This document discusses how non-profits can develop strategic technology plans without an in-depth understanding of technology. It recommends envisioning how technology can help achieve organizational goals, then planning and documenting the path to that vision. The planning process includes assessing needs, resources, and infrastructure requirements. The document also stresses leveraging external IT resources and support, and provides a template for a strategic technology plan that maps technology goals to strategic goals and includes assessments, budgets, and action plans.
3. The Partnership Platform
Trilliumfunded project that helps nonprofits
find partners to implement technology
projects
Identify your technology needs
Get connected with corporate resources
Help find technology volunteers
Help develop a technology strategy
4. Introductions
Name
Organization
Is your organization technology saavy?
5. Learning Outcomes
Overview of developing a strategic
technology plan
Understanding the resources required for
technology implementation
How to leverage external IT resources and
support
6. How to plan for IT without
knowing how it works
Technology is not a ‘magic box’
Discussing technology at a technical level
propagates this misconception
See ‘past the box’ to strategic application
7. Planning IT
Strategic planning ties technology to
organizational goals
Leverages existing planning skills and
capacity to integrate technology into
organizational mandate
Demonstrates leaders understand how
technology can serve an organization – not
the other way around
8. Planning IT
Visioning
How can technology help my organization?
Planning
How can I plan and document a path to that
vision?
9. Planning IT
Visioning
Goals – What do you want to achieve to move
your organization closer to fulfilling its mission?
Objectives – What concrete, measurable,
specific, and achievable ‘targets’ are you aiming
at to achieve those goals?
Strategies – What approaches can be used to
achieve the objectives?
10. Technology Visioning Exercise
GOAL(S)
What do you want to
achieve to move your not
forprofit
organization closer to
fulfilling its mission?
OBJECTIVE 1 OBJECTIVE 2
What concrete, What concrete,
measurable, specific and measurable, specific and
achievable (within a achievable (within a
certain timeframe) certain timeframe)
“targets” are you aiming “targets” are you aiming
at?
at?
STRATEGY 1A STRATEGY 1B STRATEGY 2A STRATEGY 2B
What is one general What is another general What is one general What is another general
approach to achieving approach to achieving approach to achieving approach to achieving
Objective 1? Objective 1? Objective 2? Objective 2?
11. Writing IT Down
Strategic Technology Plans
Document and plan a path to achieve your vision
Define needs, state strategies, and identify
required resources
Clearly communicate intentions to external
partners – including consultants and funders
12. Writing IT Down
Strategic technology plans will:
Help ensure you have the right resources, your
employees have the right skills, and access to
the right support structure
Position you for success with funders and
potential partners
Integrate specific technology projects into your
overall technology strategy
Revisit your plan every 2 to 3 years
13. Writing IT Down
Strategic technology plans are quite simple
when approached step by step
Successful plans:
Map technology needs to organizational goals
Assess an organization’s current situation
Detail resources required to maintain and
support basic technological infrastructure
Reference specific technology projects (detailed
in other documents)
14. Writing IT Down
Strategic technology plans include:
Overview
Technology assessment
Technology infrastructure
Training and support
Web site and online applications
Individual technology projects
Action plan and technology budget
15. Overview
Introduces your organization
Describes organizational goals
Details technology goals and maps them to
your strategic goals.
16. Technology Assessment
Describes the current state of technology in
your organization
Strengths and weaknesses relating to how
you work with technology,
Who is responsible for technology, and any
areas that require improvement or
addressing.
17. Technology Infrastructure
Details specifics relating to your current
technology equipment
Software usage
Networks
Management procedures.
18. Training and Support
Details how you will address IT training and
support needs for your staff members
Writing technology training into your staff’s
professional development programs
Includes contact information for external
technical support providers
19. Website/Online Applications
Information on your users, the functionality
of your web site, content management
strategies and tools
Online marketing campaigns
Information on the technical architecture of
the web site/application (server access
passwords, etc.)
20. Technology Project Plans
Collection of smaller technology plans
relating to the specific initiatives that
comprise your overall organizational plan
The technology plans contain specific detail
as to the critical path, resource
requirements, and budget.
21. Action Plans and Budgets
Action Plan – highlevel schedule and
responsibilities for implementing the various
technology projects described in the
previous section.
Technology Budget – Details all of the
budgeting requirements of the specific
technology projects your organization plans
to implement, as well as information on
general maintenance, purchasing, training,
and support.
22. Budgeting for IT
Total cost of ownership (TCO)
What it costs to install, operate, and maintain a
technological infrastructure – not just the price of
the hardware
An accurate measure of the true cost of
technology
23. Budgeting for IT
Not allowing for TCO results in wasted
technological assets
Calculating IT budgets accurately can
ensure you have the resources you need
Funders are starting to realize that
technology funding is important
24. Budgeting for IT
How to position technology expenses in
funding requests?
Ensure the expenses are part of overall budgets,
where the ‘sell’ is the strategic objective
I.e., request funding for online fundraising
campaigns, not for 6 new computers
Funders want to buy social and economic
benefit, not boxes and wires
25. External Assistance
Most organizations will require external assistance
in at least 1 of 3 areas:
Planning
Development
Maintenance
Sources of external assistance
Volunteers / Board Members
Individual Consultants
Small IT Companies
Large IT Companies
Other Charities and Nonprofits
26. External Assistance
Ideal Scenario
Volunteer board member to work on requirements
gathering
Individual consultant to prepare requirements
documentation and provide project management support
Key tools – hardware and software – donated from a large
IT company
Small IT company or other charity or nonprofit to perform
any technical work
Individual volunteers to assist with daily updates and
maintenance
Maintenance and support contract with another charity or
nonprofit
27. Today’s Takeaways
Visioning Worksheet
Strategic technology plan template
External Assistance Tips and suggested
partnership model