Automating Impact: How DAV Transformed Donation Scheduling into Business Growth
A fully redesigned, SEO-optimized, mobile-friendly website with an automated donation scheduling system that transformed how DAV serves over 1 million veterans annually.
Services Provided
- UX/UI Design
- Web Development
- Automation Architecture
- SEO Optimization
- Workflow Integration
- Performance Monitoring
Key Outcomes
We delivered exceptional results across all key metrics, setting new standards in the industry.
5,300+
New Page Views
1,400+
New Users
35%
Increase in Donation Appointments
$6K
Saved Annually
Time Savings
50+ hours weekly
Volunteer time reallocated from manual scheduling to mission-critical work
User Engagement
32.10% bounce rate
Testament to an engaging new experience and improved site performance
Digital Transformation for Veteran Services
As one of America's legacy nonprofits, DAV has long relied on revenue from its thrift stores to fund programs supporting veterans and their families. These stores depend on consistent, scheduled donations — traditionally coordinated manually by volunteers over the course of a work week.
But when COVID-19 disrupted in-person operations, DAV found itself unable to manage donation logistics effectively. The process was clunky, inefficient, and unsustainable. The stakes were high: less scheduled pickups meant less revenue to support critical veteran services.
The Compelling Event
The pandemic didn't just expose flaws in DAV's donation model — it amplified them. Volunteers were suddenly scarce, and with safety concerns growing, the in-person scheduling model collapsed. Without consistent pickups, thrift store inventory dropped, and the ripple effects began threatening the nonprofit's ability to serve its veteran community.
A Two-Track Digital Solution
We kicked off the project by identifying the highest-friction pain points and proposed a comprehensive solution: one track focused on a sleek, SEO-optimized website to boost engagement and traffic; the other focused on backend automation to streamline donation pickups.
Website Redesign & SEO
- Full redesign of the donation UX
- SEO restructuring and load time optimization
- Mobile-friendly responsive design
- Performance and accessibility improvements
No-Code Automation Stack
- Acuity Scheduling for online donation booking
- Zapier and Make (Integromat) for workflow automation
- Coda integration for centralized data storage
- Real-time tracking and reporting systems
Data & Analytics
- Live dashboards for real-time insights
- Driver-friendly pickup route generation
- Print-ready donation summaries
- Custom automated reports
Modernized Donation Ecosystem
Our solution created a fully integrated donation management system that transformed every aspect of DAV's operations from scheduling to fulfillment.
Online Scheduling
Donors can now schedule pickups online via Acuity Scheduling, eliminating the need for manual phone coordination and reducing volunteer workload.
Automated Routing
Data flows into Coda where automated dashboards generate driver-friendly pickup routes, optimizing efficiency and reducing operational costs.
Smart Reporting
Print-ready donation summaries and custom reports are generated automatically without human input, providing real-time operational insights.
Phased Launch StrategyImplementation
We launched the project in phases to ensure seamless adoption, delivering the entire build from kickoff to completion in just 8 weeks.
Backend Systems
Phase 1: Implementation of automation stack and backend systems integration.
UX Enhancement
Phase 2: UX enhancements and responsive redesign with performance optimization.
SEO Overhaul
Phase 3: SEO restructuring and real-time performance monitoring implementation.
Training & Launch
Live training sessions with DAV staff and quick-reference guides for scalability.
"Daniel has been an absolute pleasure to work with. He helped us automate our services, which saved us so much time and money for other aspects of our business. Our previous developer couldn't deliver what we needed — but Daniel nailed it, beautifully and professionally. If you're considering working with Dan, don't hesitate."
George Hall
Adjutant at Disabled American Veterans Thrift Stores of Kentucky
The Resolution
DAV now runs a donation scheduling system that's faster, smarter, and 100% volunteer-free. Their team has reclaimed over 200 hours a month — time that's now redirected toward mission-critical work.
Transformation Achieved
- Generated 5,300+ new page views and 1,400+ new users
- Achieved 35% increase in donation appointments
- Saved $6,000 annually in staffing costs
- Reclaimed 50+ hours weekly of volunteer time
- Reduced bounce rate to 32.10%
- Implemented 100% automated donation scheduling
- Created driver-friendly pickup routing system
- Established real-time performance monitoring
Mission Accomplished
200+ Hours
Reclaimed monthly for mission work
Most importantly, the digital upgrade is directly tied to increased donations and more consistent revenue — strengthening DAV's ability to serve those who've served our country.