501 Commons launched a campaign to close the gap between the nonprofit and business sectors in access to technology. Most nonprofits are operating without the up-to-date equipment, software, systems and services that are commonly available to help businesses serve customers efficiently, promote employee productivity, and track results.

Nonprofit organizations are heavily dependent upon grants from foundations, corporations, and government to underwrite their services.  Almost all of these funders prohibit nonprofits from spending grant funds on technology equipment, planning and consultation, software, services, and support. Furthermore, when asking individuals for gifts, nonprofits feel that they must make a case for donations to support programs and services—not their technology needs.

The result is that the nonprofits we rely on to do important work, like helping kids succeed in school, providing job training to people with disabilities, protecting victims of domestic violence, and protecting waterways from pollution, get less accomplished with their limited resources because they are not using technology effectively. They are working with out-of-date technology and insecure and unreliable networks, their client data and files are not backed up, and they are not communicating and collaborating effectively.

There is already a well-established national system through TechSoup for providing discounted software from companies like Microsoft, Adobe, and Intuit. And, many companies like Google, Box, Cisco and Salesforce, have built discounted pricing for nonprofits into their business models. Other companies like Deloitte and Slalom Consulting are providing pro bono services or promoting employee volunteerism. But, the gap persists and there is more we can do.

The Pacific Northwest is home to some of the most innovative and important technology companies in the world. 501 Commons believes many more of these companies will join in helping to ZaptheGap!

Many companies find good philanthropy is also good business. The 55,000 nonprofits in Washington State are a large customer base, but they need help getting a leg up on technology and joining the 21st Century in their use of cloud-based services, more efficient hardware, improving technology skills in the nonprofit workforce, and redesigning business processes to better use technology.

Here are six actions that WTIA members can take to ZaptheGap:

1. Endorse the ZaptheGap campaign. Sign up as an individual or company by contacting Graham Ford at graham@501commons.org.
2. Make donations of products and services or offer a nonprofit discount. (Examples of needs are cloud storage, video editing, geomapping, and online learning tools.)
3. Provide training and pro bono expertise to nonprofits. (501 Commons can help you do this.)
4. Help 501 Commons advocate to private foundations, corporations, and governments to change their policies and actively fund technology and technology-related services.
5. Join 501 Commons in helping nonprofits learn how to make the case for technology equipment, services, and solutions.
6. Promote the campaign and the participating companies by being a sponsor of the 501 Commons’ annual Techtacular event.

The 501 Commons team is excited about the prospects of igniting change to dramatically improve the technology capacity of nonprofit organizations. Better technology means nonprofits can better accomplish their community strengthening and life-affirming missions. Please join us!