I recently spoke at a conference for Christian nonprofit leaders on the topic of IT strategy. I started my talk by asking the audience: “How many of your organizations currently have an IT strategy in place?” I expected many hands to shoot up, but I was surprised. Out of the very few who unconfidently raised their hands, I learned that many nonprofit leaders were confused as to what an IT strategy even was.
One person shouted out, “Does an acceptable use policy count?”
No… no it doesn’t 😀
Through the ages, the term “strategy” has been confused, conflated, and compromised, almost to the point of being devoid of meaning.
Understanding what an IT strategy is will help you take those first steps to getting clarity on technology. With a solid strategy, you’ll find significance among the list of tasks, and you’ll know exactly where to apply your IT budget to have the most impact.
What a nonprofit IT strategy is:
Let’s cut through the noise and settle on our definition of IT strategy.
Your approach to achieving current and future business outcomes with technology.
It’s simple, but there’s also a good bit of nuance in this sentence.
An IT strategy is…
Your approach not your tactics.
In what way does technology solve your business outcomes? What angle suits your business and best serves your constituents?
Your approach is defined by how you view technology and where you’re trying to take your business. It’s true that tech has, and will continue, to revolutionize every aspect of business. However, it’s still just a tool. It doesn’t have to run you.
You don’t have to be on the cutting edge, driven by every arising technical trend. It’s okay to be a few steps back as long as you’re there intentionally. The important thing is that you make a decision on exactly where you’re going to leverage technology that works best for you.
Focused on business outcomes.
What is the point of having a strategy if it doesn’t define any real outcomes? Utilizing technology well can be a significant investment, but it should also yield a significant return. Your IT strategy is all about helping you keep your technological efforts focused on results.
Considerate of current business outcomes
What are the big problems that need solving now? Part of writing your IT strategy is getting clear on what’s been holding you back.
Sometimes it’s difficult to know all the weights we carry. When you plod along every day and never look around to see the obstacles around you, it’s easy to get tangled up. Taking the time to stop, look around, and quantify your current challenges gives you a different perspective. Which is exactly what all of us need from time to time.
Looking toward future business outcomes
Along with seeing where you are, building an IT strategy for your nonprofit gives you a chance to see where you’re going. It’s one thing to know where you want to go missionally. Sometimes, it maintains the course while other times, it makes a course correction. But, will you be dragging a technological anchor?
Adapting to conditions is inherently reactionary. A strategy gives you time to look ahead and plan so you are prepared for the struggles and crises that come.
Key Attributes of an Effective IT Strategy
Purpose
Getting clear on why you’re using technology is a necessary first step to getting value from it.
When we build something, we usually intuitively know the purpose of the tools we choose. For a nail, we grab a hammer. For a screw, we use a screwdriver. If we don’t own the right tool or it isn’t handy, we reach for something similar and get to work, which is fine for simple tasks. But what about when it’s a BIG job, one that will cost us if it’s done wrong? Then it’s important to get the right tool. One that’s designed specifically for what we’re doing.
Technology is an expensive tool with endless variations. It can be difficult to know if you’re using it properly, in the way it was intended.
Think about the task at hand (your mission) and decide how technology helps you with that task.
Vision:
I coach my daughter’s soccer team, and I noticed that most players stare down at the ball in front of them when they run. They’re so focused on looking down that they can’t see what’s around them or where they’re going. But the players who find the most success are the ones who look up and plot out where they’re going and how they’ll get there.
It’s so easy to get lost in the day-to-day problems that crop up and to only look at what’s directly in front of you.
Thinking about your IT strategy lets you look up and ahead to where you want to go. Where will technology take your business, help your constituents, or impact your mission?
Vision is your view of the future and the lasting impact your organization will make in the world. What outcomes does technology help you achieve in your view of the future?
Values:
Many Christian nonprofits have words that describe why they exist. The history and purpose behind those words are truly amazing; our Lord Jesus Christ has commissioned us all to make disciples of all nations. Nothing could be more noble or consequential. But, because we stem from the same root, we all sound the same.
I regularly read mission statements like this: “We exist to enrich lives through relationship with Jesus.”
This may be true, but it doesn’t lend itself to any specific action, not to mention anything you might do with technology. There are endless ways to fulfill that mission statement. My question is: What strengths does your business bring to The Commission?
Your values are your strength.
Your values are unique to you and give you a distinct advantage in your mission. You should apply those values in every area of business, even your IT strategy. Incorporating strong values in your IT strategy opens new opportunities for how technology can help your business thrive.
Bring your values into your strategy to avoid getting lost in the sea of generic statements.
Mission:
The term “mission” gets conflated quite a bit. What is it? Is it why you exist? Is it what you do? Or, maybe it’s who you are?
When I’m helping build an IT strategy, I define mission as: How you will accomplish your vision.
In building an effective mission statement, it’s helpful to create a list of “essential actions” first. These are the initiatives that will lead your organization successfully to your vision. These aren’t tasks or even projects that will eventually be completed. They are the never-ending actions that are at the core of what you do.
Once you have essential actions, you are equipped to write a highly impactful mission statement that will guide your organization with purpose.
What are the essential actions that, if executed, would realize your vision for technology?
Priorities:
We’ve all been a part of teams that lacked priorities. They frantically pursue every “opportunity” and chase every lead; most often to the detriment of the team. Eventually, team members get frustrated and burnt out.
A prioritized list of high-level objectives defined in your IT strategy lets everyone know what’s most important. These priorities are not the same as essential actions, however. They are at a lower level. These priorities are big projects that sprout from your mission statement.
It’s important to regularly review your IT strategy and update these priorities. Purpose, vision, and mission rarely change, but objectives change all the time.
Getting leadership together to review and update this portion of your IT strategy is an excellent way to keep everyone moving towards the same outcomes.
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What a nonprofit IT Strategy IS NOT
Here I’ll briefly describe some pitfalls to avoid when considering your IT strategy.
Not Prescriptive
Your nonprofit IT strategy is a guide for your organization to achieve business outcomes. It should not prescribe specific solutions or vendors. It should encourage creative solutions, not put your business in a box.
Not a Detailed Implementation Plan
Remember it’s a strategy, an approach, not a step-by-step list of tasks. Your IT strategy should be inspiring (or at least interesting) for everyone in your business. Nothing is more soul-crushing than a to-do list. Honey-do lists get a bad wrap for a reason.
Not a Technical Document
Your strategy should be able to be read by everyone. If it’s full of specific technical jargon, you are undermining its effectiveness.
Not Set in Stone
Even the best strategies need updating from time to time. We live in a world that changes constantly, and writing a strategy that never changes is to ignore reality. Regularly reviewing and updating your IT strategy is highly encouraged.
Wrapping up
Your nonprofit IT strategy is an essential document and will help your organization get the most out of technology. It should be highly readable (and understandable) to everyone in the company and inspire them. Your strategy defines success and lets everyone know how you’ll get there.
Ideally, it should fit on a single page (or two). Simplicity is elegance. Your strategy takes your approach to technology and distills it into a high-octane fuel for your business and mission.
I encourage you to take the first step into creating a new, or revising your existing, IT strategy by clarifying technology’s purpose in your organization.
Photo by Brands&People on Unsplash
