Rob Sorbo: Nonprofit Technology Coach

"When are you going to fix that _____?" My daughter asks me this from time to time. There's a light switch that doesn't work properly, there's a faucet that leaks, etc. Nothing that is negatively affecting our lives, but certainly are annoying. I can probably fix these things. DIY isn't my strong suit, but a few YouTube videos and a couple trips to the hardware store should be all it takes. The thing is, it's not something I'm great at. I get frustrated, I procrastinate, and I'm angry and annoyed the whole time I'm working on it. Tech is similar. It's not hard troubleshooting your website or researching the right software solution, but if this is outside of your primary skill set, it's just plain ol' annoying! Send me a message about what is causing you headaches at your organization and let's figure out the best solution together!

There are so many options. This is true across the board, but I'm talking about technology -- Social media platforms, software solutions, brands of hardware. A few thoughts: -- It can be overwhelming to choose. -- It can be tempting to use more services than you need (even free ones!). -- Having lots of options can be a good thing. One thing I've seen a lot: trying to have presence on too many platforms. Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, website, etc are all great. You know what's not great? Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and websites that aren't kept up. As your agency grows, it will make sense to expand your communication methods, but until you're ready to manage them well stick to 1 or 2.

I did a fun little experiment this morning. As I sat down to write, I thought I'd do a prompt on ChatGPT to get a little inspiration. If I wanted to, I could've simply copy/pasted what I got out of it, and I would've had plenty for a good post. Honestly, it wouldn't even take much polishing to get something I'd be happy with, and it would've taken me probably 2 total minutes. I've heard it said "You won't lose your job from AI, but you might lose your job to someone who knows how to use it." Your homework assignment today is to go on YouTube and find an introductory video showing you how to use an AI service like ChatGPT, and figure out a way that it can streamline your workload.

I volunteer at an organization that has three Facebook pages. Over the years of different volunteers helping with social media, accounts weren't passed from one person down to another, eventually causing us to lose track of the people who managed the original accounts. Don't let this happen to you! A couple things to try: -Set multiple people up to be able to administrate the account. Just because one person leaves doesn't mean everyone else should be locked out! -Create a Facebook user for your organization -- I'm not talking about the page for your organization, but rather a fake person. It can be named something like Page Admin or something, and then make sure people on your team know how to access it.

Working at a nonprofit seems to always stay interesting, doesn't it? At the nonprofit I work at, I help with events, fundraising, IT, and everything else that comes up, all on top of my main responsibilities of operations! Just the other day I got to cleanup the remains of a dead animal! Sometimes I get jealous hearing about large nonprofits or corporations who have full departments to take care of every little task, but honestly I love being at a small nonprofit and wearing a lot of hats. The challenge can be when you don't have the right person on your team to cover some of the tasks that need covered. Yes, we can find an article or YouTube video that shows us how, but that turns a 10 minute job into an all-afternoon job! Send me a message, tell me how I can help, and then take it off your to do list and let me figure it out for you! nonprofittechcoach.com

I recently read the book Brave New Words by Sal Khan (founder of Khan Academy). Khan dove into what AI usage in education could or should look like in the future. There was a great quote in the book, "You're probably not going to lose your job to AI, but you might lose your job to someone who knows how to use AI." Have you dabbled with AI yet? Spend a few minutes tinkering with the free version of ChatGPT, and prepare to be blown away. I've been using it to create contracts, MOUs, correspondence, and even a grant response.

I'm the worst at DIY projects. After a dozen YouTube, hundred trips to the hardware store, and a few unkind words spoken, I can usually get the project done. What I have found in many cases is that the tipping point from frustration to completion happens when I finally have the right tool. The same thing can happen when you're using the right tech.

Tasks vs Systems. When you choose new software or services for your organization, don't just think about if it will help you finish your tasks, think about if it will help you set up systems! Tasks are easy: send a text to a volunteer, send a thank you card to a donor, call a vendor and pay a bill, reach out to someone who needs your services. You can fill your days with these, and honestly, sometimes it's nice to mark it off the to do list. Systems take a lot more time to figure out and set up, but once it's up and running it will keep your organized and save you a lot of time. Instead of remembering to send a donor a thank you note, you'll get a quarterly reminder to send them one and there will be a running communication list in their profile. Instead of remembering to pay that bill, get it automated. What if volunteers automatically got a text or email reminding them about their shift? Setting up systems aren't usually difficult, but they do usually take a little bit of time. Send me a message and let me help you set up the right tools to propel your organization forward!

Let's talk about donors. If they go to your website, can they quickly find information about your programs that will inspire them to give? Once they decide to give, is that an easy process? If they forgot their wallet in the other room, do you have something like Apple Pay or Google Wallet that still lets the transaction be seamless? Once they have donated, how will you contact them? How will you give them what they need at tax time? Let's work together and make sure this is all seamless. nonprofittechcoach.com

Thought of the day: knowing how to do something doesn't mean you need to be doing it. Your website, email, software, and anything else you do that relies on technology is getting done, but it's taking up the time and attention of your team members who should be focused on other things. My ideal customer is a small nonprofit -- you probably have a few people on staff and some volunteers, but you're not at a place yet where it makes sense to have an IT person on your team. IT tasks are getting done, but you're leaning on someone who may not have the bandwidth or experience to do it well.