As nonprofits thrive, they increasingly realize that Excel spreadsheets and their core software are no longer effective. Instead of focusing on strategy and fundraising, employees waste their time troubleshooting problems caused by chaos. In this context, technologies specifically designed for nonprofits provide a successful solution to increase productivity. These technologies also help organize team work through a wide range of features tailored specifically for nonprofit tasks. Therefore, when purchasing new technologies, make sure to ask these essential questions:

  1. What type of technologies does the organization need?
  2. What options are available within your budget?
  3. How can you integrate the new technologies with existing systems, data, and devices?
  4. What training and support are available?
  5. What do current and former customers think?
  1. What type of technologies does the organization need?

Identifying the type of technologies that the nonprofit organization needs is essential. There are multiple categories of software, including those related to donor relationship management, fundraising, and accounting. Therefore, the organization should only purchase the technologies it needs. Conversely, if you know that your nonprofit requires a wide range of technologies with different functions, you can choose more than one technology from these categories.

  1. What options are available within your budget?

While it is important to invest in technologies, it is not necessary to waste money on technologies that will not be used. Some factors that contribute to increasing technology costs include capacity, adaptability to the organization's needs, as well as additional functionalities. Based on this, the best way to balance budget and technology selection is through prior planning. You should also have a good idea of the areas that are experiencing rapid growth in the organization.

  1. How can you integrate the new technologies with existing systems, data, and devices?

The new technologies should fit into your operations, especially if you are adding them to existing ones rather than replacing them. Therefore, integrating technologies purchased from the same provider, or those created on the same platform, is easier than integrating two completely different technologies. Additionally, it is crucial to consider the organization's data, as donor profiles, financial records, and other data are among your most important assets, so they must be successfully transferred to the new technologies.

  1. What training and support are available?

Using new technologies is challenging, so the organization's team needs assistance when it comes to complex operations. In this context, the organization should always ask service providers to offer training sessions to help employees master working with the new technologies. This can be done by providing expert support, manuals, along with customer support forums. In fact, the quality of training and support significantly impacts the long-term success of the new technology, so the organization should consider these factors when choosing service providers.

  1. What do current and former customers think?

It is natural for every company to limit itself to showcasing the distinctive features of its products on its website to attract potential customers. However, the organization cannot make a decision to purchase technologies based solely on the positive aspects of the product.

When it comes to investing in your organization's future, it is important to ensure the effectiveness of these technologies. This can be achieved by leveraging feedback from various parties, such as case studies, forums, websites, and the experiences of other nonprofits. Therefore, the organization should not rely solely on the service provider to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the software.

Even though changing technologies in a nonprofit is not easy, asking these questions will help you find the most suitable technology for your organization in a timely manner.

Source: GuideStar