Technology in Strategic Planning
NTEN is where nonprofit professionals learn about and celebrate the ways technology helps them meet their missions. NTEN is a membership organization of nonprofit technology professionals who share the common goal of helping nonprofits use all aspects of technology more effectively. Florida Nonprofits and our members have found NTEN resources very useful. Visit https://www.nten.org for news, tips, and resources by and for the nonprofit tech community and to view their blog, reports, and workbooks for nonprofits.
The CEO of NTEN, Amy Sample Ward, stated: “In NTEN’s last ten+ years of research, one thing we see consistently from nonprofits of all sizes and missions is staff reporting they have the tools and technology they need, but do not receive the training to use those tools well. Training can’t happen only in the first few days for a new hire — it needs to happen for all staff all the time. Before you invest in new technology, evaluate the extent to which you’ve properly trained your staff and provided them with ongoing training and support to be effective. Build a culture of training and support now so that your next tech investment can be more successful.”
Amy also noted that NTEN’s tech investment research indicated that a key indicator to an organization’s level of effectiveness is whether their strategic plan clearly defines their need for technology. Amy stated: “You have to tie the need for technology to all of your strategic goals. It is of paramount importance to be able to articulate the need for tech to achieve your mission.”
For more information on the importance of strategic planning and how to develop methods to turn your vision into reality, attend the Sunshine Certificate in Nonprofit Management morning class on Saturday, January 26. The afternoon class provides assistance in managing technology, obviously critical in determining and specifying the tech needs to best achieve your organization’s mission.