Environmental Learning for Kids Web Site

Organization Information:

Organization Name:
Environmental Learning for Kids
City & State:
Denver, 
Colorado
Organization Website:
http://elkkids.org
Organization's Mission Statement
Environmental Learning for Kids cultivates a passion in science, leadership and service in a diverse community of learners.

Submission Information

Impact Essay
Environmental Learning for Kids (ELK) is a Denver-based nonprofit whose mission is to cultivate a passion in science, leadership and service in a diverse community of learners. Since purchasing Adobe InDesign and Macromedia Dreamweaver 8 from Techsoup, the dedication to enjoying and conserving the earth’s natural resources has truly spread to all facets of the organization. ELK has five staff members and a large constituency of students, teachers, government officials, universities, donors, corporate sponsors and foundations, all of whom are stakeholders in ELK’s mission. ELK’s use of Dreamweaver has helped to communicate with these and potential partners in ELK’s work – all without using paper, printer cartridges, gas to take mailings to the post office and volunteer hours to stuff and send off mailings. Dreamweaver enabled ELK to re-design their existing Web site and create a consistent message among all brochures, fliers, PowerPoint presentations, etc. With the design and upkeep of the Web site in-house, ELK was able to keep a current homepage, as well as add additional pages as needed. ELK also added a photo gallery and an interactive calendar that allows ELK families to add activities to their own calendars. ELK had 1,122 page views in February 2009, which is information that ELK didn’t have access to when the Web site was managed by a contractor. In April, ELK will send out the first-ever paperless appeal for donations, through the use of Dreamweaver. Instead of printing out at least 6,000 pieces of mail and labels, stuffing that many envelopes and paying for bulk postage, ELK will create a Web page with the story of an ELK student and a call to action – that anyone can get involved in the lives of diverse youth in Colorado and invest in the future of the state’s natural resources at the same time. ELK staff, board members and current partners will forward an email containing the web page link to friends and family. By passing on a personal e-mail message that lands in an inbox from a known sender, ELK supporters will be able to virally and effectively spread the word about ELK’s mission and need for supporters. The Web site will track all visitors to the Web site, through Google Analytics, and a form created through Dreamweaver will invite visitors to provide their name and e-mail, so ELK can continue contacting them paperlessly. ELK projects to increase the income from individual donors by 4 percent for 2009. Donations made through the Web go to a charitable giving Web site, which takes the donors’ credit card information (if they approve), and thus cuts down on postage, checks and time/gas spent on ELK’s end to take checks to the bank. Techsoup has given us vast potential in using technology to communicate, appeal to donors, and thank our supporters. ELK’s Web site now not only tells an audience about ELK; it also provides ELK with information – like e-mail addresses submitted by Web site viewers, donor information through links to the charitable giving site and viewer information through Google Analytics.
Submission Category
Environmental Impact Other Media