In the Great Tech Pivot of 2020, nonprofits cobbled together technology that would work in a pinch to get them through the pandemic. Now does your nonprofit need to pivot towards the future?

Have you ever heard someone try to mash up a couple songs that didn’t quite go together? Maybe they’re in the same key, or have the same chord progression, but the beat’s just not quite aligned. That noise is a bit like what we’re starting to hear from nonprofits as they take a look at what their systems are like today. In the pivot to remote work or closed doors, you probably figured out what was absolutely needed to get you through — there wasn’t time to look too hard at whether your systems really worked well together, or what might be needed in the future. Now it’s time to un-mash that technology tune, and look at strategically connecting your systems. Not just ‘What do we need now?” but also “What’s getting in the way?” “What will we need in 6 months, a year, 5 years?”

At this point you probably:

• Know what worked for early-pandemic life
• Understand how your donors, volunteers, constituents, etc. are engaging with you today
• Skilled up your staff, becoming more technologically savvy about your current systems
• Have a sense of what will be needed in order to keep moving forward and grow over the foreseeable future

But are you also hearing the discordant drumbeats of a mismatched mash-up? While it can be hard to find the time, energy, and budget to make a big change, the cost of all those small tweaks, maintenance issues, or basic inefficiencies starts to add up.

Who wants to hear a song where every other phrase is interrupted by a new one mashed in? Technology can get that way too, when you’re switching between multiple systems throughout your day just to get basic tasks done. And who knows — you might even be paying for 4 different systems right now, when maybe you really only need one or two.

You will save time and money in the long run by choosing the appropriate system that considers the larger picture of your technological landscape.

If your organization is smart, you’ll take this moment to assess what you really need for the future and plan for some technology changes over the next year.

What does it look like to make such plans? What do you need to think through? Start singing a new song: We’ve got you covered with our free eBook:

Nonprofit Guide to Preparing for Successful Technology Changes