Technology Management For Nonprofits is Always a Challenging Venture

Technology Management For Nonprofits is Always a Challenging Venture
Working in a Nonprofit organization has it challenges I
think you would agree. Ever worked unjamming a printer and
of course the printer breaks when you need it the most? How
about the copier, you are down there in the paper draw
trying to fix something and wishing the person who always
fixes it did not go home already.

If that gives you stage fright, now imaging you are hired
as the office assistant or the Executive Director of your
Nonprofit organization. You still have the same issues
working with your office equipment but I bet you are
thinking that somehow, all of your organizations technology
resources have become your responsibility! This happens a
lot in non profit organizations when funding is low or non
existent. Sometimes you are a one person organization so
the technology support is your business. When this occurs
to you, you need to step back and get an idea of what you
need to do in order to survive. You don't have to tackle
all your office technology projects all at once or in any
particular order. Dive in where it makes sense for you. In
other cases you need to get someone to help you. As a
business system analyst from the corporate world, I
recommend that you get out of this no win situation by
following this step-by-step outline to creating an
effective system.

You first need to get a comprehensive review of your
operating environment. So first conduct a technology
inventory of your working environment. Second, look around
and review your support staff, if you have a staff that is.
Next determine how you currently use and buy technology.
Then start thinking about how your organization is
protecting itself from disasters and data loss. Finally do
some reflection and define how are you managing your
technology support role? Have you decide if what you do is
effective or is it beyond providing real help anymore.

Next we move on to another piece of building yourself, a
get out of technology jail card. You then need to build
management support for your technology support work. If the
nonprofit equals you, then evaluate how much your time is
worth. Are you spending time doing things that hamper your
true mission? If you have a board then as the accidental
techie, you face the challenge of influencing major
organizational policies and procedures without the
forethought or real authority to do so. Your board probably
does not understand the need for technology support or the
board believes you can do it just like the last person in
your role. You need to find a way to make them understand
what is at risk if you stay in the role.

Once you complete this process you will know your overall
needs. At this point you will have progressed to where you
will need funding and it could be a small request to fix an
immediate problem. If your nonprofit is growing or your
group is a larger organization then you may need to develop
a formal request to your non profit board.

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Gregory L Burrus Owner and Managing Director is a former
Director of a Fortune 500 Telecommunications company,
consults for major telecom and operational support system
vendors. Greg provides small business solutions as an
internet, office, voice over internet protocol technology
solutions. http://www.techoss.com