Case Study: How FoodCorps Cultivated and Simplified Their Cybersecurity

Originally published:November 27, 2023|Last updated:January 17, 2024|Dashlane

Operating across the U.S., FoodCorps partners with schools and communities to nourish kids' health, education, and sense of belonging, ensuring every student can experience the joy and power of food. With programs in 16 states and Washington, D.C. and ambitions of reaching even more schools by 2030, FoodCorps has a full plate. But the non-profit faced a significant challenge that put their ability to scale securely at risk—the absence of a formal password management strategy.

While FoodCorps tried to minimize password sharing, specific tasks, like grant applications, made it necessary. To share credentials, some employees were using a browser-based password management tool, which offered a good entry point for people to become familiar with the technology. The solution, however, had limited features and couldn’t adequately support their needs. As a result, employees resorted to emailing passwords or exchanging spreadsheets for access, introducing significant security risks.

FoodCorps’ credential-sharing practices also increased communication overhead and occasionally caused confusion. If a password was lost, the IT team’s ability to help was limited, and FoodCorps found themselves occasionally locked out of accounts. “Sometimes, passwords were updated without informing all the necessary employees. It jeopardized time-sensitive work,” recalls Derryck Rosalez, Senior Manager of Operations and IT at FoodCorps. Without appropriate access, critical tasks were at risk of being delayed, which could have put grant application timelines at stake and negatively impacted FoodCorps’ funding and mission.

FoodCorps needed a safe way to share access to:

With an IT team of two people, Derryck required a password management solution that would be easy to roll out. Knowing that he would also be the administrator, he needed the solution to be simple to manage. Customer service was also important. “We needed to know that our vendor would be responsive and helpful if a question arose. We didn’t want to be passed around,” Derryck shares.

FoodCorps’ new password management solution had to: 

Collaborating with the Director of I.T., Derryck embarked on a search for the ideal password management solution. FoodCorps’ Vice President of Organizational Health would have to green-light their choice. The solution needed a robust change management strategy to get approval.  

Derryck evaluated the options on the market, and once he tested Dashlane, he knew it was the perfect solution.

Dashlane's password vault in the browser extension app on desktop.

Explaining how Dashlane checked all FoodCorps’ necessary boxes, Derryck shares, “Not only does Dashlane offer stellar UX and strong security features, it also provides dedicated change management and onboarding support.” Acting as a true partner, Dashlane worked hand in hand with Derryck to develop a seamless change management strategy that met the Vice President of Organizational Health’s expectations and FoodCorps’ employees’ needs.

A VPN was an added advantage, supporting the FoodCorps employees who travel to schools or work outside the office in local communities. 

Now, FoodCorps benefits from a variety of features:

A screenshot of the password generator in the Dashlane web extension.

A screenshot of the Dark Web Monitoring feature in the Dashlane web app.

Dashlane’s unique onboarding strategy was a game-changer for FoodCorps. Derryck recalls, “Their personalized onboarding plan simplified the entire transition.”

An onboarding specialist from Dashlane helped ensure that FoodCorps employees’ training fit their schedules. But that was just the beginning. The onboarding specialist also recorded mini-tutorials that offered support in additional areas to ensure no questions were left unanswered. As Derryck explains, “We’ve had a very positive experience with Dashlane, including a fantastic onboarding experience.” 

FoodCorps has been impressed with more than just the rollout. Derryck​​ also loves that automated employee management informs him when an employee joins Dashlane. And with account recovery, FoodCorps never again needs to worry about being permanently locked out of an account. 

From a security and privacy perspective, Derryck feels better with Dashlane’s zero-knowledge architecture, which never trusts any server, code, or person with access to user data.

Derryck loves that Dashlane helps reduce FoodCorps’ risk and feels more at ease with Dashlane’s foolproof design.

Now, FoodCorps teams are organized into Dashlane groups, allowing easy and secure access for new and existing members. Starting on day one, new employees get a Dashlane account, which means they have one central place to go for the credentials they need to start doing their essential work.

To help employees fully utilize all the benefits that Dashlane offers, Derryck continuously educates his coworkers on Dashlane’s potential. From providing one place with up-to-date information to streamlining access with autofill capabilities, Dashlane’s features help save time and improve collaboration.

Tools like the Dashlane extension, Secure Notes, and Password Generator have been pivotal for information sharing and security. Derryck adds, “Employees now have a smoother experience accessing sites, especially on mobile devices.” 

With Secure Notes, employees can share company ID numbers, put notes underneath credentials, and more, which provides quick access and helps with knowledge sharing. “Secure Notes helps ensure that time-sensitive activities, like grant applications, are completed efficiently,” Derryck says. “All our critical information is secured in one place, and it’s fast for employees to find the correct information they need.”

A screenshot of the Secure Notes feature in the Dashlane web app.

Password Generator has also helped FoodCorps by providing employees with strong and random passwords while relieving them from the mental burden of creating and remembering the credentials themselves.

With Dashlane facilitating collaboration and simplifying processes, FoodCorps can now concentrate on their mission. As a result, they’re thriving. FoodCorps is even bolstering project management with Dashlane, helping make concerns about miscommunications or missed grant deadlines a thing of the past.

Looking back on their Dashlane journey so far, Derryck says he’s grateful for how much it’s helped his organization. “Dashlane helps our organization work as a stronger, better team.”

Dashlane

Dashlane is a web and mobile app that simplifies password management for people and businesses. We empower organizations to protect company and employee data, while helping everyone easily log in to the accounts they need—anytime, anywhere.

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