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Training
Training is critical to the effective use of technology. Many nonprofits have tools at their disposal that cannot be effectively utilized due to insufficient training. The technology training needs in nonprofits are present at two distinct levels. First, management staff must be aware of the opportunities for technology to improve the organization's operations. Second, the staff of nonprofits must have end-user training that will enable them to use the tools that realize those opportunities.
Most nonprofits have not provided technology training for staff. The most commonly cited reasons include the lack of time to take training courses and the lack of funding. Nearly all nonprofits have noted that available technology training is targeted toward the corporate environment, so that the examples, jargon and rationale used in corporate IT training are unfamiliar to those working in nonprofit settings. In addition, staff have lamented that the training received has not been immediately applicable. The chart represents the top three training needs for staff as observed by ENTECH.
“…only spotty individual training [is obtained] when computer people are on site.”
Challenge Statement: The management and program staff of nonprofits needs relevant, timely technology training.
Strategy 1: Provide technology-training services to nonprofits. Again, this is a high-touch solution that will require significant resources to implement on a sector-wide scale. However, training centers and demonstration labs are alternatives to per-organization solutions.
Strategy 2: Educate training providers in the needs of the nonprofit sector. Convey the existence of a viable market to training providers in order to spur the creation of nonprofit-specific training courses. This will increase the availability of relevant training in the community.
Strategy 3: Conduct training needs assessments of nonprofit staff. A Webbased questionnaire or paper survey will allow organizations to identify staff training needs. This is relatively simple to implement and will allow organizations to better target training dollars.
Strategy 4: Host an annual conference to train management staff. This solution will address the distinct needs of management staff. It may be supported by a monthly newsletter that keeps directors up-todate with new, local resources.
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Introduction
Organizational Summary
Future Directions
Technology Planning
Training
Networking
Information Management
Hardware
Protection & Security
Internet Use
Technology Policies
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