From Paper to Power:
Automating Wisconsin DMA's Tuition Grant Process

Simple BI partnered with the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs (DMA) to modernize and streamline their tuition grant processing system for National Guard members. By transitioning from a cumbersome, paper-based process to a fully automated, digital solution utilizing Microsoft Power Platform technologies, Simple BI significantly reduced processing times, increased efficiency, and provided substantial cost savings for the DMA.

The Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs (DMA) is a crucial element of Wisconsin’s state government, tasked with managing the state’s military forces and coordinating emergency responses. The DMA oversees the Wisconsin Army National Guard, the Wisconsin Air National Guard, Wisconsin Emergency Management, and the Wisconsin State Defense Force. Established in 1967 through a government reorganization act, the DMA has played a vital role in unifying command structures and enhancing the state’s emergency preparedness and response capabilities.

Among its many initiatives, the DMA administers the Tuition Grant Program, which provides financial assistance to members of the Wisconsin National Guard. This program is integral to the personal and professional development of service members, ensuring they have access to higher education opportunities. The grant program is a testament to the DMA's commitment to supporting its personnel both during and after their service.

The DMA faced significant challenges with their tuition grant application process, which was heavily reliant on paper forms and manual data entry. Each semester, over 700 applications were processed through a system that involved multiple signatures and manual handling, resulting in processing times of three to four weeks. This outdated system, based on a legacy Microsoft Access Database, was prone to errors and inefficiencies.

Simple BI implemented a series of strategic solutions to address these challenges:

The implementation process for the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs (DMA) began with thorough consultations with key stakeholders to accurately capture the requirements and understand the specific challenges in their tuition grant processing system. Simple BI collaborated closely with DMA’s data engineering team to migrate their legacy database from Microsoft Access to Microsoft Dataverse, ensuring data consistency and reliability. 

A robust semantic model was developed in Power BI to meet diverse stakeholder needs, followed by the creation of an online Power Page to replace the paper-based application form, drastically reducing submission times. Power Automate was then employed to streamline the entire workflow, from data collection to automated notifications.

Comprehensive training sessions were conducted to ensure a smooth transition, resulting in a modern, efficient, and user-friendly solution that significantly improved operational efficiency and decision-making capabilities.

The transformation brought significant improvements:

This modernization project significantly transformed the DMA’s grant processing operations. By migrating to a digital and automated system, the DMA not only saved over $35,000 annually but also enhanced the security, reliability, and availability of the data. The streamlined process reduced administrative burdens, cut down on paper waste, and allowed the department to respond to applicants 75% faster. 

This project modernized an outdated system, leading to substantial time savings and improved service delivery to military members seeking educational grants.

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