VRP Consulting

"Thanks to VRP's skills and experience in both the technical process and managing the project, we have an enhanced donor site, delivered on time and on budget. We appreciate their quick and effective communication, adherence to deadlines as well as technical advice and insights.”

Laura Goff, Vice President for Information Technology

Results:

• 34% increase in user visits

• Rebuilt platform from ground-up

• Modern responsive design implemented

Since 1986, Marin Community Foundation (MCF) has united the people of the Marin community and beyond in making a difference in the lives of others by empowering non-profits and the good work they do. Since its foundation, MCF has continuously strived to increase the magnitude and effectiveness of its grantmaking, including, since 2004, through its Online Giving Center. 

The Giving Center is an online platform that allows MCF donors to seamlessly and securely support causes they believe in. In 2019 MCF decided that its site needed a ground-up refresh and assembled a team of experts to execute the project - with VRP participating as a core member of the team. 

Over 16 years there have been many advancements in technology and significant growth in MCF’s donor base, which led to the organization deciding that an upgrade was necessary. This would enable an enhanced user experience and provide a foundation for future development by moving to the latest web technologies. 

A cross-foundation team was assembled internally, and contracted with a Marin-based digital agency to provide the blueprint for an enhanced user experience. To complete the team, MCF selected VRP Consulting to bring essential programming and technical skills to the project.

The VRP Consulting team set about transforming the initial design mock-ups into a fully functional platform. Despite a series of changes during the project, the team met the project deadline and delivered the new solution in just 6 months, including development, testing and user-acceptance testing. 

The initial results from the new site have justified the redevelopment. There has been a 34% increase in users compared to the previous year, despite the challenging climate for non-profits. In turn, this has led to an increase in grants towards the many organizations MCF supports. These additional funds are providing crucial help during this difficult time when there is an increased burden being placed on the non-profit sector.