Filing systems. Contact relationship management. Project management tools. Website updates. Fundraising platforms. Newsletter applications… the list goes on and on of all the digital tools a charitable organization needs in order to keep its data in one place and ordered. What isn’t endless, however, is the time available to seek out, trial, and set up all the applications needed for day-to-day operations. Things do get sorted, but often quite slowly and only when time permits.
Enter the ‘digital makeover’ put forth by Timeraiser+, CanadaHelps, the Salesforce Foundation, and the BMW Foundation. Out of 50 organizations that put in a bid for the two-day digital workshop, Connected in Motion was chosen. As we have grown exponentially over the past couple of years—moving from a very small non-profit to a more medium-sized charitable organization—this really was the perfect time to be setting up these systems. Out with the multiple spreadsheets and handwritten notes; in with an organized and integrated data storage system.
So, what exactly did Connected in Motion receive as part of this digital makeover opportunity? Aside from spending two days on the BMW Foundation’s picturesque Wasan Island, we worked on building some very, very cool and useful digital tools. Here’s a quick list of some of the projects the group worked on during our short stay at the island:
- Several members of Timeraiser+ and Salesforce volunteered their time to set up a customized Salesforce contact relationship management system that’s integrated with our a new event management tool (Eventbrite) and newsletter application (MailChimp);
- CanadaHelps, a platform that promotes and aims to increase charitable giving in Canada, put together an awesome profile for CIM and giving campaign on their website;
- Timeraiser+ helped prepare a web audit and discussed ways in which we can better relay our online message to new and existing participants, and prospective sponsors and donors;
- While Timeraiser+ volunteer and IT consultant Jaime Hackett helped us set up a cloud-based file management system through Box.org.
We would like to once again say a huge THANK YOU to Timeraiser+, CanadaHelps, the Salesforce Foundation, and the BMW Foundation for not only putting together this amazing opportunity, but also being so generous in their support and enthusiasm for the work of Connected in Motion. You guys are all awesome!!!
If you’d like to read more about the workshop and the work done as part of the digital makeover, check out these posts from the other parties involved:
Timeraiser+: Extreme Makeover: Non-profit edition
CanadaHelps: The 48-Hour Digital Charity Makeover Challenge
Salesforce Foundation: The Inspiration Lies in Giving Back
Plus, here’s a great post about Wasan Island and Impact Summers: An Interview with Helga Breuninger: Wasan Island– Impactful Places
