Richard Craig, CEO of the Charity Technology Trust, explains how the third sector is using digital media to assist fundraising, communications, finance and IT
The national media never seem to tire of talking about budget cuts and the plight of the third sector – something those working at the coalface in this area are experiencing first hand. So with corporate donations and grants drying up, how can charities and social enterprises continue to deliver their missions with less?
Technology can help play a role in achieving this. Techniques like marketing via email can simplify and speed up communications to target audiences, which can also help organisations raise their profiles, emphasise their mission and communicate what they are achieving. Technology can also help organisations’ internal operations run more smoothly as well as collect and process payments, donations and gift aid contributions.
Greater reach: newsletters and social media marketing
Using everyday email and social media tools like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn can provide charities with an effective and easy way to communicate news, initiatives and goals to a wider audience.
For example, monthly email and online newsletters can keep staff, trustees, donors and stakeholders up to date with relevant information about the organisation. Content can include new initiatives, appointments/management changes and trustee profiles. A newsletter can also provide organisations with a platform with which to educate and provide a ‘call to action’ for their stakeholders on issues relating to their respective missions – be that developments in healthcare, foreign aid or new laws regarding animal rights.
Twitter allows followers to receive instant, bite-sized chunks of information from an organisation. Tweeting updates from an interesting event or when new information is available online can keep interested parties informed and drive more people to an organisation’s website, raising the profile of the charity and the cause it supports.
The Thai Children's Trust helps vulnerable and disadvantaged children in Thailand by supporting carefully chosen community projects and organisations. The Trust has been able to track each subscriber’s activity within a particular newsletter or online campaign – allowing the charity to tailor future messages according to previous responses. They have also been able to respond to events affecting the charity quickly and effectively using social media, with one fundraising appeal raising over £30,000 for no significant cost.
These techniques are easy to implement and can help organisations to provide a consistent and steady flow of information to their stakeholders.
Greater efficiency: do more with less
While internal processes are not the most rewarding aspect of working at a charity, efficiency is key to a more productive organisation. Networked computers and printers are essential for easy internal communications and can help offices – even virtual ones – run more smoothly.
A shared network also means staff can develop an internal system for tracking critical communications, such as grant applications. It can also ensure transparency throughout the organisation, which is especially important for reporting as well as working with government and NGOs.
Virtual private networks, or VPNs, allow external workers to gain secure access to the network from wherever they are, which means that even if an organisation’s team is based remotely, it can still easily adhere to its best practices and processes.
Age Concern Okehampton and Torridge uses its VPN to ease communications and cut travel expenses for its remote workers. Covering 800 square miles of rural area in the UK, the regional charity has cut its costs by 25 per cent, thanks to having a secure shared network that staff and clients can access from anywhere and use to manage and record project details.
Greater ability to receive funding: online payment processing
Online payment processing is not relevant for all charities, but for those that do collect donations – or simply want an easy way for corporate donors to continue their support – setting up a secure payment system on an organisation’s website can ease headaches when it comes to tracking and processing funds. Using online payment terminals can allow organisations to replace traditional credit card machines for both online and offline payments, including donations, membership fees, direct mail and telephone transactions, and product sales. They can also deliver automated gift aid reports.
Technology can help organisations do more with less. It allows them to communicate consistently on a wide scale, keep their records and files in order, organise remote workers and track their finances. Essentially, with basic technology applications, a third sector organisation can extend its reach and spend less time on admin, focusing more of its efforts on achieving its mission.
Richard Craig, CEO of the Charity Technology Trust
http://www.ctt.org/