For many nonprofits, it can be hard to know how to best go about investing in your technology. When running on a limited budget, is it better to upgrade your computers or your in-office network? Move to the cloud or adopt AI?
The unfortunate truth is that there is no easy answer. The work that nonprofits do — and the way that organizations operate — is too varied for us to provide guidance that applies to all nonprofits. But there are a few principles you can keep in mind when you're planning for your future needs.
First and foremost, your tech should serve you and your work, not the other way around. So to start, consider the needs of your mission, and then choose technology that allows you to carry it out.
"A lot of this comes from, 'what is the mission of the organization?'" said Michael Enos, the vice president of infrastructure, security, and governance at TechSoup. "What kinds of tools and things does an organization need [based on its current mission priorities]?"
With that in mind, take a look at the work that you do and what that work requires. Try to identify any gaps in your technology that hinder you. And then use the results of that to help frame your thinking around tech investments.
It's easy to get sucked into the notion that bigger is better, that you need to use thew newest and shiniest and fanciest solution out there. But bigger and fancier isn't always better. More features don't always lead to more effective solutions. You may find that a simpler, less feature-rich solution makes more sense given the scope of your work and budget than something more robust.
In our conversation, Enos brought up the example of which customer relationship manager (CRM) to use. For example, if you're a small organization, Enos said, you probably don't need a high-end platform designed for larger businesses, and that you may "be better off with something much smaller and lightweight."
"You don't need a crane to lift a paperclip, right?" Enos said. "You have to find the right sort of tool for the right sort of job."
Again, opt for the solutions that will work best for you rather than following what you "should" do based on what others are doing.
As we all know, financial realities can require an urgent, short-term tightening of the belt. But Enos says that sometimes, you need to make a strategic long-term investment that may have a higher up-front cost.
So if you can afford to, focus on the long-term. Are there technology investments that you can make that you know will improve cost efficiency over a longer-term period but will require an up-front expense? Can you afford that expense? If so, it might be worth taking that leap.
It's good to keep your pulse on emerging technologies like generative AI, but be thoughtful in how, why, and where you're adopting them. Keep the tools that work, discard those that don't. Again, it's all about having the appropriate tools for your work and scale.
To ensure you're doing that, consider asking your staff and volunteers about new tools that they find particularly useful — and those that you're using that aren't working out.
As a mission driven organization, you may also find yourself considering not only regulatory requirements, but also the societal impact that certain technologies have.
Enos also touched on how adopting any new system requires a degree of change management. So it's good to remember that any investment in your tech could be disruptive to your staff or volunteers — and to prepare accordingly.
"[If leaders] decide to change the general tech stack, they should at least understand sort of the change management [involved]," Enos said.
Change is hard! There will be a learning curve and an adjustment period. Be sure to account for that in your planning.
If you need guidance in adopting new technology or determining what upgrades make the most sense for you, we can help. Our Managed IT Services provide ongoing support and assistance in long-term tech planning.
Additionally, the Virtual CTO Program, offered by Tech Impact and TechSoup, provides executive-level technology guidance for small nonprofits that lack access to this sort of tech leadership. If you need more intensive support, this is the program for you.
We've lightly edited the quotes used in this post for brevity and clarity.
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