The Nonprofit Technology Network puts on an amazing annual conference called the Nonprofit Technology Conference, or NTC for short. Generally held in spring, the conference is held in various cities throughout the United States, typically alternating between east coast, west coast, and the heartland so everyone has a chance at attending at some point with easier travel. Thinking back to my first time at the NTC, I remember being in a state of ecstasy and overwhelm for much of the event. So many … [Read more...] about A First-Timer’s Guide to Enjoying the Nonprofit Technology Conference
NPtech
5 Things to Look for When Hiring a Technology Consultant
A sizable part of a my job at the Bayer Center was providing technology consulting services for nonprofits. However, once in a while we did an in-house project where we needed to hire an outside consultant to do some technical work, and sometimes I got to project manage it. At one point, we hired a Salesforce implementer and I got to thinking about the traits that are the highest on my list when hiring a consultant (and that I try to emulate when I do consulting): Technical chops. This is a … [Read more...] about 5 Things to Look for When Hiring a Technology Consultant
The Importance of SSL for Nonprofits
Amar Trivedi of AmDee, LLC, is my guest blogger today, providing guidance on how crucial it will be for nonprofits to upgrade their websites to SSL in the coming months. Amar is the founder and president of AmDee and has been a software developer and architect since the mid-1990s. The Importance of SSL for Nonprofits An active online presence is essential to promoting your nonprofit organization’s campaigns, but that doesn’t mean you need to know all of that intimidating Internet jargon. … [Read more...] about The Importance of SSL for Nonprofits
Struggling to Learn New Technology? Adopt a Growth Mindset.
I've been doing a lot of training lately, most recently a class at the Bayer Center last week called DIY Websites with WordPress. Upon reflection, I realize that I'm hearing a good deal of self-criticism, particularly in hands-on technology trainings. For example: "I have a stupid question." "I'll never remember how to do this." "I'm so dumb when it comes to technology." "I totally screwed this up." This makes me very sad. The people who come to my workshops are highly intelligent … [Read more...] about Struggling to Learn New Technology? Adopt a Growth Mindset.
Evaluating WordPress Plugins
Someone recently asked me this question during a WordPress clinic: "How do I know if a WordPress plugin is a good one to use?" An excellent question, though the answer is a little less straightforward than I'd prefer. WordPress is an open source community and as such, anyone who wants to create a plugin can do so. WordPress.org maintains a plugin directory but the guidelines for submission are primarily centered on licensing and keeping people from doing illegal things via plugins. One would … [Read more...] about Evaluating WordPress Plugins
The Importance of (and Resources for) Technology Planning at Nonprofit Organizations
I've been thinking about nonprofits and the importance of technology planning a lot lately. I strongly believe that every nonprofit organization, regardless of size or budget, should have some semblance of a technology plan. As part of my work, I've helped many nonprofits assess their technology usage and become better at planning for tech. I thought it could be useful to share info on this topic, so I went digging through some materials I have handy. One of the first things I found is a … [Read more...] about The Importance of (and Resources for) Technology Planning at Nonprofit Organizations
