Building a Federated System That Scales Public Health Impact

Overview

The National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) advances public health by connecting health professionals and communities with biomedical information through seven Regional Medical Libraries (RMLs) and hundreds of member organizations.

NNLM needed a vendor-independent system to manage membership, trainings, and funding programs while integrating with NIH data warehousing and supporting a highly federated operating model.

Challenge

NNLM's legacy technology systems and data management approach could not support its diverse stakeholder needs.

Small public libraries and community partners needed simple, standardized reporting. Large academic and research institutions required more granular, funder-specific outcomes. Privacy expectations varied across programs, including events designed to collect anonymized feedback and participation.

NNLM also needed durable documentation to withstand cooperative agreement transitions, along with clear governance so seven regions could operate independently without fragmenting data or the user experience.

Midway through implementation, the NIH cooperative agreement moved from the University of Pittsburgh to the University of Maryland, Baltimore. The system and delivery approach had to absorb that transition without losing momentum or intent.

Approach

Skvare led discovery and delivery using plain-language user stories and acceptance criteria based on interviews with staff across all seven RMLs and with core NNLM teams. We documented decisions about governance, reporting workflows, and user permissions as they were made, including how grant recipients would submit reports without direct access to administrative systems.

Because decisions and assumptions were documented throughout the project, we were able to onboard the new host institution team with minimal disruption. The scope and intent were preserved, with adjustments only to the timeline and responsibilities.

Solution

Membership and training

We implemented a unified member directory with role-based access, supporting both individual and organizational participation. Training and event management includes continuing education tracking and standardized submission forms that scale from small public libraries to large universities and state institutions.

Where programs required anonymity, the system captures aggregated, non-identifying data so NNLM can measure reach without compromising privacy.

Funding and grants management

Public funding opportunities are published centrally and filtered automatically by user region. End-to-end workflows support applications, review, awards, and reporting in one place, including quarterly, progress, supplemental, and final reports. Grant recipients submit reports through guided workflows that automatically associate submissions with the correct grant, with reporting states that control when submissions can be edited versus viewed.

Funded projects are displayed publicly for transparency, while fine-grained permissions ensure regional grant managers see only their own programs and workflows.

Compliance and integration

The platform applies privacy by design patterns, including data minimization and consent, along with auditable change tracking. Data integrates with NIH warehousing to support federal reporting requirements.

Results

Operational clarity

Seven Regional Medical Libraries operate within a single system with shared data standards, role-based access, and a consistent user experience, while retaining regional autonomy.

Measurable reach

Standardized reporting improved visibility into program impact across diverse partners, including programs designed for anonymous participation.

Continuity through change

The cooperative agreement transition did not stall delivery. Documented user stories and decision logs preserved intent and reduced rework.

Public transparency

Current funding opportunities and funded projects are visible to the public, while sensitive workflows remain accessible only through secure roles.

If your organization operates across regions, partners, or programs and needs a system that balances autonomy with accountability, we can help.

Contact our team to discuss your goals and explore the possibilities.