FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding CiviKit

• What is a Templated Website?

  A Templated Website is a turnkey website solution designed specifically for smaller municipalities and organizations (commonly between 1,000-10,00 population) or for Additional support platforms such as Microsites, Intranets, and Engagement Platforms. It was developed from our experience building custom award-winning government websites and turning them into reusable templates. Due to the efficiency of this approach, a templated website is budget-friendly, easy to implement, and feature-rich.  

  If you're interested in learning more about the difference between a templated website and a custom website feel free to check out the button below.

  Custom or Template Websites Article

• Are CiviKit platforms customizable?

  While the fundamental template designs must stay intact, there are a few aspects to the design that we can refine (such as logos, colours, and fonts). While CiviKit does allow for minor modifications to the template, it does not allow for large changes to the formatting and functionality. If you're looking for more customization, Upanup offers custom and hybrid website options as well! Feel free to reach out to learn more about these alternative options!

• If we switch to CiviKit can we still use our current third-party tools?

  Yes! Drupal is API-friendly and most tools can be integrated or embedded into the site. Feel free to get in touch if you have specific functionality you're curious about. 

• What are the hosting options with CiviKit?

  CiviKit is a hosted solution in which Upanup will maintain the site's infrastructure and provide secure, Canadian-based hosting. Site hosting is included in our platform service fees and is not an added cost. 

• Is CiviKit secure? 

  CiviKit platforms use Drupal, a highly secure and scalable content management system (CMS). We also provide continuous monitoring, updates, and bug fixes to the backend to ensure the site continues to function smoothly and doesn't present any security issues.

• Am I locked in with Upanup if I get a CiviKit website?

  We think you'll love working with us but if for some reason you wish to cease an ongoing contract with Upanup, a website buyout option is available. More information can be provided upon request.

• Do you migrate all of our content?

  We can migrate your entire site, or we can work with you to determine the information you wish to transfer over to your new site and ensure it is prioritized. We pride ourselves on being flexible and easy to work with to meet your needs. Standard content migration with CiviKit websites includes all pages, excluding news and meetings over 2 years, and any events older than 6 months, as well as all files on your website (PDF's, images, audio files, videos, etc). 

• How long does a CiviKit Website take to set up?

  The average CiviKit municipal website takes 8-12 weeks, for more details check out the article below.

  CiviKit Websites: Process & Timeline Article

• What is included with One-Time Fees?

  One-Time Platform Fees include:

  • Best practice setup of digital platform
  • Access to associated responsive design template(s)
  • Customization to match your brand (logo, colours, and a best-match font)
  • Content migration from old to new website with best practices recommendations
  • Seamless content editing through a leading content management system (CMS)
  • Dedicated training session
  • Staging website access for testing and finalization before release
  • Smooth launch process with zero downtime
  • Accessibility compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA & Section 508
  • Multiple user roles preset with a standard workflow
  • Connecting to third-party applications through iFrame or link-away 
• What is included with On-going Services Fees?

  On-going Services include:

  • Industry-leading, hosting infrastructure via AWS
  • Information privacy compliance
  • Daily snapshot backups to protected servers, ensuring continuity
  • Maintenance, optimization, and security of server hardware, software, and databases
  • 24/7 monitoring of site uptime, with proactive reporting in the case of a disruption
  • Security updates with zero-downtime
  • Bug (technical error) fixes
  • Secure maintenance of webforms, for protection against evolving spam bots
  • User role management support
  • Ongoing platform improvements for enhanced user experience
  • ReCAPTCHA maintenance of webforms, for protection against spam bots