Milton Keynes CVO

MKCVO had a web portal and contacts database supplied by a company who planned to withdraw their support for this proprietary hosted solution. This left MKCVO looking for a replacement but concerned about the possibility of a future solution being withdrawn.

To avoid this problem in the future, Circle Interactive developed a package based entirely on Open Source software. We used Drupal as the basis for this project integrated with CiviCRM an Open Source web-based CRM designed specifically to meet the needs of advocacy, non-profit and non-governmental groups.

The existing contacts database contained not just contact details but correspondence history and several of the groups they support had their own logins and maintained their own microsites within the portal. We developed scripts to transfer all this data and coordinated with the original developers concerning this data migration and eventual transfer of the site when it was time to launch. We subsequently provided training to enable their staff not just to operate the new system but to support the groups who also publish their news and events through this portal.

In addition to developing the new platform for their site and safeguarding their data, we also undertook a redesign of the site. The system itself and the content is completely under their control so it was important to bear in mind at the design stage that the length of menus and number of blocks could change over time. Wanting to reflect the blocky grid system of the town itself, we came up with a style for the blocks and menus which would both suggest something of the place and be expandable. The bright colours reflect the modern vibrant feel of the organisation itself and the background pattern again suggests the grid of the town. We were very pleased with the result and so was the client.

Most importantly though, the new system has allowed them to carry out their work of supporting the local voluntary and community sector more efficiently.