01 Apr Giving Back To A Non-Profit, A Website Case Study For Les Dames d’Escoffier International
ABOUT LDEISA
Les Dames d’Escoffier International, or LDEI, is a philanthropic organization consisting of women in the food & beverage, hospitality, and related industries. Their mission is to promote education in the culinary arts through scholarships, provide resources for their community, and create opportunities for networking within the field. The San Antonio chapter of LDEI was founded in 1995 and is currently one of the most active chapters in the country. They hold several events throughout the year to raise funds for scholarships and give back to their fellow San Antonians.
Les Dames d’Escoffier International
San Antonio Chapter
PO BOX 15302 – San Antonio, Texas 78212
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PROJECT
Embark Marketing’s founder, Kim Beechner, was invited to become a member of the LDEI San Antonio chapter in the Spring of 2023. As part of her membership, she was looking for ways to contribute to the organization from a marketing standpoint. Upon further research, it was determined that one of the organization’s biggest hurdles to growth was its current website.
Issues ranged from outdated information to a lack of usability for both the desktop and mobile versions of the site. For users looking to acquire a scholarship, the only information provided was a PDF download which they would have to print, fill out, & send to the organization’s P.O. Box. Additionally, the only link provided on the site for donations would only allow for users to donate a single large sum.
A solution for these issues was to create a new website for the chapter that would provide a variety of resources for the members themselves as well as those wishing to donate, attend an event, or apply for a scholarship. It was decided that a Squarespace would be both a cost effective and user friendly remedy to this problem, while also providing a visually appealing design and ease of updating for the chapter’s members.
WEB DEVELOPMENT
Donations are very important to any nonprofit organization and LDEISA was no exception. Keeping this in mind, it was decided that the new site should focus on this aspect of the organization as well as highlighting all of the good they do with the funds donated to them. Additionally, a newly redesigned layout would be created for the site to allow for better organization and flow of information throughout the site that provided a clear message about the chapter’s mission and purpose as well as a more attractive user experience.
For this, a sitemap was developed that would provide a framework for the new site. Starting with the homepage, it was determined what order the Call To Action’s would take place and included all points that the client wanted to highlight. From here, which pages were needed to support the CTA’s were determined and further broken down for usability for the end user.
DONATION FOCUS
As previously mentioned, donations are the lifeblood of any nonprofit organization. Upon first visiting the new site, users are prompted in two places to donate to the organization. Additionally, on the homepage, users can learn more about the philanthropic efforts of the members in addition to the financial assistance they offer.
The actual donation page on the previous site was non existent, and users were only presented with a single link to a PayPal with a set amount of $1,000 on the homepage. The new site now has a specific URL for donations that can be utilized for things such as a QR code for in print signage or a link for asking for donations on a social media page. In addition, Embark Marketing was able to integrate PayPal as a pop up so that users may now not only choose the amount they would like to contribute, but to which of the organization’s efforts they would like their funds to go.
FUND DISTRIBUTION
This client offers two major philanthropic grants, one being a scholarship for women interested in the culinary arts and the other being a small business grant for those in food & beverage related fields. Previously, those who wanted to apply would have to download a PDF form that was printed out and sent to the P.O. Box provided.
To provide a streamlined and more modernized process, Embark Marketing decided on a more digital solution that incorporated a form for the questions on the site as well as a link to upload the documents required to apply. Additionally, all of the requirements and documents required are clearly displayed on the page. This process would allow for a faster response time from the organization as well as a more modern solution for fund seekers to provide their information.
A PLACE TO CALL HOME
Another pain point brought up by the members was the lack of community the previous website showed. They wanted to relive the events, causes, and drives they had done in the past and provide these as evidence to potential donors. Showcasing this credibility is important for any nonprofit and is a valuable marketing tool for any organization in this sector.
For this aspect, Embark Marketing paid special attention to each of the annual events the organization holds with unique pages for each. In addition, pages for the members, past presidents, & current board members were created to highlight each of the ladies that make up LDEISA. Combined with a ‘History of’ & ‘News’ pages, these new additions were vital to member morale and lending credence to future donation providers, including corporate sponsors for annual events.
ORGANIZING THE ORGANIZATION
Internally, the members of this organization were all using their own email addresses for communication. This was an issue as with each new president or role shift within, documents would get lost, passwords forgotten, and information sent to the wrong person.
To solve this, Embark Marketing set up a communal Google Workspace that provided custom email addresses for each position as well as access to Drive so that members could share, update, & access information and documents in one place. This was especially helpful when members would take on a new role within the organization, as anything sent to the custom email for that position would be accessible to the new member.
Additionally, a members only section was added to the site for this same organizational purpose. Within, users will find a calendar with all of the monthly meeting information, any additional meet ups or causes as well as links to important documents such as member lists, applications, etc.
CONCLUSION
Taking into consideration the organization’s needs Embark Marketing was able to provide Les Dames D’Escoffier International San Antonio with a fresh web presence that allowed for better usability for members, donation providers, & scholarship seekers. They now have a place to not only provide better service to the San Antonio community but also showcase the amazing work they have already done through their community impact as well as continue to provide support to those in need.
Do you have a nonprofit related to the food & beverage industry? We would love to help you maximize your philanthropic efforts with an amazing web presence. Contact us today at 210-365-7635 to discuss the best solution for your organization.