Your Not for Profit’s strategic plan really needs an IT strategy to support it.
Right now, a lot of Not for Profits are reviewing their current strategic plans or in the planning stages of creating their next one. Yet despite their dependency on technology to run their operations, few actually have an IT strategy to support it.
The consequences of not having an IT strategy?
- Revenue can be lost due to inadequate customer-facing systems and websites. “We make it so hard for our donors/members to pay us!” said one of my clients.
- Staff are frustrated by outdated technology or working with systems that no longer meet the organisation’s needs. “I spend all of my time fixing issues created by the system, that I don’t have time to focus on our clients,” said another Not for Profit client.
- Cybersecurity and business continuity risks are unnecessarily high because vendors are not supporting older hardware and software.
What’s an IT strategy?
An IT strategy is essentially a plan that outlines how the organisation will use technology to achieve its mission and goals.
This could be as simple as investments in staff training to better utilise existing systems or updating your laptops. Or it can be as difficult as a full IT or digital transformation over time.
What are the parts of an IT strategy?
An IT strategy consists of several parts, such as:
- An investment policy statement that defines the purpose, objectives, and characteristics of these IT investments, i.e. how it will support the business objectives and mission.
- The governance structure that will oversee and make relevant decisions related to the IT investments.
- An assessment of the current IT assets and needs, and a gap analysis that identifies the areas for improvement.
- A Roadmap that prioritises the project investments over the strategic period including estimated budgets.
- A process for reviewing and updating the Roadmap as needs and circumstances change over time.
These parts work together to ensure that the IT investments align with the organisation’s mission and goals and deliver the desired outcomes and benefits.
As an independent consultant, I help Not for Profits prepare IT strategy and IT Transformation Roadmaps all the time. To learn more about my approach, head to Transformation Roadmaps – Roundbox Consulting.
Tammy Ven Dange is a former charity CEO, Association President, Not for Profit Board Member and IT Executive. Today she helps NFPs with strategic IT decisions, especially around investments.