The Brooke Animal Hospital | Microsoft Dynamics 365

The Brooke Animal Hospital | Microsoft Dynamics 365

The Brooke and mhance – A Digital Transformation with Impact

Customer Background

The Brooke – Action for Working Horses and Donkeys – is an international animal welfare charity dedicated to improving the lives of working horses, donkeys, and mules, and the communities that rely on them.

With operations across 13 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, Brooke’s work reaches over 1.4 million working equines and supports over 10,000 communities. Their mission is to create lasting, positive change, and their vision is a world in which every working equine is free from suffering and lives a life worth living.

Despite the charity's vast reach and meaningful impact, Brooke’s digital infrastructure was not aligned with the demands of a modern data-driven world. They were using an outdated CRM system – CARE – that required bespoke developments to supplement its functionality and offered very limited reporting capabilities.

Much of the charity’s data was siloed, and teams struggled to extract meaningful insights, leaving fundraising leaders feeling “like they were working blind.”

From a usability standpoint, staff grappled with a Windows-based application at a time when browser-native, cloud-first tools are the norm. With increasingly complex operational needs and a commitment to continuous improvement, Brooke knew it was time for a complete digital transformation.

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The Solution

A Modern Cloud Ecosystem with mhance. Brooke partnered with mhance, a leading Microsoft solutions partner and trusted supplier to the Nonprofit sector, to modernise their systems using Microsoft Dynamics 365, Power Platform, and Azure services. The transformation wasn’t just about installing a new CRM, it was about implementing a full data and operational ecosystem that would support Brooke’s mission well into the future. Key components of the solution included Dynamics 365 for donor and campaign management, Azure Data Factory and a newly designed data warehouse for centralised, scalable data integration, Power Apps for custom forms and workflows, Customer Insights – Journeys module to automate and personalise supporter communications and Azure services for scalability, analytics, and efficient cloud-based operations.

“This was one of the most successful and enjoyable digital projects I’ve worked on in my career.”

Bo Ruan, Director of Technology and Insight at The Brooke Animal Hospital

The Results

  • Usability:

    Staff now access systems via a modern browser interface with single sign-on, increasing daily usage and engagement.

  • Data Access:

    With advanced reporting and visual dashboards, fundraising and operational teams can now make informed decisions quickly.

  • Automation:

    Marketing automation allows Brooke to tailor journeys and communications, improving engagement and responsiveness.

  • Integration:

    Data from third parties is now integrated promptly and automatically to reduce manual workload and improve data accuracy.

  • Continuous Improvement:

    With guidance from mhance, Brooke is now largely self-sufficient; configuring new fields, forms, and workflows internally, reducing reliance on third parties.

  • Cost Efficiency:

    Despite moving to a sophisticated, cloud-first infrastructure, Brooke has reduced overall IT spend, balancing power with cost awareness.

  • Future-Proofing:

    With Dynamics 365’s automatic updates and mhance’s scalable design, Brooke is positioned to grow without facing disruptive upgrade cycles.

Lessons Learned

According to Brooke’s Director of Technology and Insight, Bo Ruan, the success of the project stemmed from two critical factors:

– Clear Requirements: “You need to know your processes inside out; who does what, when, and why. Without this, you risk delays and rework.”

– Ecosystem Thinking: “It’s not just about Dynamics. It’s about the whole ecosystem; Power Platform, Azure, integrations, and governance. You need to understand the tools and their cost models to avoid surprises.”

A Partnership Built on Trust

mhance’s philosophy of enabling self-sufficiency resonated with Brooke. The project was delivered collaboratively, with Brooke’s internal team building about 15% of the system themselves during implementation. That knowledge has been carried forward, with a continuous improvement programme now in place to enhance functionality in-house.

Looking Ahead

Brooke’s digital transformation has empowered it to engage with its supporters more effectively than before. As the organisation continues its mission to inspire compassion and drive systemic change, the new digital foundation ensures that every action, every insight, and every supporter journey is driven by reliable, integrated, and modern technology.

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