Implementation services: The key to nonprofit digital transformation

Nonprofits acquire new technology with optimism, looking forward to how these newly obtained tools will strengthen their operations and amplify their impact. Success with new technology is easily achievable for established nonprofits with big budgets and available technical skills. But for smaller organizations, which are often under-resourced and lack access to technical expertise, implementation can be a roadblock to successfully adopting new solutions.

Services, not just products

Nonprofits benefit from the same tools that for-profits rely on. Many tech providers have recognized this and, to invest in strengthening communities, have formally committed to helping nonprofits access their products. Donations and discounts on technology products are often how we see tech companies supporting the missions of nonprofits. However, implementation services are commonly the missing piece. What good are new products if they can't be successfully implemented? Providers should also help enable adoption by offering technical support services.

According to Unit4's Nonprofits on the Road to Digital Transformation (2023), a survey of over 200 nonprofit professionals, ~70% of respondents stated that they lack in-house IT expertise, which complicates project implementation and effective day-to-day management of SaaS solutions.

Case study: Euki, a nonprofit advancing health equity

Helping nonprofits access Identity solutions that protect their organizations is a key focus of Okta for Good, Okta's social impact initiative. While our nonprofit product donations and discountingelevate the nonprofit sector, nonprofits also turn to us for free or discounted implementation resources.

Euki, a nonprofit co-founded and led by a team of multiracial women, is committed to creating accessible, private, and secure digital health tools for everyone, especially those facing barriers to sexual and reproductive health. In 2019, they launched the Euki app - a privacy-first period tracking app designed to empower users with private, secure access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information. The app offers many features, from period predictions and customizable calendars to vetted health information and resources like telehealth clinics.

What sets the Euki App apart is its commitment to prioritizing user privacy. Euki recognizes the right of all people to own their health data and developed their app with privacy features that aren't standard in other period trackers. This established the Euki app as a trusted and reliable choice, especially in areas with strict laws and increased surveillance risks.

Euki sought out Okta as an Identity solution to strengthen their cybersecurity posture. Like many small nonprofits, Euki has no dedicated IT team and without in-house technical expertise, successful deployment of Okta would pose a significant challenge.

Okta for Good technical coaching

To address the ongoing implementation dilemma many smaller nonprofits like Euki face when deploying our solutions, Okta for Good developed a technical coaching pilot program to help nonprofits with limited budgets or access to technical expertise.

Brad Goettemoeller, Social Impact Solutions Architect at Okta, coaches nonprofit participants of the pilot program through the Okta launch guide in a series of one-on-one sessions.

We based our pilot program on documentation designed to walk nonprofit Okta admins through fundamental Okta configurations and best practices, including:

• App configurations
• MFA setup
• Security policies
• End-user provisioning and deprovisioning
• Preparations for successful deployment

Okta for Good technical coaching aims to help nonprofits maximize their Okta usage, bridging the gap between having the technology and using it effectively to amplify their impact.

The impact of technical coaching

Before engaging with Okta for Good's technical coaching program, Euki struggled to utilize their free licenses due to limited IT resources. Their only IT resource came from their co-founder, Melinh Rozen, who had become Euki's "accidental techie" - a common theme with small nonprofits with limited resources. Rozen started exploring connectors through Okta's Integration Network, but with no formal IT training and competing responsibilities, she made little progress beyond that initial step.

After a few weeks of learning independently, Rozen joined Okta for Good's technical coaching pilot for comprehensive support. She attended regular hour-long coaching sessions where she could leverage technical expertise to get Euki's Okta tenant up and running.

The pilot provided Rozen with hands-on experience managing Okta and a supportive forum where she could ask questions. During their coaching engagement, Euki covered essential implementation tasks, including:

• Configuring several productivity and communication applications
• Addressing MFA concerns and strengthening password requirements
• Setting up and testing security policies
• Creating user groups and establishing group rules
• Developing a plan for organization-wide Okta deployment

As a result, Rozen successfully implemented these functions, enhancing Euki's operational efficiency and security posture. She also left with a more robust understanding of Okta, empowering her to make further configurations going forward as an admin.

"This guide is orders of magnitude ahead of most tech companies," Rozen says of the launch guide covered during coaching sessions.

A holistic approach to digital transformation

Okta's vision is to enable everyone to safely use any technology, and Okta for Good is committed to ensuring that this includes nonprofit organizations.

The technical coaching program takes a more holistic and inclusive approach to nonprofit digital transformation. It proves that social good offerings must address technology acquisition and adoption rather than just the former.

Coaching is personalized and direct, providing critical support for nonprofits like Euki that lack extensive IT resources and seek to enhance their Okta workforce software without incurring high costs. It aims to empower nonprofits to leverage technology efficiently, ensuring they can focus more on their mission and less on technological challenges.

If you represent a current or prospective nonprofit Okta customer and want to learn more about potential implementation support, please email [email protected].

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