From Vision to Execution: How Impact Hire is Transforming NGO Recruitment with a Smart MVP

A Strategic Approach to Building a Digital Hiring Platform

Introduction

Many NGOs have high-impact ideas but often face challenges in executing scalable, tech-driven solutions.The lack of structured planning, right technology choices, and execution strategyleads to delays or inefficiencies.

Impact Hire, led by Ekyum Impact Foundation, set out to solve a major problem in the social sector—efficient hiring and talent management for NGOs. Their vision was clear: create a recommendation-based hiring network where vetted candidates could be shared across NGOs, reducing hiring time and improving recruitment quality.

However, turning this vision into a functional, scalable platform required the right technical direction, UX strategy, and an MVP-first approach—this is where Refresh Ideas partnered with them..

The Challenge

Bringing a First-of-Its-Kind Hiring Model to Life

Hiring in the social sector is often inefficient, fragmented, and time-consuming. NGOs struggle with:

• Finding qualified candidates who align with their needs

• Managing a structured hiring process across organizations

• Choosing the right technology to support their long-term goals

 

When Impact Hire approached Refresh Ideas, they had a well-defined vision but needed help with:

• Selecting the right technology—initially considering Frappe but later opting for a custom-built solution after a deep technical evaluation

• Structuring the platform’s functionalities—refining how NGOs and candidates would interact

• Creating a tangible prototype—to secure buy-in from stakeholders and funders

Key Insight: The right technology choice is critical—we helped them avoid an open-source solution (Frappe) that wasn’t ideal for long-term scalability, ensuring a tailored approach that balanced efficiency, cost, and flexibility.

Our Approach

Wireframing, UX Strategy & MVP Execution

Rather than jumping straight into development, we followed a step-by-step, execution-focused strategy:

1. Wireframing & UX Design: Aligning Vision with Execution

The first step was creating detailed UI/UX wireframes, which:

• Clarified the platform's user flow for the entire Impact Hire team

• Helped refine functionality based on real NGO hiring behaviors

• Enabled discussions & feedback loops with potential NGO partners

• Facilitated stakeholder buy-in —allowing Impact Hire to present the idea visually and conduct successful workshops with HR teams from leading NGOs

 

Lesson for NGOs: Wireframes turn abstract ideas into clear, actionable blueprints—ensuring alignment before development starts.

By focusing on these core functionalities, Impact Hire’s MVP is already enabling faster, smarter hiring decisions while laying the foundation for future enhancements.

Lesson for NGOs: A well-structured MVP helps validate the concept in real-world conditions, ensuring future scalability and adoption.

Results:

A Live MVP & Positive Industry Adoption

Key Features & Enhancements

• MVP Launched at Impact Hire Login

• NGO Engagement – Early users onboarded and providing feedback

• Future-Ready Platform – Built for scalability, allowing future features like AI-powered hiring recommendations

Impact Hire is now moving from MVP to expansion , proving that strategic execution transforms ideas into real, impactful solutions.

Lessons for Other NGOs

How to Execute Digital Projects Successfully

• Choosing the right technology matters – Don’t follow trends blindly. Custom solutions often provide better flexibility and efficiency than generic open-source tools.

• Execution is more important than just ideas – A strong roadmap, iterative feedback, and the right partners ensure success.

• Start small, think big – A focused MVP approach helps validate the concept, secure funding, and scale efficiently.

Why Refresh Ideas? A Strategic Tech Partner for NGOs

At Refresh Ideas, we don’t just build tech—we help NGOs navigate the digital execution process , ensuring their platforms are:

• User-centric – Easy, fast, and practical for the intended audience

• Strategically designed – Built with future scalability in mind

• Focused on impact – Technology that solves real challenges, not just looks good on paper

If your NGO is looking to build a digital platform with a structured execution strategy, we’d love to help.