12 Oct The New Normal for Nonprofits: How Technology is Changing Internal Communications and Collaboration

By Jackie Sue Griffin, MBA, MS

The world had to quickly respond to the global pandemic that suddenly made it unsafe for people to gather and be in close contact. For nonprofits, this meant canceling events, adjusting fundraising strategies and instituting remote work policies.

While the transition was abrupt, it proved to be less disruptive than expected, thanks to new technologies that allowed teams to communicate and collaborate. Once people overcame the learning curve, many nonprofit leaders discovered that technologies like messaging platforms and social tools could seamlessly replace in-person meetings.

And more than a year since the world changed drastically, we now see how adopting new technologies into our process is no longer simply a band-aid solution but the key to a more organized and productive “new normal.” Here are some ways collaboration technologies are changing internal communications for nonprofits:

Video Conferencing

Video conferencing is nothing new. For years, many organizations have been using Zoom, Skype Video, Facebook Messenger and FaceTime to communicate via video. But when the pandemic forced lockdowns and quarantines, many organizations quickly adopted video conferencing platforms to simulate face-to-face communication daily.

For nonprofits, videoconferencing becoming the norm proves beneficial as it also means increasing your global reach. And with almost everyone having access to a video conferencing tool these days, this means more access to your team, volunteers, donors and partners.

Video conferencing also contributes to the bottom line as it saves on travel costs like flights, meals, mileage reimbursements and more.

Virtual Fundraising

The pandemic may have brought in-person fundraising events to a halt, but it didn’t mean fundraisers couldn’t continue on a different platform. Virtual fundraisers give nonprofits a way to connect with your audience, promote your mission and encourage continued contributions. In many cases, they also cut event costs!

Streaming platforms such as Facebook Live and YouTube have proven to be integral to virtual platforms, along with invite tools. Some streaming tools even give you the capability to screen share and caption your event. Other tools you may already have that can be used to invite guests to your fundraiser include email and social media. If you don’t have an online donation page, there are also platforms built especially for that purpose, including PayPal, GiveForms and other website donation pages.

While it’s likely that in-person events will continue to increase as the pandemic subsides, many nonprofits realize that virtual events can have a continuing role in their efforts to raise funds and supporters.

Collaboration Tools

Nonprofits leverage technology for marketing, communications, performance management, reporting, data collection and program management. Collaboration tools help keep track of tasks and give real-time updates to prevent duplication of work, bottlenecks or miscommunication.

Collaboration tools are excellent for nonprofits that need to delegate tasks to a remote team, keep track of recurring tasks, schedule meetings, monitor marketing campaigns and so on. Remote work means that your nonprofit is no longer geographically limited when it comes to talent recruitment and retention. With affordable—and even free!—tools available, your team’s productivity, efficiency and morale can skyrocket.

Because technology can help nonprofits communicate and collaborate better, being part of the current digital transformation is critical in continuing your mission and increasing supporter engagement.