Like most nonprofits, you’re probably aware that the right technology can streamline your processes and help fulfill your mission more effectively. But with tight staffing and budgets, it’s hard to devote the time necessary to keep up with new technologies and find the right tools—how can you know which technology project will provide your organization with the best bang-for-the-buck? This course can help.

We’ll provide a framework, best practices and self-assessments to guide you through the process of prioritizing your technology challenges and making the right decisions. From such core fundamentals as best practices for broadcast email or how to back up your data, to more complex tasks like understanding the role of social networking in fundraising strategy, we’ll discuss functional and secure infrastructures, mission-specific software, constituent tracking, websites, broadcast email and social media. 

For each of those subject areas, you’ll form an action plan that makes the most of your budget and limited staff time and integrates and streamlines your processes effectively. At the end of the course, you’ll leave with a map that shows the best way for you to move forward. 

Beginning January 25, 2012, the training includes a half-an-hour group discussion session prior to the webinar, an hour-and-a-half online webinar once a week for five weeks, an open-form “office hour” session each Friday, and structured homework assignments to help you identify technology priorities and develop your plan.

Through this course, you will:

• Learn best practices to choose and use technology for functional and secure infrastructure, mission specific software, constituent tracking, websites, broadcast email and social media.

• Perform a self-evaluation of each technology area to highlight opportunities for growth and improvement.

• Prioritize current technology needs at your organization.

• Create a basic technology plan for upgrading, improving and implementing core technology to maximize organizational efficiency and funding.

Course Outline:

Session by session (Wednesdays – 10:00 am – 11:30 pm Eastern) we'll walk through:

•     Week 1: January 25 Introduction to the Technology Pyramid: What to consider when beginning a plan.

•     Week 2: February 1 Tool Focus: Infrastructure and Hardware

•     Week 3: February 8 Tool Focus: Data Management

•     Week 4: February 15 Tool Focus: Communications

•     Week 5: February 22 Creating and Integrating: Strategically integrating your communications and creating your technology plan.

This course is specifically designed for nonprofits without technology staff or with an IT manager—those with a larger IT staff or customized software may not find the course as useful.

Additional Coursework

Weekly homework assignments

On the Fridays during the training, you will have the opportunity to join us for Office Hours at 10:00 am Eastern for 60 minutes.  

About the Presenters

Laura Quinn, Executive Director of Idealware. She has more than five years’ experience researching software for nonprofits, and has led hundreds of technology trainings. She conducted the research and co-authored Idealware's Field Guide to Software for Nonprofits, as well as many other Idealware reports and articles, including the guide to low-cost donor management systems. Prior to founding Idealware, Laura founded Alder Consulting, a firm that specialized in strategizing, designing and building powerful internet strategies for affordable budgets. She’s a frequent speaker on nonprofit technology topics.

Andrea Berry, Director of Partnerships and Learning. She oversees Idealware's fundraising and training activities, including the Field Guide to Nonprofit Software, sponsorship, corporate and individual giving, grants management and online seminars. Prior to joining Idealware, Andrea held fundraising positions in education, health research and museums, and has taught math, performing arts and history in traditional and non-traditional educational settings. She brings a breadth of experience with fundraising and communications, particularly as it relates to small nonprofits, and has worked as a consultant with nonprofits across New England to help identify appropriate donor management software. Additionally, as a former teacher, Andrea brings front-line tested expertise in curriculum development and training.