{"id":544,"date":"2021-09-17T14:00:42","date_gmt":"2021-09-17T19:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/?p=544"},"modified":"2023-10-24T14:25:05","modified_gmt":"2023-10-24T19:25:05","slug":"technology-for-not-for-profit-is-it-different","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/blog\/technology-for-not-for-profit-is-it-different\/","title":{"rendered":"Technology for Not-for-Profit&#8230;Is It Different?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><strong>Are products and IT services for nonprofits different? <\/strong><\/em>Many people associate <a class=\"blue\" href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/industries\/non-profit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">not-for-profits (or maybe the term nonprofits)<\/a> as organizations that have no budget.\u00a0 In other words, they think these organizations survive with:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Donated computer systems<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;Free&#8221; IT services<\/li>\n<li>Low to no budget<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>That\u2019s simply not the case. Most well run not-for-profit organizations know that &#8220;not for profit&#8221; doesn&#8217;t mean spend no money.<\/p>\n<p>Running a successful not-for-profit is much like running any business.\u00a0 It means staying focused on the mission and investing as many of the dollars brought in back into that mission as you can.\u00a0 But, to do that, you also have to run an efficient and productive business.\u00a0 Staff and volunteers need to be able to work effectively to achieve the mission.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-768 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/09\/pexels-pixabay-416405-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"three people sitting beside table discussing it services for nonprofits\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/09\/pexels-pixabay-416405-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/09\/pexels-pixabay-416405-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/09\/pexels-pixabay-416405-1024x640.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/09\/pexels-pixabay-416405-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/09\/pexels-pixabay-416405-1536x960.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/09\/pexels-pixabay-416405-2048x1280.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/09\/pexels-pixabay-416405-1920x1200.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Data is critical.<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><em>The donor database is our most valuable asset.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>It is always interesting when we first meet with potential new not-for-profit clients.\u00a0 They often warn us about how they are different from a for-profit business \u2013 but the difference is generally the decision-making process, not their technology needs.\u00a0 They still need us to help with everything that comes when discussing IT services for nonprofits, like <a class=\"blue\" href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/it-services\/it-procurement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">IT procurement<\/a>.\u00a0 They still need <a class=\"blue\" href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/it-services\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">business-class technology<\/a>.\u00a0 They still want an IT partner that will <a class=\"blue\" href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/monroe\/services\/data-protection-backup\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">help protect their data and keep it secure<\/a>.\u00a0 Training their staff on <a class=\"blue\" href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/it-services\/cybersecurity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">cyber security threats<\/a> is still a concern.\u00a0 <a class=\"blue\" href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/it-services\/managed-services\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Managed IT services<\/a> with proactive care are still important.<\/p>\n<h3>Not-For-Profits and Their Board of Directors<\/h3>\n<p>As I said, the biggest difference in a not-for-profit, is their decision-making process.\u00a0 Many for-profit businesses are owned and operated by one or two people.\u00a0 When working with small to mid-sized businesses, a decision can often be made rather quickly.\u00a0 If the owner wants to move forward, he\/she does.\u00a0 Sure, sometimes they bring in their trusted staff to help make this critical decision, but the owners\/partners have control and can generally make a speedy decision (they don\u2019t always but that\u2019s for another post).\u00a0 On the other hand, not-for-profits are typically run by an Executive Director who reports to a Board.\u00a0 As with for-profit businesses, the Executive Director may choose to bring in staff members to help with the decision.\u00a0 Sometimes they have a volunteer who is well versed in technology that they also lean on.\u00a0 Excellent.\u00a0 What I suppose some IT companies find challenging is the Board approval process.\u00a0 I\u2019ve served on a number of boards, so I get it.\u00a0 Not-for-profit boards are generally made up of volunteers who have chosen to donate their time for a cause they are passionate about.\u00a0 They represent members of the community:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Business leaders at other local companies<\/li>\n<li>Educators from local schools and universities<\/li>\n<li>Philanthropists and active volunteers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A strong board is diverse and has people representing different functions (legal, accounting, training, as an example) as well as different backgrounds (corporate, education, etc.) and socio-economic diversity.<\/p>\n<h3>Knowing their IT partner has their back is critical.<\/h3>\n<p>A strong IT plan is an investment \u2013 in time as well as money.\u00a0 So, the Board will most likely be involved in setting the budget and approving the expenditures.\u00a0 The knowledge that this investment will provide a return for the organization that enables them to better deliver on their mission must be understood.\u00a0 Not just by the Executive Director but also by every member of the board (or at least the majority).\u00a0 Communicating the value and planning the budget takes time, but it is time well spent.\u00a0 At the end of the process, the new IT partner will have the support of the Board and staff.\u00a0 There will be clarity on the investments to be made.\u00a0 And, a relationship will have been formed.<\/p>\n<p>I love explaining the benefits of it services for nonprofits. I love working with <a class=\"blue\" href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/industries\/non-profit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">our not-for-profit clients<\/a>.\u00a0 We can see where we make a difference and that\u2019s a wonderful feeling.\u00a0 I love knowing that we are playing an important role in the success of these clients &#8230; and supporting our local Rochester NY community.<\/p>\n<div class=\"footer_main\">\n<div class=\"footer_cmit\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-306 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/09\/CMMIT-Solutions-Logo-300x150.png\" alt=\"CMIT Solutions Logo\" width=\"172\" height=\"86\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/09\/CMMIT-Solutions-Logo-300x150.png 300w, https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/09\/CMMIT-Solutions-Logo.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 172px) 100vw, 172px\" \/>In the Rochester area, CMIT Solutions provides local, responsive IT support and technology services for small to mid-sized businesses. As your IT partner, we ensure systems are running, your data is secure, and your staff is productive. Backed by a national system, we have over 200 locations across the country with local ownership in Rochester.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"footer_author\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-589 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/12\/CherylNelanCMITSolutions-400px-300x300-1-300x300.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"174\" height=\"174\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/12\/CherylNelanCMITSolutions-400px-300x300-1.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/12\/CherylNelanCMITSolutions-400px-300x300-1-150x150.jpeg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 174px) 100vw, 174px\" \/>Cheryl Nelan has over 25 years experience supporting small to mid sized businesses and helping them grow. In 2011, she started CMIT Solutions of Monroe to support businesses in the Rochester, NY area. She wanted to take her experience and leverage the strength of a national franchise to help local businesses leverage technology. Focusing on customer service and developing a culture where great people want to work has always been central to her mission. Today, CMIT Solutions of Monroe is one of the top CMIT franchises and the recipient of a number of local awards as well. She is proud of the team and loves working with our clients.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are products and IT services for nonprofits different? Many people associate not-for-profits&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":545,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-544","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-it"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/544","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/32"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=544"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/544\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/545"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=544"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=544"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/rochester-ny-1109\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}