Timing is everything. This old adage holds true even when thinking about upgrading technology. Maybe you’ve relied on legacy software for years. Maybe you work entirely on paper. Perhaps you’re still dipping a fountain pen into an inkwell (if that’s the case – cool). Wherever you are, how do you know when it’s time to evaluate new nonprofit technology?
We’ve put together a list to help you start this process.
Top 10 Indicators that Now is the Time to Evaluate New Nonprofit Technology
- You didn’t achieve your fundraising and programmatic goals in 2022
- Your technology is being sunset, and no matter what, you and your team must learn a new system.
- Your current platform no longer meets your needs.
- You use 4+ technologies, and they don’t “speak” to each other.
- You use a combination of post-its, spreadsheets, and paper.
- You spend a lot of time uploading and downloading data between systems.
- You waste valuable time with manual data entry and repetitive tasks.
- You can’t trust the integrity of the data in your platform.
- You’ve realized that technology has come a long way since the last time you evaluated your technology.
- Your current platform’s customer service is impossible to reach, or you’re stuck messaging with bots.
And if you responded “Yes” to at least one of the above statements, now is the time to evaluate new nonprofit technology.
The next step in the process is to take a step back and ask yourself, “What do I want and need from my nonprofit technology?
Here are seven important considerations when evaluating new nonprofit technology:
Capabilities.
What are your main goals for the next 2-3 years? Make a list of the goals for each department and a list of features & capabilities necessary to meet those goals. When evaluating nonprofit technology, be sure to consider the needs and requirements of your staff, donors, and volunteers.
User-Friendly.
User experience (UX) is at the forefront of web design, and if you’re not using technology that is intuitive and easy to navigate, then you’re going to add stress and wasted time. Be sure to consider user-friendliness from multiple angles, including your staff, donors, and volunteers (including older volunteers).
Flexibility and Scalability:
Considering a tech service’s scalability is vital to your nonprofit’s growth. If a nonprofit software solution is not designed to grow alongside your organization, you’ll find yourself looking for a new technology partner as your needs outgrow the offerings.
Integration Capabilities.
Nonprofits must utilize many technology functions. The capability to integrate is a necessity, but it can be clunky and costly. Integrations also come with some caveats, such as additional costs. To lessen the need for integrations between nonprofit technologies that don’t speak to each other, consider an all-in-one nonprofit solution such as Giveffect.
Cultural Alignment.
Some technologies in the nonprofit space are actually technologies used in other industries that are tweaked or retrofitted. When you evaluate nonprofit technology, remember that your technology needs to solve the nuanced needs of nonprofits.
Cost of Services.
There are many options for “free nonprofit technology,” but the truth is nothing is free. While some technology may not require monthly or annual payments, you may pay in other ways. For example, needing to hire a costly consultant to make the tech actually work for you, high data migration costs, slower fundraising growth, time wasted manually completing tasks that could be automated, and lack of confidence in your data or data hygiene. The list could go on.
Innovation.
Does your technology continue to evolve and innovate? Does the technology partner take customer feedback and turn that feedback into system updates? It’s important to select a technology partner that understands this.
No matter the reason, if now is the right time for you to evaluate your nonprofit technology, we’re tossing our hat in the ring.
Giveffect is a 10-in-1 nonprofit management solution that allows your nonprofit to thrive in the digital age. Each feature is built specifically to further your mission with less manual work and more automation.