Matching cost with value in nonprofit web redesign

Good web design doesn’t come cheap. And when it comes to nonprofits, the value of web presence can be a hard sell, both internally and externally.

“We were just talking about this the other day,” says Greg Hoy, president of Happy Cog Studios, a boutique web development and design firm based in Center City. “Cost is always a concern with nonprofits,” he says.

Though nonprofits aren’t a sole focus — the firm works with businesses and technology companies, too — they are an important part of the business mix. The firm is currently working with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and has previously worked for the Posse Foundation, Amnesty International USA and the local Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation.

Though the company lists on its project planner that web development projects start at $100,000, the company chooses the clients it works with and the rates that it charges on a project-to-project basis.

“[Nonprofits are] not the most lucractive,” for a web shop to pursue, he says. “But we like to partner with organizations that, through the work that we do, helps them do important work.”

That much is clear from Happy Cog’s nonprofit clientele. [Full Disclosure: Happy Cog and Technically Media, Inc. have partnered on contract work with the National Constitution Center.]

So, how does a nonprofit employee explain to his or her higher-ups that a redesign is worth the investment?

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Three ways your web development shop can be more eco-friendly: Yikes Inc.

A mock up of what the new Yikes offices on Girard Avenue in Fishtown could look like.

Tracy and Mia Levesque say they first started a so-called triple bottom-line company because they were selfish.

And, for them, Yikes Inc., their web design firm in Northern Liberties that is waiting on the completion of new LEED-certified offices in Fishtown, is keeping them happy.

“We wanted to create a company that we wanted to work for,” says Mia. “A lot of the things that make a socially resposible business starts with how you treat your employees, it’s about treating people first then profit.”

So, while the couple has built a web design shop that recently dropped a Penn Medicine Livestrong campaign site and has an e-commerce platform launching for another client soon, when you chat with the pair, they seem to be just as excited to talk about construction.

Specifically the construction of their new LEED-certified offices on Girard Avenue in Fishtown, which, when completed this July, just might be the first LEED rehab in the state. And the four apartments above will be among the first such designated rental spots in all of Philadelphia.

That puts them in a fine place to suggest how your small business can take smaller steps to being a bit more green-friendly, before you’re ready to buy a couple rowhomes for $348,000 and renovate them for $800,000, including architecture, certification and other soft costs.

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10 ugliest websites in Philadelphia — voter’s choice awards

We’re not one to question the look, feel and design of online presences, but sometimes it’s fun to let other people.

So, over the past couple weeks, we sought your opinion for the ugliest websites in Philadelphia.

South-Philly.com

Our nominator says: part of an empire of bad templates from a quick hit web design firm in town, as noted by other suggestions. Visit here.

As submitted privately.

WMD Hotsauce

Our nominator told us: “Actually had a convo w owner, “You don’t like my logo? I designed it myself!”" Visit here

As suggested by Danya Henninger.

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Jarvus: dev firm co-founded by 22-year-old Drexel dropout, former hacker, whiz kid

Northern Liberties information services development company Jarvus partners (from left) John Fazio, Matt Monihan, Chris Alfano outside their headquarters on Third Street north of Poplar

Updated: 10/13/10 @ 12:50 p.m. with high school details

John Fazio sometimes avoids his personal biography — “it’s a bit too colorful,” he says.

While teenagers, Fazio worked with Chris Alfano at competitive video-gaming center CyberZone in the Neshaminy Mall. They got to know each other and, during their first year at Drexel in 2006, raised $120,000 in private funding to build upon the CyberZone concept. But, they needed more capital than they could raise in six months to meet their bigger vision for a team-oriented video gaming center — not unlike Howie’s Game Shack in California and Arizona.

So, instead, the pair decided they’d quit school and make the money themselves.

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Links: Kensington in Popular Mechanics, Pittsburgh makes cars fly and more

DEFINITE READS

• Popular Mechanics magazine reports on Google Sketchup being used to design the skate park at Pop’s Playground in Kensington (or Fishtown if we’re willing to accept east of Frankford and south of Lehigh avenues will ultimately become Fishtown)
• New York Times media critic David Carr gives a column to Buzz Bissinger, the Pulitzer Prize winner, celebrated author, Inquirer Currents columnist, Chestnut Hill curmudgeon and, yes, one of our 10 recommended tweeters to follow for Philadelphians.
• The Inquirer reports that the three Haddonfield, N.J. teens charged with hacking into that school district’s computer system were put on probation, during a ‘contentious’ hearing.

Below, join Brent Celek’s fantasy football league, Pittsburgh helps make cars fly and more.

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SUMO Heavy Industries, Bart Mroz and crew building new e-commerce development firm

If Bart Mroz was pushed to give you a piece of advice, it just might be to limit yourself.

The founder of the recently re-branded SUMO Heavy Industries says a lot of firms doing web work get caught up in trying to do too many things and come up short doing them well.

“We started as a web development company that did all kinds of things like brochure sites and app development for different clients,” Mroz tells Technically Philly. “Then we decided to only do e-commerce work — the best decision that we made.”

In March 2008, Mroz co-founded round3media and by last November, Mroz had learned his greatest skills were focusing strictly on e-commerce site development. After his two partners in round3 wanted to work on different projects, Mroz started anew, launching e-commerce heavy SUMO with new partner Robert Brodie and creative director John Suder.

With a new name and a freshly announced, local client, Mroz is — and forgive us for this — entering the dohyō and fighting to build his company’s name as the top e-commerce development company in the region.

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Village of Arts and Humanities uses digital production to highlight youth issues

In partnership with Temple University’s Multimedia Urban Reporting Lab, the university’s capstone journalism class, students Chelsea Leposa and Jared Pass will cover neighborhood technology issues for Technically Philly and Philadelphia Neighborhoods through May.

The colorfully painted walls at the Village of Arts and Humanities in North Philadelphia allow the students to forget their day�s troubles and concentrate on their creativity.

Before class begins, students sit around sharing the latest gossip and brag about their day. The smiles on their faces and the energy of the room prove that the kids are enjoying themselves. At the neighborhood center, just north of Temple University, there are many classes and activities for the students to get involved in, ranging from fashion design to gardening.

�I�ve been coming here for five years,� Leon Sanford, 18, says. �It keeps me sane and out of trouble.�

The Village also has a Digital Media Program that includes video production, photography, writing, and graphic and web design. The program began in 2003 with four students and two computers. At the beginning students strictly learned video editing using existing footage. Since then, the program has expanded to over 20 students and now includes many aspects of digital media production.

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