Advances in digital tech make it easier for NFPs to streamline their processes, improve the results of their fundraising campaigns, lower costs and improve the quality of the services that they provide. Millions of Australians depend upon these services, which is why it is so critical for nonprofits to invest in improving their IT.

Despite the importance of including upgrades in their budgets, a recent survey on digital technology use in the nonprofit sector shows that most NFPs are still failing to obtain and deploy the technology that they need to operate in a profitable and productive manner.

How does your nonprofit fare in comparison to others? Have you updated your systems and processes, or, are you missing out on opportunities because you’re still relying on outdated software and manual processes to get things done?

Keeping up with advances in IT can dramatically increase the amount of good your NFP accomplishes in your community. The following are three ways that nonprofits can use IT upgrades to increase their impact.

USE CRM to Make Your Data More Actionable

Customer relationship management (CRM) tools make it easier to gather data about your current and former donors and put it to good use. With CRM, you can gain insight into your top donors and what inspires them to give. CRM allows you to organise and automate many fundraising processes, from curating your email lists to testing messages, measuring results and tweaking your approach throughout your campaigns to drive better results. It also allows you to track your donors’ preferences when it comes to knowing when and how to communicate with them, which can greatly improve your fundraising results.

Shift Your Focus from Branding to Fundraising on Social Media

An estimated 74% of the world’s population that is aged 18 and above uses social media regularly. To connect with them in a meaningful way, it’s not enough to create a website and Facebook Page and call it a day.

Social Media is more than just a platform to get the word out about your organisation, and the cause that you are fighting for; it’s a great way to raise funds for your cause. Facebook, Twitter and other social media channels now all have apps that make it easy for supporters to donate directly to your cause from your social media platform. Nonprofits need to create and post content in such a way that it stirs the hearts and minds of viewers and spurs them on to taking action to support your cause.

You’re Missing Out if You’re Not Optimised for Mobile

A majority of Internet users’ now access web content via their smartphones rather than traditional desktops, if you haven’t taken the time to optimise your site for mobile use you are truly missing out. If you only have room in your budget for one IT upgrade this year, this is one area where you should focus on. Optimising your site for mobile use means that your web pages will load quickly and be displayed properly, all of which increases your visitor’s experience on your site and encourages them to engage more with your nonprofit!