This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Highlights
“Mast have supported the upgrade and modernisation of our systems. Their work with us and the ongoing support they provide is invaluable to us. They have helped us navigate a complex project through their in-depth technical knowledge of the systems and understanding of our organisation.” David Ewaku, IT Manager, Mothers’ Union
Background
With over four million members in 84 countries, Mothers’ Union is an international Christian membership movement dedicated to supporting families and communities worldwide regardless of faith or background.
The charity, which was founded in 1876, approached Mast for advice on how to make best use of it’s existing membership CRM (OpenEngage) and additional IT systems to improve connections with supporters and update many of its paper-based administrative processes.
The Challenge
Through consultations with different teams within the charity’s central office, Mast undertook a comprehensive business review and identified several key needs which included:
- Giving regional administrators the ability to manage members’ data electronically via a secure centralised web-based system
- Help with procuring a new website provider
- Updates to its membership model and consequent changes to data structures with OpenEngage.
- Improved reporting
- A better way to bulk import member data
- Automated processing of member renewals
- A website that integrated fully with MU’s database, allowing members to self-service their data
- Improvements to its Magazine subscription process
Approach
Mast suggested a phased programme of improvements with full timelines and costings. MU staff selected a choice of steps that was most suited to the objectives and budget of the organisation.
Once this plan of action was agreed, Mast advised MU staff on the necessary infrastructure and helped with an upgrade of the database and a move to a different server.
- We cleaned and re-arranged the data within OpenEngage to make optimum use of the platform’s Contact module.
- We created new custom tables, stored procedures and functions to support the new website’s data hierarchy.
- Having assisted with the website tendering process, we installed Advanced NFP’s ConnectAPi. We then developed a custom RESTFUL wrapper around this that encapsulated MU’s unique business rules. This allowed the new website to integrate directly to the database and facilitated development of an online member administration portal for regional officers.
- To enable bulk imports of data, we created two desktop applications: one to bulk update OpenEngage with member data and another one to bulk insert magazine subscription plans based on results from Telebank files.
- We have also implemented Codeless Platforms Task Manager to automate the renewal of membership plans and developed numerous custom reports to help staff get a better view of financial and fundraising data.
The Impact
Our solution has allowed MU to finally connect its many different groups of members and improved the speed and efficiency with which they can communicate with staff at the central office.
Throughout this process we worked closely with MU staff and web developers, adapting our approach as the needs of the organisation changed.
“We have now delivered a modern system that supports 65 affiliate organisations and is reducing the administrative burden that has been borne by the organisations globally.”
David Ewaku, IT Manager at Mother’s Union
