October 30, 2008 | Read Time: 1 minute
How much technology is enough — and how often does it need to be replaced? Such questions continue to be a challenge for many nonprofit organizations, according to two reports.
NPower Seattle and NPower Indiana, two affiliates of the national technology-assistance organization, have developed 12 benchmarks for a stable and secure technology environment at nonprofit organizations. The recommendations cover topics such as replacing old machines and operating systems, network and data security, and password and back-up procedures.
During the summer and fall of 2007, NPower Seattle conducted assessments at 117 nonprofit organizations in the Puget Sound area. Only six of those charities — 5 percent — met every benchmark. Thirty percent missed five or more.
Of the 34 organizations that NPower Indiana assessed, only one group met all 12 benchmarks.
The assessments provide a valuable starting point to help charities tackle their technology issues, says Christopher A. Logan, director of development at NPower Seattle.
“It’s a win if they just start to talk about it, just start to think about it or discuss it with their board,” he says. “For a lot of smaller agencies, that is a critical first step.”
The benchmarks have been adopted across NPower’s network of 12 affiliates. In September, NPower Seattle conducted another set of assessments. The group plans to update its report in February.
To read the reports: Go to http://www.npowerseattle.org and http://www.npowerin.org.
