Nonprofits Seek Virtual Offices Despite Obstacles Michael Antrobus April 14, 2006

More and more nonprofits are feeling the push to install an array of "virtual office" tools that allow staff, board members, volunteers and clients to communicate over distances. But are the technology upgrades worth the cost?

Some small organizations have no physical offices and rely on virtual technology to create the storefront. Others wish to offer employees more flexibility than the corporate sector, lest they lose their most experienced staff. Many rely on large numbers of volunteers who are not part of the staff but work with constituents.

Virtual office technology offers the potential of tying them all together seamlessly.

Several challenges face nonprofits in the push to embrace the virtual office, said Jennifer Higgins, TechBridge's director of outreach.

First, there is a lack of knowledge about the virtual office tools that are available. Second, most nonprofits lack dedicated technical support on-staff. A recent survey by the Georgia Center for Nonprofits found only 27 percent of nonprofits reported having a dedicated position.

"Unless you have someone on your staff who just digs technology -- what we call an 'accidental techie,' ... then chances are you will not have [easily accessible tech support]," Higgins said.

The bottom line

Another challenge is money.

"Each nonprofit is striving to serve more people and really work [its] mission," Higgins said. "The thought of spending a couple thousand dollars on technology is hard to swallow and often not covered in the budget."

Gary D. Nelson, president of Healthcare Georgia Foundation Inc., suggested the need for more technology-intermediary organizations like TechBridge, dedicated to providing training and technical assistance to nonprofits.

Healthcare Georgia is a private independent foundation that provides webcasting and teleconferencing to health-related organizations, especially those in rural parts of the state.

"When there are just four or five people in the office, you can't afford to send employees away for training," Nelson said. "[Staff] can't drive three hours to Atlanta and shut the doors for a day. They have clients and patients to serve."

Karen Beavor, president and CEO of the Georgia Center for Nonprofits, said there is no single "best practice" when it comes to creating virtual offices for nonprofits. Each must develop tools individually that help realize its mission. The common thread is that nonprofits need to plan for and expect technology expenses. "It is simply part of being a good nonprofit."

Many nonprofits with budgets under $500,000 can't afford major upgrades, Beavor said. "With one employee, how much technology do you need?"

On the other hand, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the largest mentoring organization in the United States with hundreds of volunteers serving more than 200,000 children in all 50 states and an annual budget of $205 million, has an intense need for a sophisticated shared database, Beavor said.

Meanwhile, in the arts world, organizations often need ticketing systems. Health-care organizations are intensely technology-driven.