Summary

Upstream Public Health, a public health advocacy non-profit based in Portland, Oregon, uses CiviCRM 3 and Drupal 6 to expand their web presence from a simple, infrequently updated HTML webpage (featuring a Paypal donation button plus Constant Contant newsletter signup) to a full-featured online web solution with integrated donations, mailing lists and content management.

Planning

Client planned to have an online web solution and contacted us, Korlon, on a referral from another client. They expressed the need for: online fund raising, donor/contact management, event management, web content management, and bulk mailing. After hearing their requirements, we recommended CiviCRM as a solution.

Design

Design was handled by a 3rd party, and handed to us as a Photoshop. We then got to work designing a Drupal theme, which turned out well. The front page flash piece was also designed by a 3rd party. The flash homepage uses an XML file (parsed by Flash) to display the text. This XML file, infrequently changed, is managed outside of Drupal and must be edited manually via FTP/SSH. A full integration with Drupal was deemed too costly.

Installation

A trusted hosting vendor, Spiretech, provided VPS hosting at a reasonable rate along with server admin services to setup the site. The client established the relationship directly with Spiretech. The server was configured by Spiretech and tested to work with CiviMail flawlessly. Korlon installed the Drupal software and configured CiviCRM, and activated the theme.

Data Migration

Korlon imported data from two sources: Constant Contact and a MS Access database. Custom fields in CiviCRM were created to contain the imported data. Some data normalization was necessary but the import was successful, amounting to over 10,000 Contacts.

Drupal Configuration

Various modules were installed and configured to provide the required CMS functionality: CCK, Views, Menu Block, Skinr, Admin Menu, FCKEditor, and Google Analytics.

Integration of Drupal and CiviCRM through use of CiviCRM Profiles

On two locations, here and in the top right newsletter signup, Profiles were created containing standard and custom data fields. Through the use of the Profile HTML Snippet feature we copied, tweaked, and pasted the code into Drupal nodes and created forms that, when filled out by the public, would enter a new CiviCRM Contact record as well as slide that Contact into a Group. This is configured in each Profile's Advanced section.

HTML Mailing Templates

A series of HTML templates (tested on a variety of email clients) were created for use as Templates with CiviMail.

Online Payment

Upstream opted for Paypal Pro as their gateway, which provides reliable and consistent service, and as of CiviCRM 3.1, recurring donations.

Budget, Timeline and Workflow

There were initial delays with the design and logo. During this time, we forged ahead with Drupal and CiviCRM, even though we didn't have a theme yet. By the time the design was completed and offered to us for theme construction, the data import and much of the CiviCRM configuration had already occured. The theme was one of the last aspects of the project to take shape.

Overall project length is difficult to measure, but ranges somewhere between 4 and 6 months. Most of that time we worked sporadically and where necessary to complete various data and configuration aspects of the project while waiting on the design.

Budget (not including the design and flash) was around $4000 USD.

Training

After project completion, the staff was trained in person and also using a series of specific screenshot/narration web videos. This enables them learn the basics of donation, contact and group management, as well as the use of CiviMail. Although available for support, we seldom (once or twice a month) get a call from Upstream with a question from the staff. They are capable and for the most part on their own.

Ongoing Maintenance

Upstream relies on Korlon for updates on a flexible, as-needed basis of their Drupal and CiviCRM. We set the expectation that, like going to get your oil changed for your car, maintenance is a requirement of this software configuration. Korlon does not install beta software on the client site unless there is no alternative stable version.

Video Tour

YouTube Video Tour of Upstream Public Health