How a Lean Nonprofit Reclaimed Time and Reduced Operational Complexity with Glue Up
Region Leaders is a mission-driven nonprofit founded in 2018 to develop civic leadership and regional collaboration across Northwest Indiana and the Chicago Southland. Its mission is clear: identify, equip, and connect civic-minded professionals who can help solve complex regional challenges.
The organization builds cross-sector leadership pipelines through cohort-based academies, civic engagement programs, and economic forums. It works with professionals from education, local government, business, and nonprofit sectors—helping them grow into effective leaders who strengthen their communities.
The nonprofit also convenes public discussions and leadership summits focused on regional priorities such as infrastructure, workforce readiness, and inclusive governance.
As programming and outreach expanded over the years, the administrative burden increased. Legacy systems created delays, fragmented data, and added unnecessary work for an already lean team. Instead of supporting growth, the tools in place slowed it down.
Administrative Burden Was Affecting Member Engagement
Membership participation began to decline. Staff spent more time fixing software issues than planning events or engaging members. Communications were delayed, and internal workflows lacked structure.
GrowthZone, their previous platform, presented several challenges:
- Onboarding required over 90 hours
- Data migration took weeks
- Membership and event tasks were handled manually
- An unexpected price increase threatened to take up 10% of the annual budget
The tools meant to support the team had become a daily source of inefficiency.
A More Manageable System with a Faster Learning Curve
The nonprofit switched to Glue Up with the goal of simplifying operations without adding extra workload. The transition was faster than expected, and the onboarding process was easy to follow.
The team was able to start using the platform independently soon after setup, relying on session recordings and help articles to complete tasks at their own pace.
Hands-On Leadership Drove a Smoother Transition
Executive Director Sue Reed stayed directly involved in the implementation process. Rather than delegate the work, she led by example—logging into the platform, troubleshooting in real time, and working through tasks alongside her team.
She asked targeted questions during onboarding, ensured the system was configured to match their actual workflows, and created space for staff to adapt gradually. Her practical approach kept the transition grounded in the organization’s day-to-day needs and helped build early confidence across the team.
By staying engaged, she made sure the software supported the mission instead of distracting from it.
Built-In Tools Helped Save Time Immediately
One of the biggest improvements came from Glue Up’s event templates. These templates included built-in workflows for registration, reminders, follow-up emails, and tagging in the CRM. Staff no longer had to build processes from scratch every time.
- Templates saved setup time and created consistency
- Email sequences were preconfigured and easy to adjust
- Support materials helped staff complete tasks without needing extra help
“I really like the event templates,” Sue said. “It’s a relief not having to rebuild everything from scratch every time we plan an event.”
These changes allowed the team to focus on programming instead of spending time managing software.
Better Alignment with Budget and Priorities
Glue Up offered a clearer pricing structure and fewer hidden costs. The nonprofit avoided a projected 10% budget increase and reduced the time spent on administrative work.
“YES!! If anyone is thinking of converting from GrowthZone to Glue Up, feel free to give them my email.”
They now use that time and funding to support leadership programs and member initiatives.
Event Management Software That Supports the Work Without Getting in the Way
The team didn’t need more features. They needed fewer barriers. Glue Up helped simplify how they manage events, communicate with members, and track engagement—all without requiring extra staff or custom builds.
They now spend less time managing software and more time moving their mission forward.
You can do the same. Book a demo if your organization needs a simpler, more reliable way to manage operations.
