We know it can be overwhelming to build a plane while flying it. A great digital tool can streamline your work, boost fundraising, and help you āland the planeā efficiently and accurately. However, implementing and learning the right technology for your organization can also be overwhelming. And, with so many tools out there, itās tough to know where to start. Knowing the right questions before you embark on your new or improved tech journey can help! ✈️
Understanding Your Nonprofitās Needs
Yes, itās a big, over-saturated market out there. Itās crucial to know your nonprofitās specific needs before you pick out a shiny new tool. This involves:
Identifying Pain Points
- What daily tasks or processes are time-consuming or inefficient?
- What is a key area in which your team could benefit from automation, integration, or more collaboration?
- Are there specific challenges you face in fundraising, volunteer management, or program delivery that there could be a digital solution for?
- Has your team shown frustration, delay, or lack of interest in specific tools or historical methods?
- In what areas have there been public-facing errors?
- According to your staff, what tools or systems do they need to do their job best?
- Is your audience, funder, and donor data accurately updated and accessible when you and others need it?
Defining Goals
- What exact problems are you looking to solve?
- Have you exhausted your current tool/method for all solutions?
- Have you invited your team to solve current digital inefficiencies?
- What do you hope to achieve with a potential new tool?
- Specifically, do you want to increase donor engagement, streamline administrative tasks, or improve program impact?
- What digital functions/solutions are on your āmust-haveā list?
- What functions are on your āwish listā list?
Assessing Your Teamās Readiness
- Does your team know how to use your current tools and is confident in updating? (Salesforce, Mailchimp, WordPress, Quickbooks, Asana, Google Drive)
- What is your teamās general level of technical skills and expertise?
- Has your team implemented new tools before? How was that process?
- Would you prefer a user-friendly tool that engages your team with minimal training, or are you comfortable investing in a customizable tool for your organizationās needs that requires more training for advanced features?
- Do you have a specific tool / digital solution already in mind?
- Does your team have direct experience with a new tool youāre considering?
- Have you backed up your data?
- Are you ready to invest in staff training?
Comparing Digital Tools
Once you clearly understand your nonprofitās needs, it will be much easier to compare and evaluate digital tools. We recommend building a comparison chart and keeping your must-haves and wish list on hand. Here, weāve outlined key categories and questions to consider in your research.
Key Questions by Categories
Core Features: Does the tool offer the essential features I need to achieve our organizational goals? Can it handle my organizationās specific workflows and processes?
Customization: Is the tool customizable to fit our nonprofitās branding and specific requirements? Can I tailor workflows, reports, and templates to our organizationās needs?
Integration Capabilities: Can the tool integrate with other systems in use, like our CRM, email marketing platform, and accounting software? Will this integration streamline our workflows and reduce manual data entry?
Scalability: Can the tool grow with our organization as it expands? Can it handle increased data volume and user load? What if we doubled our data or inputs?
Security: What security measures does the tool provide to protect our organizationās sensitive data? Does the tool comply with relevant data privacy regulations? Is there an option for certain users to have limited access or restricted access to certain audience information?
User-Friendliness: Is the tool intuitive and easy to use, even for non-tech-savvy users? Does it have a clean and user-friendly interface? Is the tool accessible on mobile devices, allowing my team to work remotely or on the go?
Training & Support: Does the vendor offer training and resources, such as tutorials, webinars, or live chat support? Is there a dedicated support team to assist with any issues or questions?
Pricing Model: What is the pricing model for the tool? Is it a one-time purchase, subscription, or usage-based fee? Are there any additional costs, such as implementation fees or training costs?
Return on Investment: How will the tool contribute to our nonprofitās bottom line? What multiple problems would it solve? Will it save staff time, increase efficiency, and/or generate more revenue?
Long-Term Costs: Consider the potential long-term costs, such as data migration, customization, and ongoing support ā do we have the financial capacity to invest in this tool? Are we ready for that?
Vendor Reputation: What is the vendorās reputation in the nonprofit sector? What other local organizations do we trust that use the tool? Does the vendor have a proven track record of delivering reliable and effective solutions?
Vendor Stability: Is the vendor financially stable and committed to long-term support? Are there any concerns about the vendorās future plans or potential mergers or acquisitions? When was the tool first published, and what major updates have they made since publication? Did the tool update in response to user requests? Did the tool grow and improve over time?
Taking Flight
Before embarking with a new digital tool, ensure your entire crew is on board. Involve your team members; is the tool a comfortable fit for their unique needs and preferences? A pilot wouldnāt fly a plane without checking the weather forecast – thoroughly research your options. Read reviews, case studies, and testimonials from other nonprofits to learn from their experiences. Remember, you donāt need to break the bank to soar to new heights. Consider free tools like Canva, Zeffy, Metricool, HubSpot, Sender, and Trello to get started. Finally, choose a tool that aligns with your organizationās unique culture and values. Before committing to a tool, take it for a test flight. Request a free trial or demo to see how it performs in real-world conditions. Donāt hesitate to ask the vendor direct questions, no matter how trivial, to get the answers you need to make the best decision for your organization and crew. For extra protection during the flight ā always back up your data securely before migrating or editing. So, fasten your seatbelt, grab your checklist, and letās take your nonprofit to new heights!
Need help with technology migration or integration? Email us at info@nextinnonprofits.com!
