How One Nonprofit Rebuilt HR from Scratch — And Set the Stage for Growth

A nonprofit agency approached Kiwi Partners with a dire need: they required a comprehensive HR overhaul. Their leadership recognized that improving internal HR systems was essential to better support their staff and serve clients — and they turned to Kiwi Partners’ HR services for guidance, led by Diana Gallardo, J.D., SHRM-SCP, and her team of HR experts.

The Challenge: Building HR from the Ground Up

The organization lacked basic HR systems, policies, and compliance structures This posed risks to operations, staff well-being, and future growth.

Goal: Establish a scalable, compliant, and mission-aligned HR infrastructure.

Initial Assessment and HR Compliance Review

Kiwi Partners began with a thorough HR compliance and best practice review, identifying gaps in

• Hiring practices

• Employee life cycle practices

• Recordkeeping

• Policy alignment

• Legal compliance

This initial step was crucial in understanding the requirement to bring the organization up to optimal compliance and operational efficiency and laid the foundation for a strategic HR rebuild.

 

Rethinking Benefits & Embracing Digital Transformation

With Kiwi Partners as their strategic HR guide, the nonprofit took bold steps to modernize its benefits offerings and HR systems. The team:

• Conducting a benefits analysis to benchmark against sector standards

• Myth-Busting: Proved that nonprofits can offer competitive benefits by approaching creatively – and using data to support fair, sector-aligned practices.

• Digitized personnel files using SharePoint, streamlining access to employee records.

These changes improved equity, efficiency, and staff experience.

HR Effectiveness Review & Tech Implementation

To meet the needs of staff and leadership, Kiwi Partners conducted an HR effectiveness review and led the evaluation, selection, and implementation of a new Human Capital Management (HCM) system.

After interviewing multiple tech solutions, Kiwi recommended and implemented Paycom, a platform that aligned with the nonprofit’s operational goals.

Features deployed:

• Time tracking & approvals

• Onboarding/offboarding

• Benefits enrollment

• Training & certification tracking

• Recruiting workflows

This implementation of a modern HCM involved building workflows and processes from scratch and continuously tweaking them to ensure they met the organization's needs.

Compensation Analysis and Employee Manual

The nonprofit leaders understood that fair pay practices and clear HR policies are essential to retaining talent and protecting their mission. To support that goal, our team partnered with leadership to provide the expertise and structure needed:

• Compensation analysis & benchmarking – equipping leaders with fair, transparent salary ranges and guidance on why, when, and how to adjust them.

• Employee manual update – giving staff a modern, easy-to-follow handbook that reinforces organizational values and policies.

• HR compliance support – helping leadership stay ahead of regulations and reduce legal risk.

Our team provided the tools and expertise that make HR management easier, safer, and more effective.

Change Management & Training

With Kiwi Partners leading the change management strategy, the nonprofit’s leadership and staff stepped up to champion the transformation. The tailored approach included:

• Weekly project and leadership meetings to align goals and track progress

• All-staff HR updates to build transparency and trust

• Hands-on training to ensure staff felt confident using new systems

• A shift from email-based approvals to mobile-friendly workflows through Paycom

Staff now manage HR tasks and payroll updates from their phones—saving time and improving engagement.

The Impact: Operational Efficiency & Staff Empowerment

The transformation had a profound impact on the nonprofit’s operations.

• Increased time efficiencies

• Improved employee experience

• Easy access via phone to HR tasks like time-off requests and address changes

Staff can now focus more on serving clients, not navigating outdated systems.

 

Positioning for Growth

One of the most significant outcomes of this work was positioning the nonprofit for growth. With plans to open a new building and expand its services, the HR infrastructure that the Kiwi team established provided the Executive Director with the tools needed to support this expansion. They now have access to critical information, such as salary ranges and benefits analysis, enabling them to attract and retain talent effectively.

A Strategic Partnership for Long-Term Success

“We built a comprehensive HR department from the ground up. The transformation empowered staff and positioned the organization for long-term success.”— Diana Gallardo, Head of HR Services, Kiwi Partners

Reflecting on the journey, Diana and the Kiwi Partners team take pride in the transformation they helped achieve. Together with the nonprofit’s leadership, they built a comprehensive HR department, implemented modern systems, and created a foundation that supports future growth.

This success story is a testament to the power of expert HR guidance and courageous leadership in driving organizational success and making a meaningful impact on the lives of employees and the clients served.

Ready to Transform Your Nonprofit’s HR?

Whether you're starting from scratch or scaling for growth, Kiwi Partners can help. Let’s talk. Contact us today to explore how we can support your mission. 

Diana Gallardo-Laska, J.D., SHRM-SCP first joined Kiwi Partners in 2000 and rejoined our team in 2006 as SVP of Human Resources Services. Diana leads a dedicated team focused on outsourced Human Resource services. In her role, Diana is able to utilize her diverse financial, legal and management skills to benefit our nonprofit clients.  Over the years, she has worked with over 200 nonprofit clients delivering human resources services and support. 

Diana's Bio