2024 Year in Review: Proactive Strategies taken to Avoid Nonprofit Tech Time Bombs

Nonprofit organizations are the backbone of our communities, working tirelessly to make a positive impact. But let’s face it, the relentless pace of technological change can often leave you feeling overwhelmed and behind. There were quite a few important measures our clients (and similar organizations) needed to take to avoid nonprofit tech “time bombs” this year, with systems sunsetting and new features emerging. Taking a proactive approach to your technology strategy can significantly boost efficiency and streamline operations. For those who haven’t taken these measures, there’s no time like the present to get them in your roadmap for 2025.

Addressing Drupal 7 End-of-Life:

The clock has been ticking for organizations still clinging to Drupal 7, which was announced as “end-of-life” a while back. Security vulnerabilities will start rising soon as support ends January 5th, 2025. We guided nonprofits through a smooth transition to newer versions of Drupal or alternative platforms, ensuring their websites will remain secure and functional. Delaying this process further could soon result in costly last minute support fees, security breaches, or even sudden module breakdowns – a burden no non-profit should face. It’s time to stop procrastinating! There are lots of options available.

Strategizing Future Salesforce Automations:

Hello Salesforce Flow. Farewell Workflows and Process Builder. The pending retirement of older Salesforce automation features is sending shivers down the spines of many nonprofits. This year, we helped organizations analyze their existing processes and develop a plan for migration in 2025, as they move to Salesforce’s Flow. This can take some time, especially for complicated workflows! Retirement is looming out there in January of 2026, but this proactive approach will ensure migration happens in time for seamless continued operation of critical operations. Nonprofits who take action now will prevent potential disruptions in communication, fundraising, or program management later.

Keeping Up with the Digital Evolution:

As technology evolves, new versions, additions, and whole new industries come into existence. To be sure, we see many solutions come and go quickly, so we don’t usually recommend nonprofits get out there on the bleeding edge of adopting the hottest new thing. Still, there are important changes to keep up with and consider how they might impact your organization. Here are a few from this year:

• Minimizing Vulnerabilities: PHP is part of the underlying code powering countless websites, and keeping it up-to-date is essential for security and compatibility. We helped nonprofits navigate the upgrade process, ensuring their websites didn’t succumb to vulnerabilities or compatibility issues with newer plugins and themes.
• Boosting Fundraising: We assisted with the adoption of new functionalities offered by platforms like Neon One, such as their embeddable donation widget. This increased convenience for donors and boosted fundraising efforts.
• Building Strategic Integrations: In the conservation space, ArcGIS and Salesforce are the premier tools for mapping and database management. We partnered with Esri this year, building an integration that adds maps to LOCATE and eliminates the need for double-entering data in the two systems. This integration puts information in the hands of staff members who need it, and reduces the risk of duplicate or inaccurate data.

The Power of Proactive Nonprofit Tech Management

By adopting a proactive approach to technology, nonprofits can:

• Enhance Efficiency: Streamline workflows, reduce manual tasks, and improve productivity.
• Strengthen Security: Protect sensitive data and minimize the risk of cyberattacks.
• Improve Decision-Making: Leverage data insights to make informed strategic choices.
• Boost Fundraising: Implement effective fundraising strategies and optimize donor engagement.
• Enhance Program Delivery: Utilize technology to deliver innovative and impactful programs.

Looking ahead to 2025, we remain committed to partnering with nonprofits in navigating the ever-evolving technology landscape. If you’re facing any of the challenges discussed above, or simply want to explore ways to streamline your operations, email support or contact us today. Let’s work together to ensure technology empowers your mission, without hindering it.