RI Aviation Hall of Fame,
Non-profit research tool
The Challenge
Since 2003, the Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame has honored more than one hundred individuals, groups, and even families who have contributed to the advancement of aviation history here in RI.
Unfortunately, there was no online tool to be able to view or search this valuable information, only a static HTML site that had existed for 12 years.
The Goals
- Create a searchable, indexed database of all honorees over the last 15 years
- Make the website work on phones, tablets, and any device anyone wants to use
- Give volunteers and admins the ability to contribute and approve content for the site, anytime
- Increase security to bring up-to-date
- Add the ability to sell and manage tickets to the annual dinner
The Solution
In one word (yes, again)… WORDPRESS!
WordPress used to be only a blogging tool. Not anymore!
Making the actual website was only half the battle – gathering, categorizing and entering each honoree was the bulk of the project. Once we worked together to identify the major categories (e.g. Military aviation, Women in aviation), we enlisted volunteers to help get the data in.
Using custom tweaks to a flexible WordPress template, we were able to create a secure, modern online research tool that serves as both a fundraiser for the non-profit, and a valuable resource for the community.