Testify: How Technology Continues to Boom in the Nonprofit Sector
The influence of technology on the nonprofit sector continues to know no bounds, and every new innovation seems to narrow the occasionally cavernous gap between independent charitable ventures and for-profit corporations. The latest trend driving awareness in the worlds of philanthropy and business is mobile technology, and the growth of m-commerce, cloud computing and social media marketing has forced nonprofits to reconsider the way that they connect with people and organize their day to day activities.
Such evolution demands innovative minds, and there have been a succession of nonprofit groups, commercial foundations and organizations that have strived to bring technology to relatively unknown and start up charities. With some churches and community based nonprofits in the U.S. still reliant upon paper bulletins and offline tools to raise funds and awareness about specific causes, there is a surprising number of charities that require professional guidance in order to turn their philanthropic vision into something that heralds significant social change.
Testify Communications: Expanding With the Market to Boost Nonprofits
Churches remain the least likely nonprofit organization to embrace technology, thanks largely to the restrictions of limited funding and a deep rooted sense of tradition and accepted practice. Companies have recognized this, however, and sought to reflect the value of a church within its community by providing it with the necessary tools to reach the widest possible segment of society. Testify Communications is an organization that was established in 2011 to resolve this prominent issue, and focuses specifically on the integration of social media as a communication tool and the development of mobile SMS fund raising techniques.
Although the firm is growing organically in 2012, it has already worked alongside 50 individual clients, with the Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce among the most notable as a nonprofit presence. Renowned as the first nationwide African American Black Chamber of Commerce, its long standing goal has been to economically empower relevant communities through the teaching of entrepreneurship, technological awareness and job skills. Their collaboration with Testify Communications has helped to achieve this vision, by giving the organization the technological tools to interact with, engage and educate a younger demographic of society.
ROAR: Helping Churches to Organize Their Fundraising Ventures
The work of Testify follows swiftly on the heels of services created by website developer ROAR, who have spent time evolving an innovative and affordable mobile development platform. This strives to bridge the gap between churches that are well resourced churches and those which are not, and taps into the thriving mobile app industry that began to bloom in 2008. By powering applications through a customized Word Press site, churches and small nonprofits can now boost their mobile presence for free.
ROAR has a growing portfolio of nonprofit clients, each of which has benefited from the implementation of mobile technology to their operation. One of the most renowned is the Mountain View Christian Academy, which offers academic education and leadership training for youngsters in the Las Vegas and Nevada region. With its operation expanding further, their mobile application has allowed them to market their vision directly to the young minds that they hope to influence, in addition to making the organization of events and fundraisers far more manageable.
Microsoft and Hewlett Packard: Helping to Fulfill the Vision of Global Nonprofits
The rise of global nonprofits has also dictated the need for a greater integration of technology in the third sector, and corporate foundations have played a significant role meeting this demand. Leading technological brands such as Microsoft and Hewlett Packard boast a strong nonprofit presence, and in recent times there has been a focus on empowering charitable organizations with the technological skills, knowledge and tools that they require in the 21st century. Whether offering training to charitable groups or implementing software to improve the everyday running of a venture, the work of foundations has been key to coordinating international social change.
Concern Worldwide is one international nonprofit to benefit greatly from the delivery of technological assistance, as it strives to tackle world poverty and enrich the lives of those who inhabit the worlds poorest countries. It’s collaboration with Microsoft has proved especially beneficial, thanks to the implementation of Office 365 as an affordable infrastructure tool. By embracing instant access to cloud based information and an effective communication network, Concern Worldwide has been empowered as a professional organization that can invest more of its time and capital into grass roots projects around the world.
The Bottom Line:How Technology Had Changed the Nonprofit World
While it stands to reason that global nonprofits should benefit from technological innovations such as cloud based software and social media, the advantages for churches are less obvious at first glance. For any national or community based project to be operated effectively, however, there is a need for organizational and marketing tools that can reach out to as wide an audience as possible. Technology offers an increasingly affordable and accessible way of engaging followers in 2012, and brings a greater degree of professionalism and efficiency to the nonprofit world.