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Maryville University has received a grant from Salesforce.org’s Force for Change Grants program. The funding will be used to open-source Maryville’s admission application, allowing other schools to use the sophisticated tool at no charge.

Colleges often purchase multiple application tools or require prospective students to navigate convoluted processes to serve a wide range of applicants. This not only adds to the cost of college education but it can create significant barriers, cutting off educational access to many qualified applicants.

“Maryville is revolutionizing the way people apply for college,” said President Mark Lombardi, PhD. “We’re providing an application that will allow every school to offer a streamlined applicant process and create equal access for prospective students, whether they are graduating high school seniors or adult learners.”

The application will be built on the Salesforce platform and will allow schools to provide personalized applicant experiences. The process will be faster and easier because individuals will only need to complete application questions relevant to them and the program to which they’re applying.

“Our goal is to help nonprofits and educational institutions better serve their communities and deliver on their mission,” said Ebony Frelix, senior vice president of philanthropy & engagement at Salesforce.org. “By supporting Maryville University’s mission to customize the college application process, we hope to accelerate change and create a better tomorrow for the next generation.”

Maryville will collaborate with the Salesforce.org Higher Education Advisory Council to allow for community input and sharing of the model across industries and organizations.