IMBA Empowers Local Chapters with Connected Membership Management in CiviCRM
The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) works to create, enhance, and protect great places to ride mountain bikes through a worldwide network of chapters and members. IMBA’s strength comes from this partnership between its national team and local chapters that lead trail building, education, and advocacy in their own regions.
To better support local chapters, Skvare helped IMBA develop a connected membership system built on CiviCRM and Drupal. The new setup gives each chapter access to the information and tools they need, without requiring separate databases or full backend access, so they can manage memberships, communicate with members, and strengthen their local communities.
Challenge
IMBA’s previous chapter management process relied heavily on staff to share membership data, renewal lists, and reports with local leaders. This slowed communication and limited chapters’ ability to engage with their members directly.The organization needed a unified system that could:
- Give local chapters real-time access to membership and renewal data.
- Allow chapters to communicate with their members while protecting sensitive information.
- Keep membership and donation data centralized in one shared CiviCRM instance.
- Maintain consistent branding and data accuracy across dozens of chapter websites.
Solution
Skvare implemented a series of CiviCRM based tools that brought autonomy and insight to IMBA’s chapter network while maintaining a single, accurate source of data.
Chapter Dashboards and Reporting
- Each chapter has its own dashboard displaying real-time membership data, including active members, new joins, renewals, and total revenue.
- Built-in graphs give leaders a quick visual snapshot of chapter growth and trends, allowing them to track performance and retention without manual reports.
Mosaico Mailing Access Without Full CiviCRM Access
- Chapter representatives can create and send branded email campaigns using Mosaico, CiviCRM’s visual email builder.
- Permissions were configured so chapters can use Mosaico to communicate with their members without having full backend access to CiviCRM.
- This balance protects privacy and data integrity while allowing each chapter to engage its members independently.
Embedded Forms Using CiviCRM Form Builder
- IMBA uses CiviCRM Form Builder to generate HTML code for membership sign-up forms that chapters can easily embed into their websites.
- Each form automatically connects new members and donations to the correct chapter record in CiviCRM.
- This approach eliminates manual data entry and keeps chapter membership records instantly up to date.
CiviCRM Image Resize Extension
- To maintain consistent branding, Skvare developed the CiviCRM Image Resize extension, which automatically resizes chapter logos for use across membership packets, dashboards, and email templates.
- The extension improves load time and visual consistency, helping chapters maintain a professional appearance in all materials.
- Together, these enhancements gave IMBA a unified system where data, design, and communication flow seamlessly between the national office and local chapters, all within CiviCRM.
Results
- Chapters can view and manage their own membership data in real time.
- Local leaders send professional, branded communications directly to their members without needing national staff support.
- New member sign-ups and renewals flow instantly into the central CiviCRM database, eliminating duplicate data.
- Graphs and dashboards make it easy to monitor membership trends and performance.
- Consistent branding across forms, emails, and membership materials strengthens IMBA’s image as a cohesive global organization.
Summary
By extending CiviCRM to support chapter-level management, IMBA created a more connected, efficient membership system that empowers local leaders and reinforces the strength of its international network.
Explore more CiviCRM projects and success stories at Skvare.
