The Technopath Way: Productivity through tech for nonprofits

Sign-up for The Technopath Way Weekly Newsletter here: technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upThis week on the podcast Sarah is doing a shorter episode focused on productivity hacks and tools she uses every day! Listen in as she goes through the tech she loves to make sure none of her commitments fall through the cracks.Reading and writing productivity:Voice and voice typing (speech to text)Read aloud (text to speech)Screen Recordings:Loom (has chrome extension)https://www.loom.comVimeo (has chrome extension)https://www.vimeo.comScheduling:Calendly.comhttps://calendly.comOverall Productivity:Coda.iohttps://coda.io/pricingJotformshttps://www.jotform.com

Sign-up for The Technopath Way Weekly Newsletter here: technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upEasy Lifts to Start Gaining MomentumBe consistentStart with posting 1 day a week on 1 social media channelHave clients, donors or supporters create content for you by re-posting pictures they take at your events or posts they write about their experiences with your organization (with permission)Use what you already have - Did you recently do a photoshoot to promote a new initiative? Did you have a big event with a professional photographer taking candid shots? Look around - your organization most likely has at least something you can use.Best PracticesCreate a schedule to keep consistency flowing even if your regular social media person is out or leavesFigure out where the people you want to talk to spend time online. Focus your efforts there.Be genuine when trying to connect. Remember, these are REAL people.If you make a misstep - own it, apologize, make appropriate amends.If someone is offended, take the conversation off social media. Email them or call them directly if you can.

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Sign-up for The Technopath Way Weekly Newsletter here: technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upSarah sat down with Helene Erenberg, Director of Major Gifts and Individual Giving at the CDC Foundation, this week to talk about how Helene and her team have created a donor engagement plan. Here are some of our key takeaways:CDC Foundation’s Tech Stack for Qualifying DonorsRelationship building/getting to know donors personally is the absolute best wayUsing third party companies to verify income level, previous organizations donors have given to and likelihood of alignmentIf your organization doesn’t have this in the budget you can find much of this information through things like political donation lists, Googling salaries and asking board members if they know anyone who might have the means and interest to donate regularly Organization:Segment donors into portfolios based on giving levels, even if you don’t have the staff at this moment to man each oneRemember before qualifying that not everyone will want to convert, especially if they’ve given to you during a disasterPortfolios are broken down into campaignsStarted with 3 major gifts and a planned giving campaignsEach campaign was assigned a staff member to fully qualify the donorsCampaigns were then further broken down into tiers based on donor quality as the staff members worked their way throughEngagement ProcessIn Salesforce engagement plans are a series of tasks in sequential order that remind you when to do what in order to keep building a relationship with the donorFor a smaller organization whether a major gift for you is $1000 or $50,000 you still need to take the steps of cultivation and relationship building with the donorAlways meet the donor where they are for engagement, even if it’s unconventionalBe creative in your touchpointsWebinar invitation on topics of interestShort videosArticles about relevant topicsAdvice on Making the AskIt’s completely normal to be nervousBy the time you are making the ask, you should have a good enough relationship with the donor that it is not a surpriseThe ask is the very last step, it is not a fast process

Enjoying the tips and tricks you're learning? Join us on The Technopath Way Newsletter! We send a short, actionable newsletter each week with additional tips for everything from Salesforce optimization to productivity and fundraising tips. Sign-up for The Technopath Way Weekly Newsletter here: technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upThis week Sarah is flying solo as she brings you some in-depth strategic planning processes and tools. She discusses her methods for creating goals for Technopath and tracking our progress towards them as well as how she used to do this for several small nonprofits before she transitioned into her Salesforce consulting career.Often times it’s easier to help other people or organizations get their goals and measurements in order than it is for your own organization or life. In this episode Sarah commits to planning out Technopath’s goals and benchmark measurements strategically, the same way she helps her nonprofit clients. Come along for the journey and get your organization squared away too!Below you'll find all the links she mentioned in the show:V2Mom links:https://www.salesforce.com/blog/how-to-create-alignment-within-your-company/https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/innovation_project_definition?trailmix_creator_id=rturtle&trailmix_slug=v-2-mom-innovationVisioning Exercise links: PDF: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14BJKh8dgtHlfBramoVYXC5gv17lxRIGJ/view?usp=sharingOnline Form: https://form.jotform.com/210025289842050Extended 3 step plan free packet including cultivation and marketing mapping: https://technopath.podia.com/fundraisingplanWord doc of marketing task calendar: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1APCLoB30EtftZySBVnoTu8fsyBMe4Sgd/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=100113876094977149787&rtpof=true&sd=trueProject management tools articles:https://www.causevox.com/blog/free-project-management-tools-nonprofits/

Ep 105 – Nicole Schefler of Tech DivaYou can sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Technopath Way Tips, here: https://technopath.lpages.co/technopath-way-tips-email-opt-in-page/Nicole’s tips for staying organized and taming the overwhelm:· Map out the different technologies you useo Make a list of the different platforms/tools you use and what they are foro Leave a column for ‘cost’· In a subscription based technology world (like Netflix, Disney+) it is easy to lose sight of how much your org is spending each month· Take this list and see what automations you can put into use with your existing techo Do you have email automations set up? · If automations, technology and backend organization are not your zone of genius – outsource! Find a consultant or volunteer that can lighten this load· Reach out to adjacent nonprofit groups that focus on technology to fill your gaps· Use the analytics already embedded in many tools (open and click rates for emails, followers, engagement, impressions on social media) to determine if you’re being effective and to see where to allocate your time· Maybe you need a more catchy headline on LinkedIn, or clearer call-to-action on your website or social medias to have more potential stakeholders following you· No matter what technology you want to use ask for nonprofit pricing· Be clear on what and how you are asking stakeholders like volunteers and board members to do. While this can be time consuming to initially set up, it makes the inevitable turn over much easier to handle when the on-boarding of new board members and volunteers can be smooth and quickTech Stack· Canva for graphics - the free version is very robust for pulling in volunteers· Email Service Provider - email collection, storage, automation and marketing – · Meditation app – the mental clarity has really helped with creativity and feeling less overwhelmed· Digital notepad – Can write things out that are immediately converted to typed text for easy dissemination if needed, and allows you to access your notes on other devices like a phone while you’re on the go· Trello or Basecamp – Keeps everyone updated and on the same page with projects without you having to continually explain where you are in the process· Google Docs – simple and excellent for onboarding and turnoverManagement Tips· It is key to start with a culture of caring about the people you manage· Being empathetic and leading with a compassionate heart· When you build culture you build retention across the board – donors, volunteers, employees· Inclusivity is not just about diversity, it is also about building a culture where everyone feels heard, seen and accepted· Psychological safety is the number one thing for all organizations whether they are nonprofits or businesseso Ask questions safelyo Provide feedback safely· Investing in your weak points even when there isn’t a lot of wiggle room in the budgeto Paying for a management courseo Hiring an outside consultant to run technology, or engage more deeply with donors, anything outside your area of expertise· Remember to delegate and let go so your team can help your organization growNicole’s Must-Have Tool for any project – Google Suite. Everyone knows the basics of how to use it no matter what kind of turnover rate your organization may have.Google Suite free for nonprofits -- https://www.google.com/nonprofits/?fbclid=IwAR1k55TvWmAB9rvQGE-8K9of6h10Dh2hSpoHIJa-R7EU6b8yvaxKFFFGO6k

Sign-up for The Technopath Way Weekly Newsletter here: technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upScenario: I am on a board of a volunteer run nonprofit. The folks running our systems are still using gmail, yahoo, comcast and other personal email. How do I change this? We already have a website that was set up by a volunteer no longer at the organization.Go to whois.com. There you can put your website into a search bar and it will tell you what company your domain is registered with. For instance, if it is Godaddy, you can call them and tell them what you are trying to do. GoDaddy also have a lot of “how-to” videos at godaddy.com/how-to. No matter what company it is, you can go to their website, get their contact information and call them. Tell them you want to set up email through your website, but don’t know how to get it set up and can no longer reach the person who originally purchased the domain for your organization.Your web host is typically who you bought your domain name from, but as Cindy tells us, not always. You may need this information if you are hiring a new web developer. If they ask you for this and you don’t know, you can probably find it on an annual bill. Search your email archives for billing records. The bottom line is - don’t worry! It is not as technical as it may seem, you just need to know the basic concepts to know who to call.Helpful Tech Mentioned by CindyRegistering a Domain: Godaddy.com - Reassign ‘owner’ of registered domainNamecheap.com - easier interfaceWebhosting:Inmotion - Cindy’s preferredGodaddy.comBluehost.com Email hosting: Often this is available through your webhost, but you will most likely want to set it up through Outlook or a similar email service to make it easier to navigate for yourself.High Quality CRM: SalesforceOthers include Hubspot (just came out with a new nonprofit CRM), Bloomerang, kindful, Salsa, Neon, Donor Perfect, Wild Apricot, VirtuousDigital Marketing General Tips:Email collection is key. You can create a form on your website or through a service like Mailchimp that can be embedded on your website. Then connect it to your CRM. Again, all the folks at these companies have support that can get you or another volunteer started if you are “bootstrapping” it.Make sure you have a dedicated website/digital marketing role assigned to someone who is either on staff or contracted in order to maintain consistencyCreate brand/style guidelines for continuityWebsite Building Platform:Cindy recommends WordPress.orgWordPress.org is separate from WordPress.comWordPress.com has less control over the website, plugins are not allowed, it is not as sophisticated, good for very basic absolute beginner bloggers, not for building a business or organizationSocial Media Help:Socialmediaexaminer.com has informative articles and a podcastFiverr.com - good for small projects, Virtual Assistants and contractors

Sign-up for The Technopath Way Weekly Newsletter here: technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upBe The MatchHow can I check if I’m still registered in the database if I signed up years ago? You can call this number to find out: 1 (800) MARROW-2 [1-800-627-7692] or send an email to questions@nmdp.orgThere is an app you can download to check your status, update your contact information and see if you’ve been matched with a patiento Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/my-be-the-match/id1535536887Please text the word “Salesforce” to 61474 to join Be The Match!What are Justin and the members of the IT team at Be the Match doing lately? Updating 30 years worth of technology and bringing the entire experience of Be The Match online. Monumental task!How are their Salesforce orgs communicating to other systems?One of their orgs is connected to transplant clinics that supply life-saving operationso The donor org records must be able to communicate with the transplant org recordso Not every transplant clinic uses the same tech and databases so they had to iron out how to get their Salesforce orgs to match up with themThat sounds complicated. How does the team keep track of all the moving parts?o They have a huge diagram to help colleagues understand which orgs are connected and communicate with one another and how they do thatHow do you get your system to work with other systems from transplant clinics and hospitals? Aren’t they all using different systems? They have built custom applications to input data specific to Be The Match, like DNA characteristics and matching the patients with donors, and then translate it so other stakeholders’ databases and systems can consume the information.One system was created by Be The Match called Match Source to handle some of this.Then they purchased and customized a WSO2 connector called ESBESB takes that data in from Salesforce and turns it into data that can be consumed by the other databases and systems used by stakeholders, like clinics and hospitals as not everyone uses Salesforce.Hot Tip: If your organization regularly shares data with stakeholders outside your organization that do not have Salesforce a system like ESB is a great resource to haveHow does Be The Match get donor data?· Often through text campaigns· Live, on-campus events at colleges, universities, churches, sporting eventsHow has Salesforce helped Be the Match?· Salesforce has streamlined Be The Match’s ability to help doctors and clinics find the correct donor to potentially save a patient’s life.Information Security with sensitive data· In Salesforce encryption is incredibly granular HIPPA, data privacy and securityo Meet with Salesforce admin regularly to decide which columns need to be encrypted rather than just encrypting an entire table· What is encryption?o Encryption will make a piece of data look like gibberish unless the person or computer looking at it has specific ‘key’ or piece of code to ‘unlock’ the encryptiono Take a look at protecting secret data on this Salesforce Trailhead on encryptiono Deterministic – fixedo Probabilistic – random, dynamic· How can you report on encrypted data in Salesforce?o Move some encryption down to ‘deterministic’ that needs to be reported ono While this is still protected it is not ‘best practice’, however, if you need to include this type of information in a report it is the best workaround available while still protecting your constituents’ sensitive informationo Alternatively, some orgs use reporting tools like Tableau or Looker to report on data from data lakes like Snowflake to return reporting functionality rather than downgrade encryptions on tables§ Data lake: a centralized repository that allows you to store all your structured and unstructured data at any scale, without having to first structure the data. You can then run different types of analytics—from dashboards and visualizations to big data processing, real-time analytics, and machine learning to guide better decisions.Tip for all nonprofits· Don’t make your business processes part of the donor experience, ie, the potential donor you are meeting at an event does not care when the end of your fiscal year is, so do not make it part of why they should sign up today.

Sign-up for The Technopath Way Weekly Newsletter here: technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upSarah and Marley's discussion ranges from how Americorps Vista can help nonprofits scale up without the financial burden of extra employees to data collection and governance. Marley mentions some of her favorite tools as a Salesforce nonprofit consultant and how she uses them to make life easier while helping nonprofits use their powerful data to move their missions forward.Episode NotesData Governance for nonprofits, Salesforce vs Raiser’s Edge•Having a data specialist, separate from your system administrator, means your organization can stay focused on moving the mission forward. A data specialist will ask the right questions and take all things ‘data’ off your plate.•Americorps Vista – Labor intensive up front, but it is a more cost effective way to try out having a data specialist in your organization. It is typically a less experienced person volunteering through the federal government to gain experience. Your organization will typically pay a small monthly stipend as well as specific reporting and documentation for the government in exchange for the less monetarily intense help of a data specialist building your capacity.What does a data specialist do?•Asks the right questions:oWhat data do we need to capture?oHow long do we need to keep it?oDo we have any regulations we need to be in compliance with because of the nature of our nonprofit?•Ensures the organization is taking the long view and the wide view of what types of data it needs to collect and how it will store/use them.•Makes sure your data is secure, safe and meaningful.Biggest challenges nonprofits typically face in terms of data:•Data governance really shouldn’t be owned by just one person in your organization, like your system administrator. It should be owned by all key stakeholders so everyone knows the state of data in your organization.•Making a game plan/road map for where things are headed. •Answering the difficult questions of “what data should we really have and how long should we be keeping it?”•Always be planning for your growth and the data collection that comes along with it.•As organizations grow they often realize they collected or kept data they didn’t really need and could have actually streamlined a lot of their processes to better serve their clients.How should organizations document their data?•A data dictionary olabor intensive, but extremely useful to be able to pass on to othersoIn short, a data dictionary describe a table’s columns based on common traits (i.e name, definition, data type) within another table. Admins use data dictionaries when a data table is simply too large to view directly. Data dictionaries allow readers to understand complex databases without having to investigate each column. You can think of them as a summary of data about data.•Field TripoThis is an app through Salesforce’s AppExchange that shows you what percentage each field is being used•Doing regular audits of what systems are set up and whether or not they are important to our organization. Tips for Taming the Data Overwhelm•Data is a long game, you have time, data is fixable, extremely difficult to break•Approach data in little chunks so you have time to think about the implications, plan and discuss it with stakeholders.Differences between Raiser’s Edge and Salesforce•Salesforce customize the client journey over time as you grow. Raiser’s Edge is mostly geared toward internal tracking and segmenting for marketing.•Salesforce can bring clients in through digital experiences, and is much more flexible in terms of interacting with clients.•Raiser’s Edge is much easier to use right out of the box and does not require the same level of computer savvy and programming that Salesforce does, however this can become restrictive. Salesforce needs to be set up and customized before it can really be used.•Raiser’s Edge means you’ll need to conform your organization’s processes to how it collects and organizes data. Salesforce can conform to your organization’s unique processes. Marley’s Go-To Salesforce tools•Elements – Great for admins or consultants who do a lot of building. It connects to your org and remaps Salesforce for you so you gather across many different objects and fields. You can review your automation and is a much simpler view of your Salesforce org but still provides documentation for you to provide to end users. It simplifies your admin work.•DemandTools - (nonprofit pricing) – Great for data migrations. It lets you find IDs to use in your data loader and helps you with finding duplicates across all data fields and objects and merging them. It lets you use starter scripts that are extremely customizable, but that give you a great starting point. It makes data maintenance so much easier with a good, broad view. Let’s you view in more of an Excel sheet that is easily editable.Organizing Tools•White boards – at least 2, what am I working on today, what am I keeping an eye on, longer term.Marley’s Cause•Foster Children and the nonprofits that support themoTogether We RiseoCovenant House – Supports homeless youth

Sign-up for The Technopath Way Weekly Newsletter here: technopath.ac-page.com/the-technopath-way-sign-upSarah chats with Christina Lennon, nonprofit executive consultant, about how to streamline the day-to-day processes of your organization while still maintaining an overview of the bigger picture. They discuss the strategies Christina uses to help overwhelmed nonprofit professionals and some quick wins you can immediately put to use. See you on The Technopath Way!Show Notes:Christina’s Tips for Taming the OverloadTake time out of the day-to-day to get “up to the balcony” and have a good overview of what’s going on in the big picture. Don’t let yourself get put in a position where you feel like you have to do something rashMake sure everyone is on the same page about what the word ‘success’ means in terms of the organization Define the ‘why’, define ‘success’ Set deadlines for when you will take action because there will never come a time when you have all the information, or the perfect moment. Don’t wait for a committee meeting or yearly strategic planning meeting.Look for people outside the organization doing what you want to be doing, well. Scan internally, go ask for advice externallyIt will keep you from making a rash decision because you’ve spoken to people and keep you moving alongMake sure you build a support network of peers to bounce ideas of off, and help you keep the big picture in mind.An executive director should make sure they are fostering a supportive and accepting culture and hiring people that contribute to and build upon it. All executive directors should be involved in maintaining relationships with donors.Quick Wins for Donor Relationship BuildingStewardship – who are your largest donors and who have you spoken to in the last 2-3 months?Foundation and major gifts are 3 visits – 2 get-to-know-you visits and 1 solicitationMake 3 visits or calls a week and 3-6 handwritten thank you notes a monthTaking a nonprofit from 0 to 60Visiting donors as well as people who would be interested in the foundationHiring the right people to carry the message you want to get across A visible, tangible early win will help you get the social capital you’ll need with your stake holders to complete other necessary, bigger changes.You don’t always have to start at the place of biggest impact, but rather the biggest, most visible win to show success and build momentum with constituents.Parting AdviceDuring times of great upheaval, like the pandemic, it is a great opportunity to inspire your stakeholders to make larger changes or implement a creative or ambitions project.Nonprofits that decided to be more on the offense early in the pandemic have now diversified their funding, are rehiring staff and providing more services than those who took a more defensive stance.The pain of staying the same must be greater than the pain of changing.