University of Washington

Proven WordPress Websites that Nonprofits Love!

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Sound Generations’ Project Enhance provides licensing, training and assistance for two nationally recognized evidence-based programs: Enhance®Fitness and Enhance®Wellness.

The new Project Enhance WordPress site features an integrated members-only content area for fitness instructors and affiliates across 43 states. Benchmarks across all measurable areas have improved significantly. Overall page size has reduced 93% from 6.5 Mb to < 500 Kb; web server requests have reduced 69% from 59 to 18. These improvements result in page load speeds less than 3 seconds.

Enhance Fitness and Wellness website

Site Statistics

Performance Metric Old (Divi) WordPress Theme
 New Custom-Branded WordPress Theme
Google Lighthouse: Accessibility 88/100 100/100
Google Lighthouse: Best Practices 75/100 92/100
Google Lighthouse: Mobile Speed 47/100 96/100
Google Lighthouse: Desktop Speed 64/100 99/100
Google Lighthouse: Search Engine Optimization 82/100 90/100
WebPageTest Speed Index 6.121 2.008
Homepage File Size 6.46 Mb (6.06 Mb Images + 205 Kb Scripts + 239 Kb CSS +100 Kb Fonts + Kb HTML) 484 Kb (302 Kb Images + 3 Kb Scripts + 33 Kb CSS + 149 Kb Fonts + 8 Kb HTML)
Web Server Requests 59 (16 Images + 17 Scripts + 19 CSS + 5 Fonts + 2 HTML) 18 (7 Images + 2 Scripts + 6 CSS + 2 Fonts + 1 HTML)
Homepage Load Time ~6.1 seconds ~2 seconds

WebPage Test Speed Index: median = ~3.591; top 10% = <1.388
In 2021, the average page size = ~2.4 Mb and median page size = ~2.1 Mb.
Database-driven websites, like WordPress, are more performance optimized when server requests are < 40 – 60.

Other site updates and improvements include:

More readable content with font sizes > 16 pixels and reduced line widths; keyboard-navigable menu with skip to content link for screen readers;  custom-branded browser favicon; improved security, including bruteforce protection.

Project Enhance is a collaboration between Sound Generations, University of Washington and Group Health Cooperative (now Kaiser Permanente).

Teaching Nonprofits How to Manage Websites

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screenshot Promoting First Relationships

Graphic Design: Kelly Davis, Farm Girl Works
WordPress Website Development: Scott Marlow

A new WordPress CMS-powered website for Promoting First Relationships – a training program at the Barnard Center on Infant Mental Health and Development at the University of Washington.

Websites for Health, Not Wealth

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screenshot CIMHD

CSS web development: Scott Marlow
Graphic and logo design: Kelly Davis | Farm Girl Works

A new hand-coded CSS website for the Center on Infant Mental Health & Development (CIMHD) — part of the University of Washington School of Nursing.

CIMHD promotes “interdisciplinary research, education and practice; and advances policy related to the social and emotional development of all children during the first five years.

According to CIMHD, “the quality of experiences in the first 3 years of life profoundly impacts later development — including how children perform in school and their ability to form satisfying relationships with teachers and friends. Caring relationships with sensitive parents, or primary caregivers, are the most important factor in determining later outcomes.”

How true. In life, relationships are often the key to success or failure. At work, for example, your relationship with your web development team is the most important factor in determining the outcome of your new website or redesign.