In the old days, nonprofit IT directors spent their day fixing printers, bringing the server back up, and keeping an eye on the backup tapes. Most employees used email, desktop applications, and a shared drive—that was pretty much it.
Technology back then didn’t power everything like it does now. These days that same IT director has much more to oversee and worry about. And, to keep it even more interesting, staff have access to all sorts of devices and apps.
That’s why many organizations choose to outsource some or all of their IT tasks to a Managed Service Provider (MSP).
WHAT DOES A MANAGED SERVICE PROVIDER (MSP) DO FOR NONPROFITS?
MSPs offer a proactive approach to providing a stable, secure, and reliable IT operating environment. MSPs help nonprofits use their technology more efficiently to support business needs.
Because nonprofits are mission-driven, rather than profit-driven, the usual challenges take on an added twist. For nonprofits, the focus lies in providing services, fundraising, and building community awareness. Technology often takes a back seat. Key factors that impede the adoption of current technology include:
- Small staff, limited technical expertise – Most nonprofit organizations employ a small number of paid employees and volunteers. Turnover is high, budgets low. Executives often shoulder multiple responsibilities. Many organizations lack in-house technical expertise.
- Limited resources – With funding often dependent on grants and donations, budgets must stretch, leaving little capital for technology. At the same time, outdated systems fail to keep pace with current Internet threats and growth opportunities.
- Donor data security – With more online fundraising and reporting, nonprofits collect a large amount of donor and client data. That data presents a significant security challenge.
- Mobile staff – More and more employees conduct business on mobile devices, from opening email to processing donations. In many cases, they use their personal devices for business, creating increased vulnerabilities.
While your technology needs match or exceed those of your enterprise counterparts, your resources and budget often do not. This unfortunate reality suggests that your nonprofit needs an MSP to primarily help control costs while also increasing security and optimizing technology.
Want to talk about whether managed services are right for you? Schedule a consultation today!