What Every ED Needs to Know About IT

Deborah Finn just reposted a list of ten things every nonprofit executive should know about information technology. This is fantastic information for nonprofit executives struggling with IT basics. I'm glad she reposted it, as I didn't see it the first time around.

First and foremost, Deborah reminds us to keep IT decisions mission-focused. "Your mission is to save the whales," she quips, "not to maintain a local area network." It can be easy for techies to get carried away in the planning stages, but every tech decision should clearly relate back to your nonprofit's mission.

Another excellent insight is that IT training and support almost always account for more of your IT budget than hardware and software acquisitions. It's tempting to look at the price tag on a piece of software as the bottom line, but you can prevent a lot of headaches by looking at the big picture when preparing your tech budget. TechSoup recently published an article on understanding the total cost of ownership for technology.

If I could, I would add one more item to Deborah's list. "Don't be afraid of new ideas, but ask for the bottom line." This is the flipside of Erin's good advice for social media evangelists. When an employee or volunteer comes to you with ideas about adopting new social media strategies, ask her how they would help your organization carry out its mission. Reaching 1000 people with your nonprofit's message is less important than reaching the right five people. An employee campaigning for a presence in Second Life or Facebook should be able to tell you how that presence will reach the right five people.