How Catholic Community Services used direct guest feedback to outcompete more experienced bidders for a new homeless shelter contract in Salt Lake City.
How the Story Unfolded
What separated CCS from every other organization in the running wasn't experience — it was a structured habit of asking, listening, and changing course based on what guests said.
The Problem
Catholic Community Services (CCS) was competing for the opportunity to operate a new homeless shelter in Salt Lake City. CCS had a track record running a soup kitchen, but operating a full shelter was new territory — and they were up against organizations with more direct experience in shelter operations.
Pulse For Good advised every organization in the running to gather feedback directly from the people they'd be serving before finalizing their proposals. CCS was the only organization that took that advice.
What Feedback Surfaced
Once CCS began collecting feedback, a clear and specific issue emerged: guests were uncomfortable with the lack of shower curtains. The curtains had been removed as a precaution to prevent issues, but the people actually using the space told CCS, in their own words, that the loss of privacy mattered to them.
CCS listened, reinstalled the shower curtains, and saw an immediate, positive response from the community. From there, they kept collecting feedback and kept making small, meaningful changes.
"The curtains had been removed to prevent issues, but the feedback showed that this caused discomfort."— Pulse For Good, on the CCS feedback findings
The Outcome
When CCS submitted their proposal to run the shelter, they didn't just describe their plan — they included the feedback they had collected, alongside the specific actions they had taken to address it.
Not because they had the most experience, but because they demonstrated a real, documented commitment to listening and improving. The proposal showed funders something more convincing than a track record: a working feedback loop already in motion.
Why It Matters
CCS built trust with both their clients and the broader community by proving they were dedicated to getting better, even while acknowledging they weren't perfect. That same approach is now a model other service providers look to follow.
CCS's story is a clear illustration of why grantors increasingly expect nonprofits to show, not just tell, how they listen to the people they serve. A feedback loop already in motion — visible, documented, and acted on — is a more compelling case for funding than experience alone.
For organizations bidding on contracts, applying for grants, or simply trying to serve their communities better, the lesson holds: the data you collect from the people you serve isn't just an internal improvement tool. It's evidence of commitment that funders, partners, and communities can see and trust.
Pulse For Good helps human services organizations collect honest feedback from the people they serve — and turn it into stronger programs, stronger proposals, and stronger trust.
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