With a modest $25,520 grant from U.S. Bank for a student intern, UC Santa Cruz’s Financial Affairs & Reporting team demonstrated how data-driven targeting, automation, and streamlined supplier outreach can unlock meaningful financial returns.
Payment Plus Expansion student intern project
Over nine months, this team launched the Payment Plus Expansion Project to grow participation in the university’s rebate-generating payment program. By analyzing systemwide supplier data and cross-referencing UC participation, UCSC identified ~2,048 potential suppliers and narrowed this to 244 high-value candidates based on recent spend. Automation via Python significantly reduced the manual workload and improved accuracy, and efficiently identified and targeted high-value suppliers for enrollment.
Immediate and measurable results
The results were immediate and measurable: 61 suppliers enrolled, generating $1.84 million in Payment Plus spend and approximately $35,000 in rebate revenue—exceeding the initial project investment. Just as importantly, the team built a pipeline of 183 additional suppliers, positioning the program for continued growth and compounding returns.
Beyond the financial impact, this project established a scalable, low-touch model that minimizes staff workload while maximizing results. Automation reduced manual analysis, and an opt-out outreach approach enabled efficient supplier onboarding without intensive follow-up.
Outsized results
This project demonstrates how a U.S. Bank-funded intern paired with the right data and strategy can deliver outsized returns. UCSC’s approach offers a replicable model for campuses looking to expand Payment Plus participation while embedding sustainable, revenue-generating practices into everyday operations.