Think your NPO doesn't need IT? Think again.

Do you ever feel like this?

I've worked in several nonprofit organizations during my time in the industry.  They have ranged from questionable to wonderful.  They have varied wildly in size, income, and cause, but there are a few things they have all had in common.  Each and every one of them could have benefited from an increased focus on incorporating new information technology into every day life.

Some larger nonprofits do have a well organized IT infrastructure, but some do not.  All nonprofits have a responsibility to the taxpayers to use funds responsibly and so there is often much debate about spending on upgrades that may seem unnecessary upon first glance.  Although organizations should not always upgrade just for the sake of having the newest and shiniest gadget, there are times that upgrades can actually increase productivity.

There are a wealth of programs that are available for free that both large and small nonprofits can and should be using.  Dropbox can be used to share documents.  Google has a wonderful shared calendar that employees can use to communicate not only with one another, but also with their constituencies, and this is of crucial importance.  In this day and age, people expect to have information available at their fingertips.  Donors, volunteers, board members, staff, and larger funding organizations can all benefit from advances in information sharing.

I'm hoping to tackle one program or issue in each post, ranging from larger issues to smaller ones and defeat the notion that information technology is too expensive or too complicated for 'our organization.'  Stay tuned for easy to follow explanations of how IT can make your organization better.

Keep reading, and soon you'll look like this!