Why Cliffrose
Before we built Cliffrose, our founder spent 15 years in the nonprofit sector. Luke was a ski instructor, horse packing guide, scuba and snorkeling leader, kayak and bike trip coordinator. He ran experiential education programs across the Desert Southwest, managed budgets and staff, and learned firsthand what it means to build something meaningful with limited resources. That work took him to Joshua Tree, Arches, and Zion, where he first read about the cliffrose in Edward Abbey's Desert Solitaire.
The cliffrose grows on sandstone cliffs where water is scarce. It thrives where almost nothing else can. That image stuck because it describes every nonprofit we've ever worked with.
Cliffrose was founded on the belief that the right technology decisions multiply a nonprofit's impact, and that the wrong ones can set them back. Over 8+ years and 50+ engagements, we've worked across architecture, development, and solution design at consultancies like Plative and Craftsman Technology Group. We've seen what works and what doesn't from every angle.