1. Very little technical knowledge is required in order for nonprofit CEOs to participate actively in strategic IT planning.
As long as you thoroughly understand your organization's overall mission, strategy, and tactics and (are willing to learn a little bit about the technology), you can keep your information technology infrastructure on target... more »
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Tuesday, June 16
Ten things (just ten!) that every nonprofit executive needs to know about information technology
by
Deborah Elizabeth Finn
on Tue 16 Jun 2009 10:46 AM EDT
Monday, May 11
Thanks to Yves Dehnel, Easy Peasy provides a solution, although not as easily as I would have thought
by
Deborah Elizabeth Finn
on Mon 11 May 2009 04:29 PM EDT
 Yves Dehnel of Tech Networks of Boston is my new hero. As readers of my blog know, I bought an Asus Eee PC 900 in July, but have run into obstacles in trying to use it in my habitual way. After Twittering about it, blogging about it, going online to various nonprofit technology communities, posting a plaintive request for help to GetSatisfaction, and - yes - even after checking with Asus customer support, I still couldn't install any new drivers or applications on my Asus netbook, and therefore I couldn't use my AT&T mobile broadband with it. Several people suggested that the version of Linux that comes installed on the Asus Eee PCs as an operating system (Linux Eee PC 1.1.0.66) is very tightly locked down, and that I should replace it with a version of Ubuntu for netbooks called Easy Peasy. Well, I tried, but I couldn't figure out how to do it. I'm one of those folks who thinks that "computer literacy" in any generic form is a myth, and I try to be brave and admit it when an IT-related task is beyond me. Having admitted that I couldn't get Easy Peasy installed on my Asus, I took the radical step of mentioning my problem in a face to face conversation. The ever-helpful Tuan Pham of Tech Networks opined that he could probably find someone, and that someone turned out to be my buddy Yves Dehnel, also of Tech Networks. It turns out that installing Easy Peasy is a three-step simple process, albeit a slight different one than what is described on the download page: Drop off your Asus at Yves's shop. For me, the real work began at that point: settling down to the effort of acclimating myself to the Easy Peasy operating system and an Asus keyboard.Take a phone call from Yves a couple of hours later, so that he can inform you that he's done it. (Don't forget to thank him profusely.) Return to his shop, and spend a few minutes with him, tweaking the settings so that your Sierra 881 USB connector card works with the Asus. (Don't forget to thank him profusely, once again.) When I first wrote about my Asus notebook, I said: "If
I had to make the purchase from scratch today, I'd probably choose a
newer, cheaper model in the Asus Eee PC line, and I'd opt for Windows
XP as the operating system, just to ensure ease of connectivity." This is still true. I would never recommend an Asus with a Linux operating system for use in a nonprofit where the staff members weren't burning with curiousity to see for themselves what open source platforms are all about. It's too much trouble for folks who have enough to do with nonprofit programs and operations. An Asus loaded with XP as an operating system would do the job. But speaking just for myself, I'm glad to have the opportunity to live and work with an open source operating system, especially if colleagues and buddies such as Yves are willing to get my back. (Full disclosure of financial relationship: TechNetworks of Boston is a client of mine, and I bartered my services in exchange for Yves's. Had I been a paying customer, I would have been charged about $150, which I consider very reasonable.) Monday, April 13
Perhaps there's no such thing as a free lunch - but thanks to the Data Collaborative, your nonprofit could have a free strategic technology consultation
by
Deborah Elizabeth Finn
on Mon 13 Apr 2009 03:11 PM EDT
 The Data Collaborative, a database and web development firm in Massachusetts that serves a lot of mission-based organizations in the area, is a firm that consists of real mensches. Earlier this year, they started underwriting a few free technology consultations by yours truly, so that small nonprofits in the Boston area could have some much-needed strategic assistance. I love doing these consultations, and am very grateful to Data Collaborative for making them a part of their service to the community. Organizations I have worked with at the behest of the Data Collaborative include Leadership Metrowest, the Parents Forum, and Chelsea Neighborhood Developers. The Data Collaborative is now open to applications from more small nonprofits in the area that are interested in free strategic consultations. There are a limited number of slots available, so there are no guarantees that you will be selected, but the application process is very simple. It consists of three questions: 1. What does your non-profit do? Here's how the consultations themselves work:2. What are your technological challenges? 3. How do you think a consultation with Deborah could help? A typical session kind consists of sitting down with me for an hour or two, alone or with key members of your nonprofit's team. If you prepare a list of strategic technology problems, concerns, or questions in advance, I'm often able to make recommendations on the spot. During these sessions, I can also walk you through a discussion that will help clarify how to subordinate your technology infrastructure to your mission. In many cases, I can recommend products, services, and vendors that would be a good match for your needs. I do not ever take a commission on any products and services that I recommend, and will not make any sales pitches. In every case, my concern will be to ensure that your information and communications technology is helping you achieve your organization's programmatic goals. Please note that I cannot provide hands-on tech support in these sessions. After your consultation, I will be available to you by email and telephone for brief follow up questions. In some cases, I may do follow up research for you, and report back via email with additional information and recommendations.Our goal is to provide you with the greatest possible benefit from a single session on a pro bono basis, and in almost every case a one or two hour consultation is all that a small nonprofit needs. Tuesday, February 19
Search engine optimization for nervous nonprofit novices
by
Deborah Elizabeth Finn
on Tue 19 Feb 2008 10:55 AM EST
Some colleagues of mine, fellow nonprofit technology assistance providers, recently asked me to draft a guide to search engine optimization strategy for their clients. They very kindly granted me permission to publish a version of it to my blog. I am eager to elicit feedback from SEO mavens, and would like to encourage readers to post comments here... more » Thursday, September 20
Technology assistance for people who are smart about other things
by
Deborah Elizabeth Finn
on Thu 20 Sep 2007 03:56 PM EDT
 We often deal with executive directors who cope with technology by groveling and apologizing for their ignorance, or by developing elaborate rationales for why they shouldn't need to know this stuff. My sympathies are entirely with them. Nobody is born knowing this stuff, and executive directors are often busy figuring out entirely other stuff. I laughingly suggested that we need a series of technical reference books that are titled, "...For People Who Are Smart About Other Things"... more » Monday, September 10
Chatting about e-philanthropy with the monks of the 21st century
by
Deborah Elizabeth Finn
on Mon 10 Sep 2007 05:40 PM EDT
Monday, April 23
Karen Schneider gets it right about "free" technology: that's "free, as in free kittens"
by
Deborah Elizabeth Finn
on Mon 23 Apr 2007 07:28 PM EDT
 In the realm of information and communications technology, "free" is one of those difficult words. Fortunately, Karen Schneider, the fabulous Free Range Librarian, has summed it up perfectly: free as in free kittens!... more » Sunday, March 25
We need to mobilize a league of tech-friendly executive directors
by
Deborah Elizabeth Finn
on Sun 25 Mar 2007 03:47 PM EDT
  A buddy and I recently discussed the huge difference it makes for an IT manager at a nonprofit to have an executive director who is curious and even enthusiastic about what technology can do for the organization, even if he or she is not an expert in the field... more » Saturday, March 24
Laura Quinn delivers the news on content management systems for nonprofits
by
Deborah Elizabeth Finn
on Sat 24 Mar 2007 02:14 PM EDT
 Photo by Beth Kanter Laura's workshop on content management systems easily fulfilled and exceeded expectations. She has the great gift of being able to identify what nonprofit profit decision-makers need to know, and of being able to explain it vividly and usefully... more » Sunday, January 28
Social networking and nonprofit technology resources: Why I love Social Source Commons
by
Deborah Elizabeth Finn
on Sun 28 Jan 2007 05:27 PM EST
 There's a vast array of technology tools, widgets, products, and services available out there to nonprofit organizations. Some of them were designed specifically for our sector, and many of them are available online for free. However, not all of them are plausible choices for nonprofits that have modest budgets and no one on staff who serves as a full time chief technology officer... more » Thursday, November 2
The Short Short List
by
Deborah Elizabeth Finn
on Thu 02 Nov 2006 02:58 PM EST
 Photo by Arthur Prokosch, Third Sector New England I maintain a lengthy annotated list of resources on my blog but my purpose in this workshop was to offer something that was brief and not scary... more »  1 AttachmentsMonday, October 16
Stress management and the killer app
by
Deborah Elizabeth Finn
on Mon 16 Oct 2006 07:18 PM EDT
 It's a running joke: ninety percent of the task of training nonprofit professionals to use computers consists of stress management. Incredibly smart and sensible people can freeze up when confronted with a new technology... more » Saturday, October 7
Finding the least mediocre hosting service
by
Deborah Elizabeth Finn
on Sat 07 Oct 2006 08:28 AM EDT
 One of my highly esteemed clients is a small nonprofit organization that is in search of email and web hosting services. It breaks my heart to say that the best we can hope for is to find the least mediocre option and live with it... more » Thursday, September 14
Is there a nightmare waiting to happen in your sock drawer?
by
Deborah Elizabeth Finn
on Thu 14 Sep 2006 09:42 AM EDT
 Accidental Techie: As you can see, we have a tape drive. We do an incremental back-up every weekday, and a full back-up once a week. Cyber-Yenta: That's great. Where do you store the latest full back-up? Accidental Techie: Well, I think it's important to take it off-site, in case there's a disaster. So I take it home with me on Fridays and stick it in a drawer. On Mondays I bring the previous week's full back-up to the office. Cyber-Yenta: Uh oh.... more » Friday, August 11
A good manual is hard to find
by
Deborah Elizabeth Finn
on Fri 11 Aug 2006 07:07 AM EDT
 I cautioned them against the plan of having the database administrator do all the documentation singlehandedly - though not because of any weakness on his part! On the contrary, the problem is that he's far too knowledgeable and experienced... more » |
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