Drupal Development Empowers UNICEF's Education Cannot Wait

Discover how Drupal empowered Education Cannot Wait (ECW) to streamline its grant management system and operational processes

ECW Drupal Development Case Study Supported documents

Drupal development helped transform how Education Cannot Wait (ECW) works. ECW is the global fund for education in emergencies, hosted by UNICEF, and it allows children access to learning in the world’s toughest crisis areas. As ECW grew, its manual, spreadsheet-based systems couldn’t keep up.

To fix this, Education Cannot Wait partnered with Vardot to build a secure, scalable Drupal platform. The new system replaced outdated processes with automated workflows, real-time data tracking, and better transparency. Now, ECW can manage operations more efficiently and make faster, smarter decisions to reach more children in need.

4.6%

Reduction of Bounce Rates

20%

Increase in Average Engagement Time

40%

Faster Grant Processing Time
ECW Drupal Development Case Study Supported documents

The Challenge 

Before adopting Drupal development, ECW faced several major challenges:

  • Disorganized data: Information was scattered across multiple tools, making it difficult to track grants effectively.

  • Manual processes: Approvals and reporting were slow, error-prone, and required a lot of manual effort.

  • Limited scalability: Their existing system couldn’t support ECW’s rapid global expansion.

  • Slow updates: Delivering timely insights to stakeholders was often delayed.

The goal was clear: ECW needed a modern, centralized Grant Management System (GMS) powered by Drupal development—one that could automate workflows, ensure data consistency, and scale to meet growing demands.

The Solution

To address ECW’s challenges, we delivered a tailored Drupal development solution focused on automation, security, and user-friendly design.

The project rolled out in two strategic phases:

  • Phase 1: A secure internal Drupal platform that enabled ECW teams to efficiently manage, monitor, and report on grant activities with streamlined workflows.
     
  • Phase 2: A public-facing portal built on Drupal, empowering grantees to apply for funding, submit progress reports, and track application statuses in real-time, improving transparency and engagement across the board.

Key Features and Functionalities: 

As part of the Drupal development project, Vardot implemented powerful features to support ECW’s growing needs:

  • Streamlined Content Management
    User-friendly tools allow ECW staff to update content, manage documents, and upload reports—all without needing technical skills.
     

  • Automated Workflows
    Every step of the grant lifecycle—from application submission to approvals and reporting—is now fully automated, minimizing manual tasks and improving consistency.
     
  • Centralized Data Management
    All grant-related information is stored in one unified Drupal platform, making it easier to track, analyze, and generate reports on funding activities.
     
  • Role-Based Access Control
    Custom permission settings ensure secure, role-specific access for both ECW’s internal teams and external partners—enabling collaboration without compromising data security.
     
  • Scalable Infrastructure
    Hosted on Acquia Cloud, the solution delivers strong performance, enterprise-grade security, and the flexibility to scale as ECW’s operations expand globally.
ECW Case Study Supported Documents

Goals Achieved

The new platform did more than fix existing issues, it unlocked new possibilities for collaboration, transparency, and long-term impact. Tailored specifically to ECW’s operational and strategic needs, the system supports both day-to-day workflows and the organization’s broader mission to deliver education in crisis-affected areas.

Here’s how the solution met and went beyond expectations:

  • Streamlined Internal Operations
    Manual, time-consuming tasks like application tracking, grant approvals, and reporting were replaced with automated workflows. This freed up ECW’s team to focus on strategic priorities instead of administrative bottlenecks.
     
  • Enhanced Partner Engagement
    Grantees and implementing partners now have access to a dedicated portal where they can easily apply for funding, submit reports, and receive real-time updates. The intuitive interface reduces friction and improves the overall user experience, encouraging broader participation.
     
  • Real-Time Insight and Transparency
    Centralizing data into a single platform enabled ECW to monitor grant performance in real-time. Custom dashboards and reporting tools give leadership the visibility they need to make faster, data-informed decisions and share progress with stakeholders.
     
  • Robust Security and Scalability
    Built on Drupal and hosted on Acquia Cloud, the platform delivers enterprise-grade security and performance. Role-based access control ensures sensitive data is protected, while the system’s modular design allows it to scale alongside ECW’s global growth.
     
  • This transformation has equipped ECW with the digital infrastructure needed to operate more efficiently today — and to grow strategically into the future.
ECW Case Study Supported Documents

The Impact

The launch of the new platform marked a turning point for ECW’s digital operations. By automating key processes and centralizing grant data, ECW can now operate with greater agility and transparency, which is essential for an organization working across crisis-affected regions.

More than just improving internal efficiency, the platform has strengthened ECW’s ability to communicate its impact, engage partners, and deliver on its mission at scale.

Grantees now experience a faster, clearer application journey, while ECW’s teams benefit from real-time insights and a more sustainable workflow.

What was once a manual, fragmented process has become a streamlined ecosystem that enables smarter decisions, better collaboration, and faster time to impact.

Final Thoughts

This collaboration between ECW and Vardot is more than a technology upgrade — it’s a foundation for global impact. By reimagining grant management through a scalable, user-first platform, ECW is now better equipped to deliver education where it's needed most.
Together, we’ve built a system that not only supports ECW’s mission today but empowers it to grow and adapt in the years to come.