Online Nonprofit Technology Conference: Aligning IT with Your Mission - Steve Heye and John Merritt

Why is mission first the topic of a session about technology? Because mission is what makes the nonprofit sector matter. Unlike for-profit entities, nonprofits are not accountable to a financial bottom line; rather, they are responsible for serving a social bottom line. It’s true that nonprofit leaders must be good financial stewards, but that’s because their organizations won’t be able to keep providing services (delivering the mission) to their communities if they go out of business.

The goal of IT alignment is to use technology to support and enhance the work that you do to meet your mission. In other words, IT alignment will help you select and implement technology to achieve your mission and to avoid the trap of implementing the latest technology because it’s shiny, or because someone told you to. To make the most of this chapter, then, you’ll need to know what mission really means.

Takeaways:

1. Visual framework to evaluate how well aligned your mission and technology is.
2. Understanding of definition of IT Alignment and methods to help others understand it.
3. Tactical and strategic next steps, what you can act on today, tomorrow, next year and next decade.