Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver
Building a diocesan platform that grows with the organization
Organization Size
70-100
Duration
5 Years
The Situtation
Important diocesan information was spread across different systems and departments
The Archdiocese of Vancouver needed a more connected way to manage information across a growing range of diocesan functions.
Different offices had distinct operational needs, while the Development Office also maintained decades of household and donation history in Raiser’s Edge.
Rather than replace one isolated system with another, the Archdiocese needed a platform that could support fundraising, administration, ministries and future initiatives within a shared environment.
The Constraints
The platform had to preserve decades of history while supporting very different ministries
The transition involved substantial data volume and organizational complexity.
The Development Office needed to preserve approximately 30 years of household and donation history. At the same time, other departments required workflows, access controls and information structures appropriate to their own work.
The solution therefore needed to support both shared institutional data and distinct ministry needs, while remaining flexible enough to evolve over time.
Meribah Flow's Approach
Establish a strong foundation, then expand the platform incrementally
Meribah Flow worked with the Archdiocese to implement Salesforce as a long-term organizational platform rather than a single-purpose application.
Historical Development Office data was migrated from Raiser’s Edge into Salesforce, including decades of household and donation records.
From that foundation, the platform expanded over time to support the Chancery, Communications, Vocations, Permanent Diaconate, Safe Environment, Ministries & Outreach, Marriage & Family, and the Refugees Office.
Configuration, security, reporting and new workflows were added incrementally as additional needs emerged, allowing the system to grow without requiring the Archdiocese to repeatedly start over with new standalone tools.
Outcome
01
A shared platform across diocesan offices
More than 40 active users now work within a common Salesforce environment.
02
Decades of institutional history preserved
Thirty years of Development Office history were carried forward into the new system.
03
A platform that continues to evolve
The Archdiocese has continued building on Salesforce since 2020.
Reflection
The real measure of an implementation is what the organization can still build on years later
A successful technology project is not defined only by whether it launches. The Vancouver implementation demonstrated the value of establishing a stable foundation that can adapt as organizational needs change. By preserving institutional history, supporting different ministries and expanding incrementally, the Archdiocese created a platform that has continued to grow with the organization rather than becoming another system that eventually needs to be replaced.