How LAWA Is Strengthening Operations, Security, and Sustainability with Support from Apparo and Duke Energy
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LAWA, has served the Charlotte community since 1992. Today, Latin Americans Working for Achievement supports Latino students and families by helping young people access the resources, encouragement, and opportunities they need to succeed. For nonprofits, technology can either create capacity or slow important work down. When systems, policies, and processes are managed strategically, staff can spend less time troubleshooting and more time focused on the people they serve.
Through a recent 18-week G.A.I.N. Technology Plan Community Impact Project, Apparo, LAWA, and skilled Duke Energy volunteers worked together to assess LAWA’s technology environment, identify opportunities for improvement, and implement practical solutions to support long-term growth. “This really changed where we were as an organization in ways I don’t know I could ever truly express,” said Gricelda de la Cruz from LAWA. “It brought us peace of mind and helped us build a stronger foundation for the future.”
Creating a Practical Technology Roadmap
The project started with an assessment of LAWA’s technology infrastructure, including its systems, strengths, risks, pain points, and future needs. From there, volunteers created a roadmap focused on governance, policies, inventory management, security, and operational efficiency.
Apparo’s G.A.I.N. program goes beyond planning by helping nonprofits put recommendations into action. For LAWA, the team completed several quick wins, including hardware and software inventories, four customized technology policies, and a policy inventory the organization can continue to use as its needs evolve. “We went from having almost nothing in place to having a really good starting point,” said Gladiola Mendieta, manager of operations and communications at LAWA. “We have more confidence to continue developing policies.”Altogether, the project provided approximately $80,000 in fair market value and 112 hours of skilled volunteer support.
Increasing Efficiency and Reducing Risk
One of the most meaningful outcomes is greater operational efficiency. Clearer technology guidance, stronger policies, and improved management practices will help LAWA staff answer routine technology questions more efficiently, manage tools consistently, and save more time for mission-focused work. The project also strengthened LAWA’s approach to data and reporting by identifying opportunities to optimize Bloomerang and improve data consistency.
As a result, LAWA is working toward a more reliable source of information for decision-making, fundraising, reporting, and communicating impact to stakeholders. Inventory management is already creating value. Through the project, LAWA identified and canceled an unused Hootsuite subscription, saving about $350 annually. LAWA now also has a framework for regularly reviewing software use and avoiding unnecessary expenses. Documented policies and processes can also help LAWA preserve institutional knowledge during staff transitions.
“The fact that we’ve developed a couple of policies already, and we’re definitely going to develop more, helps tremendously,” said Mendieta. “In the past, if someone left, we probably would have lost that knowledge.” The project also strengthened LAWA’s approach to protecting information entrusted to the organization by students and families. Greater awareness of phishing, email security, data protection, backups, and technology governance gives LAWA stronger safeguards for sensitive information.
“Having a firm policy around data management will help us feel more confident about the work we’re doing and the data we’re collecting,” said Gricelda. “In turn, we’ll be better able to communicate those safeguards to participants who might feel uneasy.”
Skilled Volunteers Creating Lasting Impact
Beyond the technology outcomes, the project reflected the value of skills-based volunteering. Duke Energy volunteers brought technical expertise, thoughtful collaboration, and a shared commitment to helping LAWA strengthen the systems that support its mission. “Thank you for connecting us with such skilled professionals. They were so detailed in the questions they asked, and I understood why they were asking them.” said Gladiola.
For Jonathan Cane, IT manager at Duke Energy, the experience showed how the right structure can help volunteers translate their expertise into meaningful support. “My participation in the G.A.I.N. project for LAWA has been very rewarding,” Jonathan said. “I’ve been very impressed with the structure and organization that the Apparo team provided, which helped us ensure we were able to deliver value to the LAWA team. It was a pleasure to meet and work collaboratively with Apparo, LAWA, and the other Duke Energy volunteers.” That sense of connection continued as volunteers learned more about LAWA’s work and the resourcefulness required to advance its mission. “Supporting LAWA’s technology implementation effort was a meaningful and rewarding experience,” said Bill Fredenberg, lead IT application analyst at Duke Energy.
“Even though I began with a limited background on the organization, I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about its needs and contribute in a way that supports its mission. It was a fun effort and a wonderful team to work with.” For Parker Ramsey, IT Manager at Duke Energy, who has supported several similar projects, the most rewarding part was seeing the work lead to visible results. “It’s always great to help out, and it’s always cool to see the impact at the end,” Parker shared. “I’m glad to have been here.”
Jonathan also emphasized that following the project through completion made the volunteer experience especially meaningful. “This is my first project like this, and it was nice to be able to see this through and make a difference,” he said. “That’s what you want to do as a volunteer, regardless of what sort of volunteering you do.” Bill also said the project gave him a deeper appreciation for the nonprofit sector and the impact organizations like LAWA create with limited resources. “I’m amazed at how much you are able to accomplish with limited resources,” he said. “The nonprofit world is new to me, so it was meaningful to see all that you do.”
A Stronger Foundation for the Future
As the project concluded, LAWA leaders reflected both the practical progress made and the value of volunteer support in helping the organization move forward with greater confidence. “I’m really excited to share this with our board because it shows the value volunteers bring to our organization,” Gricelda said. “We are definitely in a better position today than we were when we first started this program.”
Projects like this show what is possible when nonprofit leaders, skilled volunteers, and technology expertise come together. Through Apparo’s G.A.I.N. program, organizations gain access to practical support that strengthens operations, improves efficiency, reduces risk, and creates more capacity for community impact.
For LAWA, the project delivered more than a technology roadmap. It created practical tools, stronger safeguards, and a clearer path forward, helping the organization focus more energy on supporting students and families across the Charlotte community.
