Technology and the Nonprofit World
From: The Accidental Techie,
by Sue Bennett
This, by the way, looks like an excellent book. I'm excited about reading it and about sharing it with the folks I work with. Here are four major differences between nonprofits and for-profit businesses when it comes to technology:
1. An atmosphere of scarcity
2. Donated and nonstandard equipment
3. Working with volunteers
4. Third-party funding
Management Must-Haves:
These are essential to managing technology and using it to further the mission of the nonprofit:
Staff Visionary
Staff Techie-- Accidental or Not
Strategic Plan that includes technology
Technology Must-Haves
Line item in the budget
70/30 Rule: The cost of hardware, software and internet services should be only 30 per cent of the technology budget.
Inventory of equipment and staff skills, so that the training can take place where it is really needed, when it is really needed.
Technology strategic plan
Hardware
Software
Network and Internet Services
Training
Maintenance and Tech Support
Some technological
possibilities:
Email
Web site/ blog
Online communications -- IM
Donor tracking
Online donations
Contacts database that makes mailing labels
Organizing with Microsoft Outlook or other tools
Networked computers sharing a printer or scanner or even
software
Virus protection and firewall
Backups and security measures.
Disaster planning
Technology Resources for the Absolute Beginner and Beyond
http://www.techsoup.org/index.cfm
The TechSoup site is divided into 5 main content areas:
How-to, Community Discussions, Products, Service Directory, and News and Views.
How-to: Learn about appropriate, effective technology that
fits within your budget. Written by experts for a nonprofit audience, our
articles and downloadable worksheets make technology easy to understand.
http://www.idealware.org/
Idealware provides candid Consumer-Reports-style reviews and
articles about software of interest to nonprofits, centralized into a website.
Through product comparisons, recommendations, case studies, and software news,
Idealware allows nonprofits to make the software decisions that will help them
be more effective.
http://www.openngo.org/
Unified view of every constituent. Store information about individuals, organizations and households and your interactions with them. CiviCRM was designed for organizations that engage in advocacy, community and political organizing, and non-profit work. CiviCRM is available without a license fee and is supported by a community of nonprofit-focused consultants.
http://www.lasa.org.uk/it/index.shtml
Lasa have provided ICT advice to voluntary organisations since 1984. We all use ICT now, and increasingly depend on it to deliver important services. Lasa can help increase the efficiency of your current ICT equipment, saving you time and money; recommend and help install major new systems that will improve the delivery of your services; help you with purchasing, assessing quotes and options; establish sound arrangements for ICT support; and help you get a better understanding of ICT strategy, management, and best practice (including accessibility issues). We can pass on the skills and knowledge you need to go ahead and manage ICT yourselves.
http://compasspointbookstore.org/ViewProduct.asp?ModelNumber=200006
The Accidental Techie by Sue Bennett
http://www.netcorps.org/
NetCorps is a group of individuals passionately dedicated to environmental and social change; putting technology to work for the greater good. We are here to help environmental, social justice and community-based nonprofits develop the tools and power to change the world.
And last but NOT least, our own
http://www.worldstouch.org
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