Case Study: Teen Living Programs
The Project
Taproot Foundation granted Teen Living Programs an Advanced Website Service Grant, worth an estimated $35,000.
About Teen Living Programs
Since 1975, Teen Living Programs (TLP) has been at the forefront of serving Chicago’s underprivileged youth, and is the only agency in Chicago exclusively devoted to homeless and runaway youth.
TLP is committed to creating hope and opportunity for the 9,000 youth in greater Chicago who experience homelessness each year. Its programs are based on the premise that effective intervention means more than just shelter. TLP’s comprehensive support focuses on education, vocation, counseling, health care, nutrition and life skills – changing lives permanently by working with them to leave the streets, secure stable housing, and build self-sufficiency.
TLP is committed to creating hope and opportunity for the 9,000 youth in greater Chicago who experience homelessness each year. Its programs are based on the premise that effective intervention means more than just shelter. TLP’s comprehensive support focuses on education, vocation, counseling, health care, nutrition and life skills – changing lives permanently by working with them to leave the streets, secure stable housing, and build self-sufficiency.
The Need
While acclaimed as a “national model" for addressing teen homelessness, TLP was not marketing their organization with the same level of effectiveness. Potential donors were going untouched or unmoved because TLP’s marketing materials did not accurately convey the innovation and quality of the organization.
TLP recognized the need to invest more in developing its brand and decided to apply for a website Service Grant. The project was intended to support a number of strategic goals, specifically: increasing understanding about youth homelessness; increasing the number of TLP volunteers; and increasing funding so that it can continue to expand its services in the community.
“We are experts in planning and delivering service to our clients. We don’t have the same type of planning for our marketing programs, because we never had the capacity to put resources toward marketing," said David Myers, Executive Director of Teen Living Programs.
The organization’s leadership felt that their website was emblematic of this challenge, and needed to be restructured and designed to meet their marketing goals. More specifically, the project had two desired outcomes: increased visibility among target audiences, and increase funding.
TLP recognized the need to invest more in developing its brand and decided to apply for a website Service Grant. The project was intended to support a number of strategic goals, specifically: increasing understanding about youth homelessness; increasing the number of TLP volunteers; and increasing funding so that it can continue to expand its services in the community.
“We are experts in planning and delivering service to our clients. We don’t have the same type of planning for our marketing programs, because we never had the capacity to put resources toward marketing," said David Myers, Executive Director of Teen Living Programs.
The organization’s leadership felt that their website was emblematic of this challenge, and needed to be restructured and designed to meet their marketing goals. More specifically, the project had two desired outcomes: increased visibility among target audiences, and increase funding.
The Work
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"We had a phenomenal team. They really connected as a group, while connecting with our organization, which is a testament to great team leadership."
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The Taproot Foundation assembled a team of volunteers with the specific skills necessary to create a world-class website. With the desired outcomes in mind, the team sought to understand TLP’s key stakeholders, programs, funding, and results. This was achieved through an extensive orientation lead by TLP staff, interviews with funders and clients, as well as on-site visits with youth residents at one of TLP’s facilities.
With this information, the team then reviewed the current website and concluded that it lacked emphasis on TLP’s impact and success — elements critical to establishing the agency’s credibility with potential funders.
The new website was then designed to showcase TLP’s impact and community of support, rather than just tell about its programs. The volunteer team established a tone for website content and imagery to clearly reflect TLP’s best-in-class approach, while also ensuring easy navigation for website visitors. Each page illustrates how TLP changes lives - featuring testimonials from teen residents, captivating photographs and compelling success stories. Finally, the team made it easy to donate from any page on the site.
After working with TLP to make revisions, the team delivered a final website in April 2007 and trained TLP’s staff to maintain the pages. The site (www.teenliving.org) went live soon thereafter.
With this information, the team then reviewed the current website and concluded that it lacked emphasis on TLP’s impact and success — elements critical to establishing the agency’s credibility with potential funders.
The new website was then designed to showcase TLP’s impact and community of support, rather than just tell about its programs. The volunteer team established a tone for website content and imagery to clearly reflect TLP’s best-in-class approach, while also ensuring easy navigation for website visitors. Each page illustrates how TLP changes lives - featuring testimonials from teen residents, captivating photographs and compelling success stories. Finally, the team made it easy to donate from any page on the site.
After working with TLP to make revisions, the team delivered a final website in April 2007 and trained TLP’s staff to maintain the pages. The site (www.teenliving.org) went live soon thereafter.
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The Impact
Teen Living Programs expects that their new website will have a significant long-term impact on their funding and visibility, and have already seen positive results. In the first four months since the site launched, individual donations through the site surpassed TLP’s goal by 230%, coming from 20+ donors that might not have otherwise been engaged by the organization.
Through the work with the Taproot Foundation, Teen Living Programs has also engaged more business professionals in the issues facing homeless youth. For example, click-through rates from their monthly e-newsletter to the TLP website grew from 1% to 36% - educating more people on the issues of teen homelessness.
In addition, TLP cited unexpected benefits from the project, including a gallery of compelling photos to be used in future marketing materials. The organization also emphasized how much they enjoyed working with the Taproot Foundation’s tools and templates for the project. Being exposed to “good planning", with project plans and defined roles, was almost as beneficial as receiving the website.
“This is the first time we’ve used business professional volunteers in such an efficient and effective way. That is the gift of Taproot Foundation—building our capacity by allowing volunteers to reach their maximum potential," said Myers when the project was completed. “Taproot Foundation has taken the time to put structure and thought around nonprofit marketing. This project expanded our capacity, so that we weren’t taken away from our important work with our clients."
TLP considers the Taproot Foundation team a “major donor" that fully delivered on its pledge – providing an estimated $35,000 worth of services.
“We had a phenomenal team," commented Nia Tavoularis, development director of TLP. “They really connected as a group, while connecting with our organization, which is a testament to great team leadership."
Taproot Foundation team leader, Teresa Scalleta, echoed the sentiments in saying, “I have volunteered before and felt like I was helping, but volunteering through Taproot allows me to use my assets - my professional skills, experience and education - to help others. Taproot Foundation is allowing me to learn from incredibly talented people and be a part of the Chicago community."
Through the work with the Taproot Foundation, Teen Living Programs has also engaged more business professionals in the issues facing homeless youth. For example, click-through rates from their monthly e-newsletter to the TLP website grew from 1% to 36% - educating more people on the issues of teen homelessness.
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"This is the first time we’ve used volunteers in such an efficient and effective way."
|
“This is the first time we’ve used business professional volunteers in such an efficient and effective way. That is the gift of Taproot Foundation—building our capacity by allowing volunteers to reach their maximum potential," said Myers when the project was completed. “Taproot Foundation has taken the time to put structure and thought around nonprofit marketing. This project expanded our capacity, so that we weren’t taken away from our important work with our clients."
TLP considers the Taproot Foundation team a “major donor" that fully delivered on its pledge – providing an estimated $35,000 worth of services.
“We had a phenomenal team," commented Nia Tavoularis, development director of TLP. “They really connected as a group, while connecting with our organization, which is a testament to great team leadership."
Taproot Foundation team leader, Teresa Scalleta, echoed the sentiments in saying, “I have volunteered before and felt like I was helping, but volunteering through Taproot allows me to use my assets - my professional skills, experience and education - to help others. Taproot Foundation is allowing me to learn from incredibly talented people and be a part of the Chicago community."
The Service Grant Team
- Teresa Scaletta - Eastman Kodak, Former Worldwide Marketing Manager
- Steve Becker- Steve Becker Photography, Owner and Photographer
- Janna Fiester - Aficion Studios, Owner and Graphic Designer
- Josh McAdams - Performics, Programmer
- Nicolas Mottet - WarmlyYours | Honeywell Licensee, Marketing Communications Manager
- Alpana Parida - Alternate Reality, Owner and Project Manager
- Janine Warell - Independent Copywriter
