Thanks to a partnership between Cape Girardeau website design firm Element 74 and Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, a new, cloud-based advocacy management program, Vela, is helping service providers streamline and improve efforts.

Janelle Williams, project lead and grants management specialist with MCADSV, said the coalition works to support organizations across the state working against sexual and domestic violence, and that for several years, those organizations had been asking for software to help staff members collect data, generate reports and complete assessments, all while keeping client information confidential.

That's a tall order.

About a year ago, Williams said, the coalition began working with Element 74 to develop software that would help meet these organizations' unique needs -- and help tell their clients' stories safely and effectively.

Devon Edmonds, technical project manager with Element 74, said data collection and formatting are key for service providers.

"This application is all about data, helping groups track their clients and understand what the needs are in their community," Edmonds said. "They then demonstrate the value they're providing their communities via these reports generated."

"We have to protect confidentiality, so we can't tell the stories individually," Williams said. "But, put together, we can paint a meaningful picture for our communities and for the state, and give a voice to the clients. I think numbers are a great way to do that."

Williams said a focus group of about 12 individuals worked to identify where data collection needed help.

Williams, who comes from an advocacy and management background, said she knows how important these numbers are when explaining that domestic and sexual violence incidents are not isolated.

It's important not only when talking with the public, but to policymakers as well, Williams said.

"Our main thing is to serve survivors, in the field, by doing the work," Williams said. "We don't need to spend a lot of time behind a computer with data. We need to get back to the great things we already know how to do."

Vela is in use now at the Sikeston (Missouri) House of Refuge, Edmonds said, after last week's software launch.

"Our plan is to scale it out to as many programs as it fits as possible," Edmonds said. "As we get more partners in this endeavor, the software will continually get better. We have big plans for the future."