Dovetail Detroit is a partnership between Michigan Community Resources and Co.act Detroit that helps nonprofits, funders, and consultants in Southeast Michigan work together more effectively. The platform brings people and organizations into the same space, makes it easier to find trusted providers, and shares practical tools and resources shaped around equity and collaboration. At its heart, Dovetail is about connection. It gives groups a way to learn from each other, address barriers in the system, and build stronger networks that last. The name comes from the joinery technique, with different pieces coming together to form something stronger.
The Dovetail Detroit site was designed by build/create, and I developed the provider directory system in WordPress. I built a Provider custom post type with ACF Fields and taxonomies for sectors and service offerings, and connected it to a front-end application form so consultants could apply without needing access to the back-end. Submissions trigger notifications, are queued for review, and once approved, they appear automatically in the directory.
The directory itself is a searchable archive where users can filter providers by skills and sector. Each listing has its own profile page with details displayed using custom block templates to keep the layout consistent. I also built an internal review dashboard that makes it easy for staff to approve, update, or disable providers. The system keeps everything up to date in real time while staying optimized for performance and SEO.
This directory now gives nonprofits a reliable way to find vetted providers quickly, and it reduces the amount of time staff spend managing consultant information.
