community it innovators - tech funding, think outside the box
DESCRIPTION
This free webinar on technology funding took place on Thurs., Sept. 27 from 12:30-1:30 pm EST. It focused on how organizations can think outside the box about funding their technology projects. David Deal , CEO of Community IT Innovators, provided an overview of how to think about IT not as an extra one-time expense, but as an integral part of ongoing operating expenses to be included in every grant application. David Krumlauf , Chief Technologist at the Pierce Family Foundation, talked about nonprofit tech funding successes and failures, and share tips of how to get funding for your technology projects.TRANSCRIPT
Technology Funding Thinking Outside the Box
Presenters: David Deal
David Krumlauf
September 27, 2012
Community IT Innovators Webinar Series
Webinar Tips
• Ask questions Post questions via chat f
• Interact Respond to polls during webinar ff
• Focus Avoid multitasking. You may just miss the best part of the presentation : )
David Deal, CEO, Community IT Innovators [email protected]
Washington, DC-based IT consulting and services firm serving nonprofit organizations.
David Krumlauf, Chief Technologist, Pierce Family Foundation [email protected]
Chicago-based grantmaking organization focused on nonprofits working in housing and homelessness.
Poll
Which best describes your role in your organization?
The Problem
Poll
Approximately what percentage of your technology funding (acquisition, implementation, maintenance, training)
comes from technology-specific grants?
Foundations Need to Change
Long-term nonprofit success is associated with grant support that is:
1. unrestricted 2. multi-year 3. capacity-building
Is Grantmaking Getting Smarter? 2011, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations
Highlights of Foundation Giving Trends, 2011, Foundation Center
Program Expenses, 80%
General Operating
Expenses, 20%
Types of Foundation Giving, 2003-2011
Foundations Need to Change
The Philanthropic Landscape, 2012, National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
2004-2006 2008-2010
Foundations Giving NO Multi-Year Grants
Foundations Need to Change
BUT…
Nonprofits need to change, too!
Nonprofits Need to Change
Nonprofits Need to Change
All foundations
Nonprofits Need to Change
Is Grantmaking Getting Smarter? 2011, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations
Foundations that “frequently support
technology and information systems
development”
Foundations that fund capacity building
Paying for Overhead Study, The Center on Philanthropy at IU
Poll
What are the biggest challenges for you in getting technology funded?
Foundations need to change
AND
Nonprofits needs to change
Common Mistakes
Common Mistakes
Private Cloud
Relational Database
Ultrabooks
VPN CMS
CRM
4G 3G
RAM
WAN
ICT
RTO
Open Source
GB NAS
4G-LTE
Common Mistakes
Sustainable IT Funding Include IT costs in all organization and program budgets
a. Who doesn’t need a computer,
software, Internet, network to do their job these days? Allocate the IT costs accordingly.
b. Software or services charged on a per-seat and recurring (vs up-front) basis makes it easier to include IT costs with personnel costs.
Sustainable IT Funding
Cover most ongoing IT costs through operating budgets
a. It’s just part of the cost of running the program/organization
b. Think about total cost of ownership, including training & support
• $110-$130/month/workstation is an industry average for supporting a single workstation in an office environment
Sustainable IT Funding
Seek funding for additional, well-articulated IT initiatives
a. Requires some thinking and prioritization of technology initiatives
b. Must articulate a logical connection to the results you’re trying to achieve • see Summit Collaborative report at Techsoup, “How to Cost and Fund ICT”
Resources • From the Foundation Center:
– GrantSpace online learning community: http://grantspace.org – “Grants for Information Technology” annual e-publication – Foundation Directory Online (for finding funders):
https://secure1.foundationcenter.org/fdo/signup/
• “How to Cost and Fund ICT,” by Summit Collaborative & found at Techsoup.org: http://www.techsoup.org/binaries/files/How-To-CostFund-ICT_web.pdf
• Nonprofit sustainability & technology funding, by TCC Group: http://www.tccgrp.com/knowledge/capacity.php
• Blogs and articles on technology funding: http://www.nten.org
Where do I start?
• Learn and connect. • Know what you have. • Know what you need and why you need it. • Know how to ask. • Know who to ask to get what you need.
A Technology Prioritization Pyramid
Learn and Connect
• Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN) – http://nten.org – NTEN Discuss Group – NTEN Book: Managing Technology to Meet Your
Mission: http://goo.gl/ekp9S
• Idealware: http://idealware.org • TechSoup: http://techsoup.org • MAP Tech Talk: http://goo.gl/pG6oh
Create a Technology Plan
• Include end-users, program, finance & IT staff • Inventory equipment, software & skills • Sample Technology Plan:
http://goo.gl/aUwKU including training • Skills survey:
http://techskillssurvey.wikispaces.com/ • Upgrade & replacement schedule • Budget & approval/buy-in
Create a Technology Plan
• Implementation • Tracking & evaluation
Grant Applications
• Include technology plan summary • Include small tech grants in program grants • Break up large technology needs into
manageable pieces • Matching grants • No “geek speak” • Charity How To - Grants Hot Sheet:
http://goo.gl/Y8aAa
Potential Funders
• Get to know your funders: site visits, lunch meetings or office visits
• Individual donors • Local businesses • Foundations
David Deal, CEO, Community IT Innovators [email protected]
Washington, DC-based IT consulting and services firm serving nonprofit organizations.
David Krumlauf, Chief Technologist, Pierce Family Foundation [email protected]
Chicago-based grantmaking organization focused on nonprofits working in housing and homelessness.
Additional Resources Technology innovations that are being funded: • Techsoup’s Local Impact Map • Applications for Good competition Discounted services and equipment for nonprofits: • Techsoup • Consistent Computer Bargains • CDW • Office 365 • Google Apps for Nonprofits • Salesforce Foundation
Upcoming Webinar
Oct. 18: Cloud Showdown Office 365 vs. Google Apps f
d
Presenter: Matthew Eshleman Director of Professional Services Community IT Innovators d
Next Steps • Connect with us - Twitter, Google+, Linkedin
and Facebook. http://www.citidc.com
• Provide feedback – Short survey after you exit the webinar. Be sure to include any questions that were not answered.
• Missed anything? – Link to slides & recording will be emailed to you.