Industry Specific Managed Service Needs for the Nonprofits Industry

In order to be successful these days, even nonprofits have to always be looking ahead and aiming to stay competitive. In order to achieve their real goals, nonprofits need to be at the cutting edge of technology and IT services, which means having access to an IT department to rival corporate entities and much larger, for-profit businesses.

Understandably, most nonprofits don’t have the in-house capacity or resources to outfit a massive IT department. But this doesn’t mean that they have to make do with inadequate IT support. 

Equally, in-house time and resources in a nonprofit are almost always better spent working toward the core outcomes of the organization than they are dealing with time-consuming administrative and repetitive day-to-day management.

This is where managed IT services come in.

What is a managed IT service?

Managed IT services are the management of continually evolving IT technology, administering industry-specific critical systems, and leveraging best practices and shared resources to positively impact user experience with IT. 

Managed IT services essentially run your IT infrastructure remotely, provide the right systems to improve productivity, protect your nonprofit with a cybersecurity strategy, and look for ways to accelerate your operational processes and help things run more smoothly. 

Managed IT services are able to be proactive when dealing with potential issues before they happen and tend to be far more cost-effective than in-house IT staff, providing the equivalent of a full IT department for a fraction of the price.

How can a managed IT service help your nonprofit?

Cost savings

Managed IT services give you access to a full department’s worth of IT experts at a fraction of the cost of actually having in-house staff. Most importantly, managed IT services allow nonprofits to control their costs, which can be hugely beneficial when budgets are tight and spare money is going towards core work. Managed IT services work allows you to get a grip on your costs upfront, with changes clearly signposted in advance, rather than being at the mercy of shifting hardware, software, and data management costs.

Security and disaster recovery

Nonprofits hold more than their fair share of sensitive information and confidential data. Staying on top of the latest cybersecurity best practices can be hard at the best of times, and with bad actors and hackers employing ever more sophisticated and subtle methods, strong defenses and proactive protection are a must-have. Managed IT services can provide up-to-the-minute AI cybersecurity and be proactive in preventing attacks from ever happening rather than just responding to threats as they arrive. Just as importantly, they can provide comprehensive disaster recovery plans and mitigation strategies in case the worst does happen.

Scalability

For nonprofits with cyclical work patterns or seasonal campaigns, genuine scalability is vital. The ability to scale up and down depending on genuine needs and to respond to changes quickly can make a huge difference for NPOs. Managed IT services are able to shift data and storage needs immediately to meet demand and provide new technology and services to provide whatever the organization needs at that time.

Expertise and planning

Managed IT service providers are filled with experts. While plenty of nonprofits see IT as something just to be ‘dealt with’ -- a necessary part of the organization’s infrastructure, but nothing more -- in reality, today’s complex data systems and fast-moving technological world mean that expertise, forward planning, and strategy are just as important in IT as in every other aspect of an organization. Managed IT services can provide the expertise in areas that NPOs lack and deliver important strategic planning support and advice.

Compliance

Nonprofits often have immensely complex compliance needs, particularly when it comes to managing, handling, and storing data. Managed IT services with specific experience working with nonprofits are able to offer advice and support when it comes to adhering to regulations, as well as ensuring that your data is stored safely and appropriately.

Whatever your nonprofit needs, a managed IT services provider will always be on the lookout for new software and technology to accelerate your organization.

At VC3, we are driven by our relentless pursuit of the success of others. If you feel that a managed IT service might be the right choice for your nonprofit, or you’d like to know more about how we can manage, protect, and accelerate your organization, get in touch.