4 Pearls of Wisdom for Nonprofit Technology in 2017
The new year brings with it the opportunity for reflection, reinvention and renewal. For the nonprofit sector, there are major tech trends at work that are improving, changing and enhancing the way organizations gather donations, conduct outreach and utilize data.
We went through some of our 2016 Nonprofit IT Blogs and unearthed some pearls of wisdom that should help inspire nonprofits of all shapes and sizes to do as the old Roman saying says: Carpe Diem/Seize the day.
Strive for Frictionless Philanthropy
In the e-commerce and retail worlds, the idea of providing customers with a “frictionless” experience is something that companies have been striving toward for some time. The thinking behind a frictionless experience is that the more fragmented, confusing or disruptive the customer experience is, the more likely they are to abandon hope and not purchase. Similar thinking applies for nonprofit organizations, especially with regard to the donation process, which has increasingly moved to digital and mobile channels.
Beth Kanter, a well-known nonprofit tech guru and one of BizTech’s Must-Read Nonprofit IT Bloggers, touched on the importance of this ideal for nonprofit organizations, particularly now that Apple Pay is on the scene.
Tech Makes All Things Possible
While technology has the potential to transform the way we live and work, many people operate from a place of fear when it comes to embracing technology. But mobile technology can help nonprofits with fundraising and a stronger network infrastructure can enable faster data sharing and work on the go. Part of the process of deriving value from technology starts with adopting the right mindset. Carolyn Appleton, an independent fundraiser, touched on this in a guest post on the Nonprofit Technology Network Blog.
Mobile Giving Matters
Our smartphones have become the central hub for our lives, and that includes our charitable aspirations. In a reflection of this new reality, pastor Mike Morris, the blogger behind Faith Engineer, pointed out how this transformation is impacting the way people donate at church.
Understanding the Value of Technology
In the context of the for-profit world, technology can sometimes be thought of as a cold efficiency machine. But technology can touch the soul as well as the mind. This is important for nonprofit organizations (which are mission-based entities that are driven by emotion and impact instead of dollars and cents) to understand. Creating IT Futures, the charity arm of CompTIA, hit on this point in a blog post last year.
