A Holistic Approach to Nonprofit Web Design Maximizes Results with Limited Resources
The Warrick Dunn Foundation and TechBridge

A well-designed Web site is a powerful resource for nonprofits that can be used to provide easy access to information about the organization, its mission, programs and events. Web sites can also provide sponsors, donors and volunteers with the information and tools they need to make contributions to the organization. Building and maintaining a professional Web site, however, requires the right technology, technical skill and content management capabilities, and marshalling these resources often competes with other nonprofit priorities. A good strategy for nonprofits to establish a Web presence without disrupting existing programs is to find a Web developer like TechBridge that understands the unique needs of nonprofits and takes a holistic approach to Web design and management that is resource sensitive, cost effective and sustainable.

The Warrick Dunn Foundation

Established by Atlanta Falcon running back Warrick Dunn in March of 2002, the Warrick Dunn Foundation provides assistance for single mothers who are making headway towards family economic security. The Foundation’s primary program is "Homes for the Holidays" a program that assists single mothers in owning their first home by providing the down payment on a house and then filling the house with everything a first-time homeowner would need.

When the Foundation first engaged TechBridge, the organization had a highly recognizable brand, but was not using the Web to promote it. "We have a great story and we knew that a Web site would help us tell it, but we didn’t know where to start," said Stephanie Waller, executive director, the Warrick Dunn Foundation. "TechBridge had a great reputation for building nonprofit Web sites so we asked them to help us achieve a Web presence that wouldn’t break the budget or overload our staff."

Understanding that the Foundation needed a ground-up solution that could be built and managed easily, TechBridge first developed a framework for determining what content should be on the site, and then built a mechanism for quickly updating it. "Like many nonprofits, the Warrick Dunn Foundation had great material in the form of news articles and video but it needed the ability to get the content organized and Web-ready," said Christopher Woodall, senior design technologist, TechBridge. TechBridge developed a special site outline that mapped each section of the Web site to a content request form. The Web outline allowed the Foundation to identify where information needed to be on the site. The form allowed the appropriate content to be added easily. Once the initial content was created, TechBridge loaded the newly built Web site onto its Web server. The Warrick Dunn Foundation site launched officially in late August 2004.

With the site up, TechBridge tackled the task of providing the Foundation with an easy way to create and update Web content. Using EasyEdit, a dedicated Web content management tool designed by TechBridge specifically for nonprofits, Foundation staff members are able to change text, fonts and colors, build links, and manage Web images as easily as using their word processing programs.

An additional benefit of having the Web site hosted on TechBridge’s Web server was that TechBridge could also set the Foundation up with a registered Internet domain name and organizational email. The Foundation staff now has professional email addresses without having to own equipment and software or pay for third party e-mail providers. "TechBridge can offer high-value Web and email solutions at very competitive prices thanks to contributions from our sponsors, Hewlett-Packard and Quality Technology Services, which help defray our costs," said Woodall. "For what most people pay just for hosting services, TechBridge clients can get hosting, email and a content management system."

Web Microsite Helps Market The Foundation’s Signature Fund Raiser

Early in the Web design process, the Foundation presented TechBridge with an additional challenge. The Foundation’s principal fund raising event, the 2003 Simply Red Gala, was less than two months away and the event organizers wanted a special Web site to promote the event, provide press information, and facilitate online ticket ordering. With a very short timeline and no budget to build a dedicated Web site, TechBridge drew upon its substantial expertise in Web development and in less than two weeks, had designed and implemented a microsite for the Simply Red Gala. Microsites use a single Web page divided into several sections to organize information.

The Simply Red Gala microsite provided complete information on the event, including a list of sponsors, and featured an online ticket request form that sent e-mail ticket orders to the event registrar. "The day the site went up, we began getting phone calls and emails," said Allison Ash, coordinator, Simply Red Gala. By putting key information on the site, we were able to reduce the amount of time we had been spending on the phone answering questions and dedicate more time to managing the event and processing ticket requests."

Taking A Holistic Approach Leads to A Professional And Sustainable Web Presence

TechBridge was able to help the Warrick Dunn Foundation establish a meaningful Web presence and manage the ongoing resources and costs of maintaining the site. "Today, the Warrick Dunn Foundation has a professional looking and functioning Web site that rivals the capability of larger organizations, yet is completely manageable by our staff," said Waller. "Thanks to TechBridge, the idea of building out our Web site is no longer daunting, in fact, it’s exciting and we look forward to realizing the site’s full potential."

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