Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network

The Situation: The Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network (NVEN) wanted the staff to be able to update their site
easily so that it could be a nationwide resource for nonprofits focused on voting initiatives. Also, they wanted to integrate their database into their Web site to make it easier to manage their events and newsletter.

The Problem: NVEN was working with another vendor that was not as familiar with the desired content management system, Joomla! or consituent relationship management system, CiviCRM. The way that the site was set up by the previous vendor would have made it difficult for the staff to find and update content.

Our Solution:
We used Joomla! to redevelop the site. We converted over 500 pages of their existing and new content into the Joomla! CMS. We determined the best way to organize the content into sections and categories so that visitors could find state-specific resources easily. The new NVEN site (in 2007) had an interactive map with state-specific resources, a countdown to Election Day, and a variety of text and PDF resources.

We imported approximately 500 contacts and organized them into appropriate contact types and groups within CiviCRM. Also, we setup several forms that allowed NVEN to use the system for event registration and newsletter signup.

The Result:
The NVEN staff held a press conference in Washington DC on April 1, 2008 and a Webinar on April 10, 2008 to announce the new site. Both were well-received. The staff can now update content and images regularly and provide a more interactive experience for their constituents. In 2009, we upgraded their site to the latest versions of Joomla! and CiviCRM. NVEN staff continue to update their home page features to promote timely voting initiatives.