The Importance of IT Consulting in a Nonprofit

UPDATED: December 16, 2023

Nonprofit organizations traditionally face tight budgets that force them to make hard choices about how to spend their money. These organizations, however, also have legitimate needs that, when met, can help them thrive. Marketing dollars, for example, don’t earn money to pad CEOs’ pockets. They earn money the organization needs to fight childhood cancer, ensure a fair wage for women in third world nations, pursue potable water, and so forth. They're important, and should be protected. 

Unfortunately, the benefit of spending money on nonprofit IT consulting can be a little harder to see sometimes. That might be why nonprofits often fail to stay up to date on security, data, and technological advancements that could benefit them. Other things are more important for their money, so they divert funds to events, employee salaries, and donations because that's the heart of their business model: giving, not profit (hence the name).

However, when done right, IT support for nonprofits can organizations to more effectively reach their goals and advance their causes.

6 ways IT support will benefit a nonprofit 

You have mission, a goal, and a passion. Unfortunately, with that drive comes more challenges due to your nonprofit status. Technology is one of those areas often affected, and in fact, the security of that technology even less so (nonprofits budgets don't always allow for both or only a few endpoints are protected). But your data is just as precious as those who do have the budget, especially if you don't have the bandwidth to employ an IT team to run anything. IT consulting could be the answer. 

1. Supports Critical Members of Nonprofits
   A nonprofit has many people it needs to reach. Donors, volunteers, even the people the nonprofit is designed to benefit, all need to know the organization exists and how they can interact with it. In fact, reaching the right people is critical to a nonprofit’s survival.
   
   Nonprofit IT consulting can help. For example, data management solutions can make it easier to identify high-value donors, track interactions in order to create more effective follow-up with potential donors or volunteers or even identify potential beneficiaries of the nonprofit. For example, one organization we worked with used data management solutions to better identify and rescue more victims of human trafficking and child marriage.
   
   
2. Reduces the Load on the Nonprofit Organization
   Nonprofit organizations are often trying to accomplish a great deal with limited resources. Time devoted to technology may be time that is taken away from pursuing other organizational goals.
   
   Reducing the load on nonprofits is one of the benefits of nonprofit IT consulting. This service can create, implement, and maintain technological solutions without compromising the organization’s ability to pursue its other goals. And, it can do so more effectively because these professionals bring expertise to their jobs that surpasses that available within the nonprofit itself.
   
   
3. Streamlines Processes for Greater Efficiency and Savings
   Creating efficiency within technological processes can help organizations save money and achieve their goals more effectively. For example, saving time on identifying potential donors leaves more time for convincing them to participate in your organization’s goals. Identifying areas that can be streamlined, and identifying solutions that improve upon organizational efficiency, is the domain of nonprofit IT consulting. This technological support evaluates an organization’s IT needs and finds ways to meet these needs while reducing cost, time, and confusion in order to improve the overall functioning of the organization.
   
   
4. Personalized to Focus on Nonprofit Goals and Needs
   Every nonprofit is different. As a result, their technological needs are all different, as well. When you hire an IT nonprofit consultant, you can expect to receive support that is tailored to your organization’s goals and needs. Rather than offering a one size fits all approach, the consultant will identify your organization’s core technological needs and find a solution that meets these needs.
   
   Whether those needs be staying within a strict budget, improving reach to target populations, increasing donor monies, improving volunteer interactions, and more, these solutions will fit your organization. As a result, these solutions will enable your organization to continue advancing its unique mission in effective ways.
   
   
5. Meets Specialized Budgets
   Financial realities must always be considered when pursuing technological support for your nonprofit. The right support will recognize and honor these realities. For example, Centre Technologies can provide solutions that are innovative and less expensive than traditional approaches. As a result, we can enable nonprofits to reach their technological goals with the budget available to them.
   
   
6. Helps Advance Your Charity's Mission
   Technology and technological improvements can help to advance your organization’s mission in meaningful ways. For example, your mission of raising money to feed children in a third-world nation might be advanced by implementing security solutions that make donors feel more confident in giving their sensitive personal information to you.
   
   You can expect your IT consultant to keep your organization’s mission in mind as they assist you with your technological needs. Their support will always consider your end goals and needs, making their solutions a tailored and effective fit for your nonprofit.

Nonprofit IT consulting is a great way to advance your organization’s mission and meet its needs while facing the unique challenges that being a nonprofit brings. It might seem superfluous, but it can ultimately contribute to your organization’s ultimate goals. By allowing you to reach critical members of your community more effectively, reducing the load your organization faces, improving efficiency and cost savings, and doing all of this within your budget, goals, and mission, it can help you to run a more effective organization.

how do you get Nonprofit IT Consulting? 

If you need assistance with your IT needs, do not hesitate to reach out to Centre Technologies. We have years of experience providing forward-thinking and tailored solutions to nonprofits of all kinds. As a managed service provider, we are proud to help support the many nonprofits that are making a positive difference, and we can provide the forward-thinking support your organization needs in a way that is tailored to your specific nonprofit.