Nonprofits are not taking maximum advantage of technology to drive their messages and provide access to stakeholders, experts say.
The problem, exacerbated by many nonprofit funding programs and the limited technical background of key leaders, can mark otherwise promising organizations for failure.
“Nonprofits, like all businesses in the 21st century, require sophisticated technologies to be effective,” said Matthew Logan, president of the Potomac Conservancy. “We now have an overwhelming array of technology options, but not the sophistication to determine whether the tools make sense.”
For-profit businesses use multifunctional Web sites with automated comment, communication and messaging systems to draw customers and visitors into their operations. Businesses plan the use and purchases of computer equipment years in advance. In fact, many experts say computers and software should be replaced every several years as more capable — and often cheaper — systems come on the market.
“Infrastructure isn’t sexy, but the things that technology can do are sexy,” said Julie Chapman, president of NPower Greater D.C. Region, a nonprofit organization that provides free counseling to other nonprofits on the benefits to be gained from computer systems. “Many feel that it’s not a must-have.”
Chapman pointed out that leaders of charities rarely come from the business or for-profit world. As a result, they do not fully understand what technologies can do to help their organizations, nor do they often have connections to businesses that use such systems. “And most nonprofits don’t even have a technology line item” in their budget plans, Chapman said.
The problem is often worsened by restrictions placed on grants and donations by funding sources that only target specific programs. Using funds for other purposes, such as technology or infrastructure, is not often allowed.
Even when the money is available, or equipment is being offered for free, sorting out what is really going to work for an organization and meshing it with existing systems can be daunting.
“Relying on donated, used hardware and software is almost worse than going without,” Logan said.
The solution is for charities of any size to take advantage of free training and outreach programs, like those provided by NPower, America Online and others, to get up to speed on technology solutions that they could employ. Once that happens, Chapman and Logan said, the leaders can then prepare fundraising plans to acquire the equipment.
Have information about area nonprofits? Contact Frank
Sietzen at [email protected].
