2026

Urban League of Essex County

A mission-driven WordPress site for the Urban League of Essex County, built around community programs, events, and donations.

visit live site →

// stack

WordPressPHPCSS3JavaScriptElementorAdvanced Custom Fields (ACF)The Events CalendarDonation SystemMembership FormsVolunteer IntakeMailchimp IntegrationGA4 + Microsoft ClaritySEO Best Practices
Urban League of Essex County

// problem

A long-running WordPress site had accumulated more pages than the staff could maintain, with past event pages, old job postings, and legacy sections all competing for attention. Every form on the site fed a single shared inbox that no one person could realistically monitor, so enquiries went unanswered. The Young Professionals arm needed its own identity and its own route for enquiries rather than sharing the parent organization's. Fundraising ran through a separate system that did not talk to the website.

// solution

The page inventory was audited and consolidated: past event pages folded into single comprehensive pages, and legacy sections hidden rather than destroyed so nothing was lost. Every removed URL got a redirect, so the consolidation kept the search value the site had already earned. Board and staff profiles became a template-driven system where each person has a page with bio, title, and links, and the directory pages build themselves from that data. Job postings run through a plugin with categories, filtering, and automatic expiry. Partner listings sit in an alphabetized directory, and a sponsor ticker orders logos by level of support. Event registration was brought onto the site itself, with payment handled directly.

// results

The rebuilt site went live in August 2025, handed over in a live training session that walked the staff through running it themselves: page editing, board and staff profiles, job postings, the partner directory, and setting up events. Bringing event registration onto the site removed the flat per-event platform fee the organization had been paying its previous ticketing provider. Deleted pages were redirected rather than dropped, so consolidating the site did not cost it existing search equity.

// details

Urban League of Essex County

Overview

Developed a mission-focused WordPress website for the Urban League of Essex County (ULEC), designed to showcase their impactful programs, increase community engagement, and streamline donations. The site reflects ULEC's commitment to economic empowerment, education, and advocacy with a user-friendly and responsive design.

Key Features

- 🌍 Program Showcases – Dedicated pages highlighting ULEC initiatives in education, housing, and workforce development - 📅 Events Calendar – Centralized event listings with details, registration, and RSVP options - 💳 Donation Integration – Secure giving system with one-time and recurring donation options - 📝 Membership & Volunteer Forms – Easy intake flows for new members and volunteers - 📱 Responsive & Accessible – Mobile-first design built for all screen sizes and accessibility standards - 🔐 Secure & Reliable – Hardened WordPress environment with strong user role management

Technical Implementation

- WordPress + Elementor – Flexible CMS for easy updates by non-technical staff - ACF Modules – Structured content blocks for programs, impact stats, and CTAs - Events System – The Events Calendar for ongoing workshops, fundraisers, and community events - Donations – Integrated with secure payment processors to track contributions - Membership Management – Forms connected to CRM/email marketing tools for automated workflows - Analytics & SEO – GA4, Microsoft Clarity, schema setup, and on-page optimizations - Performance Optimizations – CDN, caching, and media compression for fast load times

Impact

- Expanded awareness of programs and services in Essex County - Simplified donation and membership processes to grow support - Improved communication with stakeholders, volunteers, and community members - Professionalized online presence to match the scale of ULEC's impact

👉 Visit the live site and see how ULEC empowers communities in Essex County!