For non-profits, every dollar counts. Operations are constricted by budgets and grants, with no room for error or excess. Donors want to see their money carried out in the mission and impact, not devoured by expensive overhead costs. Prices get higher, and money no longer goes as far. Pressure builds, and organizations are too busy, too stressed, and/or too stretched thin to invest in technology.
But in reality, the right IT strategy doesn’t add cost or pull away from your mission. IT saves money, builds trust, and helps non-profits do more good with the resources they already have, pushing the mission even further.
Stretching Budget with Affordable Tech
“Sticker shock” can give any organization a sense of whiplash and unease, but even more so to non-profit organizations. With operations needing to stay within budget, technology solutions can feel very out-of-reach or impossible to achieve without piecemealing together old, cheap hardware and free software trials.
However, there are many programs and services available to non-profits for technology and software. Programs like Microsoft 365 Nonprofit and Google Workspace for Nonprofits offer software solutions for free or discounted rates. Recently, Microsoft 365 for Nonprofits changed their terms to no longer offer free premium licenses for nonprofits. With a drastic change like this, it’s important for your organization to understand what kind of Microsoft licenses you need: Basic, Standard, or Premium.
Other tech programs are also available for non-profits that want to extend their reach. The Google Ads Grant offers qualifying non-profits up to $10,000 each month in free advertising on Google. There are requirements for this grant, such as reach a specific threshold for click-through-rate and conversions, but this grant can help garner newsletter signups, donations, volunteer inquiries, and more.
On the hardware side of technology, partners like TechSoup offer discounted hardware (and software) to nonprofits. This can make it easier for nonprofits to acquire critical hardware and devices to expand their operations. Make sure, though, to look across other sites and manufacturers because sometimes there are even better deals to be had!
Improving Data Management
Let’s face it: data management isn’t a topic that gets most people excited. In fact, it can be very stressful to think about having to clean up, organize, and protect all the data that your non-profit currently has in the system. It can be a headache to even decide the best data solution for your organization: cloud or physical server? On top of that, who is in charge of testing those backups? Then, when it comes time to migrate data, who is going to go through the process of that? Data management may not be easy or exciting but having a concise and secure system will empower your organization from behind the scenes, from employees to volunteers.
For data storage, we highly recommend cloud solutions as they offer flexibility in remote work and have built-in cybersecurity. Through the cloud, your non-profit’s team of employees and volunteers will have access to files they need from anytime and anywhere (provided that they have been granted the proper permissions). For a field that tends to see a lot of turnover across its staff and volunteers, having everyone within the organization utilizing a central cloud database allows for everything means that data won’t get lost or taken in transition.
Additionally, cybersecurity is critical for any data management within a nonprofit. The sensitive data the nonprofits manage—including donor payment information, beneficiary records, health details, Social Security numbers, and more—make them prime targets for cybercriminals who view them as “soft targets.” If you take anything away from this article, implement strict and strong cybersecurity at your organization. Affordable solutions to secure your organization include activating multi-factor authentication (MFA) across all accounts that touch or handle sensitive data, acquiring encryption services for databases, and doing regular backups of all data to protect against crippling ransomware attacks.
Sustainability Lies in Planning Ahead
Without a reliable plan in place, non-profits end up in a “break/fix” mode with their IT, spending more on emergency services than they would on proactive IT. Small issues that could have been addressed or noticed cascade into larger issues, and staff, volunteers, and beneficiaries are left frustrated and out of luck.
To begin a path of technological sustainability, nonprofits should begin by building a roadmap of where the organization wants to be in the next 3-5 years. Then, once the vision is in place, the question should be asked of what technology will be necessary to get the organization there. If the technology necessary is already in use, will it need to be replaced at some point in that 3-5 year window? If the technology will need to be acquired, then it can be planned and budgeted for ahead of time.
Not only does this alleviate budget constraints and stress by looking ahead, it will begin to empower your staff and volunteers when it comes to all things tech. Slow computers and outdated devices will be on the docket to be replaced and upgraded, training can be scheduled to keep everyone informed on procedures and cybersecurity policies, and technology disruptions can be minimized and mitigated during critical campaigns and events.
With a proper technological road map, the stress of technology can be lifted of the shoulders of leadership, staff, and volunteers. While some upgrades will be unavoidable and some costs high, a sustainable plan will allow your non-profit to budget and plan to make transitions smooth and budget-constraints fit well.
Technology Should Multiply, Not Divide
For non-profits, smart IT isn’t about the fanciest and newest tools, it’s about being wise with what you have been given. With the right systems and solutions, your nonprofit can reduce overhead costs, protect sensitive data, and make every donation and dollar go further.
Starting with these smart IT tips is just the beginning of your nonprofit’s technological journey. If you want to dive deeper and see how much more (with and for less) technology can do for you, Marvel IT Services is here to help. We specialize in nonprofit IT support and services, working with multiple organizations in Pennsylvania and the East Coast.
If you want a free IT consultation to see what we can do for you (or to discuss how to put some of these tips into practice), visit our Contact Us page and send us a message! We’d love to speak with you.