Family Service Lincoln — Requirements Source of Truth
Last updated: 2026-05-06 (post-kickoff Eric Q&A rounds 1-3 + Flowchart V2 absorption) Purpose: One canonical list of every page, feature, constraint, and audience path that's been agreed to or requested. This is the spec every artifact (flowchart, wireframes, design, CMS build) gets graded against.
Legend:
- Source: which file/meeting/doc the line came from
- Stated by: Client (FSL asked for it) · G&M-rec (we recommended, not yet confirmed) · G&M-confirmed (we recommended, FSL agreed) · Proposal (in signed scope)
- Phase: which phase the requirement is verified against — IA (flowchart), Wireframes, Design, CMS, SEO, QA
- Status: Confirmed · Pending · Deferred · Open
When reviewing a flowchart, filter to Phase: IA rows. Anything in those rows that the flowchart doesn't reflect is a gap.
Header / Navigation Structure (locked 2026-05-06)
Main nav: About | Programs (drops down to 7 program pages) | Events | (other top-level pages TBD in wireframes)
Header secondary nav: Careers ↗ (external to UKG) · Donate ↗ (external to Givebutter) · Translation toggle (GTranslate dropdown)
Search affordance: Lives in main nav header chrome, NOT in secondary nav (decided 2026-05-06). Implementation: native WP + custom faceting (G&M build).
Site Anchors
| Item | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total pages allowed in design | 10 unique layouts (cap) | Proposal · notes.md line 89 |
| ACF modules allowed | 20 (cap) | Proposal · notes.md line 80 |
| Custom post types allowed | 2 (cap) | Proposal · notes.md line 81 |
| Likely CPT allocation | Events + Recipes (per Flowchart V2). Press / Project Updates use built-in post with categories. Our People is a custom Page template. Programs are pages |
Flowchart V2 · 2026-05-06 |
| Programs to represent | 7 (must all appear in IA) | Discovery · README.md line 151-158 |
| Sites consolidated | 3 (FSL + Community Crops + FiftyOne Commons) | Proposal · notes.md line 19-22 |
| Tagline | "Helping Families Thrive" (since 1891) | Discovery · Kickoff Brief line 20 |
| Primary audience to grow | Donors & funders (adults 30+, civic-minded) | Discovery · Kickoff Brief line 26 |
Required Pages (IA)
The page roster lives in SITE-ROSTER.md — it has the full list of URLs, templates, and per-phase build status. This doc is for decisions about pages (caps, audience paths, what NOT to build); SITE-ROSTER is the canonical "what pages exist."
When a page changes status (added, removed, renamed), update SITE-ROSTER. Update REQUIREMENTS only if the change affects a decision (cap math, audience path, constraint).
Features
| Feature | Stated by | Source | Phase | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Search functionality (upgraded beyond default WP search) | Client | Granola summary · 2026-05-06-granola-kickoff-call.md |
CMS | Confirmed approach | Native WP + custom filters/faceting (G&M build). Avoiding paid plugins; SearchWP is fallback if native can't get usable enough. Reference implementation: Within Reach. AI search agent under consideration as personal R&D, NOT scope. Indexes: Pages, Events, Resources/PDFs, News/Blog posts |
| Donation — link to Givebutter (external) | Client (FSL uses Givebutter) | Eric kickoff debrief 2026-05-06 | IA | Confirmed | NO internal donation integration. Donate button links externally to FSL's Givebutter page. Scope-relief: removes the donation-processor build from CMS budget |
| Gravity Forms | Proposal | notes.md line 82 |
CMS | Confirmed | |
| Language translation — GTranslate widget | Eric kickoff debrief 2026-05-06 | notes.md line 85 + Eric debrief |
CMS | Confirmed | Free widget, machine translation. Lowest-overhead option |
| Google Maps | Proposal | notes.md line 87 |
CMS | Confirmed | For locations (21 YD sites + 9 community learning centers + Community Crops + FiftyOne Commons) |
| Careers — header secondary nav links external to UKG | Client + Eric debrief 2026-05-06 | Granola summary · Kickoff Brief line 62 | IA | Confirmed | External link only. NO internal Careers page or module. Header secondary nav placement (alongside Donate). Both Careers and Donate behave the same way: secondary-nav links that go off-site |
| Newsletter signup — footer-only form | Flowchart V2 | Flowchart V2 (footer copy) | Wireframes | Confirmed placement | Footer-only, no dedicated page (V2 decision). Form fields: first name, last name, email. Provider TBD — need to ask Crystal what FSL uses.* Gravity Forms add-on exists for Mailchimp + Constant Contact; if they're on something else we may need to wire it manually |
| Volunteer CTA | Client | notes.md line 57 |
Wireframes | Confirmed | Placement TBD |
| Impact stats ("X people served") | Client | Site Audit · Kickoff Brief line 69 | Wireframes | Pending | Need: which numbers, source of truth, update cadence |
| Background/hero video on home | Client (asked) | Granola summary · Kickoff Brief line 67 | Design | Punt to Mike | Design-side decision, not dev. Eric: no scope impact either way. Defer call to Mike + Crystal. Crystal previously worried about video dating |
| Partner/program logos in footer | Client | Kickoff Brief line 71 | Design | G&M-rec | Static strip recommended over carousel |
| Program graphic elements (per-program symbols) | Client | Discovery · Kickoff Brief line 41 | Design | Confirmed | Each program has its own symbol — keep + use in new design |
| accessiBe ADA overlay | Optional | notes.md line 84 + Eric debrief 2026-05-06 |
CMS | Deferred to dev phase | Build to genuine a11y best practices regardless (semantic HTML, contrast, keyboard nav). accessiBe is presented as an add-on at development. $490+/yr if FSL opts in |
| GA4 analytics | Proposal | README.md line 65 |
SEO | Confirmed | Fresh setup. No GA on any legacy site (confirmed 2026-04-29) |
| 301 redirects from legacy URLs | Proposal | notes.md line 91 |
SEO | Confirmed | All three legacy domains |
| Sitemap submission | Proposal | notes.md line 91 |
SEO | Confirmed | |
| Social cards | Proposal | notes.md line 91 |
SEO | Confirmed |
Audience Paths
These are the user journeys the IA must actually support. If the flowchart doesn't have a path for one of these, that's a gap.
| Audience | Journey | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donor (adults 30+, civic-minded) | Home → understand FSL covers many programs → impact stats → Donate | Discovery · Granola summary | Primary growth audience. Hero copy must convey breadth in 5 sec |
| Parent enrolling kid in YD | Home or Programs → Youth Development → school-specific enrollment + daily schedule transparency | Granola summary · 2026-05-06-granola-kickoff-call.md |
YD page is parent-facing only (decided 2026-05-06). Parents want transparency about daily activities |
| College student looking for YD job | Header secondary-nav "Careers" → external UKG (no internal stop) | Eric debrief 2026-05-06 | Skip-internal-Careers decision: both nav and any "we hire here" links on YD send applicants directly to UKG |
| Client seeking program | Most don't find FSL via web (defined intake channels per program). Site is for orientation, not lead gen | Discovery · README.md line 167 |
Don't optimize IA for client conversion at the expense of donor clarity |
| Future employee (general, any program) | Header secondary nav "Careers" → external UKG | Eric debrief 2026-05-06 | Same path for all programs. No internal employer-story page |
| Anyone | Find an event | Granola summary | ~10 public events/yr. May increase fall 2026 when 451 Commons opens |
Brand & Voice Constraints
| Constraint | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Color palette: Navy #003056, Sunshine Orange #f7a800, Green #63a70a |
FSL Brand Guide April 2026 · README.md line 205 |
Use ONLY these. Old #2EA3F2 from Divi site is wrong |
| Typography: Montserrat Bold (display), Open Sans (body), Crimson Text Roman (serif accent) | FSL Brand Guide · Kickoff Brief line 40 | |
| Tone: warm, more lively/personal, less "clinical old-school nonprofit" | Granola summary · Discovery | CEO Dennis specifically pushing for less formal communication |
| Logo motif: three pillars / "three i's" representing people | Discovery · Kickoff Brief line 42 | Open to using as standalone graphic element |
| Each program has its own graphic element | Discovery · Kickoff Brief line 41 | Crystal wants them kept + used in new design |
| No AI-assisted copy in client-facing materials | Proposal cover · README.md line 129 |
Kristin's voice cue: "This message was written without AI assistance. ;)" |
| Community Crops has separate brand guide | Asset · README.md line 182 |
When it's the active program, use CC brand. When it's nested under FSL, use FSL system |
| FiftyOne Commons has no brand guide | README.md line 190 |
Pull logo from fiftyonecommons.org /wp-content/uploads/ |
Constraints / Defaults (what NOT to build)
| Don't | Why | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ❌ Calendar grid for events | Decided in kickoff: simple upcoming list instead | Granola summary |
| ❌ Internal careers module | Keep external (UKG handles hiring) | Granola summary · Kickoff Brief line 62 |
| ❌ Carousel for partner logos | Static strip is cleaner | Kickoff Brief line 71 (G&M-rec) |
| ❌ Massive Agency History timeline | Fold key dates into About Us copy | Kickoff Brief line 81 |
| ❌ FiftyOne Commons or Community Crops as external links | Both become program subpages | Site Audit |
| ❌ G&M writing legal copy (Privacy / Terms) | Liability. FSL runs Termly or similar | Kickoff Brief line 86 |
| ❌ Internally-written photography for programs | Out of scope. Client provides or hires Daniel Muller separately | Proposal · Kickoff Brief line 90 |
| ❌ Promising photo refresh | Only home hero is in scope for G&M input. Rest is placeholders or client-provided | Kickoff Brief line 90 |
| ❌ Treating clients as primary web audience | Most don't find FSL via web. Donors are the growth audience | Discovery |
| ❌ Rebranding the visual identity | Match-existing per April 2026 brand guide. We elevate, not rebrand | Kickoff Brief line 114 |
Design Decisions Deferred to Mike
| Item | Why deferred | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Program Page template — one shared layout for all 7 programs vs custom for YD/Community Crops | Design call, not dev. Layout-cap math depends on Mike's recommendation | Eric debrief 2026-05-06 |
| Background/hero video on home | Design call, no scope impact either way | Eric debrief 2026-05-06 |
| Logos in footer — static strip vs carousel | G&M-rec is static; final call is design | Kickoff Brief line 71 |
Open Decisions (rolling list — answer each, don't lose any)
| # | Question | Owner | Phase impact | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ~~Search upgrade specifics~~ | G&M | CMS | Granola summary | Resolved 2026-05-06 — Native WP + custom faceting (G&M build, avoid paid plugins) |
| 2 | ~~"451 Commons" vs "FiftyOne Commons"~~ | — | — | — | Resolved 2026-05-06 — Granola transcription error. Single program: FiftyOne Commons |
| 3 | ~~YD page architecture~~ | — | — | — | Resolved 2026-05-06 — Option D: parent-facing YD page, secondary-nav Careers links external to UKG. No internal Careers page |
| 4 | Background video on home — sourcing | Mike (design) | Design | Granola summary | Punted to Mike 2026-05-06 — design call, no scope impact |
| 5 | Brand asset add-on (templates/icons) — does Crystal want a quote on this now or post-launch? | Crystal | Out of current scope | Granola summary | Open |
| 6 | Impact stats — which numbers, source of truth, update cadence? | Crystal | Wireframes | Site Audit · Kickoff Brief line 69 | Open |
| 7 | ~~Donation processor~~ | — | — | — | Resolved 2026-05-06 — Link external to FSL's Givebutter. No internal integration |
| 8 | ~~Translation mechanism~~ | G&M | CMS | Proposal | Resolved 2026-05-06 — GTranslate widget |
| 9 | ~~Privacy + Terms structure~~ | — | — | — | Resolved 2026-05-06 — Two separate pages |
| 10 | accessiBe — opting in or not? | FSL | CMS | Proposal · Eric debrief | Deferred to dev phase — present as add-on. Build genuine a11y regardless |
| 11 | Newsletter — which service does FSL use (Mailchimp / Constant Contact / other)? | Crystal | CMS | Eric debrief 2026-05-06 | Open |
| 12 | Donate destination — flowchart V2 still routes primary Donate to givetolincoln.com/nonprofits/family-service-lincoln, not Givebutter. Givebutter shows up as program-specific destinations (YD fund, Urban Grower Classes, FOC embed). Are both intentional? Should the main Donate be embedded on a page in addition to the external link? |
Crystal | IA · Wireframes | Flowchart V2 designer note | Open — biggest factual blocker before client send |
| 13 | Press articles — does FSL or FiftyOne Commons have any to feature, or is press currently Community Gardens-only? | Crystal | IA · Wireframes | Flowchart V2 designer note (carried from V1) | Open |
| 14 | FiftyOne Commons sub-program detail — Affordable Housing / STEAM / Community Garden need content beyond a brief description? | Crystal | Content · Wireframes | Flowchart V2 designer note | Open |
| 15 | Recipes — anything beyond the existing recipe set worth adding before launch? | Crystal | Content | Flowchart V2 designer note | Open |
| 16 | Events — beyond Feast on the Farm / Annual Plant Sale / Garden Party, any additional events worth adding? | Crystal | IA · Content | Flowchart V2 designer note | Open |
| 17 | Community Crops blog with back issues — are they continuing? Designer flagged it isn't accounted for in the flowchart | Crystal | IA · CMS | Flowchart V2 designer note (carried from V1) | Open |
| 18 | Recipe Listing template — is this a unique layout or a Listing variant? Affects 10-layout cap math | Mike (design) | Design | Flowchart V2 cap analysis | Open |
| 19 | Map of Gardens template — Program Page with map module, or a custom layout? Affects layout cap | Mike (design) | Design | Flowchart V2 cap analysis | Open |
Source Documents
| Source | Path | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Original proposal scope | notes.md |
2026-01-28 (proposal) |
| Project hub (current) | README.md |
2026-05-06 (current) |
| Site roster (per-URL build status) | SITE-ROSTER.md |
2026-05-06 (current) |
| Phase changelog | CHANGELOG.md |
2026-05-06 (current) |
| Flowchart V2 (Figma) | Flowchart | 2026-05-06 |
| Pre-kickoff working doc | KICKOFF-BRIEF-2026-05-06.md |
2026-05-05 |
| Kickoff meeting notes (Granola) | 2026-05-06-granola-kickoff-call.md |
2026-05-06 |
| Discovery responses (Crystal) | assets/Discovery-Questions-Answers.pdf · Drive doc |
2026-04-29 |
| Site audit (page-by-page) | assets/Current-Site-Audit.pdf · Drive sheet |
2026-04-29 |
| FSL brand guide | assets/FSL-Brand-Guidelines-Final.pdf |
2026-04 |
| Community Crops brand guide | assets/CommunityCrops-BrandGuide.pdf |
(existing) |
How to use this doc
Before sending any client artifact (flowchart, wireframe, design comp, CMS preview): 1. Filter this doc to the rows tagged with the current phase 2. Walk through every Confirmed row — does the artifact reflect it? 3. Walk through Pending/Open rows — does the artifact resolve any of them, or punt them clearly? 4. Anything in Constraints/Defaults — does the artifact violate it? 5. Audience Paths — can you trace each one through the artifact?
When new info comes in (meeting, email, Basecamp message):
1. Add new requirements to the right table with Source citation
2. Move Open Decisions to Confirmed when answered
3. Update Last updated at the top
4. Don't delete superseded info — strike it through and note when/why it changed