Paving the road to digital maturity for Nonprofits – A webinar with InfoTech and Unit4
Modern nonprofits operate in an era where competition and funding allocation is fiercer than ever. Coupled with the digital evolution across our lives, organizations must adapt with modern tools to remain impactful; digital maturity has become the key differentiator of modern nonprofit success.
Chris Brewer of Unit4 and Ross Armstrong from Info-Tech Research Group shared valuable insights in a recent webinar about how nonprofits can (and should) elevate their digital capabilities to maximize their impact.
Keep reading our blog to get the highlights and learn how you can transform too.
The importance of digital maturity for nonprofits
Digital maturity for nonprofits means more than installing new systems and hoping for improvement. At its core, it involves aligning technology and data with the organization’s mission to improve communications, expand reach, and deepen impact.
"Real digital transformation is about how you use technology to transform processes, outreach, and procedures—not just about implementing the latest technology," Ross stated during the webinar.
Nonprofits with advanced digital processes can better engage donors, streamline operations, and deliver meaningful beneficiary experiences. However, there are roadblocks, including constrained budgets and the perennial challenge of doing more with less.
"Nonprofits are often stuck in a starvation cycle, where they are expected to do more with less, neglecting infrastructure and digital capabilities," Ross added. This cycle often prevents organizations from dedicating resources to vital digital transformations.
Nonprofits can reimagine everyday processes by digital transforming
Digital tools are powerful enablers of nonprofit missions. From automating routine tasks to deploying sophisticated donor engagement strategies, nonprofits stand to gain much from these solutions.
"Digital tools empower mission delivery, improve constituent experiences, and drive operational efficiencies,” Ross emphasized.
However, digital transformation needs to be tied directly to an organization’s goals. Ross encouraged leaders to ask, "What is the purpose of your organization’s existence in the first place? Who do you service? Use that mission to frame what being digital could mean and the value it must deliver."
This alignment ensures every initiative contributes to advancing the core mission rather than complicating processes unnecessarily.
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Considerations for nonprofits when transforming
Before nonprofits take the leap into major digital initiatives, it’s imperative to assess their current state of readiness.
"Assess your organization's maturity and capabilities before making any technology investments. You must be able to answer: Are we truly ready for this?" Ross advised.
It’s not just about vendor or product selection but assessing your own readiness. Nonprofits need to understand if their systems are scalable, whether they have skilled staff, and if their organizational culture supports the changes digital tools bring. It’s this kind of pre-implementation thinking that builds a platform for digital maturity.
Skills also play a key role. If nonprofits lack digital proficiency within their teams, their initiatives may falter. "Organizations that do not prioritize digital proficiency will face challenges like lack of agility, staff turnover, and failed initiatives," noted Ross.
Once nonprofits assess their digital landscape, they can identify high-impact opportunities for digital transformation. Leadership must focus on initiatives that will deliver the greatest return, both in terms of impact and efficiency. "Modernization is doing it better; digital transformation is doing it differently," Ross clarified.
Some exciting opportunities include Cloud capabilities that enhance flexibility and productivity, enable outcome-based fund management and leveraging AI for donor engagement – but this all starts with:
4 actionable steps for nonprofits to pave the road to digital maturity
Getting started with digital initiatives can seem overwhelming, but nonprofits can follow these four essential steps outlined in the webinar:
1. Assess your current maturity and capabilities
Assessing your readiness for transformation is key to ensure you’re prepared before leaping into tech investments. Importantly, this is the first step to discover the outcomes you need, and a step on the road to digital maturity.
2. Align your goals by building a unified strategy
By aligning digital goals with mission needs, nonprofits can avoid misaligned efforts. This is also key for C-suite buy-in, they need numbers, projects, and outcomes to invest.
Digital transformations don’t flourish in isolation; leadership must be on board. "Digital transformation requires that executives at the highest level lead the organization through these changes to fruition," Ross confirmed.
3. Plan a strategic roadmap with IT
Develop a prioritized list of digital projects that address current challenges and streamline key operations. Ross highlights that it’s up to CIOs and IT teams to build ‘the art of the possible’ and open this door for the rest of the organization.
4. Deploy technology within a solid foundation
Actions like optimizing connectivity, shifting to Cloud computing, and upgrading security practices are foundational to long-term success.
Click to read Helping nonprofits deliver on their mission with FP&A and HCM Gated
Partner with Unit4 on the road to digital maturity
Nonprofits must invest in their digital maturity today to be better positioned to serve their communities and mission tomorrow – to boost donor retention, foster operational resilience, and adapt to technological advances with agility.
"Nonprofits are expected to do Herculean work to serve their missions," Chris also noted. Breaking free from legacy processes and outdated myths about overhead spending will provide them with the tools needed to lead sustainable, impactful missions in the modern era.
By understanding your mission, assessing readiness, and employing tools like Cloud technologies, you can ensure transformations are not just efficient but empowering. Take the first step - assess where your organization stands today and begin building a digital future that matches your ambitious goals.
To learn how Unit4’s user-friendly ERP suite can help your nonprofit organization transform, provide an integrated approach to financial planning with FP&A, read about our nonprofit-specific capabilities, talk to sales, or get a demo today, and pave your road to digital maturity.
