The Foundant Support Team is here to help CommunitySuite clients navigate the product, troubleshoot issues, and accomplish their goals. Understanding the scope of what the Foundant Support Team can assist with helps ensure interactions are smooth and that the right requests get to the right people quickly.
Who: CommunitySuite users who contact the Foundant Support Team for assistance, including system administrators, finance team members, and grants staff.
When to Use This Article
Reference this article when:
- Preparing to contact the Foundant Support Team and you want to know what to expect.
- A Foundant Support Team member has directed you to complete a step yourself, such as a password reset, and you want to understand why.
- You are a system administrator and want to understand how Support handles requests related to your organization's users.
Account Actions and Permissions
Support Assistance Is Tied to User Permissions
Foundant Support Team members can provide information and general guidance with many tasks in CommunitySuite, but the scope of that assistance is tied to what the requesting user is already authorized to do within the product. If an action requires a specific role or permission level which the user does not possess, Support will not perform actions on the user’s behalf.
Requests Outside a User's Permission Level
For example, if a task requires administrator access and the requesting user does not have the necessary permissions, Support will direct them to an authorized administrator within their organization to initiate the request through the appropriate channel. This serves as protection for Foundant and clients to prevent bad actors from misusing the system.
Password Resets
How the Reset Process Works
Password resets are handled through the product's self-service reset flow, which verifies identity through the registered email address on the account. Foundant Support will walk users through the self-service reset process but will not reset, change, or set passwords on users’ behalf. This process protects account security by ensuring password changes are initiated by an authorized person within your organization. If a user is having difficulty with this process, Support will verify that the system is working properly and provide suggestions to resolve the issue.
For example, if a user requests a reset and does not receive an email, Support will verify that an email was sent. If an email was not sent, Support will resolve the block if it is on the system side. If the user is blocking CommunitySuite emails, Support will be unable to assist in troubleshooting the user’s email inbox.
Contact Support If the Only Admin Is Locked Out
If the user is the site admin, it is recommended to handle password troubleshooting in conjunction with another admin. In cases where the user experiencing issues is also the only available admin, email Support with the subject line Admin Locked Out Needs Assistance. The body of the email should include all relevant information about the situation, the names of any other admins and why they are unavailable, and how you can best be reached. Support will escalate this to the Support Management Team to review and get in touch with you.
Data Export Requests
Requests to export, download, or transmit organizational data, such as grant records, reports, contacts, or full data extracts, are treated as sensitive actions. The Foundant Support Team will provide steps appropriate to complete the workflow but will not perform exports on users’ behalf. Export requests that are unusually large in scope are not handled by Support. These requests will be directed to the client’s Customer Success Manager to ensure the right process is followed, and the appropriate approvals are in place.
Bulk Actions and Deletions
What Counts as a Bulk Action or Deletion
Bulk actions and deletions involve changes that affect data at scale. This includes bulk edits, mass status changes, imports that overwrite records, and deletions of accounts, grants, or other organizational data. These types of actions require additional care since many are irreversible.
Support's Role in Bulk Actions and Deletions
The Foundant Support Team will not perform bulk actions or deletions in any client site. If Foundant’s involvement in executing these actions is needed, that work must be arranged through a paid services engagement. Clients are welcome to confirm steps and work through troubleshooting questions with Support.
User Account Creation
The Foundant Support Team will not create new user accounts upon request. When a request for account creation comes in, the requester will be directed to a CommunitySuite admin within their organization to complete this action. This applies to all account types, including backend CommunitySuite users and Portal Logins for donors, grantees, and fund advisors. If the requester is unsure who holds admin access at their organization, Support can provide a list of admins within their site.
Third-Party Support
Support's Scope
The Foundant Support Team can only assist with Foundant software and Foundant partner integrations. Support cannot troubleshoot, configure, or advise on third-party platforms, even when those platforms connect to CommunitySuite.
Troubleshooting Third-Party Connection Issues
When a connection issue arises between CommunitySuite and a third-party tool, Support can verify whether the connection on the Foundant side is functioning as expected. If the issue originates outside of Foundant’s systems, the client will need to contact the third-party provider directly. Examples of third-party platforms outside of Support's scope include Stripe accounts, Power BI, Direct Fund Advisor portals, and outside IT providers.
A Note on the Breadth of Our Team
Who Makes Up the Foundant Support Team
The Foundant Support Team is made up of people who genuinely care about the philanthropic sector. Many team members bring backgrounds in accounting, finance, fund administration, grants management, and technology, and that depth shows up every day in the conversations with clients. When clients ask questions that go beyond the software itself, team members will often share thoughts and recommendations, happy paths, and how other organizations approach similar challenges. Those conversations are grounded in what we hear across our client community and our understanding of each client’s goals, and we think they are one of the most valuable things we offer.
What Support Guidance Is and Is Not
At the same time, we want to be transparent about what those conversations are and are not. Guidance shared by the Support reflects our software expertise and the collective experience of our team. It is not a substitute for advice from your organization’s accountants, auditors, legal counsel, investment advisors, or IT professionals. For decisions with financial, legal, or compliance implications, those are the experts your organization should be leaning on.
Other Resources Beyond Support
We also encourage you to tap into the broader community around you. Compass, Foundant's community platform, is home to thousands of philanthropic professionals navigating the same questions you are. Peer organizations, sector groups, and professional associations you belong to are equally valuable resources. The Foundant Support Team is one part of a much larger ecosystem of expertise available to you, and we want to make sure you are connected to all of it.