Drupal is saving the world!

Many sectors already have a good understanding and knowledge of how open source can benefit them. For example, the UK Government has used open source to trigger change in how they work with various companies, moving from a ‘siloed’ to a ‘platform’ ideology.

Another group of organisations showing considerable interest in open source is the not-for-profit sector, with many showing activity and engagement in open-source tools and knowledge.

The charity sector has already picked up on the value of open source platforms like Drupal and WordPress for some time. With the right expertise, smaller, non-profit organisations have been creating powerful websites at less overall cost than proprietary platforms, for longer than you might think.

Here are examples of non-profit websites built with open source in action.

Cancer Research UK

Cancer Research UK is a cancer research and awareness charity formed in 2002. One of its aims is is to bring forward research to bring forward the day where all cancers are cured. One of the key elements is providing an excellent web experience for those people who raise money or want information.

Amnesty International

Amnesty International is an organisation focused on human rights, with millions of members and supporters around the world. Because it needs to send its message around the world, Drupal’s multilingual capabilities are particularly valuable, enabling Amnesty International to communicate with the people who may need it most.

Oxfam International

Oxfam International was formed in 1995 by a group of independent non-governmental organisations, with the aim of working together to reduce poverty and injustice. The website allows the organisation to share its message and missions around emergency response and development, as well as its fundraising campaigns and activism.

Greenpeace

Greenpeace is an campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, protect and conserve the environment, and promote solutions towards a green and peaceful future. The organisation has also worked with Drupal on projects like the Greenpeace UK website and Greenpeace Greenwire social network.

The International Red Cross

The International Committee of the Red Cross is an independent organisation, ensuring humanitarian protection and assistance for the victims of armed conflict and other types of violence. Its website runs on Drupal 7, responsive and open source, so there’s no danger of it becoming unsupported or obsolete.

The power of open source

The examples above clearly prove that powerful websites are readily available to smaller, non-profit organisations without ‘breaking the bank’. This enables them to make full use of cutting edge features, that were traditionally only accessible via larger, proprietary platforms.