselect.com/resources) - [Reviews](https://www.smarterselect.com/reviews) - [Login](https://app.smarterselect.com/login) - [ Schedule a Demo ](https://info.smarterselect.com/smarterselect-request-a-demo-3) [ Schedule a Demo ](https://info.smarterselect.com/smarterselect-request-a-demo-3) [ All posts ](https://www.smarterselect.com/blog/all) February 3, 2025 # Linux Foundation Education Transforms and Simplifies Scholarship Program with SmarterSelect ![Picture of Robert Davis](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/ae04439e3626d8a33aaf7cc6d991f50f)   Robert Davis  ·  2 minute read ![Copy of lfeducation_color-stacked](https://www.smarterselect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Copy%20of%20lfeducation_color-stacked.png?width=247&height=176&name=Copy%20of%20lfeducation_color-stacked.png) “The customer service and training is amazing. Getting from zero to actually using it is as easy as they possibly can make it for you, and they will hold your hand.” ![Scott-Punk](https://www.smarterselect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Scott-Punk.jpeg?width=80&height=80&name=Scott-Punk.jpeg) Scott Punk Marketing Manager, Linux Foundation Education #### Client Type Open Source Technology and Education Foundation #### **** #### **Primary Values** Streamlined Process, Improved Evaluation System, and Global Accessibility #### **** #### **Use Case**  Applications and Selection ![Linux-Education-LIFT](https://www.smarterselect.com/hubfs/Linux-Education-LIFT.svg) ## Situation The Linux Foundation Education manages the LIFT Scholarship Program, offering free courses and certifications to support the growing market demand for open source expertise worldwide. Prior to implementing SmarterSelect, they managed applications through a complex manual process using a combination of Google Sheets, HubSpot, and manual reviews which became increasingly challenging as their program grew. With applications surging from hundreds to thousands annually, their manual process faced significant hurdles: - Managing over 3,000 applications from more than 100 countries - Coordinating multiple spreadsheets for different stages of review - Struggling with email deliverability for applicant communications - Manually verifying and collecting additional documentation from finalists - Difficulty matching expert reviewers with relevant applications across 16 categories ![SmarterSelect-Blog-width-logo-bgsvg](https://www.smarterselect.com/hubfs/SmarterSelect-Blog-width-logo-bgsvg.svg) ## Solution The Linux Foundation Education partnered with SmarterSelect to revolutionize their scholarship management process. The platform enabled them to: - Create a streamlined, single-system application process - Implement category-specific expert review assignments - Automate initial application screening - Maintain consistent communication with applicants - Efficiently collect and verify finalist documentation - Scale from hundreds to thousands of applications seamlessly > ### “What was great about them was after we got through the first introduction levels, I was able to say quite specifically, ‘I don’t care about this feature, this is what I’m going to do.’ They adapted the training to precisely our work process and showed us how SmarterSelect aligns to our operation.” > > > > ![Scott-Punk](https://www.smarterselect.com/hubfs/Scott-Punk.jpeg) > > Scott Punk > > Marketing Manager, Linux Foundation Education ## Results #### Dramatic Process Improvement ***“It eliminated 85 to 90% of my headaches,”*** noted Scott. The foundation successfully processed over 3,400 applications across 16 categories, awarding 500 scholarships to recipients from 111 countries. #### Enhanced Review Process The platform enabled matching technical reviewers with their areas of expertise: ***“We were able to say things like, ‘oh, you’re a Kubernetes cloud expert, so we’re going to give you 10 Kubernetes cloud people to look at,’ instead of going, ‘here’s 900 people.'”*** #### Superior Support Experience ***“Normally, when you pay for software like this at the price point we are at, you don’t get the level of customer service that you’re getting. But, SmarterSelect delivers amazing responsiveness to any and all questions…”***  No matter what Scott’s team needed clarification on, SmarterSelect’s support staff answered everything they had questions about. #### Improved Communication Solved previous email deliverability issues with scholarship winners, ensuring all notifications reached recipients through the platform’s integrated communication system. #### Time Savings While the initial setup required learning the system, the foundation expects to save approximately 75% of administrative time in the subsequent years they plan to use the platform. ** *“Amazing training. And, this platform solves so many problems for us. Now we have everything all in one place instead of dealing with multiple spreadsheets. We can now quickly answer things like 'did I validate that person, and does this person get moved to the right spreadsheet, and what category are they in?'”* [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2308829/0609656e-790f-4f42-a79d-b463f3f577f9.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2308829/0609656e-790f-4f42-a79d-b463f3f577f9) --- Learn more at SmarterSelect.com Share: [facebook-f icon ](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://www.smarterselect.com/blog/linux-foundation-education-transforms-and-simplifies-scholarship-program-with-smarterselect) [linkedin-in icon ](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.smarterselect.com/blog/linux-foundation-education-transforms-and-simplifies-scholarship-program-with-smarterselect) [twitter icon ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://www.smarterselect.com/blog/linux-foundation-education-transforms-and-simplifies-scholarship-program-with-smarterselect) [pinterest-p icon ](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://www.smarterselect.com/blog/linux-foundation-education-transforms-and-simplifies-scholarship-program-with-smarterselect) [envelope icon ](mailto:?body=https://www.smarterselect.com/blog/linux-foundation-education-transforms-and-simplifies-scholarship-program-with-smarterselect) ## Related posts [![7 Tips for Keeping Scholarship Applicants Engaged](https://www.smarterselect.com/hubfs/Blog/7-Tips-For-Keeping-Scholarship-Applicants-Engaged.jpg) ](https://www.smarterselect.com/blog/keeping-scholarship-applicants-engaged) [Scholarship software](https://www.smarterselect.com/blog/topic/scholarship-software) #### [7 Tips for Keeping Scholarship Applicants Engaged](https://www.smarterselect.com/blog/keeping-scholarship-applicants-engaged) [![Streamlining scholarship disbursement](https://www.smarterselect.com/hubfs/Streamlining-Scholarship-Disbursement-Processes-Internal-Image-8-April-2024.jpg) ](https://www.smarterselect.com/blog/streamlining-scholarship-disbursement-process) [Scholarship disbursement process](https://www.smarterselect.com/blog/topic/scholarship-disbursement-process) #### [Streamlining Scholarship Disbursement Processes](https://www.smarterselect.com/blog/streamlining-scholarship-disbursement-process) [![Managing recommendation letters](https://www.smarterselect.com/hubfs/CC18/Managing-Scholarship-Recommendation-Letters-Effectively.png) ](https://www.smarterselect.com/blog/managing-scholarship-recommendation-letters) [scholarship management](https://www.smarterselect.com/blog/topic/scholarship-management) #### [Managing Scholarship Recommendation Letters Effectively](https://www.smarterselect.com/blog/managing-scholarship-recommendation-letters) [![SmarterSelect-logo-dark](https://www.smarterselect.com/hubfs/SmarterSelect-logo-dark.svg "SmarterSelect-logo-dark")](https://www.smarterselect.com) Make better decisions faster. 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