12:00pm to Thursday, October 29, 2015
1:00pm EDT
As more technology tools emerge and nonprofits become more innovative in their use of them, you’re likely already seeing an increase in grant proposals that include equipment and software. How do you decide whether putting money toward these technologies is a good investment?
Join us, in partnership with Idealware, for a two-session course designed to help you understand what technologies are essential to your grantees and which are simply “nice to have.” Sign up for What Every Funder Needs to Know to Evaluate Technology Requests to gain the knowledge you need to make smart funding decisions for your foundation and your grantees.
The online webinars take place on Tuesday, October 27 and Thursday October 29, from noon to 1 PM (EDT). The cost is $85 when you enter GOWP2015. For more information, or to register, visit bit.ly/IW-TechFunders.
About Idealware
Idealware, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, provides thoroughly researched, impartial and accessible resources about technology to help nonprofits make smart technology decisions.
Detailed Course Description
What Every Funder Needs to Know to Evaluate Technology Requests
Two 60-minute webinars on Tuesday October 27 and Thursday October 29 from noon to 1 PM Eastern.
More and more grant proposals include requests for technology. How can you evaluate whether the proposed technology makes sense for the organization? What technologies should a nonprofit be thinking about?
In this two-part course, we help you understand how technology supports and enhances the programs, outreach, and infrastructure of the typical nonprofit—and the priority order for organizations needing to build capacity. We’ll then apply that knowledge directly to grant proposals and talk through how you should vet the technology portion of a proposal and the questions you should ask.
Course Schedule
Tuesday, October 27: Nonprofit Technology Concepts and Essentials
How do you sort out what’s essential from what’s simply “nice to have”? We’ll map out the hierarchy of nonprofit technology needs and discuss factors such as how often the technology will need to be updated or replaced, infrastructure management, program data tracking and reporting considerations, and the importance of online engagement.
Thursday, October 29: How to Evaluate the Technology Portion of a Proposal
All that theory is great, but how should you approach an actual proposal? We’ll start by pointing out the telltale signs of a poorly planned, underfunded technology project. Then we’ll walk through a checklist of questions to help you evaluate whether the project has a solid technology foundation. Finally, we’ll review a number of tips to keep in mind so that you can weigh the technology portion against other priorities and feel confident in your final decision.
All registered participants are granted access to the recordings of each session. Participants who cannot attend any of the sessions due to scheduling conflicts will still have access to the course presentation decks and handouts.
About the Presenter
Laura Quinn, Director of Partnerships and Knowledge, Idealware
Laura has worked in the technology field for nearly 20 years. As Idealware’s Director of Partnerships and Knowledge, she partners with Idealware staff and a diverse range of organizations to develop high quality information resources for nonprofits. Laura has worked with numerous foundations including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC, and the Legal Services Corporation to gain a deeper understanding of the technology needs in the nonprofit sector, review technology grant proposals, and conduct research to advance technology knowledge in the nonprofit sphere. She has also selected software, designed interfaces, and conducted user research for multimillion dollar software and website implementations with such companies as Accenture and iXL. Laura is a frequent speaker and writer on nonprofit technology topics for Markets for Good, TAG, the Grant Managers Network, and NTEN.