I worked with UMI Fund on its existing Airtable bases: cleaning up fields and tables, restructuring selected data, improving automations and interfaces, and building new automation. Periodic calls gave us space to brainstorm the approach alongside the implementation work.
Systems Designer
UMI Fund — the Urban Movement Innovation Fund connects, aligns and strengthens people power for a socially just, zero-carbon future. Its work includes convening, advising philanthropy and grant making.
This engagement focused on its existing Airtable setup. The scope was base improvement and hands-on consulting, rather than a new system built from scratch.
The work covered both the data foundation and the working layer. Fields, tables and selected data structures were reviewed alongside the automations and interfaces built around them.
The sprint combined practical changes inside Airtable with conversations about how parts of the setup should be structured. That meant the work was not limited to implementing a list of isolated field edits.
I cleaned up the existing Airtable bases, including fields and tables. The work stayed within the existing setup rather than introducing a separate replacement system.
We brainstormed how selected parts of the data should be organised, and I restructured those areas in Airtable. This was targeted work on particular parts of the setup, not a claim that every base or process was redesigned.
I worked on the existing automations and built new automation as part of the sprint. Automation work sat alongside the base changes rather than being treated as a separate exercise.
The work also included Airtable Interfaces, addressing the working screens as well as the underlying fields and tables.
Periodic calls were part of the engagement. We used those conversations to discuss the Airtable setup, brainstorm changes and work through restructuring decisions.
I combined those discussions with hands-on implementation across the bases, automations and interfaces. The engagement brought consulting and building together, rather than separating advice from delivery.
Base cleanup
Work on existing fields and tables across UMI Fund's Airtable bases.
Selected data restructured
Changes informed by shared brainstorming about the structure.
Automation work
Existing automation improvements alongside new automation.
Interface improvements
Work on the screens used alongside the underlying data.
For teams with an existing base, Airtable consulting can mean improving the structure and working through specific changes, not starting again. For nonprofit teams, see the nonprofit Airtable consulting service.
Start with the structure, automations and interfaces that need attention. I help you work through the decisions and implement the changes.