DharmaTech Case Study – “Restructuring and Expanding Wild Utah Project’s Information Technology”

Introduction

Information technology is the network of computers and software that allows organizations such as Wild Utah Project to create, store, and share digital information in pursuit of their conservation work. This technology includes photographs, documents, maps, scientific analysis, publications, e-mail, and more – all of which is used by conservation groups to affect change through communication.

Nonprofits in general are not harnessing the full power of this technology. In DharmaTech’s experience, most nonprofits do not invest in the technology to meet all of their needs, due to a lack of resources, expertise, skills, and/or vision. Others spend more money than they need to on proprietary systems and software that are designed for larger organizations in the for-profit world. These proprietary systems often do not integrate with existing software and systems, do not fully address the organization’s needs, and are difficult to manage and maintain.

DharmaTech works to address these needs by providing nonprofits with powerful technology solutions that they can afford, use successfully, and maintain. The services DharmaTech offers include building networks, file servers, websites, and databases, and providing strategic information technology planning, consulting, and training. DharmaTech’s integrated technology systems help nonprofits to improve their fundraising, education, and outreach efforts and save valuable money and time – freeing up more resources for their direct program work.

This case study details the services that DharmaTech performed for Wild Utah Project in 2007 and analyzes the impact that DharmaTech had in restructuring and expanding Wild Utah Project’s information technology. It looks at the benefits (and costs) of leveraging technology to strengthen a nonprofit’s ability to achieve its mission.

About Wild Utah Project

Wild Utah Project is a nonprofit organization that works closely with the Wildlands Project, land managers, and the local scientific community to restore and maintain ecosystems within the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau. Wild Utah Project applies the principles of conservation biology to help Utah organizations tell their conservation story through the use of geographic information systems (computer mapping) and biological analysis.

Founded in 1996 and located in Salt Lake City, Wild Utah Project has a staff of four and operates on an annual budget of $150,000.

The Need

Wild Utah Project’s Executive Director Jim Catlin, who describes himself as an “amateur techie,” was the organization’s go-to person for computer technology-related issues. While he knew enough to keep things running, he was not up-to-date in information technology and was frequently away from the office or busy with other projects. Jim and his staff recognized that the piecemeal approach they had taken with their technology infrastructure was no longer adequate. As Jim explains, “We were spending enormous amounts of time dealing with computer viruses, inefficient backups, multiple versions of files, and a difficult-to-maintain website – time that we needed to be spending on our program work. It was time to stop the madness!” Primary technology problems were:

• Use of a peer-to-peer network – Information was being stored on individual computers, using multiple profiles on multiple hard drives, and was linked together on a “peer-to-peer” local area network. Security was marginal. All computers had a real-world IP address, making them easy targets for outside hackers. Wild Utah Project staff constantly struggled with viruses and spyware. Based on a combination of USB drives, CDs, DVDs, tapes, and floppy disks spanning ten years, backups were inconsistent and unreliable. Printers and other resources were ineffectively connected through the network.

• No centralized file structure and data management – There was no consistent way to store or share files, resulting in wasted time finding files, e-mailing them to each other, and/or re-creating documents. Rather than cleaning out redundant files, staff simply bought more drives to back them up. When these drives filled up, staff bought additional drives, and the cycle continued.

• Insufficient capacity for storing geographic information system (GIS) data – The spatial data sets involved in GIS work are enormous (over a terabyte in size), and the information technology needed to support this level of analysis is difficult for a small nonprofit to master and maintain. Ten years’ worth of data was disbursed on several workstations with little organization, thus creating a serious problem for Wild Utah Project. Wild Utah Project’s GIS Specialist Wendy Bates describes the challenge of starting a new project using a work station-based network: “It involved backing up old projects, removing them from the workstation in order to free space, then restructuring and installing the new data – often from another computer on the network. The process literally took days to complete.”

  In order to support existing projects and take on new ones, Wild Utah Project needed to move to the next level – with larger data storage capacity and a sound, consistent approach for organizing its work.

• An outdated website and no formalized system for storing donor/constituent information – Wild Utah Project’s website was created by a well-meaning volunteer using Dreamweaver software. This volunteer moved on and the website could not be easily maintained. Similarly, Wild Utah Project lacked an organized, centralized system for storing information about fundraising contacts, volunteers, and other constituents.

DharmaTech/Wild Utah Project Collaboration

DharmaTech designed and implemented a low-cost, comprehensive technology solution that supported Wild Utah Project’s GIS work in a stable way. Specifically, DharmaTech completed the following:

• Overhauled peer-to-peer network by installing a stable and secure client server network – upgraded DSL router hardware and increased Internet bandwidth; updated Internet service connection and lowered monthly account costs; upgraded hardware and expanded network; installed a Linux firewall and re-architected the network (moved from using real-world IP addresses on each computer to an internal, private network scheme); installed two Linux servers (one for administrative files and one for GIS-related data); standardized installation, licensing, and configuration of software essential to performing every job description; and implemented remote access to the network, so that staff can work from home or on the road.

  DharmaTech partnered with a local company, Universal Systems, Inc., to provide free desktop maintenance (labor and hardware) for three years on each of Wild Utah Project’s computers. Wild Utah Project’s staff is particularly fond of the quarterly tune-ups, which they have termed “spa treatments” for their computers.

• Centralized and standardized file and data management – built and installed a dedicated Linux server for administrative files, where non-GIS data are stored; moved administrative files from individual computers to the centralized server; established automatic monthly onsite backups; implemented monthly offsite backups to a second hard drive; and worked with Wild Utah Project’s staff to create a file structure for all staff to utilize/share.

• Implemented GIS server – built and installed a 1.4 terabyte Raid 5 Linux server that allows Wild Utah Project to centralize, organize, and properly and safely store GIS data files (the server has five independent hard drives, ensuring that no data will ever be lost); worked with Wild Utah Project’s staff and Utah’s Automated Geographic Reference Center to create a GIS file structure to efficiently organize GIS data and projects; migrated an enormous amount of old GIS data from individual computers into a GIS Library on dedicated GIS server for common data used among many projects; and created an archiving system for very old data.

• Provided training and documentation – provided onsite training to Wild Utah Project’s staff and documented policies and procedures so that the staff can maintain their setup and be more self sufficient, thus reducing dependency on DharmaTech. With DharmaTech’s help, Wild Utah Project has assembled this information into their very own “Information Technology Bible” – a document that contains instructions on how to maintain Wild Utah Project’s network, manage its computers, and more.

• Shared solution with conservation GIS community – wrote a guide to assist other organizations in implementing the information technology/GIS architecture and made a presentation, together with Jim and Wendy, at the Society for Conservation GIS Conference in June 2007, to share the GIS server solution with other organizations that use GIS to further their conservation work.

• Implemented CiviCRM database and Drupal website – implemented a constituent relationship management (CRM) system – a database that provides a central location for Wild Utah Project to store and manage information on its donors and partner contacts. DharmaTech also provided a website content management system (CMS) that allows Wild Utah Project’s staff to easily update and manage their website with real-time publishing. Both the database and website use open source software, which provides high-level functionality that is free and eliminates ongoing licensing, maintenance, support, or upgrade costs. It is web-based, so it can be accessed with any type of computer, by any number of people, at any location.

  The database and website are integrated, and the systems can scale in the event that Wild Utah Project adds additional business processes in the future (i.e., online donations, membership, or event management). Wild Utah Project is in the process of finalizing a new design and site outline and plans to launch its new website by spring 2008.

• Collaborated on fundraising efforts – collaborated on a funding proposal with Wild Utah Project, and assisted their staff in applying for technology-related funding.

• Set up proper equipment recycling – established a special agreement with a local recycling company to take old computer equipment (which often ends up as toxic waste in local landfills) at no charge. The company disassembles the equipment, then sends some of it to be reused, some to be recycled, and the rest for safe disposal.

RESULTS AND IMPACTS

DharmaTech helped Wild Utah Project transform its computer network into a system that supports its work instead of hindering it. Jim uses the following analogy: “DharmaTech helped us transform piles and piles of books that we had accumulated over the years into an organized library with a catalog system.” He adds that this “library” (Wild Utah Project’s administrative and GIS files) can now be “efficiently and reliably backed up, which was impossible before, because the books were all over the place!” Specific results and impacts are:

• Increased staff efficiency – With its improved technology infrastructure, Wild Utah Project’s staff wastes almost no time having to deal with debilitating malware and complicated backups. This has resulted in significant time savings and a decrease in frustration. The formalized backup system has reduced risk for the organization and given staff a peace of mind that did not exist before: they know that the work they created one day will be there the next.

  With the centralized management system, staff can easily locate and share files. They no longer have to interrupt each other with requests to find, e-mail, or print a file. The system has also significantly decreased the learning curve (the amount of time it takes a new staff member to get up-to-speed), which helps minimize the impact of staff turnover. Wild Utah Project’s Development Director Erika Pollard, who joined the staff earlier this year, was impressed by Wild Utah Project’s organization and efficiency: “I could find what I needed and didn’t have to bother the other staff members. I was up-to-speed and able to do my job in a matter of days.”

  Having remote access to files has also increased the staff’s efficiency. Wild Utah Project’s Staff Biologist Allison Jones, who works from home several days a week says, “I used to have to call the office two or three times a day, asking my co-workers to e-mail me various files. Now I can easily access what I need, from wherever I’m working that day.”

• Improved capacity for GIS work – The new GIS server provides centralized data sharing for GIS operations and reliably supports large amounts of spatial data. With these new capabilities and improved performances, Wild Utah Project can take on projects that were previously beyond its ability and make better use of GIS-supported biological analysis for the numerous conservation organizations that rely on their expertise.

  “DharmaTech has helped our organization to grow and change,” explains Wendy. “With the new GIS server, we can set up and complete GIS projects faster and more efficiently than before. This allows us to take on larger, more complex projects, as well as projects that otherwise would have remained on the back burner.”

• Enhanced fundraising/outreach capability – The integrated database/website system allows Wild Utah Project to centralize and streamline their organizational processes. It also helps them track and preserve institutional knowledge about the relationships they have with their constituents.

• Money and time: benefits and costs – Understanding and rationally applying information technology in the most effective, enduring, and efficient manner requires a significant investment of an organization’s resources. Provided that the technology is appropriately designed, used, and maintained, it will result in substantial long-term savings, both in money and time, allowing an organization to focus more of its limited resources on achieving its mission.

  In a nutshell, Wild Utah Project paid DharmaTech $20,000 in 2007 (the period of this case study) for the services described above: system and network administration, an integrated website/database, training, consulting, and on-call support. It would be a time-consuming process to gather bids from other vendors for each of these services, so we do not know the exact market value of the services; however, as an example, an integrated website/database alone costs anywhere from $10,000 – $70,000, depending on the vendor.

  Wild Utah Project also paid $1,700 for the GIS server, which we estimate is valued at $30,000 (for hardware, installation, and training). DharmaTech donated equipment (UPC backup, phones, and business-class DSL modem) valued at $1,900. DharmaTech lowered vendor costs (Qwest - phone, Universal Systems, Inc. - hardware, XMission - Internet Service Provider,), resulting in a savings of $1,480. Finally, DharmaTech set up equipment recycling, which saved $100. Most of these cost savings will be repeated in the years ahead. For 2007, net cost savings related to hardware and vendor services alone are:

  $ 33,480 (hardware/vendor services savings: $30,000+$1,900+$1,480+$100
  -$21,700 ($20,000 paid to DharmaTech + $1,700 for GIS server)
  

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  $11,780 NET COST SAVINGS (HARDWARE & VENDOR SERVICES ONLY)
  
  In addition, DharmaTech and Wild Utah Project engaged in collaborative fundraising efforts, which resulted in an additional $28,000 for Wild Utah Project.

  Finally, DharmaTech’s work resulted in staff time savings for Wild Utah Project of 868 hours (see Addendum A below for details).

Conclusion

Together, DharmaTech and Wild Utah Project created and implemented a low cost, easy-to-administer information technology infrastructure that supports Wild Utah Project’s work in a stable way. “Thanks to DharmaTech, we no longer spend our days fighting our computers,” says Jim. “The clarity, safety, and security that DharmaTech has provided allows our staff to focus on what really matters: supporting our conservation partners with critical biological analyses of wildlands in our region.”

ADDENDUM A - TIME SAVINGS ANALYSIS

Wild Utah Project's staff estimates spending a total of 80 hours on the "Restructuring and Expanding Wild Utah Project's Information Technology Project" in 2007 (includes project planning, implementation, training, and fundraising efforts). Time savings resulting from the project are detailed below:

948 hours (total hours saved) - 80 hours (time spent by Wild Utah Project)

= 868 hours NET TIME SAVINGS