Center for Community Change

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Integrating Technology, Connecting Communities, Affecting Change

Client: The Center for Community Change
Case Study: Web Development, Custom Integration of CMS, CRM, and Online Organizing Tools
Project: www.communitychange.org

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The Community

The Center for Community Change connects grassroots organizations around the country to help improve conditions in local communities. They elevate neighborhood concerns to the national conversation and break down barriers between diverse groups of low-income people. Comprised of a complex network of stakeholders, the organization works to build relationships, enhance collaboration and leadership, leverage resources, and foster innovation.

The Challenge

When the Center approached us, each of their projects had an individual web site with its own unique appearance and structure. They needed a coherent look and feel to unify the branches of their work. The Content Management System (CMS) they used required exorbitant monthly hosting and licensing fees, customization was difficult, and staff did not want to use it because it was cumbersome and slow.

The Solution

ifPeople customized and integrated a suite of applications for a comprehensive solution. The organization's projects and campaigns are now unified into one easy-to-navigate site. The Plone-based CMS allows even non-technical staff to quickly and simply edit and update the site with fresh and dynamic content. Salsa, Democracy in Action's mix of online organizing tools, engages users with newsletter blasts, e-advocacy, and event management. The Salesforce.com/CRM integration makes stakeholder management smooth and secure with central storage of activity history and demographic information.

The Outcome

By combining Plone, Salesforce.com, and Salsa, ifPeople provided The Center for Community Change with the web technology that will allow them to focus on their ambitious and important mission. A streamlined combination of web technology and communication strategy allows the organizing teams to concentrate on what they do best. And with minimal hosting and maintenance fees, the nonprofit is saving thousands of dollars per month.