Goonj is a non-profit organization that focuses on climate action, poverty alleviation, rural development, and disaster relief and rehabilitation. It channels under utilized materials from urban areas to support development efforts in rural India. Through a unique barter system, these materials are exchanged for the efforts of rural communities working on key issues like water, sanitation, menstrual health and hygiene, nutrition, and local infrastructure.
In Urban India Goonj engages with individuals, housing societies, institutions, and corporates in cities to mobilize material, financial, and volunteer contributions. By building sustained partnerships and creating awareness around issues of dignity, urban partners become active participants in bridging the gap between urban abundance and rural scarcity.
At Goonj, the strength of our work lies in the depth of our processes and the people who power them. In 2024 we started working on formalizing and streamlining our urban operations through a dedicated CRM system. This exercise for us was not just about choosing the correct platform but also about formalizing our processes and making thoughtful choices that align with our values of transparency, collaboration, and sustainability.
Understanding What We Needed
We began by turning the lens inward—spending time reviewing the entire urban operations process at Goonj. We mapped out all the processes, flows, identified the various stakeholders involved, and listed the key touchpoints that required coordination. This phase was crucial in helping us articulate what we needed from a CRM—not just as a data system, but as a way to bring uniformity and clarity to our operations.
From there, we worked on formalizing these processes and documenting the specific data points that needed to be captured. Our goal was to not only track operations more effectively but to also to use this information to plan better and assess outcomes over time.
Validating the Vision
Once we had our requirements laid out, we shared them with Lobo for a fresh set of eyes—to test for completeness and practicality. It was at this point that our interaction with Project Tech4Dev began. Their network and deep experience with nonprofit technology became an invaluable part of the project.
We received constructive feedback from several Project Tech4Dev members that helped us refine our approach and think more holistically. This also led to Kurund, who was part of the founding team for CiviCRM and part of Tech4Dev, getting involved. He reviewed our requirements and found a 60–70% match between what we needed and what CiviCRM, an open-source CRM widely used by nonprofits, could offer.
From Requirements to Reality
While exploring vendors for this project, Project Tech4Dev joined hands with us in reviewing proposals. Their presence ensured that both the technical and operational aspects were looked at with a critical eye. Among the vendors, ColoredCow stood out with their thorough proposal, thoughtful responses, and a clear understanding of our needs. Their ability to ask the right questions and offer workable solutions made them a strong fit.
The project officially kicked off in June 2024. With ColoredCow onboard and Project Tech4Dev continuing to guide us, we stepped into the build phase. We had our first release in October 2024 during one of busiest times for urban work at Goonj to ensure that data was being captured seamlessly. The first phase of CRM was completed by April 2025 and we are now working on new requirements and updates.
Kurund remained actively involved—acting as both a guide and a challenger. He pushed us to think beyond our existing ways of working. His involvement also ensured that the integrity of CiviCRM as an open-source platform was maintained, while also helping the ColoredCow team navigate implementation challenges in a structured and thoughtful way.
Making Processes Work Better
One of the biggest shifts that CiviCRM enabled was the formalization of critical flows that previously relied heavily on manual coordination.
Take volunteer onboarding, for instance. With the CRM in place, we now have a clear, system-driven flow. A prospective volunteer can fill out a form directly on the Goonj website. They then receive an automated email with available time slots to visit a Goonj center for induction. Once this induction is completed, they officially become part of the Goonj volunteer community. From there, they can participate in various people-led activities like organizing collection camps, managing dropping centers, or facilitating community sessions.
Similarly, the collection camp process has become more structured and scalable. We now capture intent from both individual volunteers and partner organizations in a more organized manner. This information feeds directly into the CRM, allowing us to not only track upcoming camps but also automate the creation of customized posters, manage logistics, track contributions-generate receipts and ensure timely follow-ups for feedback and outcomes.
Bringing It All Together. One of the major challenges we faced earlier was the fragmentation of data across multiple platforms. Information related to our urban operations was in google sheets, salesforce, emails and forms. To get a complete picture of any engagement, we had to manually piece together data from various sources. With the implementation of the CRM, we now have a centralized system where historical data, interactions, and linkages are all visible in one place. This has made managing engagements significantly easier.
These changes haven’t just made things more efficient—but has enabled us to follow our people-first approach while scaling up our ability to respond and engage with communities meaningfully.
Looking Ahead
This CRM project has been much more than a tech upgrade. It has been an exercise in introspection, collaboration, and systems thinking. We’re now better placed to work more efficiently, make data-informed decisions, and build a foundation that can scale with our needs.
We are currently working on integrating WhatsApp to make our communications more direct and easier to cater to our different urban stakeholders. The next phase will also involve adding more flows which will not only improve ease of use but also allow for more meaningful, personalized interactions. The goal is to continue evolving the system in a way that supports our growing ecosystem while staying rooted in the values of transparency, collaboration, and people-led change.
Along with ColoredCow, Kurund (as part of the CXO program) and the larger Project Tech4Dev team played a vital role in this journey—walking alongside us, questioning, refining, and helping shape the system into something that truly supports the mission and operations of Goonj.
By Shivangi Desai
