I chaired O'Dwyer Retreat Center's board and finance committee before serving seven years as Executive Director. At Verizon, I spent 15+ years selling enterprise technology. The decisions below show how we chose technology a small staff could use and support.
In the Chronicle of Philanthropy's 2025 survey of more than 350 nonprofit leaders, a lack of in-house expertise was another common obstacle.
Survey conducted by Clarion Research. Source: Chronicle of Philanthropy, 2025 survey (subscription required)
Technology and meeting-space upgrades were part of our multi-year strategic plan. We had a small staff and no internal IT team. As Executive Director, I had to turn those priorities into systems our team could actually use and support.
This was the first technology project under the strategic plan. We started with a cable modem, basic internet service, and four wireless access points. As Executive Director, I raised $40,000 and vetted three contractors. The replacement had to be easy for clients to use and practical for our limited staff to support.
The largest vendor, but unfamiliar with our business and how we needed the system to operate.
A one-person business that had serviced our system every year and already knew our needs.
A proposal that included service-level agreements we did not need.
I chose the middle-priced contractor for his understanding of our operation. I also prepared secondary options in case a primary component went down.
Fiber to the building, 13 access points providing coverage throughout the property, and upgraded wireless audio and video capabilities in each room.
The priorities were ease of client use and ease of support for a small staff.
A $50,000 security system was a major decision for a $1.5M organization with no IT staff. I needed to evaluate the support behind it as carefully as the system itself.
The sales question I carry now: how much of the work does the client need us to carry?
An approved plan does not change anything by itself. Neither does a signed contract.
At Verizon, I managed a $10M+ annual enterprise portfolio. Seven years in the buyer's chair sharpened what I ask before recommending a solution: How will the client use the technology? What can their team support? Who carries the work after launch?
If you are bringing technology into nonprofit work, let's talk about what it takes to make it useful.