Need More Tech Support at Your Nonprofit Org? Try Looking Within.

Flickr: Wheelforce

Understaffed? Overwhelmed? If your nonprofit's IT department can't keep up - and expansion is not an option - you may want to enlist the support of tech-savvy employees from other departments at your organization. By creating a team of technology liaisons, you can save money, cultivate internal talent, and extend your reach.

As the Director of Communications and Technology at QSAC, an agency that provides services to people with autism in New York, I understand the financial challenges of operating a nonprofit organization in today's economic climate. Budgetary restraints often require management to get creative.  Last year, I was faced with the daunting task of migrating QSAC's one thousand employees (at twenty work sites) from Microsoft Exchange to Google Apps. At the time, our technology department consisted of myself and a part-time IT consultant. After a rocky initial phase, it was clear that we were not adequately staffed to accomodate the concerns of the employees throughout the transition. Frustrations mounted and I was desperate to find a solution.

I decided to seek out the most tech-savvy person in each department and form a team of technology liaisons. The plan was to focus my energy on training this core group of people who would then provide support to staff at their own work sites - and thankfully, it worked. The liaisons assisted throughout the Google Apps migration and helped to ensure a seamless transition. 

I now meet with our technology liaisons on a monthly basis to train them on any new tech being introduced at the agency before it is implemented. Afterwards, they return to their departments and disseminate the information. By providing a couple of hours of training per month, I am able to keep the entire agency up to speed.

In the end, everybody wins...

Benefits to IT Department:

• Allies: Your technology department will have internal support the next time a new system is implemented
• Competency: Your current employees know your organization better than any external firm or new hire
• Less interruption: Rather than providing low level support, your IT department will be freed up to focus on leadership and strategy

Benefits to the Technology Liaisons:

• Growth: Employees have an opportunity to demonstrate leadership qualities
• First dibs:  Tech liaisons often get to play with new technologies before they are implemented

Benefits to Staff:

• Comfort: When employees need support, familiar faces are often less intimidating than a helpdesk
• Accessibility: On-site tech support is faster and more convenient than seeking remote help

Benefits to Organization:

• Efficiency: Technology becomes further integrated into daily operations
• Evolution: Consistent dialog with employees leads to collaboration
• $$$: Money can be allocated to what really matters - carrying out the mission of the organization

Joe Says: While this post might be geared towards larger nonprofit organizations, the concept may also apply to corporations and smaller orgs. The idea is to look within, identify available resources, and see what's possible!

This is Joe, signing off.