Cider House Media

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the President of CommonWealth GrantWorks

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We’re dedicated to helping nonprofit organizations achieve their goals for successful and sustainable economic development. With over 20 years of experience writing successful grants, we provide consulting and grant-writing services for nonprofits of all sizes across the Commonwealth.

Our principal, Dr. Jennifer Higgins, is dedicated to finding and realizing the best sources of support for your nonprofit.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Cider House Media to accomplish?

• Website Design
• Web Hosting
• Website Redesign

SOLUTION

How did you find Cider House Media?

Online Search

Why did you select Cider House Media over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Cider House Media were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

1. Website design
2. Logo, business name, branding
3. Website hosting
4. Website accessibility adaptation
5. Website merchant capabilities

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

1. Prompt service and support
2. Guidance and feeback
3. Project management
4. Human touch

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

There are those you meet and then there are those who hold dear. When I first met Lennie at Cider House Media, I took him for the former. He would be like all the other website designers I had come across, offering a flat but flashy site that caught folks’ eyes, showed them a thing or two, slid them into my inbox, where I would then coax them to trust my grant-writing chops.

Nah, not Lennie at Cider House Media. Upon learning of my new grant-writing business, he rolled up his sleeves and got right in it with me. He fostered curiosity not only about the new site but also the new venture. My eyes were opened to all that he had at his disposal, all the tools in his toolbox that would permit wondrous business transactions to occur. I learned about the interplay between customers’ reviews and search engine optimization, “SEO” for newbies; the perils of a too-long company name for my site’s address and staff’s email handles (e.g., cwgw@ versus commonwealthgrantworks@), widgets for enabling my website for sensory-friendliness, and what “GoDaddy” could promise and take away (e.g. domain name protection when using the word “grants” and everyone else suddenly wants one).

But Lennie went steps further. He showed up at my grand opening event in Noho, when I thought nobody would, working the room with his easy-going and heartfelt style. Lennie continued to inspire me with his evocative business-related questions, always being a gracious recipient of my company’s annual holiday letter, greeting me as he would an old friend during our website tune-up sessions, and aiding me in my time of greatest need when we memorialized together my late son’s company website.

What was your primary form of communication with Cider House Media?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their heartfelt and highly artistic sensibilities impress us.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Cider House Media could have done differently?

Nope, not a one!