A common goal among smaller organizations that we work with is to grow their capacity so that they can help more people. Like many startup nonprofits, there always seems to be something unexpected to handle and, without the help of streamlined processes and empowered volunteers, it can be just about impossible to get it all done and still have the time and energy to push things forward.

But it’s possible to lean on a strong online presence—backed by easy to use software and a willing team of website support staff—to make it all happen. Just look at Project Home Again. Through our partnership with Project Home Again, we created a professional and actionable website that their team could use as a tool for growing a dedicated volunteer and donor base.

Nancy Kanell

Not only did you all set up the new website and get us where we needed to be, but you taught me—always very patiently—how to do the updates. I’ve learned a lot more about what it takes to do the website and how it’s pretty easy to do the stuff yourself.

Nancy Kanell, Founder/President
Project Home Again Homepage on desktop and mobile screens

Project Home Again: Turning Houses into Homes

Project Home Again provides low-income families with recycled household goods, furniture, and small appliances necessary to live with comfort and dignity. They collect item donations and partner with social service agencies to ensure that gently used items go directly to those who need them the most in their community.

Project Home Again's shop for clients

The Challenge: Not Enough Hours in the Day

Before working with Wired Impact, Project Home Again had a very manual process in place for both item donations and volunteer sign ups. Prospective donors or volunteers would reach out to their team via email and they would go back and forth, sometimes up to 15 emails, to determine if the item or volunteer opportunity was the right fit. These two processes, along with answering repeated phone calls about their hours or the types of donations they accept, ate up the vast majority of their executive director’s day-to-day.

At the same time, Project Home Again wanted to grow their organization to accept more in-kind donations and help more people, but they needed a new location. To reach that goal, they first had to find the capacity to network, grow new partnerships and actively promote their nonprofit. With the limited internal capacity of only one paid staff member, they also needed a streamlined donation process and more volunteers to push their growth forward.

Nancy Kanell

We would get emails and phone calls all the time saying ‘what are your hours, what’s your address, what do you take for donations’ … That does not happen anymore … This design is much better and we had help with figuring out how to say what we wanted to say. And for us, that’s life blood.

Nancy Kanell, Founder/President

A Website Built on Efficiency and Engagement

Project Home Again wanted website visitors to find the information they needed and take action without time-consuming and hands-on involvement from staff.

Using the Wired Impact Volunteer System and a custom online form to request donation pickups, their staff were able to collect all of the information they needed without round after round of back and forth emails to nail down the details. And a clean, organized website structure made program details and donation information easy to find and act on.

Screenshot of the Project Home Again Event System

Using the Event System, they were also able to organize and promote donation drives, providing the necessary details for donating attendees right on the website. Previously, they had trouble with lower participation and receiving low-quality items or items they can’t accept during drives. But the event system has cut those issues substantially. They also love that when they post an event on the site, it automatically pulls through to the homepage to help drive more attendance.

In addition to better serving their community, the new website offered a valuable partnership with Wired Impact. Self-identifying as not so tech savvy, Nancy and Alyssa were able to lean on our team for support to build the website they needed to grow their operations.

If I can do it anybody can.

Nancy Kanell

And if I can figure it out from you, anybody can figure it out!

Alyssa Kevlahan

Results

In just the first year, they’ve been able to harness the power of their website to streamline and increase both in-kind donations and volunteer signups, which are critical to their mission and growth.

96 volunteer sign ups

150 new partners

476 donation pickup requests

Alyssa Kevlahan

I can tell you straight out that the number of volunteer requests that I’m getting weekly has at least doubled from what I was getting before.

Alyssa Kevlahan, Executive Director

With increased organizational capacity thanks to the website, the Project Home Again team was able to set their sights higher, fostering relationships and networking with major donors. And with increased funds, item donations and volunteers, it now made sense to move to a larger (and nicer!) facility.

Different from their previous warehouse location, their new location has the feel and design of your favorite home store. It gives clients, partners and volunteers more space and helps them feel more at home.

Nancy Kanell

It has freed up our time to do the things that we need to do more of like grant writing and marketing, and we’re having our first gala. … It’s allowed us to focus more time on our clients and our energy in getting our new space perfect for our clients.

Nancy Kanell, Founder/President

What’s Next?

There’s a lot of exciting things coming down the pipeline for Project Home Again. Even as they get settled into the new location. They’ve applied for a technology grant, they’re building key partnerships, and they’re planning and promoting their first gala.

They’re also moving to a point in working with clients where they’re able to anticipate their needs and provide all of the home goods that they’ll require in one visit, as opposed to several.

Project Home Again has built an online presence that allows their team to focus on what matters — their clients. They use their Wired Impact website to efficiently collect monetary donations, schedule pickups for item donations, manage volunteers, promote events and provide their supporters with key information, like their schedule and wish list.

And the flexibility available through both the design and nonprofit website tools means that their site can grow with them as they continue to expand their operations.

Visit the Project Home Again website to learn more about what they do and how to get involved. We’re proud to support them as they make others feel at home.

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