Posts tagged verynicela
Capacity Match is verynice.

Sometimes we get a little intense over here at verynice… in a good way. Our client, Capacity Match, is a service that connects nonprofits in need of outsourcing their capacity building projects to consultants and vendors that match their needs. If you think this sound exactly like our cup of tea, you’d be correct— we’re all about helping to meet the needs of nonprofits.

So, here’s where it gets intense— we recently embarked on two intensives to help build the Capacity Match website: one to design the user experience (UX) and one to build the product (Ruby on Rails). We could go on and on about what a great (and intense) experience this was, but we thought it might be nice for you to hear from Capacity Match Co-Founders Jesse Clarke and Chris Powell instead. See their interview below to learn more about our UX and Ruby on Rails intensives and why Capacity Match is doing great things for the nonprofit space.  

Can you tell us a little bit about the Capacity Match process and why it's unique? 

Capacity Match is a match making service for nonprofits to find quality consultants/vendors for their capacity building projects. Currently the few resources that exist to aid nonprofits with their outsourcing do not make it an easy process. Capacity Match addresses these deficiencies by 1) taking the guesswork out of the process by providing potential consultants/vendors that are matched to the nonprofit’s needs via our proprietary profile matching system and 2) removing the stress that comes from spending valuable time on the search. Our sign up process takes 15 minutes and the nonprofit is presented with two matches. After that, the only step that remains for the nonprofit is to choose the best fit based on their own interviews with them.

Capacity Match also stands out because it is not a volunteer matching service. All of our consultants/vendors are compensated for their work.


Why should nonprofits and consultants/vendors use Capacity Match?

The Capacity Match network consists of consultants / vendors that have a track record of successful engagements with nonprofits and are currently seeking new clients. In addition, it expands the pool of potential resources beyond those the nonprofit would traditionally have access to in their or their board of director’s network. Lastly, there are no reoccurring fees. The nonprofit pays for the matches on a per project basis.

Capacity Match also seeks to serve their consultant/vendor partners by providing a great resource for them to expand their network of potential clients. These potential clients are immediately ready to engage in a capacity building project. Thus, Capacity Match is a low cost lead generation service that delivers matches that are highly compatible with the consultant/vendor.


What were your favorite parts of the UX intensive and the Ruby on Rails intensive processes?

The UX process provided the confidence necessary to move forward in building a web tool that customers needed vs. guessing what they wanted. The feedback loop of interviews was the most valuable part as we narrowed down different options.

The Ruby on Rails sprints were again a great lesson in focusing on the most important needs of the customer without getting caught up in extraneous bells and whistles. Pairing the UX intensive with the Ruby on Rails sprints was very important as we learned that we had to be flexible in the final output, which required us to constantly reevaluate our priorities.


So, what's next for Capacity Match? 

We are excited to continue to build out our nonprofit and consultant/vendor network and make successful matches that elevate the work of the social sector.

Looking forward, we want to continue to enhance the robustness of the network with reviews and recommendations that act as checks and balances, ensuring we maintain a high bar for our clients on both sides of the network. 


Thanks, Jesse and Chris! We're excited too… and can't wait to see Capacity Match and its network expand and continue to produce outstanding results!

Renaeverynicela, verynicework