Connecting Oceans and Opportunities: MISS Scales Impact with Salesforce
Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS) aims to advance the field of shark, ray, and other marine sciences by challenging the status quo of underrepresentation of gender minorities from historically-excluded communities of color and by providing accessible, equitable pathways to research, conservation, and education.
The Challenge: As MISS continued to expand, their growth outpaced their technology infrastructure, which relied on separate systems for managing constituent relationships, membership applications, and program engagement. Key tasks, such as tracking member involvement, capturing program participation data, and generating membership reports, became time-consuming, with staff handling information stored across disparate platforms. Without a centralized system, MISS struggled to efficiently manage these vital operations, making it challenging to tell the full story of their impact and engage stakeholders meaningfully.
The Solution: In response to this need for a unified and scalable platform, MISS partnered with OneTenth Consulting to implement Salesforce as the backbone of its operational infrastructure. The project followed OneTenth's phased "crawl, walk, run" methodology, focusing on consolidating systems and streamlining operations. Key components of the solution included:
Constituent Management. Salesforce’s Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP) became the foundation for centralizing constituent data—including members, donors, partners, and program participants. Centralized data now eliminates silos, enabling a holistic view of supporters and allowing MISS to personalize communications and strengthen relationships with its community.
Program Management. OneTenth implemented Salesforce’s Program Management Module (PMM) to track membership and program participation across MISS’s offerings, supporting programs focused on marine science research, conservation, and educational outreach. PMM enabled staff to monitor member involvement and optimize program enrollment, allowing MISS to easily scale and adapt its offerings to support growing numbers of members and programs.
Membership Application Automation. To facilitate the application process and improve data accuracy, MISS adopted FormAssembly, integrated with Salesforce to enable seamless data flow. Automations were configured to reduce manual entry during the membership application and onboarding process, freeing up staff resources for more strategic work and creating a smoother experience for applicants. Membership dues are now processed through Stripe and integrated with NPSP, giving the membership team insights into engagement and the impact of membership campaigns. These insights empowered MISS to engage supporters more effectively and increase their fundraising potential.
Reporting and Dashboards. Salesforce’s reporting tools provided MISS with real-time access to key metrics on program participation, member engagement, and fundraising activities. Customized dashboards offered clear, actionable insights, reducing the time required for manual reporting and enabling the organization to make data-driven decisions.
Impact: With Salesforce now at the core of its operations, MISS has transformed how it engages and manages its community. Automated processes have reduced the administrative load on staff, while centralized data enhances data accuracy and transparency. Staff can now devote more time to advancing MISS’s mission, knowing they have real-time insights to guide their work. The leadership team is also better equipped to report on impact, plan strategically, and engage funders, strengthening MISS’s capacity to challenge inequities in marine sciences.
Future Roadmap: Looking ahead, MISS plans to further deepen its engagement with supporters and streamline grant management within Salesforce. These enhancements will ensure MISS continues to grow sustainably, expands its programs, and builds enduring connections with stakeholders.
"Working with MISS has been incredibly fulfilling. Their passion for creating inclusive spaces in marine sciences reflects the mission-driven work we love supporting. Through Salesforce, we've helped automate their membership operations, enabling them to make data-informed decisions with greater ease. We’re honored to contribute to their journey, and we can’t wait to see how MISS continues to create pathways for the next generation of marine scientists.” - Rubin Singh, CEO of OneTenth Consulting
"I was amazed at how much the OneTenth team was able to accomplish within our budget. As a small nonprofit with only a handful of staff, this infrastructure will be truly game-changing." - Jasmin Graham, MISS President & CEO
The partnership between MISS and OneTenth Consulting illustrates how a technology platform, coupled with a nonprofit's vision for equity, can drive meaningful change. With Salesforce as a solid foundation, MISS is now better equipped than ever to serve its community, expand its reach, and showcase the impact of its efforts in marine science.
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To learn more about Minorities In Shark Sciences, please click here. And to support their impactful work, please consider becoming a member.