Community IT Innovators Nonprofit Technology Topics Tue, 12 May 2026 00:03:17 -0400 https://communityit.com/podcast/ en-us © 2026 Community IT Innovators Nonprofit Technology Topics yes 47fe1c3e-8fd3-557e-9420-d0119aa5c957 Community IT Innovators episodic false Community IT offers free webinars monthly to promote learning within our nonprofit technology community. Our podcast is appropriate for a varied level of technology expertise. Community IT is vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Something on your mind you don’t see covered here? Contact us to suggest a topic! http://www.communityit.com

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Community IT podcast, nonprofit, nonprofit technology, nonprofit leadership, nonprofit management, nonprofit IT, fundraising, charity, ngo, msp, managed IT services, outsourced IT Community IT Innovators https://storage.buzzsprout.com/5rpl42ggtu1ti5u9rlfj2x3vvlod?.jpg Community IT Innovators Nonprofit Technology Topics https://communityit.com/podcast/ AI for Nonprofits with Cheryl Contee AI for Nonprofits with Cheryl Contee Carolyn Woodard explores what it really means for a nonprofit to adopt AI responsibly and effectively with Cheryl Contee, co-founder of BrightWorks AI and Change Agent AI and co-author of the Amazon bestseller AI for Nonprofits: Putting Artificial Intelligence to Work for Your Cause. Cheryl is a pioneering technology entrepreneur recognized by Fast Company, Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet and Society, and The Root 100, and has appeared in the Washington Post, New York Times, CNN, and the BBC.

The conversation reframes AI not as a threat to nonprofit jobs but as a way to multiply capacity in organizations that are already stretched thin. Cheryl and Carolyn dig into practical strategies for getting started, what makes a good AI workflow, and why the most successful nonprofit teams approach AI as an ongoing learning journey rather than a one-time implementation.

This episode covers:

  • Why the question for nonprofits is no longer whether to use AI — it is already embedded in your email, CRM, and productivity tools — but how to use it responsibly and creatively in service of your mission.
  • How to identify the right starting point: pick one workflow you dislike, test one or two tools against it, and share what you learn with your team.
  • Why humans must stay in the loop, especially for high-stakes decisions, sensitive interactions, and anything requiring lived experience, nuance, or accountability.
  • Leadership habits build an AI-ready culture, including normalizing experimentation, creating a prompt library, and documenting what works.
  • Common pitfalls to avoid: chasing every new tool, skipping staff training, ignoring ethical considerations, and expecting immediate transformation.

Resources Mentioned:

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Carolyn Woodard explores what it really means for a nonprofit to adopt AI responsibly and effectively with Cheryl Contee, co-founder of BrightWorks AI and Change Agent AI and co-author of the Amazon bestseller AI for Nonprofits: Putting Artificial Intelligence to Work for Your Cause. Cheryl is a pioneering technology entrepreneur recognized by Fast Company, Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet and Society, and The Root 100, and has appeared in the Washington Post, New York Times, CNN, and the BBC.

The conversation reframes AI not as a threat to nonprofit jobs but as a way to multiply capacity in organizations that are already stretched thin. Cheryl and Carolyn dig into practical strategies for getting started, what makes a good AI workflow, and why the most successful nonprofit teams approach AI as an ongoing learning journey rather than a one-time implementation.

This episode covers:

  • Why the question for nonprofits is no longer whether to use AI — it is already embedded in your email, CRM, and productivity tools — but how to use it responsibly and creatively in service of your mission.
  • How to identify the right starting point: pick one workflow you dislike, test one or two tools against it, and share what you learn with your team.
  • Why humans must stay in the loop, especially for high-stakes decisions, sensitive interactions, and anything requiring lived experience, nuance, or accountability.
  • Leadership habits build an AI-ready culture, including normalizing experimentation, creating a prompt library, and documenting what works.
  • Common pitfalls to avoid: chasing every new tool, skipping staff training, ignoring ethical considerations, and expecting immediate transformation.

Resources Mentioned:

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-19142382 Fri, 08 May 2026 16:00:00 -0400 1489 7 35 full false Nonprofit AI: Environment, Bubble, Survey Nonprofit AI: Environment, Bubble, Survey Carolyn Woodard covers three topics shaping the nonprofit AI conversation right now: the real environmental costs of AI infrastructure, whether the AI market is actually a bubble, and a new survey that gives nonprofits a direct voice in shaping what comes next. This episode helps you move from anxious or skeptical observer to informed, active participant.

This episode covers:

  • AI data centers consume enormous energy and water, but the environmental picture is more nuanced than early viral statistics suggested. Cooling accounts for roughly 40% of data center energy use, and about 80% of water consumption comes from electricity generation, making this a grid problem as much as a local one.
  • The AI market is consolidating faster than previous technology cycles. For nonprofits that have been waiting for the dust to settle, the more useful question now is: what is the cost of continuing to wait?
  • 82% of nonprofits are already using AI for internal operations, per Fast Forward's 2025 report, but nonprofits using free, off-the-shelf tools are less likely to have policies or risk controls in place.
  • The Fast Forward 2026 AI for Humanity survey interest form is open now. If you are the person at your organization who knows the most about how AI is being used, your participation shapes how funders and policymakers understand what nonprofits actually need.
  • Practical next steps suggestions: develop a policy, identify low-stakes pilots, check in on AI regularly at all-staff meetings, and ask your vendors about their clean energy and water commitments.

Resources Mentioned:

Nonprofit AI podcast new every Tuesday.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Carolyn Woodard covers three topics shaping the nonprofit AI conversation right now: the real environmental costs of AI infrastructure, whether the AI market is actually a bubble, and a new survey that gives nonprofits a direct voice in shaping what comes next. This episode helps you move from anxious or skeptical observer to informed, active participant.

This episode covers:

  • AI data centers consume enormous energy and water, but the environmental picture is more nuanced than early viral statistics suggested. Cooling accounts for roughly 40% of data center energy use, and about 80% of water consumption comes from electricity generation, making this a grid problem as much as a local one.
  • The AI market is consolidating faster than previous technology cycles. For nonprofits that have been waiting for the dust to settle, the more useful question now is: what is the cost of continuing to wait?
  • 82% of nonprofits are already using AI for internal operations, per Fast Forward's 2025 report, but nonprofits using free, off-the-shelf tools are less likely to have policies or risk controls in place.
  • The Fast Forward 2026 AI for Humanity survey interest form is open now. If you are the person at your organization who knows the most about how AI is being used, your participation shapes how funders and policymakers understand what nonprofits actually need.
  • Practical next steps suggestions: develop a policy, identify low-stakes pilots, check in on AI regularly at all-staff meetings, and ask your vendors about their clean energy and water commitments.

Resources Mentioned:

Nonprofit AI podcast new every Tuesday.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-19129906 Tue, 05 May 2026 16:00:00 -0400 1662 AI 7 34 full false Nonprofit Data Retention with Ian Gottesman Nonprofit Data Retention with Ian Gottesman Your nonprofit may be sitting on a data liability it doesn't know it has.

Carolyn talks with Ian Gottesman, CEO of NGO ISAC, about data retention and why the question of what your organization keeps - and for how long - is more urgent than ever. Ian has been studying this topic for 30 years, and he makes the risks concrete: e-discovery requests, contractual disputes, subpoenas, and the exposure that comes from mixing personal and organizational data on staff devices. Most of the time, the threat isn't a headline-making congressional hearing - it's a vendor dispute or a board member's outside legal trouble that pulls your email and files into a lawsuit you didn't see coming.

Ian walks through how to build a data retention policy, who in your organization needs to lead it, and why now. With AI tools beginning to ingest your file servers and inboxes, now is exactly the right moment to get serious about data hygiene.

This episode covers:

•       The most common data retention risk for nonprofits isn't congressional testimony — it's a contractual dispute, a board member's outside legal matter, or a vendor conflict that pulls your organization into e-discovery.

•       Your backup retention schedule must align with your data retention policy. Backups that outlast your retention window are still discoverable — and that trunk of old backup tapes will find its way into a lawyer's hands.

•       Start your retention policy implementation with the most transitory data first: instant messaging and Slack, then email, then files. Automate deletion as much as possible, and make saving intentional and manual.

•       The hardest part of implementation isn't the policy, it's change management. People love their old emails. Enlist a senior leader (CEO, general counsel, COO) to champion the rollout, not just IT.

•       Clean data makes AI tools work better. If your file server is full of outdated drafts and duplicate documents, your AI tools are ingesting noise. A retention policy is the foundation of good data governance — and good AI outcomes.

Resources Mentioned:

•       NGO ISAC

•       NTEN Course: Data Minimization and Retention — Ian Gottesman

•       Sample Not-for-Profit Document and Data Retention Policy — AICPA & CIMA

•       Document Retention Policies for Nonprofits — National Council of Nonprofits

•       Nonprofit Legal Defense Network (We the Action)

Additional resource: Podcast: Prep Your File Permissions for AI Tools — Community IT Innovators

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Your nonprofit may be sitting on a data liability it doesn't know it has.

Carolyn talks with Ian Gottesman, CEO of NGO ISAC, about data retention and why the question of what your organization keeps - and for how long - is more urgent than ever. Ian has been studying this topic for 30 years, and he makes the risks concrete: e-discovery requests, contractual disputes, subpoenas, and the exposure that comes from mixing personal and organizational data on staff devices. Most of the time, the threat isn't a headline-making congressional hearing - it's a vendor dispute or a board member's outside legal trouble that pulls your email and files into a lawsuit you didn't see coming.

Ian walks through how to build a data retention policy, who in your organization needs to lead it, and why now. With AI tools beginning to ingest your file servers and inboxes, now is exactly the right moment to get serious about data hygiene.

This episode covers:

•       The most common data retention risk for nonprofits isn't congressional testimony — it's a contractual dispute, a board member's outside legal matter, or a vendor conflict that pulls your organization into e-discovery.

•       Your backup retention schedule must align with your data retention policy. Backups that outlast your retention window are still discoverable — and that trunk of old backup tapes will find its way into a lawyer's hands.

•       Start your retention policy implementation with the most transitory data first: instant messaging and Slack, then email, then files. Automate deletion as much as possible, and make saving intentional and manual.

•       The hardest part of implementation isn't the policy, it's change management. People love their old emails. Enlist a senior leader (CEO, general counsel, COO) to champion the rollout, not just IT.

•       Clean data makes AI tools work better. If your file server is full of outdated drafts and duplicate documents, your AI tools are ingesting noise. A retention policy is the foundation of good data governance — and good AI outcomes.

Resources Mentioned:

•       NGO ISAC

•       NTEN Course: Data Minimization and Retention — Ian Gottesman

•       Sample Not-for-Profit Document and Data Retention Policy — AICPA & CIMA

•       Document Retention Policies for Nonprofits — National Council of Nonprofits

•       Nonprofit Legal Defense Network (We the Action)

Additional resource: Podcast: Prep Your File Permissions for AI Tools — Community IT Innovators

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-19092243 Fri, 01 May 2026 16:00:00 -0400 2883 7 33 full false Nonprofit AI: Google Chrome Skills and the Center for AI Safety Nonprofit AI: Google Chrome Skills and the Center for AI Safety This week, Carolyn Woodard covers two resources: a practical new browser feature for Google Workspace shops and a nonprofit watchdog organization working to make the AI industry more accountable. Whether you're trying to get more out of your existing tools or looking for credible resources to bring to a board conversation about AI risk, this episode has something useful.

This episode covers:

  • Google quietly rolled out a feature called Skills inside Chrome — it lets you save a prompt once and run it on any web page with a click, without retyping. Pre-built Skills are also available for common tasks like summarizing long documents or comparing information across open tabs, no prompt-writing required.
  • Skills is a reading and analysis assistant, not an agent — it won't take actions like making purchases or browsing on your behalf. It reads what's already in front of you in the browser and helps you process it faster.
  • If your nonprofit is in the Google ecosystem and staff are hesitant to write prompts from scratch, Skills' pre-built library is a low-barrier starting point. Useful use cases include reviewing foundation grant pages and comparing information across multiple sites.
  • The Center for AI Safety (CAIS) is a San Francisco-based research and advocacy nonprofit whose mission is to reduce societal-scale risks from AI. Their website (safe.ai) isn't a vendor — it's an independent watchdog with accessible explainers, free courses, and fellowship programs.
  • CAIS offers a free AI Safety, Ethics and Society course that's relevant for nonprofits building AI literacy on a budget, plus a fellowship for people doing advocacy work around AI governance, bias, or data center impacts.
  • When staff or board members are skeptical about AI — or when you need a credible outside voice for your AI strategy conversations — CAIS is a more trustworthy resource than asking the AI companies themselves what's safe.

Resources Mentioned:

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> This week, Carolyn Woodard covers two resources: a practical new browser feature for Google Workspace shops and a nonprofit watchdog organization working to make the AI industry more accountable. Whether you're trying to get more out of your existing tools or looking for credible resources to bring to a board conversation about AI risk, this episode has something useful.

This episode covers:

  • Google quietly rolled out a feature called Skills inside Chrome — it lets you save a prompt once and run it on any web page with a click, without retyping. Pre-built Skills are also available for common tasks like summarizing long documents or comparing information across open tabs, no prompt-writing required.
  • Skills is a reading and analysis assistant, not an agent — it won't take actions like making purchases or browsing on your behalf. It reads what's already in front of you in the browser and helps you process it faster.
  • If your nonprofit is in the Google ecosystem and staff are hesitant to write prompts from scratch, Skills' pre-built library is a low-barrier starting point. Useful use cases include reviewing foundation grant pages and comparing information across multiple sites.
  • The Center for AI Safety (CAIS) is a San Francisco-based research and advocacy nonprofit whose mission is to reduce societal-scale risks from AI. Their website (safe.ai) isn't a vendor — it's an independent watchdog with accessible explainers, free courses, and fellowship programs.
  • CAIS offers a free AI Safety, Ethics and Society course that's relevant for nonprofits building AI literacy on a budget, plus a fellowship for people doing advocacy work around AI governance, bias, or data center impacts.
  • When staff or board members are skeptical about AI — or when you need a credible outside voice for your AI strategy conversations — CAIS is a more trustworthy resource than asking the AI companies themselves what's safe.

Resources Mentioned:

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-19091787 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 16:00:00 -0400 1306 AI 7 32 full false 2026 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report with Matthew Eshleman pt 2 2026 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report with Matthew Eshleman pt 2 In Part 2 of the 2026 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report, Community IT CTO Matthew Eshleman walks through the real attack examples his team saw hitting nonprofits in 2025: scareware pop-ups, fake invoices, DMCA impersonation notices, HR job scams, and calendar phishing. He also unpacks eight years of incident data and what the numbers actually mean — including a 70% spike in malware activity and a surprising drop in phishing reports that turns out to say more about tools than threat actors.

The conversation closes with a practical look at what nonprofits should prioritize in 2026, from phish-resistant MFA to AI governance — because the gap between what your org has authorized and what your staff are already doing is quietly becoming one of your biggest risks.

Haven't listened to Part 1 yet? Find it in your podcast feed.

This episode covers:

  • A 60% drop in reported phishing messages sounds like good news — but it reflects a tool switch, not a safer threat landscape, and underscores the value of regularly reevaluating your tools and using best of breed protections.
  • Malware and endpoint virus activity surged 70% year over year, with AI enabling less sophisticated actors to launch more targeted attacks.
  • Real attack examples from 2025: fake invoices with convincing ACH details, DMCA legal threats, HR job scams using your organization's identity, and calendar invites engineered to create urgency.
  • New staff, HR contacts, and finance and operations roles are the highest-value targets for social engineering — and your training program should reflect that.
  • Ungoverned AI is a growing data risk. Staff are already using free AI tools, and the downstream exposure is only beginning to show up.
  • A strong cybersecurity foundation in 2026 means IT acceptable use policies, formal security awareness training, phish-resistant MFA, cloud identity monitoring, and consistent patching.

Resources Mentioned:

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In Part 2 of the 2026 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report, Community IT CTO Matthew Eshleman walks through the real attack examples his team saw hitting nonprofits in 2025: scareware pop-ups, fake invoices, DMCA impersonation notices, HR job scams, and calendar phishing. He also unpacks eight years of incident data and what the numbers actually mean — including a 70% spike in malware activity and a surprising drop in phishing reports that turns out to say more about tools than threat actors.

The conversation closes with a practical look at what nonprofits should prioritize in 2026, from phish-resistant MFA to AI governance — because the gap between what your org has authorized and what your staff are already doing is quietly becoming one of your biggest risks.

Haven't listened to Part 1 yet? Find it in your podcast feed.

This episode covers:

  • A 60% drop in reported phishing messages sounds like good news — but it reflects a tool switch, not a safer threat landscape, and underscores the value of regularly reevaluating your tools and using best of breed protections.
  • Malware and endpoint virus activity surged 70% year over year, with AI enabling less sophisticated actors to launch more targeted attacks.
  • Real attack examples from 2025: fake invoices with convincing ACH details, DMCA legal threats, HR job scams using your organization's identity, and calendar invites engineered to create urgency.
  • New staff, HR contacts, and finance and operations roles are the highest-value targets for social engineering — and your training program should reflect that.
  • Ungoverned AI is a growing data risk. Staff are already using free AI tools, and the downstream exposure is only beginning to show up.
  • A strong cybersecurity foundation in 2026 means IT acceptable use policies, formal security awareness training, phish-resistant MFA, cloud identity monitoring, and consistent patching.

Resources Mentioned:

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-19061385 Fri, 24 Apr 2026 15:00:00 -0400 1912 7 31 full false Nonprofit AI: Big Investments, Resources to Close Your Literacy Gap Nonprofit AI: Big Investments, Resources to Close Your Literacy Gap Carolyn Woodard covers two major AI announcements breaking today — a landmark philanthropic gift building the country's first "AI-native" hospital, and a massive infrastructure deal between Amazon and Anthropic — and zooms out to ask what all this big-money investment means for nonprofits on the ground. The answer: now more than ever, building your own AI literacy is the most strategic investment your organization can make.

This episode also features a resources roundup with five options for nonprofit staff and foundation professionals who are ready to learn — whether you have 60 minutes or six months.

This episode covers:

  • Michael and Susan Dell's $750 million gift to UT Austin funding the country's first "AI-native" hospital is a signal for nonprofits about where philanthropic capital is heading.
  • What Amazon's expanded investment in Anthropic means for AI infrastructure — and why the unsustainable pace of data center growth may actually push major tech companies toward renewable energy and less resource-intensive locations, a shift that matters for the communities currently bearing the costs of that build-out.
  • Why the most important AI investment your nonprofit can make right now isn't a tool — it's literacy, and why doing it together as an organization matters more than one person figuring it out alone.
  • Five concrete learning opportunities for nonprofit staff at every level.
  • Your city or region may already have free AI literacy programs designed for local nonprofits — it's worth a quick search.
  • "Do I need to pick one AI tool and stick with it?" — why the more important question is whether your organization has a policy about what you're sharing and with whom.

Resources Mentioned:

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Carolyn Woodard covers two major AI announcements breaking today — a landmark philanthropic gift building the country's first "AI-native" hospital, and a massive infrastructure deal between Amazon and Anthropic — and zooms out to ask what all this big-money investment means for nonprofits on the ground. The answer: now more than ever, building your own AI literacy is the most strategic investment your organization can make.

This episode also features a resources roundup with five options for nonprofit staff and foundation professionals who are ready to learn — whether you have 60 minutes or six months.

This episode covers:

  • Michael and Susan Dell's $750 million gift to UT Austin funding the country's first "AI-native" hospital is a signal for nonprofits about where philanthropic capital is heading.
  • What Amazon's expanded investment in Anthropic means for AI infrastructure — and why the unsustainable pace of data center growth may actually push major tech companies toward renewable energy and less resource-intensive locations, a shift that matters for the communities currently bearing the costs of that build-out.
  • Why the most important AI investment your nonprofit can make right now isn't a tool — it's literacy, and why doing it together as an organization matters more than one person figuring it out alone.
  • Five concrete learning opportunities for nonprofit staff at every level.
  • Your city or region may already have free AI literacy programs designed for local nonprofits — it's worth a quick search.
  • "Do I need to pick one AI tool and stick with it?" — why the more important question is whether your organization has a policy about what you're sharing and with whom.

Resources Mentioned:

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-19055464 Tue, 21 Apr 2026 16:00:00 -0400 1570 AI 7 30 full false 2026 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report with Matthew Eshleman pt 1 2026 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report with Matthew Eshleman pt 1 In the first part of this annual check-in, Carolyn Woodard and Matthew Eshleman dive into the findings from the eighth annual Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report. Analyzing data from thousands of client endpoints throughout 2025, they discuss how the landscape has shifted—specifically how AI is being used by threat actors to lower the barrier for sophisticated attacks. This episode provides a high-level look at the trends that defined the past year and the foundational layers every nonprofit needs to protect its mission in 2026.

The conversation covers the rise of financially motivated scams, the increasing frequency of partisan digital attacks, and why data is transitionally moving from an organizational asset to a potential liability. Matthew explains:

  • How AI tools are accelerating attack vectors through automated scripts and convincing phishing.
  • Why your organization’s cybersecurity foundation must be built on policy and frequent, vibrant staff training rather than just annual videos.
  • The evolution of multi-factor authentication (MFA) and the shift toward phish-resistant methods like Passkeys or physical keys like FIDO keys.
  • Why data retention policies are becoming a necessity to mitigate legal risks and data leakage.
  • The importance of governing how staff interact with free AI tools to prevent institutional data from entering the public domain.

Resources Mentioned

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In the first part of this annual check-in, Carolyn Woodard and Matthew Eshleman dive into the findings from the eighth annual Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report. Analyzing data from thousands of client endpoints throughout 2025, they discuss how the landscape has shifted—specifically how AI is being used by threat actors to lower the barrier for sophisticated attacks. This episode provides a high-level look at the trends that defined the past year and the foundational layers every nonprofit needs to protect its mission in 2026.

The conversation covers the rise of financially motivated scams, the increasing frequency of partisan digital attacks, and why data is transitionally moving from an organizational asset to a potential liability. Matthew explains:

  • How AI tools are accelerating attack vectors through automated scripts and convincing phishing.
  • Why your organization’s cybersecurity foundation must be built on policy and frequent, vibrant staff training rather than just annual videos.
  • The evolution of multi-factor authentication (MFA) and the shift toward phish-resistant methods like Passkeys or physical keys like FIDO keys.
  • Why data retention policies are becoming a necessity to mitigate legal risks and data leakage.
  • The importance of governing how staff interact with free AI tools to prevent institutional data from entering the public domain.

Resources Mentioned

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-19033496 Fri, 17 Apr 2026 15:00:00 -0400 1780 7 29 full false Nonprofit AI: Claude Cowork, Good Tech Summit Reflections, Claude Mythos Preview Nonprofit AI: Claude Cowork, Good Tech Summit Reflections, Claude Mythos Preview Carolyn Woodard opens with highlights from Good Tech Summit, a three-day Washington D.C. conference bringing together practitioners, funders, and tech leaders focused on responsible AI use in the social sector. She shares standout quotes on AI governance, accountability, and what the sector needs to do differently. 

This episode also covers the Claude Cowork tool nonprofits should know about, a privacy change in a new Google Labs tool that affects your data, and the Claude Mythos Preview non-release that has bank executives and governments in emergency meetings.

This episode covers:

  • Key takeaways from Good Tech Summit, including "We need to stop random acts of AI" and why your AI policy should be grounded in values — not updated every time a new tool drops.
  • How Claude Cowork compares to Google Workspace Studio and Microsoft Copilot Cowork — and whether nonprofits are better served by AI built into their existing tech stack or a mission-aligned third-party tool.
  • What Google Opal is, why you may have seen a notice that it sits outside Workspace's enterprise privacy protections, and what nonprofit staff should know about using it.
  • Why Anthropic built its most powerful AI model ever and then refused to release it publicly and what that points out about our current power imbalance between tech companies and consumers.
  • "Technology is not a net good or net bad. We don't know yet whether AI will be a net benefit or net harm — but we need to be engaged, literate, and demanding."
  • Why building AI fluency together as a sector matters; sending staff off to figure it out alone keeps us isolated. 

Resources Mentioned:

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Carolyn Woodard opens with highlights from Good Tech Summit, a three-day Washington D.C. conference bringing together practitioners, funders, and tech leaders focused on responsible AI use in the social sector. She shares standout quotes on AI governance, accountability, and what the sector needs to do differently. 

This episode also covers the Claude Cowork tool nonprofits should know about, a privacy change in a new Google Labs tool that affects your data, and the Claude Mythos Preview non-release that has bank executives and governments in emergency meetings.

This episode covers:

  • Key takeaways from Good Tech Summit, including "We need to stop random acts of AI" and why your AI policy should be grounded in values — not updated every time a new tool drops.
  • How Claude Cowork compares to Google Workspace Studio and Microsoft Copilot Cowork — and whether nonprofits are better served by AI built into their existing tech stack or a mission-aligned third-party tool.
  • What Google Opal is, why you may have seen a notice that it sits outside Workspace's enterprise privacy protections, and what nonprofit staff should know about using it.
  • Why Anthropic built its most powerful AI model ever and then refused to release it publicly and what that points out about our current power imbalance between tech companies and consumers.
  • "Technology is not a net good or net bad. We don't know yet whether AI will be a net benefit or net harm — but we need to be engaged, literate, and demanding."
  • Why building AI fluency together as a sector matters; sending staff off to figure it out alone keeps us isolated. 

Resources Mentioned:

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-19016590 Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:00:00 -0400 1764 AI 7 28 full false AI and Nonprofit Project Management with Alex Tuck AI and Nonprofit Project Management with Alex Tuck Carolyn Woodard explores the intersection of project management and artificial intelligence AI with Alex Tuck, founder of Tuck Consulting Group. As nonprofits face increasing pressure to do more with less, Alex shares how project managers are uniquely positioned to lead AI implementation and why human-in-the-loop systems are essential for maintaining accuracy and ethics.

The conversation dives into the practicalities of AI adoption, from the potential automation of administrative tasks to the specific challenges faced by healthcare nonprofits. Alex provides a clear framework for ethical AI use, focusing on well-being, transparency, and data security. You will also learn actionable tips for mastering the art of prompting and how to know when to iterate on an AI project versus when to walk away.

Alex and Carolyn discuss:

  • Why project managers are the natural leaders for AI initiatives in the nonprofit sector.
  • Four key pillars for an ethical AI framework: Human Well-being, Human in the Loop, Transparency, and Data Security.
  • Practical strategies for better prompting, including the use of context, constraints, and prompt libraries.
  • How to determine when to pivot or quit an AI project early to save organizational resources.

Resources Mentioned:

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Carolyn Woodard explores the intersection of project management and artificial intelligence AI with Alex Tuck, founder of Tuck Consulting Group. As nonprofits face increasing pressure to do more with less, Alex shares how project managers are uniquely positioned to lead AI implementation and why human-in-the-loop systems are essential for maintaining accuracy and ethics.

The conversation dives into the practicalities of AI adoption, from the potential automation of administrative tasks to the specific challenges faced by healthcare nonprofits. Alex provides a clear framework for ethical AI use, focusing on well-being, transparency, and data security. You will also learn actionable tips for mastering the art of prompting and how to know when to iterate on an AI project versus when to walk away.

Alex and Carolyn discuss:

  • Why project managers are the natural leaders for AI initiatives in the nonprofit sector.
  • Four key pillars for an ethical AI framework: Human Well-being, Human in the Loop, Transparency, and Data Security.
  • Practical strategies for better prompting, including the use of context, constraints, and prompt libraries.
  • How to determine when to pivot or quit an AI project early to save organizational resources.

Resources Mentioned:

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18989805 Fri, 10 Apr 2026 16:00:00 -0400 1987 7 27 full false Nonprofit AI: Copilot Cowork, Google Workspace Studio, HBR on Leaders and AI, Climate Collective and CIVIC AI Literacy Cohort Nonprofit AI: Copilot Cowork, Google Workspace Studio, HBR on Leaders and AI, Climate Collective and CIVIC AI Literacy Cohort The conversation this week highlights new "AI assistant" features from Microsoft and Google that aim to handle administrative burdens, allowing nonprofit teams to focus on mission-critical work. Host Carolyn Woodard also delves into a Havard Business Review article with qualitative interviews on AI and leadership challenges, and highlights a specialized training initiative for environmental organizations. This episode covers:

  • How Microsoft Copilot Cowork acts as an executive assistant by managing calendars, drafting meeting briefs, and researching donors.
  • The capabilities of Google Workspace Studio to also act as an executive assistant creating meeting prep and summarizing unread emails. 
  • Key findings from a recent Harvard Business Review study finding 93% of leaders identify human factors as the primary barrier to AI adoption. 
  • "Several leaders observed that anxiety was particularly pronounced among experienced professionals whose authority had been built on deep expertise."
  • "The risk is treating AI as a narrow tech project. In reality, it’s a cultural shift and we need to embed it into how we think, manage, and lead, not just into workflows."
  • The launch of a new AI literacy program specifically designed for climate and nature professionals from Climate Collective and CIVIC.

Resources Mentioned:

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> The conversation this week highlights new "AI assistant" features from Microsoft and Google that aim to handle administrative burdens, allowing nonprofit teams to focus on mission-critical work. Host Carolyn Woodard also delves into a Havard Business Review article with qualitative interviews on AI and leadership challenges, and highlights a specialized training initiative for environmental organizations. This episode covers:

  • How Microsoft Copilot Cowork acts as an executive assistant by managing calendars, drafting meeting briefs, and researching donors.
  • The capabilities of Google Workspace Studio to also act as an executive assistant creating meeting prep and summarizing unread emails. 
  • Key findings from a recent Harvard Business Review study finding 93% of leaders identify human factors as the primary barrier to AI adoption. 
  • "Several leaders observed that anxiety was particularly pronounced among experienced professionals whose authority had been built on deep expertise."
  • "The risk is treating AI as a narrow tech project. In reality, it’s a cultural shift and we need to embed it into how we think, manage, and lead, not just into workflows."
  • The launch of a new AI literacy program specifically designed for climate and nature professionals from Climate Collective and CIVIC.

Resources Mentioned:

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18971990 Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:00:00 -0400 1141 AI 7 26 full false Accidental to Intentional Nonprofit Tech Leader with Gozi Egbuonu and Hugo Castro pt 2 Accidental to Intentional Nonprofit Tech Leader with Gozi Egbuonu and Hugo Castro pt 2 Hugo Castro, author of the Accidental Techie newsletter on Linkedin, and Gozi Egbuonu, accidental and now intentional tech leader, lead you through a discussion on the transformation from firefighter to strategic advisor.

In pt 1 they discuss the role of the "accidental techie" in nonprofit organizations and explore three bridges to transform your career: Skills, Relationships, and Projects. In pt 2 they finish up the fourth bridge: Communications, and take questions from the webinar audience.

If you never applied to a tech job, but somehow you are the person everyone turns to for tech help and assistance at your nonprofit, you may be the accidental techie of your office. Learn how to transform your valuable experience as a problem-solver into a professional career as a nonprofit tech leader from two people who have lived it.

Hugo and Gozi share what separates reactive problem-solvers from strategic technology leaders, and give you practical frameworks for repositioning yourself professionally. You’ll discover how to communicate your value differently, build the right relationships, and choose projects that showcase your strategic thinking. 

Learning outcomes

  • Build a transformation roadmap using four pillars: skills, relationships, projects, communication
  • Identify your position on the accidental-to-intentional spectrum and key mindset shifts needed
  • Reframe how you communicate your work to position yourselves as strategic advisors, not tech fixers-for-free.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Hugo Castro, author of the Accidental Techie newsletter on Linkedin, and Gozi Egbuonu, accidental and now intentional tech leader, lead you through a discussion on the transformation from firefighter to strategic advisor.

In pt 1 they discuss the role of the "accidental techie" in nonprofit organizations and explore three bridges to transform your career: Skills, Relationships, and Projects. In pt 2 they finish up the fourth bridge: Communications, and take questions from the webinar audience.

If you never applied to a tech job, but somehow you are the person everyone turns to for tech help and assistance at your nonprofit, you may be the accidental techie of your office. Learn how to transform your valuable experience as a problem-solver into a professional career as a nonprofit tech leader from two people who have lived it.

Hugo and Gozi share what separates reactive problem-solvers from strategic technology leaders, and give you practical frameworks for repositioning yourself professionally. You’ll discover how to communicate your value differently, build the right relationships, and choose projects that showcase your strategic thinking. 

Learning outcomes

  • Build a transformation roadmap using four pillars: skills, relationships, projects, communication
  • Identify your position on the accidental-to-intentional spectrum and key mindset shifts needed
  • Reframe how you communicate your work to position yourselves as strategic advisors, not tech fixers-for-free.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18914451 Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:00:00 -0400 1480 7 26 full false Nonprofit AI: Microsoft Elevate Changemakers Announcement Nonprofit AI: Microsoft Elevate Changemakers Announcement A major new initiative from Microsoft aims to provide the training and resources needed to adopt AI tools at nonprofits. In this episode, Carolyn Woodard breaks down the recently announced Microsoft Elevate for Changemakers program. This initiative is a structured effort to build AI capacity through professional certifications, hands-on training, and global fellowships designed specifically for the nonprofit sector.

Carolyn discusses how the sector has shifted from skepticism to active adoption and explores how AI can expand human agency rather than replace it. She describes the four key areas where Microsoft believes AI can make a measurable difference and the case studies they share for each area: enriching staff time, delivering impactful programs, engaging donors, and transforming operations. 

Whether you are looking to automate manual data entry or scale your mission through local language tools, this episode provides a roadmap for staying at the forefront of responsible AI use.

The conversation covers:

  • The new LinkedIn AI for Nonprofits professional certificate and on-demand capacity-building training.
  • Details on the Changemaker Fellowship for organizations with actionable AI projects ready for investment.
  • How AI helps nonprofit staff move away from busywork and toward creative, mission-driven thinking.
  • Links to real-world case studies of organizations using AI to save 6 to 8 hours a day on administrative tasks.
  • Strategies for using AI to scale programs and build stronger, data-informed donor relationships.
  • The importance of professional training and leadership in adopting responsible AI frameworks.

Resources Mentioned:

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> A major new initiative from Microsoft aims to provide the training and resources needed to adopt AI tools at nonprofits. In this episode, Carolyn Woodard breaks down the recently announced Microsoft Elevate for Changemakers program. This initiative is a structured effort to build AI capacity through professional certifications, hands-on training, and global fellowships designed specifically for the nonprofit sector.

Carolyn discusses how the sector has shifted from skepticism to active adoption and explores how AI can expand human agency rather than replace it. She describes the four key areas where Microsoft believes AI can make a measurable difference and the case studies they share for each area: enriching staff time, delivering impactful programs, engaging donors, and transforming operations. 

Whether you are looking to automate manual data entry or scale your mission through local language tools, this episode provides a roadmap for staying at the forefront of responsible AI use.

The conversation covers:

  • The new LinkedIn AI for Nonprofits professional certificate and on-demand capacity-building training.
  • Details on the Changemaker Fellowship for organizations with actionable AI projects ready for investment.
  • How AI helps nonprofit staff move away from busywork and toward creative, mission-driven thinking.
  • Links to real-world case studies of organizations using AI to save 6 to 8 hours a day on administrative tasks.
  • Strategies for using AI to scale programs and build stronger, data-informed donor relationships.
  • The importance of professional training and leadership in adopting responsible AI frameworks.

Resources Mentioned:

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18939104 Tue, 31 Mar 2026 16:00:00 -0400 930 7 25 full false Accidental to Intentional Nonprofit Tech Leader with Gozi Egbuonu and Hugo Castro pt 1 Accidental to Intentional Nonprofit Tech Leader with Gozi Egbuonu and Hugo Castro pt 1 Hugo Castro, author of the Accidental Techie newsletter on Linkedin, and Gozi Egbuonu, accidental and now intentional tech leader, lead you through a discussion on the transformation from firefighter to strategic advisor.

In pt 1 they discuss the role of the "accidental techie" in nonprofit organizations and explore three bridges to transform your career: Skills, Relationships, and Projects. In pt 2 they finish up the fourth bridge: Communications, and take questions from the webinar audience.

If you never applied to a tech job, but somehow you are the person everyone turns to for tech help and assistance at your nonprofit, you may be the accidental techie of your office. Learn how to transform your valuable experience as a problem-solver into a professional career as a nonprofit tech leader from two people who have lived it.

Hugo and Gozi share what separates reactive problem-solvers from strategic technology leaders, and give you practical frameworks for repositioning yourself professionally. You’ll discover how to communicate your value differently, build the right relationships, and choose projects that showcase your strategic thinking. 

Learning outcomes

  • Build a transformation roadmap using four pillars: skills, relationships, projects, communication
  • Identify your position on the accidental-to-intentional spectrum and key mindset shifts needed
  • Reframe how you communicate your work to position yourselves as strategic advisors, not tech fixers-for-free.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Hugo Castro, author of the Accidental Techie newsletter on Linkedin, and Gozi Egbuonu, accidental and now intentional tech leader, lead you through a discussion on the transformation from firefighter to strategic advisor.

In pt 1 they discuss the role of the "accidental techie" in nonprofit organizations and explore three bridges to transform your career: Skills, Relationships, and Projects. In pt 2 they finish up the fourth bridge: Communications, and take questions from the webinar audience.

If you never applied to a tech job, but somehow you are the person everyone turns to for tech help and assistance at your nonprofit, you may be the accidental techie of your office. Learn how to transform your valuable experience as a problem-solver into a professional career as a nonprofit tech leader from two people who have lived it.

Hugo and Gozi share what separates reactive problem-solvers from strategic technology leaders, and give you practical frameworks for repositioning yourself professionally. You’ll discover how to communicate your value differently, build the right relationships, and choose projects that showcase your strategic thinking. 

Learning outcomes

  • Build a transformation roadmap using four pillars: skills, relationships, projects, communication
  • Identify your position on the accidental-to-intentional spectrum and key mindset shifts needed
  • Reframe how you communicate your work to position yourselves as strategic advisors, not tech fixers-for-free.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18914352 Fri, 27 Mar 2026 16:00:00 -0400 2169 7 24 full false Nonprofit AI: Resources on Workforce Changes and Training Courses, Project Evident Library of Use Cases Nonprofit AI: Resources on Workforce Changes and Training Courses, Project Evident Library of Use Cases In this Nonprofit AI Podcast midweek check-in, Carolyn tackles the anxiety around AI and the changing labor market. While it can feel like AI is everywhere, a recent report from Anthropic shows we are nowhere near 100% adoption—but the roles most likely to be impacted are the white-collar, management, and knowledge-work positions often held by older, highly educated women in the nonprofit sector.

The conversation covers the gap between using AI tools and actually having a policy for them, and why wishful thinking isn't a substitute for a training budget. Carolyn discusses:

  • Who is actually exposed to AI: Why seasoned nonprofit leaders and managers in roles like fundraising and strategic planning need to pay attention and stay engaged in the way their job descriptions are shifting to incorporate AI literacy. 
  • The Governance Gap: Only 19% of organizations have formal AI policies—maybe even lower in the nonprofit sector. But organizations without AI governance run considerable risks. The time to start is now.
  • Why AI literacy is the new job requirement in nonprofit work: Moving beyond entry level tricks like drafting emails to using AI as a strategic partner for mission-driven work has huge possibilities. The nonprofit sector is uniquely positioned to use AI in innovative and impactful ways.
  • High-quality training that won't break the budget: A rundown of free and low-cost certificate programs specifically designed for nonprofits.
  • Evidence-based use cases: Look at how peer organizations are using AI for  mission delivery, not just office productivity with Project Evident's library of nonprofit AI use cases.

As AI literacy becomes a baseline skill, Carolyn encourages nonprofit boards and executive teams to prioritize learning—ensuring staff have the time, tools, and training to navigate this shift safely.

Resources Mentioned:

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In this Nonprofit AI Podcast midweek check-in, Carolyn tackles the anxiety around AI and the changing labor market. While it can feel like AI is everywhere, a recent report from Anthropic shows we are nowhere near 100% adoption—but the roles most likely to be impacted are the white-collar, management, and knowledge-work positions often held by older, highly educated women in the nonprofit sector.

The conversation covers the gap between using AI tools and actually having a policy for them, and why wishful thinking isn't a substitute for a training budget. Carolyn discusses:

  • Who is actually exposed to AI: Why seasoned nonprofit leaders and managers in roles like fundraising and strategic planning need to pay attention and stay engaged in the way their job descriptions are shifting to incorporate AI literacy. 
  • The Governance Gap: Only 19% of organizations have formal AI policies—maybe even lower in the nonprofit sector. But organizations without AI governance run considerable risks. The time to start is now.
  • Why AI literacy is the new job requirement in nonprofit work: Moving beyond entry level tricks like drafting emails to using AI as a strategic partner for mission-driven work has huge possibilities. The nonprofit sector is uniquely positioned to use AI in innovative and impactful ways.
  • High-quality training that won't break the budget: A rundown of free and low-cost certificate programs specifically designed for nonprofits.
  • Evidence-based use cases: Look at how peer organizations are using AI for  mission delivery, not just office productivity with Project Evident's library of nonprofit AI use cases.

As AI literacy becomes a baseline skill, Carolyn encourages nonprofit boards and executive teams to prioritize learning—ensuring staff have the time, tools, and training to navigate this shift safely.

Resources Mentioned:

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18901967 Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:00:00 -0400 1196 AI 7 23 full false Prep Your File Permissions for AI Tools with Steve Longenecker Prep Your File Permissions for AI Tools with Steve Longenecker Carolyn sits down with Steve Longenecker, Director of IT Consulting at Community IT Innovators, to tackle a question that's suddenly urgent for many nonprofits: now that AI tools like Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini can search your entire file system, are your permissions actually set up correctly?

The conversation covers the practical steps nonprofits can take to assess and clean up their SharePoint and Google Workspace permissions before — or after — turning on AI. Steve and Carolyn discuss:

  • Why AI tools like Copilot only surface files users are already permitted to see — and why that's not as reassuring as it sounds.
  • The "security through obscurity" problem: how files that were harmlessly buried for years can suddenly become visible to anyone.
  • How Microsoft tracks "anyone at my organization" share links — and why you should change your default sharing settings now.
  • What Restricted SharePoint Search is, and how it can help you safely roll out Copilot site by site.
  • Practical first steps for nonprofits with messy, organic SharePoint environments.

As Steve puts it, old SharePoint architecture represents technical debt that's going to have to get paid down eventually — and AI may be making that day come sooner.

Resources Mentioned:

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Carolyn sits down with Steve Longenecker, Director of IT Consulting at Community IT Innovators, to tackle a question that's suddenly urgent for many nonprofits: now that AI tools like Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini can search your entire file system, are your permissions actually set up correctly?

The conversation covers the practical steps nonprofits can take to assess and clean up their SharePoint and Google Workspace permissions before — or after — turning on AI. Steve and Carolyn discuss:

  • Why AI tools like Copilot only surface files users are already permitted to see — and why that's not as reassuring as it sounds.
  • The "security through obscurity" problem: how files that were harmlessly buried for years can suddenly become visible to anyone.
  • How Microsoft tracks "anyone at my organization" share links — and why you should change your default sharing settings now.
  • What Restricted SharePoint Search is, and how it can help you safely roll out Copilot site by site.
  • Practical first steps for nonprofits with messy, organic SharePoint environments.

As Steve puts it, old SharePoint architecture represents technical debt that's going to have to get paid down eventually — and AI may be making that day come sooner.

Resources Mentioned:

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18824739 Fri, 20 Mar 2026 16:00:00 -0400 1545 7 23 full false Nonprofit AI: NotebookLM, What is AI Hygiene Nonprofit AI: NotebookLM, What is AI Hygiene How can nonprofits move past the efficiency plateau to find real strategic value in AI? In this midweek check-in, Carolyn Woodard discusses statistics from the 2026 Nonprofit AI Adoption Report from Virtuous and Fundraising AI, which reveals that while 92% of nonprofits are using AI, only 7% see a major strategic impact on their mission.

The episode also explores the concept of AI hygiene and why cleaning up your digital files for humans is the first step. Carolyn also discussed Google NotebookLM, a "walled off" library that you can create from your own resources, restricting your AI tool to just your own documents and data. 

Carolyn also highlights the community-led governance model of AI Ready RVA and reminds nonprofit leaders that they do not need a computer science degree to lead an AI-ready organization. Instead, they need a clear mission, clean data, and commitment.

Key Resources Included

  • 2026 Nonprofit AI Adoption Report (Virtuous/Fundraising AI).
  • 92% of nonprofits surveyed are individually using AI tools for productivity and efficiency vs 7% that report they are using AI as a teammate for transformation.
  • Data hygiene: cleaning your data and keeping it clean. 
  • AI hygiene: Preparing your data and data architecture so that AI tools can return the best outputs quickly, without multiple prompts and investigation into accuracy.  
  • NotebookLM. A tool within Google Gemini that can create a "walled off" library that AI will search within. Using vetted resources can help the AI be more trustworthy and return better outputs. 
  • AI Ready RVA - a cohort model for local resources and networking to help manage the learning and funding for pilot programs and events.


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> How can nonprofits move past the efficiency plateau to find real strategic value in AI? In this midweek check-in, Carolyn Woodard discusses statistics from the 2026 Nonprofit AI Adoption Report from Virtuous and Fundraising AI, which reveals that while 92% of nonprofits are using AI, only 7% see a major strategic impact on their mission.

The episode also explores the concept of AI hygiene and why cleaning up your digital files for humans is the first step. Carolyn also discussed Google NotebookLM, a "walled off" library that you can create from your own resources, restricting your AI tool to just your own documents and data. 

Carolyn also highlights the community-led governance model of AI Ready RVA and reminds nonprofit leaders that they do not need a computer science degree to lead an AI-ready organization. Instead, they need a clear mission, clean data, and commitment.

Key Resources Included

  • 2026 Nonprofit AI Adoption Report (Virtuous/Fundraising AI).
  • 92% of nonprofits surveyed are individually using AI tools for productivity and efficiency vs 7% that report they are using AI as a teammate for transformation.
  • Data hygiene: cleaning your data and keeping it clean. 
  • AI hygiene: Preparing your data and data architecture so that AI tools can return the best outputs quickly, without multiple prompts and investigation into accuracy.  
  • NotebookLM. A tool within Google Gemini that can create a "walled off" library that AI will search within. Using vetted resources can help the AI be more trustworthy and return better outputs. 
  • AI Ready RVA - a cohort model for local resources and networking to help manage the learning and funding for pilot programs and events.


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18857859 Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:00:00 -0400 1262 7 22 full false Write a Better RFP for IT Support for Your Nonprofit with Johan Hammerstrom Write a Better RFP for IT Support for Your Nonprofit with Johan Hammerstrom Are you struggling to articulate what your nonprofit actually needs from an IT provider? In this episode, host Carolyn Woodard and Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom discuss the rise of the generic, AI-generated Request for Proposal (RFP). While it is tempting to use AI to handle the heavy lifting of technical writing, doing so often results in a document that lacks the heart of your organization’s mission.

Johan explains why a successful RFP is less about technical jargon and more about your unique business needs. When you rely on a generic template, you end up with a generic partner. This conversation offers a roadmap for moving beyond checklists to find a support model that actually fits your culture and budget.

Johan and Carolyn explore the essential process of defining your requirements, including:

  • The AI Pitfall: Why using AI to write an RFP without deep organizational context leads technical jargon. If you can't understand exactly what your rfp is asking for, neither will the vendors. 
  • The Thinking Process: A look at why the act of writing—rather than just the final document—is a vital exercise in disciplined thinking and clarity for your leadership team.
  • Staff Feedback: How to gather input from your team to identify where legacy systems or siloed tools are creating daily friction and missed opportunities.
  • Finding a Partner: Practical advice on how to draw out the unique requirements of your nonprofit to ensure your next IT provider is a true partner, not just a vendor.

A key part of this search is recognizing why many nonprofits feel dissatisfied with their current support. Johan identifies three specific pitfalls that occur when working with a regular, for-profit focused Managed Service Provider (MSP):

  1. The Culture Gap: Most MSPs are geared toward a bottom-line, efficiency-first mindset that can feel brusque, abrasive or dissonant when it comes up against a people-centered nonprofit culture.
  2. Misaligned Logic: Standard providers often recommend solutions based on revenue generation, failing to understand the resource-constrained and programmatic realities of the nonprofit sector when making IT investments or dealing with legacy IT.
  3. The Priority Problem: In a large, general-market firm, smaller nonprofit accounts are often deprioritized in favor of more lucrative corporate clients, leading to inconsistent support, junior-level staffing, and frustration.

If you feel your current provider doesn’t quite get you, or if you are preparing to search for new support, this episode will help you ask the right questions of your AI tools, your staff, and your potential partners.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

Link: How to Vet an MSP for Your Nonprofit

Link: How do I Know if an MSP is Right for my Organization? 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Are you struggling to articulate what your nonprofit actually needs from an IT provider? In this episode, host Carolyn Woodard and Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom discuss the rise of the generic, AI-generated Request for Proposal (RFP). While it is tempting to use AI to handle the heavy lifting of technical writing, doing so often results in a document that lacks the heart of your organization’s mission.

Johan explains why a successful RFP is less about technical jargon and more about your unique business needs. When you rely on a generic template, you end up with a generic partner. This conversation offers a roadmap for moving beyond checklists to find a support model that actually fits your culture and budget.

Johan and Carolyn explore the essential process of defining your requirements, including:

  • The AI Pitfall: Why using AI to write an RFP without deep organizational context leads technical jargon. If you can't understand exactly what your rfp is asking for, neither will the vendors. 
  • The Thinking Process: A look at why the act of writing—rather than just the final document—is a vital exercise in disciplined thinking and clarity for your leadership team.
  • Staff Feedback: How to gather input from your team to identify where legacy systems or siloed tools are creating daily friction and missed opportunities.
  • Finding a Partner: Practical advice on how to draw out the unique requirements of your nonprofit to ensure your next IT provider is a true partner, not just a vendor.

A key part of this search is recognizing why many nonprofits feel dissatisfied with their current support. Johan identifies three specific pitfalls that occur when working with a regular, for-profit focused Managed Service Provider (MSP):

  1. The Culture Gap: Most MSPs are geared toward a bottom-line, efficiency-first mindset that can feel brusque, abrasive or dissonant when it comes up against a people-centered nonprofit culture.
  2. Misaligned Logic: Standard providers often recommend solutions based on revenue generation, failing to understand the resource-constrained and programmatic realities of the nonprofit sector when making IT investments or dealing with legacy IT.
  3. The Priority Problem: In a large, general-market firm, smaller nonprofit accounts are often deprioritized in favor of more lucrative corporate clients, leading to inconsistent support, junior-level staffing, and frustration.

If you feel your current provider doesn’t quite get you, or if you are preparing to search for new support, this episode will help you ask the right questions of your AI tools, your staff, and your potential partners.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

Link: How to Vet an MSP for Your Nonprofit

Link: How do I Know if an MSP is Right for my Organization? 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18796799 Fri, 13 Mar 2026 12:00:00 -0400 1599 7 21 full false Nonprofit AI: We have agency, Anthropic-Pentagon news updates Nonprofit AI: We have agency, Anthropic-Pentagon news updates In this Nonprofit AI Podcast midweek check-in, Carolyn explores what it means to have agency in the age of AI. With so much pressure to adopt new tools, it can feel like nonprofits have no choice — but Carolyn makes the case that you and your organization have more power than you think, both in the tools you choose and the advocacy you pursue.

The conversation covers the environmental and community impacts of AI infrastructure, and what nonprofits can actually do about it. Carolyn discusses:

  • Why individual AI use matter less than local and collective advocacy around data center regulation.
  • Advocacy looks different in different locations where data centers are going in at a furious pace. Water issues? Electricity costs? Sites? Your advocacy should be local too. 
  • The community impacts of data center siting are complex — Carolyn gave just one example of institutional racism and the displacement over time of historic Black landowners in Northern Virginia.
  • Creative policy models from Europe that nonprofits can advocate for in their own communities.
  • You can align your AI tool choices with your organization's values — and why that matters.
  • An update on Anthropic's lawsuit against the Department of Defense over its supply chain risk designation.

As AI infrastructure expands so quickly, Carolyn encourages nonprofits to stay engaged — using AI intentionally while advocating for the communities and values they serve.

Resources Mentioned:


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In this Nonprofit AI Podcast midweek check-in, Carolyn explores what it means to have agency in the age of AI. With so much pressure to adopt new tools, it can feel like nonprofits have no choice — but Carolyn makes the case that you and your organization have more power than you think, both in the tools you choose and the advocacy you pursue.

The conversation covers the environmental and community impacts of AI infrastructure, and what nonprofits can actually do about it. Carolyn discusses:

  • Why individual AI use matter less than local and collective advocacy around data center regulation.
  • Advocacy looks different in different locations where data centers are going in at a furious pace. Water issues? Electricity costs? Sites? Your advocacy should be local too. 
  • The community impacts of data center siting are complex — Carolyn gave just one example of institutional racism and the displacement over time of historic Black landowners in Northern Virginia.
  • Creative policy models from Europe that nonprofits can advocate for in their own communities.
  • You can align your AI tool choices with your organization's values — and why that matters.
  • An update on Anthropic's lawsuit against the Department of Defense over its supply chain risk designation.

As AI infrastructure expands so quickly, Carolyn encourages nonprofits to stay engaged — using AI intentionally while advocating for the communities and values they serve.

Resources Mentioned:


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18824689 Tue, 10 Mar 2026 16:00:00 -0400 1179 AI 7 20 full false How to Use AI Tools Safely at Nonprofits with Matthew Eshleman pt 2 How to Use AI Tools Safely at Nonprofits with Matthew Eshleman pt 2 If you have wondered about the real difference between using a free tool like ChatGPT and an enterprise-level solution like Microsoft Copilot or Google Gemini, this episode will provide much-needed clarity. While the potential for efficiency is high, many nonprofit leaders are rightfully concerned about data security and how to ensure they are using these models safely.

In part one from their recent webinar, Community IT Outreach Director Carolyn Woodard is joined by Chief Technology Officer Matt Eshleman to demystify the current AI tool landscape, particularly for data security. 

In part two, Matt and Carolyn go over ways to tell you are logged in to your official account or not, the importance of continuous and iterative staff education, and how (and why) to get started creating AI policies to share with staff. 

They were only able to answer a few questions from registration and the audience during this webinar; you can find more questions answered on our reddit community page: https://www.reddit.com/r/NonprofitITManagement/ or in the transcript on our website here: https://communityit.com/webinar-how-to-use-ai-tools-safely-at-nonprofits/

Whether you are already using AI daily or are just beginning to explore its possibilities, this discussion offers a professional and grounded look at how to navigate these tools securely.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> If you have wondered about the real difference between using a free tool like ChatGPT and an enterprise-level solution like Microsoft Copilot or Google Gemini, this episode will provide much-needed clarity. While the potential for efficiency is high, many nonprofit leaders are rightfully concerned about data security and how to ensure they are using these models safely.

In part one from their recent webinar, Community IT Outreach Director Carolyn Woodard is joined by Chief Technology Officer Matt Eshleman to demystify the current AI tool landscape, particularly for data security. 

In part two, Matt and Carolyn go over ways to tell you are logged in to your official account or not, the importance of continuous and iterative staff education, and how (and why) to get started creating AI policies to share with staff. 

They were only able to answer a few questions from registration and the audience during this webinar; you can find more questions answered on our reddit community page: https://www.reddit.com/r/NonprofitITManagement/ or in the transcript on our website here: https://communityit.com/webinar-how-to-use-ai-tools-safely-at-nonprofits/

Whether you are already using AI daily or are just beginning to explore its possibilities, this discussion offers a professional and grounded look at how to navigate these tools securely.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18790454 Fri, 06 Mar 2026 15:00:00 -0500 1650 7 19 full false Nonprofit AI: Pentagon and AI, Turn Off Model Sharing, Q&A Nonprofit AI: Pentagon and AI, Turn Off Model Sharing, Q&A In this Nonprofit AI Podcast, Carolyn explores the complex intersection of nonprofit values and AI vendor ethics. Following a high-profile public dispute between the Pentagon and major AI providers, we look at what these corporate decisions mean for organizations that prioritize mission-aligned technology.

The conversation covers the practical side of AI safety, moving beyond the headlines to answer urgent questions from our recent webinar. Carolyn discusses:

  • The ethical ripple effects of the Anthropic and OpenAI rivalry regarding government contracts.
  • Why enterprise-level licenses are the primary recommendation for protecting sensitive nonprofit data.
  • How to navigate privacy when using AI for board meeting transcriptions and note-taking.
  • Practical steps to turn off model training in freemium tools like ChatGPT and Gemini.
  • The existential question: Is adopting AI truly inevitable for the nonprofit sector?

As AI continues to disrupt education, health, and environmental sectors, Carolyn discusses the importance of intentionality—whether your organization chooses to opt in or opt out.

Resources Mentioned:


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In this Nonprofit AI Podcast, Carolyn explores the complex intersection of nonprofit values and AI vendor ethics. Following a high-profile public dispute between the Pentagon and major AI providers, we look at what these corporate decisions mean for organizations that prioritize mission-aligned technology.

The conversation covers the practical side of AI safety, moving beyond the headlines to answer urgent questions from our recent webinar. Carolyn discusses:

  • The ethical ripple effects of the Anthropic and OpenAI rivalry regarding government contracts.
  • Why enterprise-level licenses are the primary recommendation for protecting sensitive nonprofit data.
  • How to navigate privacy when using AI for board meeting transcriptions and note-taking.
  • Practical steps to turn off model training in freemium tools like ChatGPT and Gemini.
  • The existential question: Is adopting AI truly inevitable for the nonprofit sector?

As AI continues to disrupt education, health, and environmental sectors, Carolyn discusses the importance of intentionality—whether your organization chooses to opt in or opt out.

Resources Mentioned:


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18783070 Tue, 03 Mar 2026 15:00:00 -0500 1405 AI 7 18 full false How to Use AI Tools Safely at Nonprofits with Matthew Eshleman pt 1 How to Use AI Tools Safely at Nonprofits with Matthew Eshleman pt 1 If you have wondered about the real difference between using a free tool like ChatGPT and an enterprise-level solution like Microsoft Copilot or Google Gemini, this episode will provide much-needed clarity. While the potential for efficiency is high, many nonprofit leaders are rightfully concerned about data security and how to ensure they are using these models safely.

In part one from their recent webinar, Community IT Outreach Director Carolyn Woodard is joined by Chief Technology Officer Matt Eshleman to demystify the current AI tool landscape, particularly for data security. 

In part two, Matt and Carolyn go over ways to tell you are logged in to your official account or not, the importance of continuous and iterative staff education, and how (and why) to get started creating AI policies to share with staff.

This episode one covers:

  • The distinction between freemium AI models and enterprise-protected tools.
  • The AI continuum, ranging from assistive technology to workflow assistants to autonomous agents.
  • A breakdown of pricing tiers and what nonprofits can expect in terms of data privacy and functionality.
  • Practical advice on why terms and conditions matter when protecting your organizational data.

Whether you are already using AI daily or are just beginning to explore its possibilities, this discussion offers a professional and grounded look at how to navigate these tools securely.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> If you have wondered about the real difference between using a free tool like ChatGPT and an enterprise-level solution like Microsoft Copilot or Google Gemini, this episode will provide much-needed clarity. While the potential for efficiency is high, many nonprofit leaders are rightfully concerned about data security and how to ensure they are using these models safely.

In part one from their recent webinar, Community IT Outreach Director Carolyn Woodard is joined by Chief Technology Officer Matt Eshleman to demystify the current AI tool landscape, particularly for data security. 

In part two, Matt and Carolyn go over ways to tell you are logged in to your official account or not, the importance of continuous and iterative staff education, and how (and why) to get started creating AI policies to share with staff.

This episode one covers:

  • The distinction between freemium AI models and enterprise-protected tools.
  • The AI continuum, ranging from assistive technology to workflow assistants to autonomous agents.
  • A breakdown of pricing tiers and what nonprofits can expect in terms of data privacy and functionality.
  • Practical advice on why terms and conditions matter when protecting your organizational data.

Whether you are already using AI daily or are just beginning to explore its possibilities, this discussion offers a professional and grounded look at how to navigate these tools securely.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18761118 Fri, 27 Feb 2026 16:00:00 -0500 2042 7 17 full false Nonprofit AI: Implementation Framework, AI Literacy Nonprofit AI: Implementation Framework, AI Literacy Resources shared in this episode: 

Gallop Poll January 2026 on AI use: https://apnews.com/article/ai-workplace-gemini-chatgpt-poll-4934bc61d039508db32bc49f85d63d99

Build Consulting 5 Category AI Implementation Framework by Kyle Haines: https://buildconsulting.com/blog/a-strategic-framework-for-nonprofit-ai-investment/

1: Return on Investment - what are you trying to do, and is an AI tool the best way to do it? 

2. Technical and Data Feasibility - are you ready? Is your data ready? 

3. Mitigating AI Risks - legal, ethical, reputational...

4. Anticipating Costs - AI tools are not free

5. Change Impacts - making sure intentional change management is in place.

How AI is changing search, Yoast wrap up from 2025: https://yoast.com/seo-in-2025-wrap-up/ 

AI Literacy Measures and Suggestions from US Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/advisories/TEN/2025/TEN%2007-25/TEN%2007-25%20%28complete%20document%29.pdf

AI Literacy Measures: 

1. Understand AI Concepts

2. Explore AI Uses

3. Direct AI Effectively

4. Evaluate AI Outputs

5. Use AI Responsibly

Delivery Principles for AI Literacy Growth

1. Enable Experiential Learning

2. Embed Learning in Context

3. Build Complementary Human Skills 

4. Address Prerequisites to AI Literacy

5. Create Pathways for AI Learning

6. Prepare Enabling Roles

7. Design for Agility

Webinar: How to Use AI Tools Safely at Your Nonprofit with Matthew Eshleman. https://communityit.com/webinar-how-to-use-ai-tools-safely-at-nonprofits/


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Resources shared in this episode: 

Gallop Poll January 2026 on AI use: https://apnews.com/article/ai-workplace-gemini-chatgpt-poll-4934bc61d039508db32bc49f85d63d99

Build Consulting 5 Category AI Implementation Framework by Kyle Haines: https://buildconsulting.com/blog/a-strategic-framework-for-nonprofit-ai-investment/

1: Return on Investment - what are you trying to do, and is an AI tool the best way to do it? 

2. Technical and Data Feasibility - are you ready? Is your data ready? 

3. Mitigating AI Risks - legal, ethical, reputational...

4. Anticipating Costs - AI tools are not free

5. Change Impacts - making sure intentional change management is in place.

How AI is changing search, Yoast wrap up from 2025: https://yoast.com/seo-in-2025-wrap-up/ 

AI Literacy Measures and Suggestions from US Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/advisories/TEN/2025/TEN%2007-25/TEN%2007-25%20%28complete%20document%29.pdf

AI Literacy Measures: 

1. Understand AI Concepts

2. Explore AI Uses

3. Direct AI Effectively

4. Evaluate AI Outputs

5. Use AI Responsibly

Delivery Principles for AI Literacy Growth

1. Enable Experiential Learning

2. Embed Learning in Context

3. Build Complementary Human Skills 

4. Address Prerequisites to AI Literacy

5. Create Pathways for AI Learning

6. Prepare Enabling Roles

7. Design for Agility

Webinar: How to Use AI Tools Safely at Your Nonprofit with Matthew Eshleman. https://communityit.com/webinar-how-to-use-ai-tools-safely-at-nonprofits/


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18742575 Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:00:00 -0500 1846 AI 7 16 full false Single Sign On Clever for Schools with Norwin Herrera Single Sign On Clever for Schools with Norwin Herrera In this episode host Carolyn Woodard is joined by Norwin Herrera, IT Business Manager and Team Lead at Community IT. Together, they walk through a real-world case study of a public charter school that implemented a Single Sign-On (SSO) platform called Clever that can solve cybersecurity and accessibility challenges for adult or child students.

Strategic IT Leadership for Nonprofits

Unlike a traditional account manager, an IT Business Manager (ITBM) acts as a strategic partner, helping nonprofit leadership understand the technology landscape and make informed decisions that align with their mission. The ITBM role is unique to Community IT and is an example of a commitment to partnering with clients over the long term.

In this case, the goal was to find a SSO solution that could handle a complex mix of Chromebooks and Windows devices while remaining user-friendly for both adult students and faculty.

The Power of Single Sign-On

SSO acts as one door for all of your doors. By using Clever as an identity manager, the organization was able to:

  • Enhance Cybersecurity: Centralizing access allows for immediate offboarding. If a student or staff member leaves, closing one account automatically secures access to all others, prevents fraud, and saves money.
  • Automate User Provisioning: Through zero intervention integration with the Student Information System (SIS), accounts are created or deactivated automatically based on enrollment status.
  • Improve User Experience: Students no longer need to remember multiple different passwords for Google, Microsoft, Zoom, and Slack for example. One password provides access to all the apps they have access to as a student using a school device.
  • Reduce Administrative Costs: Norwin breaks down the ROI of SSO, comparing a small per-user fee against the hundreds of hours of manual labor required to manage accounts individually.

Change Management and Successful Implementation

A successful IT project is about more than just software; it is about people. Norwin explains why this project resulted in zero tickets and no complaints: it started with leadership buy-in and a commitment to clear communication.

Whether you are an executive at a school or a volunteer board member at a community nonprofit, this episode offers practical insights into how integrated cybersecurity and strategic IT planning can save your organization time and money.

Listen in to learn how your organization can move toward a more secure and efficient digital future by subscribing to the Community IT Innovators Technology Topics podcast.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In this episode host Carolyn Woodard is joined by Norwin Herrera, IT Business Manager and Team Lead at Community IT. Together, they walk through a real-world case study of a public charter school that implemented a Single Sign-On (SSO) platform called Clever that can solve cybersecurity and accessibility challenges for adult or child students.

Strategic IT Leadership for Nonprofits

Unlike a traditional account manager, an IT Business Manager (ITBM) acts as a strategic partner, helping nonprofit leadership understand the technology landscape and make informed decisions that align with their mission. The ITBM role is unique to Community IT and is an example of a commitment to partnering with clients over the long term.

In this case, the goal was to find a SSO solution that could handle a complex mix of Chromebooks and Windows devices while remaining user-friendly for both adult students and faculty.

The Power of Single Sign-On

SSO acts as one door for all of your doors. By using Clever as an identity manager, the organization was able to:

  • Enhance Cybersecurity: Centralizing access allows for immediate offboarding. If a student or staff member leaves, closing one account automatically secures access to all others, prevents fraud, and saves money.
  • Automate User Provisioning: Through zero intervention integration with the Student Information System (SIS), accounts are created or deactivated automatically based on enrollment status.
  • Improve User Experience: Students no longer need to remember multiple different passwords for Google, Microsoft, Zoom, and Slack for example. One password provides access to all the apps they have access to as a student using a school device.
  • Reduce Administrative Costs: Norwin breaks down the ROI of SSO, comparing a small per-user fee against the hundreds of hours of manual labor required to manage accounts individually.

Change Management and Successful Implementation

A successful IT project is about more than just software; it is about people. Norwin explains why this project resulted in zero tickets and no complaints: it started with leadership buy-in and a commitment to clear communication.

Whether you are an executive at a school or a volunteer board member at a community nonprofit, this episode offers practical insights into how integrated cybersecurity and strategic IT planning can save your organization time and money.

Listen in to learn how your organization can move toward a more secure and efficient digital future by subscribing to the Community IT Innovators Technology Topics podcast.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18713467 Fri, 20 Feb 2026 16:00:00 -0500 1595 7 15 full false Nonprofit AI: Vetting AI Tools for Nonprofits; What Are AI Agents? Nonprofit AI: Vetting AI Tools for Nonprofits; What Are AI Agents? Nonprofit AI: Vetting Your Tools and Understanding AI Agents

In this midweek AI check-in, Carolyn Woodard explores how nonprofit leaders can make informed, safe decisions in an increasingly crowded technology landscape. The episode begins with a review of a new AI Tools Safety Guide specifically designed for the nonprofit sector. This resource evaluates popular tools based on the criteria that matter most to mission-driven organizations: data privacy, security, and ethical responsibility.

Carolyn also demystifies the concept of AI Agents. By breaking down the hierarchy of AI—from simple bots and assistants to more autonomous agents—she explains how these specialized tools can eventually handle the busy work of repetitive tasks, such as cross-referencing spreadsheets or organizing files. 

Whether you are just starting to draft your organization's AI usage policy or you are looking for ways to streamline your internal workflows, this episode provides practical guardrails for navigating AI adoption at nonprofits.

Featured Resources

  • Tool: AI Tools Safety Guide for Nonprofits Visit Meet the Moment A searchable directory of AI tools evaluated for trust and safety by reputable nonprofit technology experts. It’s an ideal starting point for organizations with strict data handling needs and limited research time.
  • Template: AI Acceptable Use Policy Download from Community IT IT is better to establish clear principles now than to wait for time to make a perfect policy. This template helps you communicate expectations to your staff and board regarding the use of generative AI.
  • Community Discussion: Nonprofit IT Management Join the Reddit Community Have a specific question about an AI tool or a repetitive task you'd like to automate? Connect with Carolyn and other nonprofit professionals on our dedicated subreddit to share insights and ask questions.


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Nonprofit AI: Vetting Your Tools and Understanding AI Agents

In this midweek AI check-in, Carolyn Woodard explores how nonprofit leaders can make informed, safe decisions in an increasingly crowded technology landscape. The episode begins with a review of a new AI Tools Safety Guide specifically designed for the nonprofit sector. This resource evaluates popular tools based on the criteria that matter most to mission-driven organizations: data privacy, security, and ethical responsibility.

Carolyn also demystifies the concept of AI Agents. By breaking down the hierarchy of AI—from simple bots and assistants to more autonomous agents—she explains how these specialized tools can eventually handle the busy work of repetitive tasks, such as cross-referencing spreadsheets or organizing files. 

Whether you are just starting to draft your organization's AI usage policy or you are looking for ways to streamline your internal workflows, this episode provides practical guardrails for navigating AI adoption at nonprofits.

Featured Resources

  • Tool: AI Tools Safety Guide for Nonprofits Visit Meet the Moment A searchable directory of AI tools evaluated for trust and safety by reputable nonprofit technology experts. It’s an ideal starting point for organizations with strict data handling needs and limited research time.
  • Template: AI Acceptable Use Policy Download from Community IT IT is better to establish clear principles now than to wait for time to make a perfect policy. This template helps you communicate expectations to your staff and board regarding the use of generative AI.
  • Community Discussion: Nonprofit IT Management Join the Reddit Community Have a specific question about an AI tool or a repetitive task you'd like to automate? Connect with Carolyn and other nonprofit professionals on our dedicated subreddit to share insights and ask questions.


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18638026 Tue, 17 Feb 2026 16:00:00 -0500 1105 AI 7 14 full false Team Building Remotely with Saba Gebru Team Building Remotely with Saba Gebru Building Stronger Teams: Purposeful Connection in a Remote World

How do you maintain a cohesive, supportive team when the office is now spread across dozens of different locations? In this episode, Carolyn Woodard sits down with Saba Gebru, Vice President of Support Services at Community IT, to discuss the intentional work required to foster teamwork in a remote and hybrid environment.

Saba shares how Community IT transitioned through the pandemic and emerged with a deeper understanding of why social connection isn't just extra—it’s essential for better service delivery. 

When technicians feel supported and connected to one another, our clients benefit from the collective knowledge of the entire firm, not just a single individual. We also discuss how to keep team building from feeling mandatory by aligning activities with mission-driven values, such as local volunteerism and servant leadership.

Featured Resources

  • Community IT Values: Our Story | Read More Learn more about the core values that guide our team—including balance and transparency—and how these principles help us better serve the nonprofit community.
  • Guide: Managing Remote Teams for Nonprofits | View Article For managers looking to refine their remote operations, this guide offers practical tips on the tools and cultural shifts necessary to keep a distributed workforce engaged and secure.
  • Case Study: 100% Remote Work Implementation with Microsoft Cloud | Read the Case Study Transitioning to a fully remote model requires more than just a change in mindset; it requires a robust technical foundation. This case study follows a large nonprofit as they navigated a rapid shift to 100% remote work. By leveraging Microsoft Cloud tools the organization was able to deploy hardware and support staff across the country without ever needing to meet in person, proving that with the right roadmap, technology can bridge the gap between physical distance and mission-critical collaboration.

Next Step for Your Organization

Building a strong team culture is an ongoing process, especially in the remote era. If you haven't recently checked in with your staff about what they need to feel connected, consider making it a priority in your next departmental meeting. Start the conversation by asking for feedback on what types of optional social or volunteer activities might resonate with their values.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Building Stronger Teams: Purposeful Connection in a Remote World

How do you maintain a cohesive, supportive team when the office is now spread across dozens of different locations? In this episode, Carolyn Woodard sits down with Saba Gebru, Vice President of Support Services at Community IT, to discuss the intentional work required to foster teamwork in a remote and hybrid environment.

Saba shares how Community IT transitioned through the pandemic and emerged with a deeper understanding of why social connection isn't just extra—it’s essential for better service delivery. 

When technicians feel supported and connected to one another, our clients benefit from the collective knowledge of the entire firm, not just a single individual. We also discuss how to keep team building from feeling mandatory by aligning activities with mission-driven values, such as local volunteerism and servant leadership.

Featured Resources

  • Community IT Values: Our Story | Read More Learn more about the core values that guide our team—including balance and transparency—and how these principles help us better serve the nonprofit community.
  • Guide: Managing Remote Teams for Nonprofits | View Article For managers looking to refine their remote operations, this guide offers practical tips on the tools and cultural shifts necessary to keep a distributed workforce engaged and secure.
  • Case Study: 100% Remote Work Implementation with Microsoft Cloud | Read the Case Study Transitioning to a fully remote model requires more than just a change in mindset; it requires a robust technical foundation. This case study follows a large nonprofit as they navigated a rapid shift to 100% remote work. By leveraging Microsoft Cloud tools the organization was able to deploy hardware and support staff across the country without ever needing to meet in person, proving that with the right roadmap, technology can bridge the gap between physical distance and mission-critical collaboration.

Next Step for Your Organization

Building a strong team culture is an ongoing process, especially in the remote era. If you haven't recently checked in with your staff about what they need to feel connected, consider making it a priority in your next departmental meeting. Start the conversation by asking for feedback on what types of optional social or volunteer activities might resonate with their values.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18636603 Fri, 13 Feb 2026 16:00:00 -0500 1155 7 13 full false Nonprofit AI: Human Rights and Community Rights Resources Nonprofit AI: Human Rights and Community Rights Resources Nonprofit AI Check-in: Reclaiming Human Rights and Protecting Local Communities

In this midweek check-in, Carolyn Woodard steps back from the technical "how-to" of AI to look at the "why" behind the ethical concerns many nonprofit leaders are feeling. This episode focuses on two significant areas where AI intersects with our core mission of serving others: the protection of basic human rights and the physical impact of the infrastructure that makes AI possible.

First, we explore insights from human rights lawyer Malika Saada Saar on how we can reclaim AI to serve dignity and democracy rather than ceding it to companies that make a profit by exploiting sensitive and marginalized groups. 

Second, we look at the reality of the data centers powering these tools—specifically the environmental and economic pressures they place on local residents. Carolyn shares resources on creating Community Benefit Agreements (CBAs) with data centers as a path forward for local communities.

Whether it's protecting a survivor’s right to privacy or ensuring a local community has a say in how a data center is built, these are the human issues that will define how we use technology in the years to come.

Featured Resources

  • Webinar: Slow Violence, Fast Tech | Watch on YouTube In this 30-minute session from All Tech Is Human, human rights lawyer Malika Saada Saar discusses the "slow violence" of AI and how nonprofits can advocate for technology designed with consent and safety in mind, particularly for women, children, and marginalized communities.
  • Report: Why Community Benefit Agreements are Necessary for Data Centers | Read at Brookings As data centers expand rapidly across the U.S., this Brookings Institution paper explains how "Community Benefit Agreements" (CBAs) can help local leaders and residents negotiate for transparency, environmental protections, and shared economic benefits.
  • Community IT Resource: AI Ethics and Policy Webinar | View the Framework If you are ready to start moving from learning to doing, this webinar provides a practical framework for nonprofits to begin drafting their own AI use policies and start conversations around ethics.

Next Step for Your Organization

Does your nonprofit have an AI ethics policy yet? If not, now is the perfect time to start the conversation with your leadership and board. You don't need to be a technical expert to advocate for your organization's values. We encourage you to use these resources to continue your education and ensure that your use of AI remains mission-aligned.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Nonprofit AI Check-in: Reclaiming Human Rights and Protecting Local Communities

In this midweek check-in, Carolyn Woodard steps back from the technical "how-to" of AI to look at the "why" behind the ethical concerns many nonprofit leaders are feeling. This episode focuses on two significant areas where AI intersects with our core mission of serving others: the protection of basic human rights and the physical impact of the infrastructure that makes AI possible.

First, we explore insights from human rights lawyer Malika Saada Saar on how we can reclaim AI to serve dignity and democracy rather than ceding it to companies that make a profit by exploiting sensitive and marginalized groups. 

Second, we look at the reality of the data centers powering these tools—specifically the environmental and economic pressures they place on local residents. Carolyn shares resources on creating Community Benefit Agreements (CBAs) with data centers as a path forward for local communities.

Whether it's protecting a survivor’s right to privacy or ensuring a local community has a say in how a data center is built, these are the human issues that will define how we use technology in the years to come.

Featured Resources

  • Webinar: Slow Violence, Fast Tech | Watch on YouTube In this 30-minute session from All Tech Is Human, human rights lawyer Malika Saada Saar discusses the "slow violence" of AI and how nonprofits can advocate for technology designed with consent and safety in mind, particularly for women, children, and marginalized communities.
  • Report: Why Community Benefit Agreements are Necessary for Data Centers | Read at Brookings As data centers expand rapidly across the U.S., this Brookings Institution paper explains how "Community Benefit Agreements" (CBAs) can help local leaders and residents negotiate for transparency, environmental protections, and shared economic benefits.
  • Community IT Resource: AI Ethics and Policy Webinar | View the Framework If you are ready to start moving from learning to doing, this webinar provides a practical framework for nonprofits to begin drafting their own AI use policies and start conversations around ethics.

Next Step for Your Organization

Does your nonprofit have an AI ethics policy yet? If not, now is the perfect time to start the conversation with your leadership and board. You don't need to be a technical expert to advocate for your organization's values. We encourage you to use these resources to continue your education and ensure that your use of AI remains mission-aligned.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18636201 Tue, 10 Feb 2026 16:00:00 -0500 643 AI 7 12 full false Celebrating 25 Years of Community IT with CEO Johan Hammerstrom Celebrating 25 Years of Community IT with CEO Johan Hammerstrom In this special anniversary episode, we celebrate a major milestone: 25 years of Community IT. Founded on February 1, 2001, by David Deal as a mission-focused spin-out from Reliacom, Community IT has spent a quarter-century navigating the ever-changing tides of technology for nonprofits exclusively. CEO Johan Hammerstrom, who was one of the early employees to move from Reliacom to the new company, joins us to reflect on our journey from the early days of wiring offices for the internet to our modern role as a national provider of remote IT services and cybersecurity. 

We discuss how our bedrock foundation of servant-leadership has allowed us to remain a stable, trusted partner for the nonprofit community through dot-com busts, financial crises, and global shifts in how we work.

Beyond the history of servers and software, this conversation focuses on the vibrant people who make our mission possible. Johan shares why it is useless to predict exactly where IT will be in five years, and why Community IT instead invests in the creative, dedicated staff who can guide nonprofits through whatever the future holds. 

Whether you have been a partner since our founding or are just joining our community, tune in to hear how our commitment to technology expertise ensures that nonprofits can stay focused on their missions, no matter how the digital landscape evolves.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In this special anniversary episode, we celebrate a major milestone: 25 years of Community IT. Founded on February 1, 2001, by David Deal as a mission-focused spin-out from Reliacom, Community IT has spent a quarter-century navigating the ever-changing tides of technology for nonprofits exclusively. CEO Johan Hammerstrom, who was one of the early employees to move from Reliacom to the new company, joins us to reflect on our journey from the early days of wiring offices for the internet to our modern role as a national provider of remote IT services and cybersecurity. 

We discuss how our bedrock foundation of servant-leadership has allowed us to remain a stable, trusted partner for the nonprofit community through dot-com busts, financial crises, and global shifts in how we work.

Beyond the history of servers and software, this conversation focuses on the vibrant people who make our mission possible. Johan shares why it is useless to predict exactly where IT will be in five years, and why Community IT instead invests in the creative, dedicated staff who can guide nonprofits through whatever the future holds. 

Whether you have been a partner since our founding or are just joining our community, tune in to hear how our commitment to technology expertise ensures that nonprofits can stay focused on their missions, no matter how the digital landscape evolves.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18591410 Fri, 06 Feb 2026 15:00:00 -0500 2029 7 11 full false Nonprofit AI: Differences Between Public and Enterprise Tools Nonprofit AI: Differences Between Public and Enterprise Tools To follow on from our recent discussions regarding the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence in the nonprofit sector, this episode explores the critical technical and privacy distinctions between public and enterprise AI tools. 

The CISA Incident and the AI Privacy Gap

Last week, news outlets including Politico reported that the interim director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Madhu Gottumukkala, mistakenly uploaded sensitive government contracting documents into a public version of ChatGPT. This triggered automated security warnings designed to prevent the unintentional disclosure of government material.

This incident highlights that anyone can mistakenly upload sensitive data to a public tool. Even the head of CISA.

Key Differences Between Public and Enterprise AI:

  • Data Privacy: Enterprise versions (like Microsoft Copilot for 365 or Gemini for Workspace) keep your prompts and data within your organizational "cloud boundary." Your information is not used to train the underlying public models.
  • AI Search and Permissions: With Enterprise AI, the tool can surface any document a user has permission to see. This makes cleaning up your SharePoint or Google Drive permissions essential to avoid sensitive files being inadvertently surfaced via AI search. Pay attention to files that have been shared with "anyone with this link" because Copilot and Gemini will view that as granting permission to anyone searching. Finally, spend time on staff training on how to save and share files so that permissions will need less clean up going forward. 
  • Commercial Protections: Enterprise licenses include copyright indemnity that are absent in public versions.
  • Security: Enterprise licenses give IT management and administrative controls which are essential to securing your nonprofit's valuable data. 

Resources:

Trump’s acting cyber chief uploaded sensitive files into a public version of ChatGPT from Politico by John Sakellariadis, published Jan 27, 2026. https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/27/cisa-madhu-gottumukkala-chatgpt-00749361

"The interim head of the country’s cyber defense agency uploaded sensitive contracting documents into a public version of ChatGPT last summer, ... The material included CISA contracting documents marked 'for official use only,' a government designation for information that is considered sensitive and not for public release."

Microsoft Copilot vs. ChatGPT: Data Protection Explained from Community IT.

"If you are using Copilot with a 365 subscription, your prompts and data are not used to train the underlying large language model. It keeps your data within your enterprise cloud boundary... This protection only applies when you are signed in to an eligible work or school account."

Upcoming Webinar: Verifying Your AI Security

Join Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman on February 25th to learn how to distinguish between public and enterprise accounts. Register here

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> To follow on from our recent discussions regarding the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence in the nonprofit sector, this episode explores the critical technical and privacy distinctions between public and enterprise AI tools. 

The CISA Incident and the AI Privacy Gap

Last week, news outlets including Politico reported that the interim director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Madhu Gottumukkala, mistakenly uploaded sensitive government contracting documents into a public version of ChatGPT. This triggered automated security warnings designed to prevent the unintentional disclosure of government material.

This incident highlights that anyone can mistakenly upload sensitive data to a public tool. Even the head of CISA.

Key Differences Between Public and Enterprise AI:

  • Data Privacy: Enterprise versions (like Microsoft Copilot for 365 or Gemini for Workspace) keep your prompts and data within your organizational "cloud boundary." Your information is not used to train the underlying public models.
  • AI Search and Permissions: With Enterprise AI, the tool can surface any document a user has permission to see. This makes cleaning up your SharePoint or Google Drive permissions essential to avoid sensitive files being inadvertently surfaced via AI search. Pay attention to files that have been shared with "anyone with this link" because Copilot and Gemini will view that as granting permission to anyone searching. Finally, spend time on staff training on how to save and share files so that permissions will need less clean up going forward. 
  • Commercial Protections: Enterprise licenses include copyright indemnity that are absent in public versions.
  • Security: Enterprise licenses give IT management and administrative controls which are essential to securing your nonprofit's valuable data. 

Resources:

Trump’s acting cyber chief uploaded sensitive files into a public version of ChatGPT from Politico by John Sakellariadis, published Jan 27, 2026. https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/27/cisa-madhu-gottumukkala-chatgpt-00749361

"The interim head of the country’s cyber defense agency uploaded sensitive contracting documents into a public version of ChatGPT last summer, ... The material included CISA contracting documents marked 'for official use only,' a government designation for information that is considered sensitive and not for public release."

Microsoft Copilot vs. ChatGPT: Data Protection Explained from Community IT.

"If you are using Copilot with a 365 subscription, your prompts and data are not used to train the underlying large language model. It keeps your data within your enterprise cloud boundary... This protection only applies when you are signed in to an eligible work or school account."

Upcoming Webinar: Verifying Your AI Security

Join Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman on February 25th to learn how to distinguish between public and enterprise accounts. Register here

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18620378 Tue, 03 Feb 2026 16:00:00 -0500 1061 AI 7 10 full false Nonprofit IT Roundtable pt 2 with Senior Staff Nonprofit IT Roundtable pt 2 with Senior Staff Panel Discussion with Matt Eshleman, Steve Longenecker, Jennifer Huftalen, and Carolyn Woodard

Our experts answered your questions about where nonprofit tech is going next.

In part 1, Community IT senior staff discuss nonprofits and AI, and updated cybersecurity trends to be aware of. In part 2, they discuss updates to Microsoft and Google Workspace, and take audience Q&A. 

AI, Cybersecurity, Google Workspace v Microsoft Office, Gemini v Copilot or ChatGPT or another generative AI tool, AI agents, AI FOMO, data data data, safety and security of your staff, budgeting for and maintaining basic IT, not to mention fancy IT … anything else you want to know about?

We don’t have a crystal ball but we do know our way around nonprofit IT.
We’ll look back at the trends of 2025 and what we got right last January, and we’ll look ahead to make predictions for 2026.

The nonprofit tech roundtable is always one of our most popular webinars every year. As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Panel Discussion with Matt Eshleman, Steve Longenecker, Jennifer Huftalen, and Carolyn Woodard

Our experts answered your questions about where nonprofit tech is going next.

In part 1, Community IT senior staff discuss nonprofits and AI, and updated cybersecurity trends to be aware of. In part 2, they discuss updates to Microsoft and Google Workspace, and take audience Q&A. 

AI, Cybersecurity, Google Workspace v Microsoft Office, Gemini v Copilot or ChatGPT or another generative AI tool, AI agents, AI FOMO, data data data, safety and security of your staff, budgeting for and maintaining basic IT, not to mention fancy IT … anything else you want to know about?

We don’t have a crystal ball but we do know our way around nonprofit IT.
We’ll look back at the trends of 2025 and what we got right last January, and we’ll look ahead to make predictions for 2026.

The nonprofit tech roundtable is always one of our most popular webinars every year. As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18560426 Fri, 30 Jan 2026 15:00:00 -0500 1670 7 9 full false Nonprofit AI: Ethical AI Resources and Frameworks Nonprofit AI: Ethical AI Resources and Frameworks To follow on from last week's episode of the ethical issues around AI use and companies generally that nonprofits and the philanthropy sector need to discuss and evaluate through the lens of organization values and mission, here are some resources for moving forward with that discussion of ethics as you put your policy in place and refine it. 

"Today, when nonprofits implement AI without protecting workers’ judgment and autonomy, they facilitate a similar transfer of power. The tacit understanding of experienced staff—knowing which families need outreach, when silence signals distrust, and which community leaders bridge cultural gaps—is extracted into databases and algorithms....The “AI efficiency trap” plays out in familiar ways: Time savings often lead not to relief, but to higher expectations. Workers may feel more productive yet overwhelmed, as efficiency gains are absorbed into rising demands instead of reducing workloads. In nonprofits, if AI is used solely to expedite routine tasks, it can exacerbate burnout and diminish time for relationship building or advocacy—the work that drives lasting change...

Steps leaders can take are:

Invest in bias-aware AI governance

Position experienced staff as strategy guides

Develop new productivity measurements."

Other resources referenced in this episode: 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> To follow on from last week's episode of the ethical issues around AI use and companies generally that nonprofits and the philanthropy sector need to discuss and evaluate through the lens of organization values and mission, here are some resources for moving forward with that discussion of ethics as you put your policy in place and refine it. 

"Today, when nonprofits implement AI without protecting workers’ judgment and autonomy, they facilitate a similar transfer of power. The tacit understanding of experienced staff—knowing which families need outreach, when silence signals distrust, and which community leaders bridge cultural gaps—is extracted into databases and algorithms....The “AI efficiency trap” plays out in familiar ways: Time savings often lead not to relief, but to higher expectations. Workers may feel more productive yet overwhelmed, as efficiency gains are absorbed into rising demands instead of reducing workloads. In nonprofits, if AI is used solely to expedite routine tasks, it can exacerbate burnout and diminish time for relationship building or advocacy—the work that drives lasting change...

Steps leaders can take are:

Invest in bias-aware AI governance

Position experienced staff as strategy guides

Develop new productivity measurements."

Other resources referenced in this episode: 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18572960 Tue, 27 Jan 2026 15:00:00 -0500 1144 AI 7 8 full false Nonprofit IT Roundtable pt 1 with Senior Staff Nonprofit IT Roundtable pt 1 with Senior Staff Panel Discussion with Matt Eshleman, Steve Longenecker, Jennifer Huftalen, and Carolyn Woodard

Our experts answered your questions about where nonprofit tech is going next.

In part 1, Community IT senior staff discuss nonprofits and AI, and updated cybersecurity trends to be aware of. In part 2, they discuss updates to Microsoft and Google Workspace, and take audience Q&A. 

AI, Cybersecurity, Google Workspace v Microsoft Office, Gemini v Copilot or ChatGPT or another generative AI tool, AI agents, AI FOMO, data data data, safety and security of your staff, budgeting for and maintaining basic IT, not to mention fancy IT … anything else you want to know about?

We don’t have a crystal ball but we do know our way around nonprofit IT.
We’ll look back at the trends of 2025 and what we got right last January, and we’ll look ahead to make predictions for 2026.

The nonprofit tech roundtable is always one of our most popular webinars every year. As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Panel Discussion with Matt Eshleman, Steve Longenecker, Jennifer Huftalen, and Carolyn Woodard

Our experts answered your questions about where nonprofit tech is going next.

In part 1, Community IT senior staff discuss nonprofits and AI, and updated cybersecurity trends to be aware of. In part 2, they discuss updates to Microsoft and Google Workspace, and take audience Q&A. 

AI, Cybersecurity, Google Workspace v Microsoft Office, Gemini v Copilot or ChatGPT or another generative AI tool, AI agents, AI FOMO, data data data, safety and security of your staff, budgeting for and maintaining basic IT, not to mention fancy IT … anything else you want to know about?

We don’t have a crystal ball but we do know our way around nonprofit IT.
We’ll look back at the trends of 2025 and what we got right last January, and we’ll look ahead to make predictions for 2026.

The nonprofit tech roundtable is always one of our most popular webinars every year. As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18560203 Fri, 23 Jan 2026 15:00:00 -0500 1991 7 7 full false Nonprofit AI: Ethical Issues Nonprofit AI: Ethical Issues As AI tools become more integrated into our nonprofits' daily workflows, it can feel as though the technology is moving faster than our ability to evaluate it. However, for mission-driven organizations, technology adoption isn't just a matter of efficiency—it’s a reflection of our values. 

This episode steps back from the technical aspects of AI tools for nonprofits and explores the significant ethical questions that every nonprofit leader and board member should consider when shaping their AI policies.

Carolyn explores the complex human issues that often get lost in the marketing noise, from the environmental and community costs of massive data centers to the inherent biases found in Large Language Models. She also discusses the potential risks to mental health and the concerns surrounding the concentration of power within a few global tech giants. 

Our goal isn’t to steer you toward a specific choice, but to provide a framework for understanding how these tools may intersect—or conflict—with your commitment to equity, sustainability, and community trust.

This conversation is designed to be a starting point for your internal discussions. We cover four major areas of concern: power imbalances, bias and exploitation, environmental impact, and the psychological effects of AI-human interactions. By acknowledging these challenges openly, nonprofit professionals can make more informed, intentional decisions about if, when, and how to use these tools in a way that truly serves their mission and the people they support.

Resources: 

https://www.wired.com/ai-issue/ 

Imbalance of Power:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenwolfepereira/2026/01/20/davos-wont-save-us-from-ai-the-boardroom-might-be-our-last-hope/

https://nonprofitquarterly.org/how-nonprofits-can-resist-the-ai-efficiency-trap/

https://medium.com/@Craig_W/the-corporate-playbook-when-good-ai-goes-bad-by-design-aedf9621b07b

Bias and Exploitation: 

https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/ai-bias

Racism, Surveillance and AI panel, Howard University, October 2025

Environmental and Community Impact:

https://news.mit.edu/2025/explained-generative-ai-environmental-impact-0117

https://naacp.org/campaigns/stop-dirty-data-centers

Mental Health Impacts:

https://jedfoundation.org/american-psychological-association-on-generative-ai/

https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/preliminary-repo

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> As AI tools become more integrated into our nonprofits' daily workflows, it can feel as though the technology is moving faster than our ability to evaluate it. However, for mission-driven organizations, technology adoption isn't just a matter of efficiency—it’s a reflection of our values. 

This episode steps back from the technical aspects of AI tools for nonprofits and explores the significant ethical questions that every nonprofit leader and board member should consider when shaping their AI policies.

Carolyn explores the complex human issues that often get lost in the marketing noise, from the environmental and community costs of massive data centers to the inherent biases found in Large Language Models. She also discusses the potential risks to mental health and the concerns surrounding the concentration of power within a few global tech giants. 

Our goal isn’t to steer you toward a specific choice, but to provide a framework for understanding how these tools may intersect—or conflict—with your commitment to equity, sustainability, and community trust.

This conversation is designed to be a starting point for your internal discussions. We cover four major areas of concern: power imbalances, bias and exploitation, environmental impact, and the psychological effects of AI-human interactions. By acknowledging these challenges openly, nonprofit professionals can make more informed, intentional decisions about if, when, and how to use these tools in a way that truly serves their mission and the people they support.

Resources: 

https://www.wired.com/ai-issue/ 

Imbalance of Power:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenwolfepereira/2026/01/20/davos-wont-save-us-from-ai-the-boardroom-might-be-our-last-hope/

https://nonprofitquarterly.org/how-nonprofits-can-resist-the-ai-efficiency-trap/

https://medium.com/@Craig_W/the-corporate-playbook-when-good-ai-goes-bad-by-design-aedf9621b07b

Bias and Exploitation: 

https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/ai-bias

Racism, Surveillance and AI panel, Howard University, October 2025

Environmental and Community Impact:

https://news.mit.edu/2025/explained-generative-ai-environmental-impact-0117

https://naacp.org/campaigns/stop-dirty-data-centers

Mental Health Impacts:

https://jedfoundation.org/american-psychological-association-on-generative-ai/

https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/preliminary-repo

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18542183 Tue, 20 Jan 2026 14:00:00 -0500 1434 AI 7 6 full false What is an IT Business Manager? with Jennifer Huftalen What is an IT Business Manager? with Jennifer Huftalen Director of Client Services Jennifer Huftalen answers questions about the IT Business Manager role at Community IT. How is an IT Business Manager different from a vCIO or an account manager? Learn more from this conversation.


The takeaways: 

  • The IT Business Manager is a unique role in the sector and at MSPs serving nonprofits. A combination of technology expertise and a business background make Community IT’s IT Business Managers ideally suited to help our clients undertake strategic planning and management of their IT. 
  • Similar to a vCIO, like an account manager but so much more, the IT Business Managers work with the primary contact to manage and understand the costs and strategies of IT investment in addition to supporting the help desk team provide day-to-day support. 
  • The IT Business Manager comes in at onboarding and helps analyze the initial assessment. IT Business Managers at Community IT can spot trends, identify duplicate tools, extra licenses, help the client create an accurate inventory of devices and licenses, and basically work in manageable stages to move the nonprofits’ IT to a “steady state” of well-managed IT.
  • Community IT considers our clients our partners in managing IT. Nonprofits know what their ideal IT would look like. We find that a part time vCIO who parachutes in monthly or quarterly can’t develop the deep understanding of that client’s needs and pain points and help them invest wisely and manage change. The IT Business Manager at Community IT monitors trends in help desk tickets and identifies ways technology can make the nonprofit more efficient and secure. And the IT Business Manager documents everything, so you can ask any questions and understand how your processes work and what IT you are using. 
  • The IT Business Manager has a long term relationship with your organization and can develop 3-5 year planning in conjunction with your executive team that can be used for grant applications and funding support. For just one example, check out our case study on how an adult charter school in DC was able to implement a 4 year plan in 3 months to move all their students to remote learning in 2020.
  • Using Community IT and having access to an IT Business Manager solves the nonprofit problem of trying to hire for this leadership position and find people with a technical AND business background and be able to retain these unique people. And the IT Business Manager at Community IT has the entire team as a resource and their experience at other clients, so you get the benefit of that network of information and expertise.

Navigating the complexities of IT management doesn’t have to be a solo journey for nonprofit leaders. By bridging the gap between high-level strategy and daily operations, the IT Business Manager ensures your technology is an asset rather than a cost. At Community IT, we believe the strongest solutions come from this kind of deep, human-centered partnership. To learn more about how our unique approach to IT management supports long-term mission success, we invite you to listen to our podcast episode

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Director of Client Services Jennifer Huftalen answers questions about the IT Business Manager role at Community IT. How is an IT Business Manager different from a vCIO or an account manager? Learn more from this conversation.


The takeaways: 

  • The IT Business Manager is a unique role in the sector and at MSPs serving nonprofits. A combination of technology expertise and a business background make Community IT’s IT Business Managers ideally suited to help our clients undertake strategic planning and management of their IT. 
  • Similar to a vCIO, like an account manager but so much more, the IT Business Managers work with the primary contact to manage and understand the costs and strategies of IT investment in addition to supporting the help desk team provide day-to-day support. 
  • The IT Business Manager comes in at onboarding and helps analyze the initial assessment. IT Business Managers at Community IT can spot trends, identify duplicate tools, extra licenses, help the client create an accurate inventory of devices and licenses, and basically work in manageable stages to move the nonprofits’ IT to a “steady state” of well-managed IT.
  • Community IT considers our clients our partners in managing IT. Nonprofits know what their ideal IT would look like. We find that a part time vCIO who parachutes in monthly or quarterly can’t develop the deep understanding of that client’s needs and pain points and help them invest wisely and manage change. The IT Business Manager at Community IT monitors trends in help desk tickets and identifies ways technology can make the nonprofit more efficient and secure. And the IT Business Manager documents everything, so you can ask any questions and understand how your processes work and what IT you are using. 
  • The IT Business Manager has a long term relationship with your organization and can develop 3-5 year planning in conjunction with your executive team that can be used for grant applications and funding support. For just one example, check out our case study on how an adult charter school in DC was able to implement a 4 year plan in 3 months to move all their students to remote learning in 2020.
  • Using Community IT and having access to an IT Business Manager solves the nonprofit problem of trying to hire for this leadership position and find people with a technical AND business background and be able to retain these unique people. And the IT Business Manager at Community IT has the entire team as a resource and their experience at other clients, so you get the benefit of that network of information and expertise.

Navigating the complexities of IT management doesn’t have to be a solo journey for nonprofit leaders. By bridging the gap between high-level strategy and daily operations, the IT Business Manager ensures your technology is an asset rather than a cost. At Community IT, we believe the strongest solutions come from this kind of deep, human-centered partnership. To learn more about how our unique approach to IT management supports long-term mission success, we invite you to listen to our podcast episode

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18519136 Fri, 16 Jan 2026 14:00:00 -0500 1828 7 5 full false Nonprofit AI: Classes and Resources for Nonprofits Nonprofit AI: Classes and Resources for Nonprofits Whether you are an AI novice wondering how to catch up quickly, or an AI early adopter always looking for a new tool you can use at your nonprofit, we hope you will join us every Tuesday for another quick update on what is going on in the world of Nonprofits and AI. 

Takeaways and resources from Ep 2:

Microsoft

TechSoup https://www.techsoup.org/: A membership driven nonprofit IT resource, particularly for discounted licenses, with a large knowledgebase on many IT tools nonprofits use. AI resources for Microsoft tools, including training: https://techsoup.course.tc/catalog/exploring-ai-with-microsoft-tools

Google

Generative AI training and help: extensive resources on using Gemini, including nonprofit-specific use cases and examples.

The Human Stack 

Built around up-skilling your existing nonprofit staff to better manage IT, offers affordable workshops and classes, including a 60 minute course for getting better at AI. https://thehumanstack.com/

Perplexity and Charity Navigator

Perplexity is an AI tool that announced a partnership with Charity Navigator to use the Charity Navigator database to improve outputs when asking about nonprofits. https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/blog/research-nonprofits-with-charity-navigator-on-perplexity 

As with all AI tools, follow your nonprofit's guidelines and policies when logging into non-enterprise accounts - enterprise licenses are more secure and offer more privacy, so use them when you can!

Claude and Candid

Claude is Anthropic's AI tool, and has partnered with Candid to improve outputs when researching nonprofits, grants, foundations, etc. To learn more: https://candid.org/blogs/claude-for-nonprofits-candid-mcp-connector-access-nonprofit-data-ai-assistant/

Q&A

Want to ask a question about nonprofit AI and get an answer on a future episode? Got a use case you want to share? A cautionary AI tale you want to warn other nonprofits about? Let's grow this community! Get in touch with Carolyn here, on our website, or on reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/NonprofitITManagement/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Whether you are an AI novice wondering how to catch up quickly, or an AI early adopter always looking for a new tool you can use at your nonprofit, we hope you will join us every Tuesday for another quick update on what is going on in the world of Nonprofits and AI. 

Takeaways and resources from Ep 2:

Microsoft

TechSoup https://www.techsoup.org/: A membership driven nonprofit IT resource, particularly for discounted licenses, with a large knowledgebase on many IT tools nonprofits use. AI resources for Microsoft tools, including training: https://techsoup.course.tc/catalog/exploring-ai-with-microsoft-tools

Google

Generative AI training and help: extensive resources on using Gemini, including nonprofit-specific use cases and examples.

The Human Stack 

Built around up-skilling your existing nonprofit staff to better manage IT, offers affordable workshops and classes, including a 60 minute course for getting better at AI. https://thehumanstack.com/

Perplexity and Charity Navigator

Perplexity is an AI tool that announced a partnership with Charity Navigator to use the Charity Navigator database to improve outputs when asking about nonprofits. https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/blog/research-nonprofits-with-charity-navigator-on-perplexity 

As with all AI tools, follow your nonprofit's guidelines and policies when logging into non-enterprise accounts - enterprise licenses are more secure and offer more privacy, so use them when you can!

Claude and Candid

Claude is Anthropic's AI tool, and has partnered with Candid to improve outputs when researching nonprofits, grants, foundations, etc. To learn more: https://candid.org/blogs/claude-for-nonprofits-candid-mcp-connector-access-nonprofit-data-ai-assistant/

Q&A

Want to ask a question about nonprofit AI and get an answer on a future episode? Got a use case you want to share? A cautionary AI tale you want to warn other nonprofits about? Let's grow this community! Get in touch with Carolyn here, on our website, or on reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/NonprofitITManagement/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18495005 Tue, 13 Jan 2026 16:00:00 -0500 934 AI 7 4 full false Unprotected Data, Unprotected Mission with Jenn Walen Unprotected Data, Unprotected Mission with Jenn Walen Learn how to manage valuable data every day at your nonprofit.

Director of Data and Systems at the Greater Washington Community Foundation in Washington DC, Jenn Walen, discusses her role in managing data policies and training and supporting nonprofit staff in keeping data clean and organized.

Jenn stresses that you need a single source of truth, standards for data entry, and policies. Spending the time to decrease the time spent pulling reports and seeing the whole picture is extremely valuable in this moment. Jenn shares advice and experiences in getting your nonprofit’s data where you want it to be.

Everybody wants to look good. Good data helps everyone at your organization look good – to your board, your executives, your donors, your constituents. And good data saves everyone time.

Additionally, nonprofits looking for one thing they can do to protect themselves in this political environment should look to their data governance and standards. This project doesn’t have to involve highly paid consultants or new expensive tools. It just takes prioritization, time, and good change management.

Recommendations: 

Be consistent. Create standards and uphold them. No exceptions.

If you need data governance documentation, templates and assistance are available online. You don’t have to start from scratch, ask your colleagues. 

Kindness along the way is important. This is not easy. Data clean up is a pain. Everyone lending a hand can help create solidarity and a culture of accuracy. Support your colleagues!

People learn in multiple ways and with multiple styles. Provide training and support to meet them where they are.

Get support from leadership to emphasize data clean up priorities.

It is so satisfying when the data is in good shape. The rewards for doing the hard work are great.


Is there an AI tool that can do this for you? 

AI tools are helpful. Start with education and training on the tools you plan to use. The tools you can use will depend on your database. Get the training from your vendor on the AI that is being incorporated into your tool. Work with a data consultant to understand implementing AI to understand the implications, the security, and matching the tool to your needs and use policies.

Every output from AI needs to have a human review. Don’t expect to give AI your data and have it sort and clean it for you with minimum input from humans. 

Be careful. Respect confidentiality and follow your organization’s data governance policies. Think about how you would want an organization to handle your own data.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Learn how to manage valuable data every day at your nonprofit.

Director of Data and Systems at the Greater Washington Community Foundation in Washington DC, Jenn Walen, discusses her role in managing data policies and training and supporting nonprofit staff in keeping data clean and organized.

Jenn stresses that you need a single source of truth, standards for data entry, and policies. Spending the time to decrease the time spent pulling reports and seeing the whole picture is extremely valuable in this moment. Jenn shares advice and experiences in getting your nonprofit’s data where you want it to be.

Everybody wants to look good. Good data helps everyone at your organization look good – to your board, your executives, your donors, your constituents. And good data saves everyone time.

Additionally, nonprofits looking for one thing they can do to protect themselves in this political environment should look to their data governance and standards. This project doesn’t have to involve highly paid consultants or new expensive tools. It just takes prioritization, time, and good change management.

Recommendations: 

Be consistent. Create standards and uphold them. No exceptions.

If you need data governance documentation, templates and assistance are available online. You don’t have to start from scratch, ask your colleagues. 

Kindness along the way is important. This is not easy. Data clean up is a pain. Everyone lending a hand can help create solidarity and a culture of accuracy. Support your colleagues!

People learn in multiple ways and with multiple styles. Provide training and support to meet them where they are.

Get support from leadership to emphasize data clean up priorities.

It is so satisfying when the data is in good shape. The rewards for doing the hard work are great.


Is there an AI tool that can do this for you? 

AI tools are helpful. Start with education and training on the tools you plan to use. The tools you can use will depend on your database. Get the training from your vendor on the AI that is being incorporated into your tool. Work with a data consultant to understand implementing AI to understand the implications, the security, and matching the tool to your needs and use policies.

Every output from AI needs to have a human review. Don’t expect to give AI your data and have it sort and clean it for you with minimum input from humans. 

Be careful. Respect confidentiality and follow your organization’s data governance policies. Think about how you would want an organization to handle your own data.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18481121 Fri, 09 Jan 2026 16:00:00 -0500 1723 7 3 full false Nonprofit AI: Introduction with Carolyn Woodard Nonprofit AI: Introduction with Carolyn Woodard Community IT is starting a new series today: Nonprofit AI. Midweek we will share 10-15 minutes of updates about AI and nonprofits - including current news stories, tips, definitions, use cases, frameworks, and resources.

Whether you are an AI novice wondering how to catch up quickly, or an AI early adopter always looking for a new tool you can use at your nonprofit, we hope you will join us every Tuesday for another quick update on what is going on in the world of Nonprofits and AI. 

Takeaways and resources from Ep 1:

1. How AI Works: The Fast-Paced Library

Think of a Large Language Model (LLM) like a super-fast librarian who has read almost everything ever written. When you ask a question, the AI doesn't "look up" a file; it predicts the next word in a sequence. It processes your request into small "packets" of data (tokens) that are sent to massive datacenters. There, billions of mathematical calculations happen in milliseconds to return a response that sounds human.

2. Embedded AI vs. Prompting AI

You are already using AI, even if you haven't opened a chatbot.

  • Embedded AI: This is "hidden" technology inside tools you use daily, like Google Search algorithms, GPS route optimization, or even your email’s spam filter.
  • Prompting AI: This is "Generative AI" like ChatGPT or Gemini, where you actively start a conversation (a "prompt") to create something new, like a draft email or a report summary.

3. Use Enterprise Logins

You should use the Enterprise versions of tools like Microsoft Copilot or Google Gemini (logging in with your work account) rather than the free, public versions. This should keep your data "walled off." This ensures your donor information or internal notes aren't used to train the public model or seen by anyone outside your organization.

4. Policies are Your Starting Point

While many nonprofits are still catching up on formal IT governance or employee handbooks, AI represents a unique moment to start documenting your "rules of the road." You don't need a 50-page document, but you do need clear guidelines for your team on what data can be shared with AI, who is responsible for fact-checking AI outputs, and how your organization discloses AI use. 

5. It is Okay Not to Know Everything

Your role as a leader is to focus on strategy and ethics, not the underlying code. It is perfectly professional to say, "I'm still evaluating how this tool fits our mission," or "I need more information on the privacy implications before we proceed."

Resources:

What is Generative AI? – IBM

AI for Nonprofits: What You Need to Know – In the Microsoft/TechSoup Digital Skills Center

AI Is Already in Your Nonprofit – Community IT Innovators

AI Suitability Kit for Nonprofits - NetHope

Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Nonprof

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT is starting a new series today: Nonprofit AI. Midweek we will share 10-15 minutes of updates about AI and nonprofits - including current news stories, tips, definitions, use cases, frameworks, and resources.

Whether you are an AI novice wondering how to catch up quickly, or an AI early adopter always looking for a new tool you can use at your nonprofit, we hope you will join us every Tuesday for another quick update on what is going on in the world of Nonprofits and AI. 

Takeaways and resources from Ep 1:

1. How AI Works: The Fast-Paced Library

Think of a Large Language Model (LLM) like a super-fast librarian who has read almost everything ever written. When you ask a question, the AI doesn't "look up" a file; it predicts the next word in a sequence. It processes your request into small "packets" of data (tokens) that are sent to massive datacenters. There, billions of mathematical calculations happen in milliseconds to return a response that sounds human.

2. Embedded AI vs. Prompting AI

You are already using AI, even if you haven't opened a chatbot.

  • Embedded AI: This is "hidden" technology inside tools you use daily, like Google Search algorithms, GPS route optimization, or even your email’s spam filter.
  • Prompting AI: This is "Generative AI" like ChatGPT or Gemini, where you actively start a conversation (a "prompt") to create something new, like a draft email or a report summary.

3. Use Enterprise Logins

You should use the Enterprise versions of tools like Microsoft Copilot or Google Gemini (logging in with your work account) rather than the free, public versions. This should keep your data "walled off." This ensures your donor information or internal notes aren't used to train the public model or seen by anyone outside your organization.

4. Policies are Your Starting Point

While many nonprofits are still catching up on formal IT governance or employee handbooks, AI represents a unique moment to start documenting your "rules of the road." You don't need a 50-page document, but you do need clear guidelines for your team on what data can be shared with AI, who is responsible for fact-checking AI outputs, and how your organization discloses AI use. 

5. It is Okay Not to Know Everything

Your role as a leader is to focus on strategy and ethics, not the underlying code. It is perfectly professional to say, "I'm still evaluating how this tool fits our mission," or "I need more information on the privacy implications before we proceed."

Resources:

What is Generative AI? – IBM

AI for Nonprofits: What You Need to Know – In the Microsoft/TechSoup Digital Skills Center

AI Is Already in Your Nonprofit – Community IT Innovators

AI Suitability Kit for Nonprofits - NetHope

Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Nonprof

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18464316 Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:00:00 -0500 724 AI 7 2 full false Nonprofit IT Budgeting with Johan Hammerstrom Nonprofit IT Budgeting with Johan Hammerstrom Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom walks through how to think about your nonprofit IT budget at any time, but particularly if you anticipate facing steeper challenges and may have to scale back. What are the three “buckets” of your IT needs, and how can you best manage your costs while keeping efficiency and functionality? What is a nonprofit IT budgeting strategy that will work for you in 2026? 

More extensive resource on nonprofit IT budgeting:

Discovering the Value of Your Nonprofit IT Budget webinar with Johan Hammerstrom.


Takeaways: 

In decades of assisting hundreds of nonprofit clients with putting an IT budget together – often coaching how to create and talk about the budget with stakeholders, executives, and board members – Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom has come to think of your nonprofit IT budget in three “buckets.” Every nonprofit has a different budget process, so take that into account when connecting your IT needs and priorities to your own process.

Remember that your IT budget is not a technology task. It is a technology + business needs task. You need to incorporate the big picture. And don’t forget that IT is just another strategic asset that you manage like your lease, your programs, your payroll. 

Don’t make assumptions about what is “too expensive.” If you want to recommend something in your IT budget, make the case for it


Necessity/Non-Negotiable

Licenses and subscriptions are non-negotiable. Luckily, licenses are usually predictable, fixed costs per seat.

Infrastructure needs to be current.

Cybersecurity is non-negotiable. Make sure your protections are following best practices. Use your financial auditing process and insurance checklists to update and upgrade your cybersecurity.


Can Postpone (and Plan For)

Laptop replacements. 

Redesigning your website. 

Older server replacement/moving to the cloud for all functions. 

Everything that can be postponed should come down to a business decision.


Discretionary (Can Postpone Indefinitely)

Updating systems like a CRM or other software. Where there is no critical immediate impact of not updating, the organization can make a long term plan to do the updates relative to other, more critical and immediate needs, knowing that times and needs may change, costs may come down, AI may change the software/system landscape entirely.

When facing difficulty with funding, you will need to prioritize immediate needs and long-term needs.

Having a relationship with your funder where you can talk about your planning and decision making can help. Having a nonprofit IT Roadmap is a big help.

Community IT knows 2025 was very challenging to our nonprofit sector. With all of the budget challenges our friends and colleagues are negotiating, we hope we can help nonprofit IT be the least difficult to manage.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom walks through how to think about your nonprofit IT budget at any time, but particularly if you anticipate facing steeper challenges and may have to scale back. What are the three “buckets” of your IT needs, and how can you best manage your costs while keeping efficiency and functionality? What is a nonprofit IT budgeting strategy that will work for you in 2026? 

More extensive resource on nonprofit IT budgeting:

Discovering the Value of Your Nonprofit IT Budget webinar with Johan Hammerstrom.


Takeaways: 

In decades of assisting hundreds of nonprofit clients with putting an IT budget together – often coaching how to create and talk about the budget with stakeholders, executives, and board members – Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom has come to think of your nonprofit IT budget in three “buckets.” Every nonprofit has a different budget process, so take that into account when connecting your IT needs and priorities to your own process.

Remember that your IT budget is not a technology task. It is a technology + business needs task. You need to incorporate the big picture. And don’t forget that IT is just another strategic asset that you manage like your lease, your programs, your payroll. 

Don’t make assumptions about what is “too expensive.” If you want to recommend something in your IT budget, make the case for it


Necessity/Non-Negotiable

Licenses and subscriptions are non-negotiable. Luckily, licenses are usually predictable, fixed costs per seat.

Infrastructure needs to be current.

Cybersecurity is non-negotiable. Make sure your protections are following best practices. Use your financial auditing process and insurance checklists to update and upgrade your cybersecurity.


Can Postpone (and Plan For)

Laptop replacements. 

Redesigning your website. 

Older server replacement/moving to the cloud for all functions. 

Everything that can be postponed should come down to a business decision.


Discretionary (Can Postpone Indefinitely)

Updating systems like a CRM or other software. Where there is no critical immediate impact of not updating, the organization can make a long term plan to do the updates relative to other, more critical and immediate needs, knowing that times and needs may change, costs may come down, AI may change the software/system landscape entirely.

When facing difficulty with funding, you will need to prioritize immediate needs and long-term needs.

Having a relationship with your funder where you can talk about your planning and decision making can help. Having a nonprofit IT Roadmap is a big help.

Community IT knows 2025 was very challenging to our nonprofit sector. With all of the budget challenges our friends and colleagues are negotiating, we hope we can help nonprofit IT be the least difficult to manage.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18440788 Fri, 02 Jan 2026 16:00:00 -0500 1669 7 1 full false Top Nonprofit IT Stories 2025 with Community IT Senior Staff Top Nonprofit IT Stories 2025 with Community IT Senior Staff
Senior staff at Community IT share what happened in nonprofit IT in 2025: AI and non-AI. What tips and advice have you missed? 

Top Nonprofit IT Stories of 2025

As is our tradition, we asked some of our senior staff to talk about the most important nonprofit IT stories of 2025. This year, Carolyn gave them two categories – something in AI – or something that might not have gotten as much attention because it wasn’t something in AI.

AI continues to be a really big story. It has been described as the water we are all swimming in, whether we like it or not. It’s going to be impacting all of us, and transforming every sector that nonprofits care about, in the coming years. Education, environment, government, health, privacy and advocacy, immigration, the economy – its easier to ask what issue will not be transformed in 2026 by AI because the answer is none. 

And in addition to transforming the communities nonprofits care about, perhaps more immediately AI will be transforming the day-to-day work nonprofit staff do, in new and quickly evolving ways. Community IT will continue to be a trusted partner as you make AI decisions and learn AI tools for productivity and added value.

In addition to reflecting on AI or giving advice on AI tools, many of our staff members gave practical tips on changes to look for in 2026, from budgeting for increasing costs of laptops because of increasing costs of RAM storage (caused by AI needs!) to the increased security of Microsoft 365 login protections, to data protection considerations and updates to look out for, including Microsoft Archive. 

Data security and the value of data to nonprofits will continue to be of high importance in 2026, as will the evolution of cybersecurity. 

Finally, we know 2025 was very challenging to our nonprofit sector. With all of the changes our friends and colleagues are negotiating, we hope we can help nonprofit IT be the least difficult to manage.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]>
Senior staff at Community IT share what happened in nonprofit IT in 2025: AI and non-AI. What tips and advice have you missed? 

Top Nonprofit IT Stories of 2025

As is our tradition, we asked some of our senior staff to talk about the most important nonprofit IT stories of 2025. This year, Carolyn gave them two categories – something in AI – or something that might not have gotten as much attention because it wasn’t something in AI.

AI continues to be a really big story. It has been described as the water we are all swimming in, whether we like it or not. It’s going to be impacting all of us, and transforming every sector that nonprofits care about, in the coming years. Education, environment, government, health, privacy and advocacy, immigration, the economy – its easier to ask what issue will not be transformed in 2026 by AI because the answer is none. 

And in addition to transforming the communities nonprofits care about, perhaps more immediately AI will be transforming the day-to-day work nonprofit staff do, in new and quickly evolving ways. Community IT will continue to be a trusted partner as you make AI decisions and learn AI tools for productivity and added value.

In addition to reflecting on AI or giving advice on AI tools, many of our staff members gave practical tips on changes to look for in 2026, from budgeting for increasing costs of laptops because of increasing costs of RAM storage (caused by AI needs!) to the increased security of Microsoft 365 login protections, to data protection considerations and updates to look out for, including Microsoft Archive. 

Data security and the value of data to nonprofits will continue to be of high importance in 2026, as will the evolution of cybersecurity. 

Finally, we know 2025 was very challenging to our nonprofit sector. With all of the changes our friends and colleagues are negotiating, we hope we can help nonprofit IT be the least difficult to manage.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18400334 Fri, 26 Dec 2025 16:00:00 -0500 1514 6 51 full false How to Be a Tech Helper with Jack Woodard How to Be a Tech Helper with Jack Woodard Are you the tech helper in your family? In your office? 

Community IT intern Jack Woodard on lessons learned over years of helping less-tech-savvy people learn the technology they need to do what they need and want to do.

Takeaways on How to Be a Tech Helper

Be patient

  • People who are having trouble with tech get very frustrated, and they also get very down on themselves for not being able to understand it. They aren’t setting out to be annoying or hard to deal with, but they can get very defensive or just have a lot of trouble following what you are asking them to do, especially if they have difficulty seeing or hearing. 
  • People having trouble with tech have a lot of anxiety around doing the wrong thing – especially with all the scams out there. But they also want to be participating – they don’t want to miss out. So taking all that into account when you interact with any staff member or family member is good practice to help meet them where they are. 

Be a teacher, not a doer

  • If the less-tech-savvy person in your life is struggling to use tech, doing it for them will reinforce that they are not capable. Instead, do a lot of listening. Identify the real problem (it may not be what they think is the issue.) Then walk the person through how to do it by asking them to do it while you stand by ready to help. 
  • Describe what they need to click on. Don’t use a lot of jargon. 
  • Have the person take notes, especially if they don’t use this particular app or do this particular thing every day. The next time they need to do it, they can refer back to their written instructions.
  • If they are upset by updates that change things, consider teaching them to use keyboard shortcuts where available, because these change less frequently.
  • Help them get organized and put the apps and tools they use most frequently where they can find them quickly at a glance. Organizing is deeply personal – so don’t impose your way of doing things on them. As a tech helper, follow their lead! 
  • Walk through each step with them. Most people will continue to do something “the way they learned how” indefinitely. Use that to your advantage if you want them to do it a new way. Make sure they have learned the steps and they will probably be able to repeat them time after time. 
  • Don’t forget accessibility features. Many people who struggle with tech may be hard of hearing or have difficulty seeing. Modern tech has lots of features to help, like strong contrast, screen readers, and hearing aids that can be connected to other devices directly.
  • Microsoft Accessibility Knowledgebase
  • Google Workspace Accessibility for Users (can also find the Accessibility Guide for Administrators)
  • Mac Guide to Accessibility 

Community IT seeks to provide trusted advice and guidelines for nonprofit tech helpers around the holidays and throughout the year. If you have questions on staying sa

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Are you the tech helper in your family? In your office? 

Community IT intern Jack Woodard on lessons learned over years of helping less-tech-savvy people learn the technology they need to do what they need and want to do.

Takeaways on How to Be a Tech Helper

Be patient

  • People who are having trouble with tech get very frustrated, and they also get very down on themselves for not being able to understand it. They aren’t setting out to be annoying or hard to deal with, but they can get very defensive or just have a lot of trouble following what you are asking them to do, especially if they have difficulty seeing or hearing. 
  • People having trouble with tech have a lot of anxiety around doing the wrong thing – especially with all the scams out there. But they also want to be participating – they don’t want to miss out. So taking all that into account when you interact with any staff member or family member is good practice to help meet them where they are. 

Be a teacher, not a doer

  • If the less-tech-savvy person in your life is struggling to use tech, doing it for them will reinforce that they are not capable. Instead, do a lot of listening. Identify the real problem (it may not be what they think is the issue.) Then walk the person through how to do it by asking them to do it while you stand by ready to help. 
  • Describe what they need to click on. Don’t use a lot of jargon. 
  • Have the person take notes, especially if they don’t use this particular app or do this particular thing every day. The next time they need to do it, they can refer back to their written instructions.
  • If they are upset by updates that change things, consider teaching them to use keyboard shortcuts where available, because these change less frequently.
  • Help them get organized and put the apps and tools they use most frequently where they can find them quickly at a glance. Organizing is deeply personal – so don’t impose your way of doing things on them. As a tech helper, follow their lead! 
  • Walk through each step with them. Most people will continue to do something “the way they learned how” indefinitely. Use that to your advantage if you want them to do it a new way. Make sure they have learned the steps and they will probably be able to repeat them time after time. 
  • Don’t forget accessibility features. Many people who struggle with tech may be hard of hearing or have difficulty seeing. Modern tech has lots of features to help, like strong contrast, screen readers, and hearing aids that can be connected to other devices directly.
  • Microsoft Accessibility Knowledgebase
  • Google Workspace Accessibility for Users (can also find the Accessibility Guide for Administrators)
  • Mac Guide to Accessibility 

Community IT seeks to provide trusted advice and guidelines for nonprofit tech helpers around the holidays and throughout the year. If you have questions on staying sa

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18366380 Fri, 19 Dec 2025 16:00:00 -0500 1606 6 50 full false Nonprofit Cybersecurity for the Holidays with Matthew Eshleman Nonprofit Cybersecurity for the Holidays with Matthew Eshleman What scams are circulating and how can you protect yourself and your organization?

Nonprofit Cybersecurity expert and Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman runs through common scams and new tactics that we are seeing at nonprofits and simple steps you and your staff can take at this time of year to be better protected.

Takeaways on Nonprofit Cybersecurity for the Holidays

Common scams

  • “Your package couldn’t be delivered” … this email tries to get you to click on a link or respond in some way, using social engineering/helpfulness/urgency to trick you into helping a colleague or sorting out a problem with a package. 
  • “The Executive Director needs to purchase holiday gift cards for staff” … a variation on the “gift card” scam oriented towards the end of the year, holiday parties, gifts for donors or volunteers.
  • Pop-up “your computer has been compromised, call this number” scam … often the pop-up can’t be closed (you should shut down and log back in, and alert someone on your actual IT help desk team.) 

New Scams

  • Spam bombs… followed by a helpful call from “the IT help desk” ... this scam will inundate your inbox with hundreds to thousands of spam email an hour. This scam tries to get the victim anxious at the spam attack and relieved when “the help desk” notices an increase in spam and reaches out to help. 
  • AI deep fake voice and video scams… growing in presence as the tools to create deepfakes become more available and affordable. 

Protections Against Holiday Scams

  • Stay suspicious, particularly at the end of the day before a holiday break and the week before that break. 
  • Be particularly suspicious of in-bound calls and new contact information at any time of year, but particularly around the holidays. Do not give your log in credentials or other information to someone who called or texted you, claiming to be from IT or your bank. 
  • Review your incident response plan, particularly your phone tree, before the holidays. Make sure you know who to call to report a suspicion or problem, and make sure that your point of contact has a substitute for when they are out of the office for the holidays. Who is “on call”? 
  • Have strong cybersecurity already in place. Strong passwords, MFA requirements, physical MFA keys for staff who are particularly targeted like your Executive Director and CFO, staff training on the importance of cybersecurity to protect your organization – maybe even a quick training on holiday scams to watch out for … taking proactive steps will give you peace of mind during your holidays.
  • Do not be tricked into using a work-around. Always use your established procedures. 
  • Do report something, using your incident response plan. If you did click on something suspicious at 5pm on a Friday, use your response plan to report it immediately to the person on call for your cybersecurity. 

Community IT seeks to provide trusted advice and guidelines for nonprofit cybersecurity safety around the holidays. If you have questions on cybersecurity assessments, staff training, incident response plans, or other cybersecurity topics, reach

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> What scams are circulating and how can you protect yourself and your organization?

Nonprofit Cybersecurity expert and Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman runs through common scams and new tactics that we are seeing at nonprofits and simple steps you and your staff can take at this time of year to be better protected.

Takeaways on Nonprofit Cybersecurity for the Holidays

Common scams

  • “Your package couldn’t be delivered” … this email tries to get you to click on a link or respond in some way, using social engineering/helpfulness/urgency to trick you into helping a colleague or sorting out a problem with a package. 
  • “The Executive Director needs to purchase holiday gift cards for staff” … a variation on the “gift card” scam oriented towards the end of the year, holiday parties, gifts for donors or volunteers.
  • Pop-up “your computer has been compromised, call this number” scam … often the pop-up can’t be closed (you should shut down and log back in, and alert someone on your actual IT help desk team.) 

New Scams

  • Spam bombs… followed by a helpful call from “the IT help desk” ... this scam will inundate your inbox with hundreds to thousands of spam email an hour. This scam tries to get the victim anxious at the spam attack and relieved when “the help desk” notices an increase in spam and reaches out to help. 
  • AI deep fake voice and video scams… growing in presence as the tools to create deepfakes become more available and affordable. 

Protections Against Holiday Scams

  • Stay suspicious, particularly at the end of the day before a holiday break and the week before that break. 
  • Be particularly suspicious of in-bound calls and new contact information at any time of year, but particularly around the holidays. Do not give your log in credentials or other information to someone who called or texted you, claiming to be from IT or your bank. 
  • Review your incident response plan, particularly your phone tree, before the holidays. Make sure you know who to call to report a suspicion or problem, and make sure that your point of contact has a substitute for when they are out of the office for the holidays. Who is “on call”? 
  • Have strong cybersecurity already in place. Strong passwords, MFA requirements, physical MFA keys for staff who are particularly targeted like your Executive Director and CFO, staff training on the importance of cybersecurity to protect your organization – maybe even a quick training on holiday scams to watch out for … taking proactive steps will give you peace of mind during your holidays.
  • Do not be tricked into using a work-around. Always use your established procedures. 
  • Do report something, using your incident response plan. If you did click on something suspicious at 5pm on a Friday, use your response plan to report it immediately to the person on call for your cybersecurity. 

Community IT seeks to provide trusted advice and guidelines for nonprofit cybersecurity safety around the holidays. If you have questions on cybersecurity assessments, staff training, incident response plans, or other cybersecurity topics, reach

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18337521 Fri, 12 Dec 2025 13:00:00 -0500 1208 6 49 full false Nonprofit IT Management Capacity Growing with Carolyn Woodard Nonprofit IT Management Capacity Growing with Carolyn Woodard Johan Hammerstrom hosts the podcast this week, interviewing Carolyn Woodard on her nonprofit IT management capacity growing pet project.

100% of nonprofits struggle with IT management capacity – whether it’s optimizing limited budgets, selecting the right tools, or building sustainable tech staffing models. Or just knowing where to turn for trustworthy, professional advice. We need structured connection to share best practices and elevate what works in IT management at nonprofits. We hope this community of practice will gather best practices and that it will snowball, attracting more participants with more experiences and ideas to share.

By publicizing proven approaches, we can develop the scalable best practices the broader nonprofit sector needs. By sharing widely within the philanthropy sector, we can reach more nonprofits and stakeholders with the opportunity to manage IT effectively.

  • Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG) is a membership organization of foundations, funders, and vendors, that shares knowledge and experiences with technology in philanthropy.
  • Carolyn Woodard has been working in collaboration with Jean Westrick and Gozi Egbuonu at TAG to create a community of practice around better defining the challenges around IT support for nonprofits and grantees, and to gather and better disseminate best practices. 
  • When nonprofits have functioning and strategic IT they are 4 times more likely to be effective at achieving their missions. How, as a community, can the stakeholders come together in partnership to grow IT management capacity, IT funding, and IT strategic planning as a leadership component of any effective nonprofit? 
  • Together, TAG and Community IT curated a series of three events around this topic: a panel discussion with experts from providers, foundations, and TAG laying the groundwork of the issue; a mini-convening meet-up of interested stakeholders at the TAG Conference in 2025; and the release of a white paper in early 2026 outlining the nonprofit IT management landscape, existing resources, and areas for building out best practices. 
  • To join this community of practice and stay updated on events and publications, get in touch with Carolyn, through our contact us page or on Linkedin.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Johan Hammerstrom hosts the podcast this week, interviewing Carolyn Woodard on her nonprofit IT management capacity growing pet project.

100% of nonprofits struggle with IT management capacity – whether it’s optimizing limited budgets, selecting the right tools, or building sustainable tech staffing models. Or just knowing where to turn for trustworthy, professional advice. We need structured connection to share best practices and elevate what works in IT management at nonprofits. We hope this community of practice will gather best practices and that it will snowball, attracting more participants with more experiences and ideas to share.

By publicizing proven approaches, we can develop the scalable best practices the broader nonprofit sector needs. By sharing widely within the philanthropy sector, we can reach more nonprofits and stakeholders with the opportunity to manage IT effectively.

  • Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG) is a membership organization of foundations, funders, and vendors, that shares knowledge and experiences with technology in philanthropy.
  • Carolyn Woodard has been working in collaboration with Jean Westrick and Gozi Egbuonu at TAG to create a community of practice around better defining the challenges around IT support for nonprofits and grantees, and to gather and better disseminate best practices. 
  • When nonprofits have functioning and strategic IT they are 4 times more likely to be effective at achieving their missions. How, as a community, can the stakeholders come together in partnership to grow IT management capacity, IT funding, and IT strategic planning as a leadership component of any effective nonprofit? 
  • Together, TAG and Community IT curated a series of three events around this topic: a panel discussion with experts from providers, foundations, and TAG laying the groundwork of the issue; a mini-convening meet-up of interested stakeholders at the TAG Conference in 2025; and the release of a white paper in early 2026 outlining the nonprofit IT management landscape, existing resources, and areas for building out best practices. 
  • To join this community of practice and stay updated on events and publications, get in touch with Carolyn, through our contact us page or on Linkedin.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18307469 Fri, 05 Dec 2025 16:00:00 -0500 1440 6 48 full false Equity Guide for Nonprofit Tech with Tristan Penn pt 2 Equity Guide for Nonprofit Tech with Tristan Penn pt 2 Why a 2025 technology equity guide for nonprofits? 

Part 1 covers introductions and a deep discussion on the issues of equity in the technology your nonprofit staff use and how they use it. Part 2 delves into questions of funding tech at nonprofits and touches on creating technology tools and applications that can disrupt inequity in our communities, finishing with Q&A.

Nonprofit technology is marked by inequities within our organizations and our sector.  You can see this in staffing and processes, and the way technology tools are implemented. Learn to use the free NTEN Equity Guide for Nonprofit Technology as an active and regular part of your strategy discussions and policy review processes and as a resource for evaluation.

Join Tristan Penn to learn how nonprofit staff can use technology strategically in racially equitable ways to meet our missions and community needs.


Worried about inherent bias and inequity built in to the technology your nonprofit uses?
Wondering how to implement strategies and frameworks to make sure your technology use aligns with your organizational values? 

Navigating technology can be challenging for nonprofits, especially with the inequities in our sector. How can you use technology as strategically and equitably as possible to advance your mission?

 This session will explore how to use the NTEN Equity Guide as a key part of your strategy and policy reviews. You’ll learn how to implement technology in racially equitable ways to better meet community needs. Get a head start on building a more equitable tech future for your organization.


Presenter:

Tristan Penn is the Equity and Accountability Director at NTEN, where he works to promote, coordinate, and evaluate best practices that support Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Liberation. His work focuses on equitable development and capacity building within the nonprofit sector. He manages a staff, community, and board-specific DEI Taskforce, creating long-term work plans and goals for equity initiatives both within NTEN and across the broader community.

In his role, Tristan supports and coaches conference speakers and course faculty on creating equitable presentations and manages an annual community survey to gather demographic data and assess customer satisfaction and goal alignment. He is also responsible for designing and implementing audit processes to evaluate the staff, board, and volunteer policies outlined in NTEN’s Equity Commitment, and for developing appropriate methodologies to measure the impact of NTEN’s equity efforts.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Why a 2025 technology equity guide for nonprofits? 

Part 1 covers introductions and a deep discussion on the issues of equity in the technology your nonprofit staff use and how they use it. Part 2 delves into questions of funding tech at nonprofits and touches on creating technology tools and applications that can disrupt inequity in our communities, finishing with Q&A.

Nonprofit technology is marked by inequities within our organizations and our sector.  You can see this in staffing and processes, and the way technology tools are implemented. Learn to use the free NTEN Equity Guide for Nonprofit Technology as an active and regular part of your strategy discussions and policy review processes and as a resource for evaluation.

Join Tristan Penn to learn how nonprofit staff can use technology strategically in racially equitable ways to meet our missions and community needs.


Worried about inherent bias and inequity built in to the technology your nonprofit uses?
Wondering how to implement strategies and frameworks to make sure your technology use aligns with your organizational values? 

Navigating technology can be challenging for nonprofits, especially with the inequities in our sector. How can you use technology as strategically and equitably as possible to advance your mission?

 This session will explore how to use the NTEN Equity Guide as a key part of your strategy and policy reviews. You’ll learn how to implement technology in racially equitable ways to better meet community needs. Get a head start on building a more equitable tech future for your organization.


Presenter:

Tristan Penn is the Equity and Accountability Director at NTEN, where he works to promote, coordinate, and evaluate best practices that support Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Liberation. His work focuses on equitable development and capacity building within the nonprofit sector. He manages a staff, community, and board-specific DEI Taskforce, creating long-term work plans and goals for equity initiatives both within NTEN and across the broader community.

In his role, Tristan supports and coaches conference speakers and course faculty on creating equitable presentations and manages an annual community survey to gather demographic data and assess customer satisfaction and goal alignment. He is also responsible for designing and implementing audit processes to evaluate the staff, board, and volunteer policies outlined in NTEN’s Equity Commitment, and for developing appropriate methodologies to measure the impact of NTEN’s equity efforts.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18231417 Fri, 28 Nov 2025 16:00:00 -0500 1534 6 47 full false Equity Guide to Nonprofit Tech with Tristan Penn pt 1 Equity Guide to Nonprofit Tech with Tristan Penn pt 1 Why a 2025 technology equity guide for nonprofits? 

Part 1 covers introductions and a deep discussion on the issues of equity in the technology your nonprofit staff use and how they use it. Part 2 delves into questions of funding tech at nonprofits and touches on creating technology tools and applications that can disrupt inequity in our communities, finishing with Q&A.

Nonprofit technology is marked by inequities within our organizations and our sector.  You can see this in staffing and processes, and the way technology tools are implemented. Learn to use the free NTEN Equity Guide for Nonprofit Technology as an active and regular part of your strategy discussions and policy review processes and as a resource for evaluation.

Join Tristan Penn to learn how nonprofit staff can use technology strategically in racially equitable ways to meet our missions and community needs.


Worried about inherent bias and inequity built in to the technology your nonprofit uses?
Wondering how to implement strategies and frameworks to make sure your technology use aligns with your organizational values? 

Navigating technology can be challenging for nonprofits, especially with the inequities in our sector. How can you use technology as strategically and equitably as possible to advance your mission?

 This session will explore how to use the NTEN Equity Guide as a key part of your strategy and policy reviews. You’ll learn how to implement technology in racially equitable ways to better meet community needs. Get a head start on building a more equitable tech future for your organization.


Presenter:

Tristan Penn is the Equity and Accountability Director at NTEN, where he works to promote, coordinate, and evaluate best practices that support Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Liberation. His work focuses on equitable development and capacity building within the nonprofit sector. He manages a staff, community, and board-specific DEI Taskforce, creating long-term work plans and goals for equity initiatives both within NTEN and across the broader community.

In his role, Tristan supports and coaches conference speakers and course faculty on creating equitable presentations and manages an annual community survey to gather demographic data and assess customer satisfaction and goal alignment. He is also responsible for designing and implementing audit processes to evaluate the staff, board, and volunteer policies outlined in NTEN’s Equity Commitment, and for developing appropriate methodologies to measure the impact of NTEN’s equity efforts.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Why a 2025 technology equity guide for nonprofits? 

Part 1 covers introductions and a deep discussion on the issues of equity in the technology your nonprofit staff use and how they use it. Part 2 delves into questions of funding tech at nonprofits and touches on creating technology tools and applications that can disrupt inequity in our communities, finishing with Q&A.

Nonprofit technology is marked by inequities within our organizations and our sector.  You can see this in staffing and processes, and the way technology tools are implemented. Learn to use the free NTEN Equity Guide for Nonprofit Technology as an active and regular part of your strategy discussions and policy review processes and as a resource for evaluation.

Join Tristan Penn to learn how nonprofit staff can use technology strategically in racially equitable ways to meet our missions and community needs.


Worried about inherent bias and inequity built in to the technology your nonprofit uses?
Wondering how to implement strategies and frameworks to make sure your technology use aligns with your organizational values? 

Navigating technology can be challenging for nonprofits, especially with the inequities in our sector. How can you use technology as strategically and equitably as possible to advance your mission?

 This session will explore how to use the NTEN Equity Guide as a key part of your strategy and policy reviews. You’ll learn how to implement technology in racially equitable ways to better meet community needs. Get a head start on building a more equitable tech future for your organization.


Presenter:

Tristan Penn is the Equity and Accountability Director at NTEN, where he works to promote, coordinate, and evaluate best practices that support Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Liberation. His work focuses on equitable development and capacity building within the nonprofit sector. He manages a staff, community, and board-specific DEI Taskforce, creating long-term work plans and goals for equity initiatives both within NTEN and across the broader community.

In his role, Tristan supports and coaches conference speakers and course faculty on creating equitable presentations and manages an annual community survey to gather demographic data and assess customer satisfaction and goal alignment. He is also responsible for designing and implementing audit processes to evaluate the staff, board, and volunteer policies outlined in NTEN’s Equity Commitment, and for developing appropriate methodologies to measure the impact of NTEN’s equity efforts.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18231381 Fri, 21 Nov 2025 16:00:00 -0500 2248 6 46 full false Trends in Philanthropy for Tech with Jennifer Huftalen Trends in Philanthropy for Tech with Jennifer Huftalen Technology Association of Grantmakers held their 2025 Conference in Atlanta. Jenny Huftalen and Carolyn Woodard attended and share the takeaways and trends in philanthropy for tech.

The takeaways: 

  • Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG) convenes members bi-annually to share knowledge and experiences on technology used at foundations and funders. 
  • Four trends stood out from this year’s conference: AI, Data, Cybersecurity, and our own health.
  • Almost every session and keynote spoke to the prevalence of AI in our lives, in philanthropy, and in the nonprofit space. If you are feeling FOMO or feeling that you don’t know enough about AI, rest assured no one really knows what they are doing either. We also heard several fascinating use cases where nonprofits in partnership with funders are using AI in thoughtful and impactful ways. 
  • Data and database cleaning and organizing was also a trending topic. Several presentations stressed the need to work on your data processes and governance before throwing an AI product at your data and expecting it to clean it up for you. Again, thoughtful attention to the human side of data is necessary to make the AI work well. 
  • Several speakers stressed the need to weave cybersecurity throughout your operations and realize that IT and cybersecurity touch every staff member at your organization. Starting with anti-virus software not being built-in to your purchase, IT has constantly packaged cybersecurity as something additional and separate. But that is an inadequate viewpoint. Weave cybersecurity into everything and keep yourself and your organization better protected.
  • Finally, our health. IT in philanthropy is all about people. People need to be healthy, which can require a pause to reflect even in chaotic and stressful times. Several speakers and attendees talked about the need, as ever, to re-focus on the essentials: the communities we partner with, the deep knowledge we have about the assets we hold and the challenges we face, and that we do this work because we have hope for a better future.

It’s clear that the intersection of technology and philanthropy is evolving rapidly. These trends can feel like a lot to navigate, but remember that the strongest solutions always come from a thoughtful, human-centered approach. Community IT is here to help your nonprofit or foundation thoughtfully weave technology into your operations so you can focus on your mission.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Technology Association of Grantmakers held their 2025 Conference in Atlanta. Jenny Huftalen and Carolyn Woodard attended and share the takeaways and trends in philanthropy for tech.

The takeaways: 

  • Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG) convenes members bi-annually to share knowledge and experiences on technology used at foundations and funders. 
  • Four trends stood out from this year’s conference: AI, Data, Cybersecurity, and our own health.
  • Almost every session and keynote spoke to the prevalence of AI in our lives, in philanthropy, and in the nonprofit space. If you are feeling FOMO or feeling that you don’t know enough about AI, rest assured no one really knows what they are doing either. We also heard several fascinating use cases where nonprofits in partnership with funders are using AI in thoughtful and impactful ways. 
  • Data and database cleaning and organizing was also a trending topic. Several presentations stressed the need to work on your data processes and governance before throwing an AI product at your data and expecting it to clean it up for you. Again, thoughtful attention to the human side of data is necessary to make the AI work well. 
  • Several speakers stressed the need to weave cybersecurity throughout your operations and realize that IT and cybersecurity touch every staff member at your organization. Starting with anti-virus software not being built-in to your purchase, IT has constantly packaged cybersecurity as something additional and separate. But that is an inadequate viewpoint. Weave cybersecurity into everything and keep yourself and your organization better protected.
  • Finally, our health. IT in philanthropy is all about people. People need to be healthy, which can require a pause to reflect even in chaotic and stressful times. Several speakers and attendees talked about the need, as ever, to re-focus on the essentials: the communities we partner with, the deep knowledge we have about the assets we hold and the challenges we face, and that we do this work because we have hope for a better future.

It’s clear that the intersection of technology and philanthropy is evolving rapidly. These trends can feel like a lot to navigate, but remember that the strongest solutions always come from a thoughtful, human-centered approach. Community IT is here to help your nonprofit or foundation thoughtfully weave technology into your operations so you can focus on your mission.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18187572 Fri, 14 Nov 2025 14:00:00 -0500 1734 6 45 full false Pen Testing for Nonprofit Cybersecurity with Matthew Eshleman Pen Testing for Nonprofit Cybersecurity with Matthew Eshleman What Do Nonprofits Need to Know About Penetration Testing?

Nonprofit Cybersecurity expert and Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman explains what penetration testing is, why some nonprofits may need it, and why other nonprofits may not, or may not need it until after a basic assessment and vulnerability scanning. 

Do you have someone urging you to get expensive pen testing, and you aren’t sure if you really need it, or if it is just checking a box on an insurance form? This podcast should give you more information on what the pen test tests, and how to match your investment in cybersecurity to your nonprofits’ risks and needs. 


Takeaways on Pen Testing for Nonprofit Cybersecurity


What is penetration testing? 

  • When nonprofits hosted a server on premises, penetration testing was a step that could be taken to look for vulnerabilities such as open ports on the local network.
  • Pen testing, as the name implies, involves finding vulnerabilities and exploiting those openings to show how far into your system a hacker could get. Usually a pen testing company will provide a long and very technical report about the client’s cybersecurity configurations. 
  • Now that most nonprofits are working in the cloud, there is less to test in a pen test. Vulnerability scanning and a basic assessment can usually create a more valuable list of vulnerabilities and remediation suggestions, for a more affordable price. An assessment will provide a more comprehensive and holistic report on the cybersecurity practices at your nonprofit.
  • If you have been told you “need” to have a pen test, make sure you understand why and the ROI return on investment the pen test is expected to provide.
  • Pen testing has definite value, but that value is very specific to certain types of organizations; with on-site servers, and with certain technical needs and risks. 
  • The most likely source of compromise and fraud at most small- to mid-sized nonprofits is going to be malicious phishing email leading to wire fraud or compromised credentials. If you have a limited budget to put toward cybersecurity practices, it makes sense to invest in staff training to decrease the risks of clicking on a bad link, and “basic” cybersecurity to protect account credentials and user ID. 
  • In general, Community IT would recommend starting a cybersecurity improvement journey with a basic assessment, adding vulnerability scanning, and only after addressing any vulnerabilities discovered at that level, determining whether a pen test is a valuable tool to learn more about your system security and resilience.

Community IT hopes that we can provide trusted advice and guidelines for nonprofit safety and security. Your cybersecurity risks and needs will be individual to your nonprofit. If you have questions on pen testing, vulnerability scanning, and basic assessments, reach out and schedule a conversation or assessment with Matt.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> What Do Nonprofits Need to Know About Penetration Testing?

Nonprofit Cybersecurity expert and Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman explains what penetration testing is, why some nonprofits may need it, and why other nonprofits may not, or may not need it until after a basic assessment and vulnerability scanning. 

Do you have someone urging you to get expensive pen testing, and you aren’t sure if you really need it, or if it is just checking a box on an insurance form? This podcast should give you more information on what the pen test tests, and how to match your investment in cybersecurity to your nonprofits’ risks and needs. 


Takeaways on Pen Testing for Nonprofit Cybersecurity


What is penetration testing? 

  • When nonprofits hosted a server on premises, penetration testing was a step that could be taken to look for vulnerabilities such as open ports on the local network.
  • Pen testing, as the name implies, involves finding vulnerabilities and exploiting those openings to show how far into your system a hacker could get. Usually a pen testing company will provide a long and very technical report about the client’s cybersecurity configurations. 
  • Now that most nonprofits are working in the cloud, there is less to test in a pen test. Vulnerability scanning and a basic assessment can usually create a more valuable list of vulnerabilities and remediation suggestions, for a more affordable price. An assessment will provide a more comprehensive and holistic report on the cybersecurity practices at your nonprofit.
  • If you have been told you “need” to have a pen test, make sure you understand why and the ROI return on investment the pen test is expected to provide.
  • Pen testing has definite value, but that value is very specific to certain types of organizations; with on-site servers, and with certain technical needs and risks. 
  • The most likely source of compromise and fraud at most small- to mid-sized nonprofits is going to be malicious phishing email leading to wire fraud or compromised credentials. If you have a limited budget to put toward cybersecurity practices, it makes sense to invest in staff training to decrease the risks of clicking on a bad link, and “basic” cybersecurity to protect account credentials and user ID. 
  • In general, Community IT would recommend starting a cybersecurity improvement journey with a basic assessment, adding vulnerability scanning, and only after addressing any vulnerabilities discovered at that level, determining whether a pen test is a valuable tool to learn more about your system security and resilience.

Community IT hopes that we can provide trusted advice and guidelines for nonprofit safety and security. Your cybersecurity risks and needs will be individual to your nonprofit. If you have questions on pen testing, vulnerability scanning, and basic assessments, reach out and schedule a conversation or assessment with Matt.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18146864 Fri, 07 Nov 2025 16:00:00 -0500 1102 6 44 full false October is ESOP Employee Owner Month with Johan Hammerstrom October is ESOP Employee Owner Month with Johan Hammerstrom October is ESOP Employee Owner Month

An Employee Stock Ownership Plan, or ESOP, is a legal structure used in the U.S. to create an employee-owned company. Essentially, an ESOP is a type of retirement plan that invests primarily in company stock, holding the assets in a trust for the staff. 

Community IT is 100% employee-owned. This structure means our staff participates in the company’s success. Not all ESOPs are 100% employee-owned. Our CEO Johan Hammerstrom walks through the decisions and concerns of our founder, David Deal, that the mission of the company always remain focused on serving nonprofits with well-managed IT. The best way to preserve that mission when he sold the company in 2012 was to sell it entirely to the staff. 

Being an ESOP is fundamentally important to Community IT because it ensures we maintain the stability and focus required to serve the nonprofit sector best. This structure guarantees we control our own destiny, allowing us to prioritize long-term, excellent service to nonprofit organizations over external pressures like seeking to be acquired or maximizing short-term profits for outside owners. 

Further, it enhances our culture by aligning the incentives of our passionate employees with our mission, empowering independent decision-making and ensuring that clients benefit from a dedicated, resourceful, and stable team that is invested in the organization’s lasting success.

Join CEO Johan Hammerstrom as he explains what October being ESOP employee owner month means to Community IT, our clients, and our dedication to providing excellent outsourced IT services.

Interested in the ESOP structure advantages and how to become an ESOP? Contact Johan directly, he is always happy to talk about our ESOP.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> October is ESOP Employee Owner Month

An Employee Stock Ownership Plan, or ESOP, is a legal structure used in the U.S. to create an employee-owned company. Essentially, an ESOP is a type of retirement plan that invests primarily in company stock, holding the assets in a trust for the staff. 

Community IT is 100% employee-owned. This structure means our staff participates in the company’s success. Not all ESOPs are 100% employee-owned. Our CEO Johan Hammerstrom walks through the decisions and concerns of our founder, David Deal, that the mission of the company always remain focused on serving nonprofits with well-managed IT. The best way to preserve that mission when he sold the company in 2012 was to sell it entirely to the staff. 

Being an ESOP is fundamentally important to Community IT because it ensures we maintain the stability and focus required to serve the nonprofit sector best. This structure guarantees we control our own destiny, allowing us to prioritize long-term, excellent service to nonprofit organizations over external pressures like seeking to be acquired or maximizing short-term profits for outside owners. 

Further, it enhances our culture by aligning the incentives of our passionate employees with our mission, empowering independent decision-making and ensuring that clients benefit from a dedicated, resourceful, and stable team that is invested in the organization’s lasting success.

Join CEO Johan Hammerstrom as he explains what October being ESOP employee owner month means to Community IT, our clients, and our dedication to providing excellent outsourced IT services.

Interested in the ESOP structure advantages and how to become an ESOP? Contact Johan directly, he is always happy to talk about our ESOP.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18091073 Fri, 31 Oct 2025 16:00:00 -0400 1247 6 43 full false Cybersecurity Essentials for Nonprofits pt 2 Cybersecurity Essentials for Nonprofits pt 2 A Panel Discussion with Matthew Eshleman and Ian Gottesman.

In part 1, Ian and Matthew discuss an approach to cybersecurity for nonprofits, taking the first steps, and 3 steps you can take to prevent at least 80% of attacks. In pt 2, they talk about making cybersecurity training more engaging, and lessons learned this year. They finish by taking audience questions.

Our nonprofit cybersecurity experts discuss the current state of risks, and the best counter-measures nonprofits should have in their toolboxes.

Learn what are cybersecurity essentials for nonprofits, and how your nonprofit organization can meet the moment. 
Keep your staff, your networks, and your data secure in an insecure world.


Worried about nonprofit cybersecurity?

You aren’t alone. The nonprofit sector is seeing new attacks and politicization of work that was never political before. Most attacks we are seeing in our networks are still financial, not political – but that doesn’t make being a victim of these attacks better. AI is changing cybersecurity needs rapidly.

If you aren’t sure what you need to know, or who to ask, learn from our expert panel in this webinar where we will discuss cybersecurity essentials for nonprofits in accessible language, and lay out a plan for any nonprofit to put the basics of cybersecurity in place.

Secure your devices. 

Secure your accounts. 

Secure your data. 


In this new webinar, expert panelists discuss cybersecurity essentials and take Q&A.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> A Panel Discussion with Matthew Eshleman and Ian Gottesman.

In part 1, Ian and Matthew discuss an approach to cybersecurity for nonprofits, taking the first steps, and 3 steps you can take to prevent at least 80% of attacks. In pt 2, they talk about making cybersecurity training more engaging, and lessons learned this year. They finish by taking audience questions.

Our nonprofit cybersecurity experts discuss the current state of risks, and the best counter-measures nonprofits should have in their toolboxes.

Learn what are cybersecurity essentials for nonprofits, and how your nonprofit organization can meet the moment. 
Keep your staff, your networks, and your data secure in an insecure world.


Worried about nonprofit cybersecurity?

You aren’t alone. The nonprofit sector is seeing new attacks and politicization of work that was never political before. Most attacks we are seeing in our networks are still financial, not political – but that doesn’t make being a victim of these attacks better. AI is changing cybersecurity needs rapidly.

If you aren’t sure what you need to know, or who to ask, learn from our expert panel in this webinar where we will discuss cybersecurity essentials for nonprofits in accessible language, and lay out a plan for any nonprofit to put the basics of cybersecurity in place.

Secure your devices. 

Secure your accounts. 

Secure your data. 


In this new webinar, expert panelists discuss cybersecurity essentials and take Q&A.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18029372 Fri, 24 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400 1523 6 42 full false Cybersecurity Essentials for Nonprofits pt 1 Cybersecurity Essentials for Nonprofits pt 1 A Panel Discussion with Matthew Eshleman and Ian Gottesman.

In part 1, Ian and Matthew discuss an approach to cybersecurity for nonprofits, taking the first steps, and 3 steps you can take to prevent at least 80% of attacks. In pt 2, they talk about making cybersecurity training more engaging, and lessons learned this year. They finish by taking audience questions.

Our nonprofit cybersecurity experts discuss the current state of risks, and the best counter-measures nonprofits should have in their toolboxes.

Learn what are cybersecurity essentials for nonprofits, and how your nonprofit organization can meet the moment. 
Keep your staff, your networks, and your data secure in an insecure world.


Worried about nonprofit cybersecurity?

You aren’t alone. The nonprofit sector is seeing new attacks and politicization of work that was never political before. Most attacks we are seeing in our networks are still financial, not political – but that doesn’t make being a victim of these attacks better. AI is changing cybersecurity needs rapidly.

If you aren’t sure what you need to know, or who to ask, learn from our expert panel in this webinar where we will discuss cybersecurity essentials for nonprofits in accessible language, and lay out a plan for any nonprofit to put the basics of cybersecurity in place.

Secure your devices. 

Secure your accounts. 

Secure your data. 


In this new webinar, expert panelists discuss cybersecurity essentials and take Q&A.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> A Panel Discussion with Matthew Eshleman and Ian Gottesman.

In part 1, Ian and Matthew discuss an approach to cybersecurity for nonprofits, taking the first steps, and 3 steps you can take to prevent at least 80% of attacks. In pt 2, they talk about making cybersecurity training more engaging, and lessons learned this year. They finish by taking audience questions.

Our nonprofit cybersecurity experts discuss the current state of risks, and the best counter-measures nonprofits should have in their toolboxes.

Learn what are cybersecurity essentials for nonprofits, and how your nonprofit organization can meet the moment. 
Keep your staff, your networks, and your data secure in an insecure world.


Worried about nonprofit cybersecurity?

You aren’t alone. The nonprofit sector is seeing new attacks and politicization of work that was never political before. Most attacks we are seeing in our networks are still financial, not political – but that doesn’t make being a victim of these attacks better. AI is changing cybersecurity needs rapidly.

If you aren’t sure what you need to know, or who to ask, learn from our expert panel in this webinar where we will discuss cybersecurity essentials for nonprofits in accessible language, and lay out a plan for any nonprofit to put the basics of cybersecurity in place.

Secure your devices. 

Secure your accounts. 

Secure your data. 


In this new webinar, expert panelists discuss cybersecurity essentials and take Q&A.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-18029333 Fri, 17 Oct 2025 14:00:00 -0400 2058 6 41 full false Community IT Voices: Johanny Torrico, President and COO Community IT Voices: Johanny Torrico, President and COO Today Carolyn talks with Johanny Torrico about her recent promotion to an executive position that the Community IT Board created for her: President and Chief Operations Officer.

This conversation provided an opportunity to delve into Johanny’s strategic vision for the company’s future. We explored how the new position was created to recognize her role guiding the company through a period of significant growth and innovation in the past few years, ensuring that we continue to provide the highest level of service and support to the nonprofit community. 

We also touched on the challenges and successes of our expansion at Community IT, doubling both staff and clients served in the years following the pandemic. From scaling our services to meet increasing demand to fostering a cohesive culture as our team grows, Johanny shared valuable insights into the dedication and strategic planning that was required to navigate this dynamic landscape.

Our President and COO shared personal reflections on her extensive career in IT and operations, highlighting pivotal moments of challenge and the principles that have led to her success. This led to insights on what it takes to recognize and nurture talent within an organization, offering practical advice for HR professionals, managers, and job seekers alike. 

We also explored the unique benefits of being a 100% employee-owned company. This model is a cornerstone of our internal culture, fostering a deep sense of ownership and commitment among our staff. Ultimately, this shared purpose and dedication not only helps us attract and retain top talent but also directly translates into the exceptional service and long-term partnerships we provide to our nonprofit clients.

Johanny has a lot to say on the benefits of a culture that encourages staff to be happy and capable, and the focus at Community IT on customer service – the face to face interactions of people with people. 

“As an employee owned company, we all have a stake in the success of our company. For sure, that is something that has contributed to the culture that we have. A culture of work-life balance. A culture of team building, of learning together. I think that part of staff development, that part of working together for the better good, supporting nonprofit organizations, is definitely what makes Community IT unique in the sector.”– Johanny Torrico, COO

Speaker:

Johanny Torrico brings over thirty years of experience managing teams and operations to her role as President and Chief Operating Officer at Community IT, where she leads the largest internal team providing services to clients. A calm and organized leader, Johanny is responsible for the service and technical operations for all the teams at Community IT. She also leads staff development and internal business processes, with a focus on staff retention and career mentoring.

As Chief Operating Officer Johanny played a critical role in leading the dramatic expansion of our service operations.  She established new teams, expanded company management and led the successful adoption of a wide range of new technologies.  Johanny has a special ability to promote standardization of our services in ways that add value for our clients. Johanny

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Today Carolyn talks with Johanny Torrico about her recent promotion to an executive position that the Community IT Board created for her: President and Chief Operations Officer.

This conversation provided an opportunity to delve into Johanny’s strategic vision for the company’s future. We explored how the new position was created to recognize her role guiding the company through a period of significant growth and innovation in the past few years, ensuring that we continue to provide the highest level of service and support to the nonprofit community. 

We also touched on the challenges and successes of our expansion at Community IT, doubling both staff and clients served in the years following the pandemic. From scaling our services to meet increasing demand to fostering a cohesive culture as our team grows, Johanny shared valuable insights into the dedication and strategic planning that was required to navigate this dynamic landscape.

Our President and COO shared personal reflections on her extensive career in IT and operations, highlighting pivotal moments of challenge and the principles that have led to her success. This led to insights on what it takes to recognize and nurture talent within an organization, offering practical advice for HR professionals, managers, and job seekers alike. 

We also explored the unique benefits of being a 100% employee-owned company. This model is a cornerstone of our internal culture, fostering a deep sense of ownership and commitment among our staff. Ultimately, this shared purpose and dedication not only helps us attract and retain top talent but also directly translates into the exceptional service and long-term partnerships we provide to our nonprofit clients.

Johanny has a lot to say on the benefits of a culture that encourages staff to be happy and capable, and the focus at Community IT on customer service – the face to face interactions of people with people. 

“As an employee owned company, we all have a stake in the success of our company. For sure, that is something that has contributed to the culture that we have. A culture of work-life balance. A culture of team building, of learning together. I think that part of staff development, that part of working together for the better good, supporting nonprofit organizations, is definitely what makes Community IT unique in the sector.”– Johanny Torrico, COO

Speaker:

Johanny Torrico brings over thirty years of experience managing teams and operations to her role as President and Chief Operating Officer at Community IT, where she leads the largest internal team providing services to clients. A calm and organized leader, Johanny is responsible for the service and technical operations for all the teams at Community IT. She also leads staff development and internal business processes, with a focus on staff retention and career mentoring.

As Chief Operating Officer Johanny played a critical role in leading the dramatic expansion of our service operations.  She established new teams, expanded company management and led the successful adoption of a wide range of new technologies.  Johanny has a special ability to promote standardization of our services in ways that add value for our clients. Johanny

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17989152 Fri, 10 Oct 2025 16:00:00 -0400 1217 6 40 full false Cybersecurity, Viruses, Phish-Resistant MFA with Matt Eshleman Cybersecurity, Viruses, Phish-Resistant MFA with Matt Eshleman Nonprofit Cybersecurity expert and Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman offered his take on these trends. Listen for expert advice on avoiding new computer viruses and making sure your organization is protected from Attacker-in-the-Middle attacks on MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication), particularly for important accounts like your Executive Director and CFO.

Fighting Viruses

  • Virus attacks have been increasing. These computer viruses are no longer just malware that “infects” your network through an email link or website. 
  • Bad actors know we are suspicious of links in our email and that these days most malicious emails are stopped from reaching our inboxes. As a work around, they have started sending a document with instructions to open the document with a “secure code” – actually a malicious code. In this way, they trick the victim into running the attack against themselves. 
  • To resist this attack, always think – if the document you need to open is legitimate, and the person emailing it to you is genuine, they can send you a pdf. You should be very suspicious of any attachment that requires another set of steps to open, particularly executing code on your computer.
  • Other ways you may pick up a computer virus: downloading something malicious online. Be careful to double check you are on a legitimate site before downloading anything. Better yet, use the App Store where possible. 
  • We are also seeing an increase in malicious pop-ups. If a window opens on your computer saying you have a virus, it can be scary. Always contact your own IT provider. Do not follow the directions the pop up is giving you to get “support,” or you will be calling the scammer. 

Using Phish-Resistant MFA

  • Community IT continues to recommend that all users use a Multi-Factor Authentication method on all accounts.
  • Because MFA is so effective, it is not surprising that attackers are trying to work around it. In the past few years Attacker-in-the-Middle attacks have been on the rise. In this attack, the bad guys trick a user into “logging in” in a way that exposes their secure token for the attacker to steal. The attacker can then login as the user from a different device and gain access to anything the user has access to.
  • Phish-Resistant MFA, like using a passkey or Microsoft Hello, will only allow the MFA to be authenticated from the device where you are. You can also use a physical key like Ubikey or FIDO, which must be present to allow the login.
  • Community IT is recommending at a minimum that all accounts with access to sensitive data such as Executive Director, CFO, maybe Board members, the executive team, should use Phish-Resistant MFA to best protect the organization. Of course, any access to your network is a risk, so where possible, investing in Phish-Resistant MFA for all staff is a good investment.
  • Training on Phish-Resistant MFA can lessen the friction or feeling that an extra step is required. Most Phish-Resistant MFA is quick to use and easy to learn. Peace of mind is worth it. 

Community IT hopes that building this culture of care at your organization makes it easier for you to update your staff on new

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Nonprofit Cybersecurity expert and Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman offered his take on these trends. Listen for expert advice on avoiding new computer viruses and making sure your organization is protected from Attacker-in-the-Middle attacks on MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication), particularly for important accounts like your Executive Director and CFO.

Fighting Viruses

  • Virus attacks have been increasing. These computer viruses are no longer just malware that “infects” your network through an email link or website. 
  • Bad actors know we are suspicious of links in our email and that these days most malicious emails are stopped from reaching our inboxes. As a work around, they have started sending a document with instructions to open the document with a “secure code” – actually a malicious code. In this way, they trick the victim into running the attack against themselves. 
  • To resist this attack, always think – if the document you need to open is legitimate, and the person emailing it to you is genuine, they can send you a pdf. You should be very suspicious of any attachment that requires another set of steps to open, particularly executing code on your computer.
  • Other ways you may pick up a computer virus: downloading something malicious online. Be careful to double check you are on a legitimate site before downloading anything. Better yet, use the App Store where possible. 
  • We are also seeing an increase in malicious pop-ups. If a window opens on your computer saying you have a virus, it can be scary. Always contact your own IT provider. Do not follow the directions the pop up is giving you to get “support,” or you will be calling the scammer. 

Using Phish-Resistant MFA

  • Community IT continues to recommend that all users use a Multi-Factor Authentication method on all accounts.
  • Because MFA is so effective, it is not surprising that attackers are trying to work around it. In the past few years Attacker-in-the-Middle attacks have been on the rise. In this attack, the bad guys trick a user into “logging in” in a way that exposes their secure token for the attacker to steal. The attacker can then login as the user from a different device and gain access to anything the user has access to.
  • Phish-Resistant MFA, like using a passkey or Microsoft Hello, will only allow the MFA to be authenticated from the device where you are. You can also use a physical key like Ubikey or FIDO, which must be present to allow the login.
  • Community IT is recommending at a minimum that all accounts with access to sensitive data such as Executive Director, CFO, maybe Board members, the executive team, should use Phish-Resistant MFA to best protect the organization. Of course, any access to your network is a risk, so where possible, investing in Phish-Resistant MFA for all staff is a good investment.
  • Training on Phish-Resistant MFA can lessen the friction or feeling that an extra step is required. Most Phish-Resistant MFA is quick to use and easy to learn. Peace of mind is worth it. 

Community IT hopes that building this culture of care at your organization makes it easier for you to update your staff on new

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17830031 Fri, 03 Oct 2025 15:00:00 -0400 1189 6 33 full false How to Rescue a Nonprofit Technology Project with Change Management pt 2: with Debbie Cameron How to Rescue a Nonprofit Technology Project with Change Management pt 2: with Debbie Cameron Change Management Lessons with Debbie Cameron

Build Consulting Partner Debbie Cameron and change management expert in a webinar on when you can rescue a nonprofit technology project using change management techniques. 

In part 1, Debbie describes the philosophy of change management and how these techniques work in helping the people at your organization understand and adapt to big changes. In part 2, she discusses how to rescue a failed project and some techniques to turn a project around. She also gives a mini-case study and takes audience questions.

It is never too late to go back and re-assess where change management best practices can help.
Learn how to use change management principles to get more out of your nonprofit technology investments and rescue a tech project that hasn’t succeeded – yet.


Do you have a technology tool that is not living up to expectations?

In an ideal world, change management would help inform three main phases of technology project implementation: planning, during, and after go-live. Build Consulting curated a three-part video series with Debbie Cameron, change management expert at Build Consulting, walking through the Build philosophy and providing best practices and examples at each stage of nonprofit tech project management.

But what if you weren’t present for the entire project? What if you are facing a project that isn’t going well – that you inherited – a technology tool that your organization is paying for but everyone hates – a tool your organization is stuck with … is there still a role for good change management? Is it too late to use change management best practices to rescue these projects?

In this new webinar, Debbie shares techniques and tools to help analyze where change management can support implementation after technology change.


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Change Management Lessons with Debbie Cameron

Build Consulting Partner Debbie Cameron and change management expert in a webinar on when you can rescue a nonprofit technology project using change management techniques. 

In part 1, Debbie describes the philosophy of change management and how these techniques work in helping the people at your organization understand and adapt to big changes. In part 2, she discusses how to rescue a failed project and some techniques to turn a project around. She also gives a mini-case study and takes audience questions.

It is never too late to go back and re-assess where change management best practices can help.
Learn how to use change management principles to get more out of your nonprofit technology investments and rescue a tech project that hasn’t succeeded – yet.


Do you have a technology tool that is not living up to expectations?

In an ideal world, change management would help inform three main phases of technology project implementation: planning, during, and after go-live. Build Consulting curated a three-part video series with Debbie Cameron, change management expert at Build Consulting, walking through the Build philosophy and providing best practices and examples at each stage of nonprofit tech project management.

But what if you weren’t present for the entire project? What if you are facing a project that isn’t going well – that you inherited – a technology tool that your organization is paying for but everyone hates – a tool your organization is stuck with … is there still a role for good change management? Is it too late to use change management best practices to rescue these projects?

In this new webinar, Debbie shares techniques and tools to help analyze where change management can support implementation after technology change.


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17874657 Fri, 26 Sep 2025 16:00:00 -0400 1257 6 39 full false How to Rescue a Nonprofit Technology Project with Change Management pt 1: with Debbie Cameron How to Rescue a Nonprofit Technology Project with Change Management pt 1: with Debbie Cameron Change Management Lessons with Debbie Cameron

Build Consulting Partner Debbie Cameron and change management expert in a webinar on when you can rescue a nonprofit technology project using change management techniques. 

In part 1, Debbie describes the philosophy of change management and how these techniques work in helping the people at your organization understand and adapt to big changes. In part 2, she discusses how to rescue a failed project and some techniques to turn a project around. She also gives a mini-case study and takes audience questions.

It is never too late to go back and re-assess where change management best practices can help.
Learn how to use change management principles to get more out of your nonprofit technology investments and rescue a tech project that hasn’t succeeded – yet.


Do you have a technology tool that is not living up to expectations?

In an ideal world, change management would help inform three main phases of technology project implementation: planning, during, and after go-live. Build Consulting curated a three-part video series with Debbie Cameron, change management expert at Build Consulting, walking through the Build philosophy and providing best practices and examples at each stage of nonprofit tech project management.

But what if you weren’t present for the entire project? What if you are facing a project that isn’t going well – that you inherited – a technology tool that your organization is paying for but everyone hates – a tool your organization is stuck with … is there still a role for good change management? Is it too late to use change management best practices to rescue these projects?

In this new webinar, Debbie shares techniques and tools to help analyze where change management can support implementation after technology change.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Change Management Lessons with Debbie Cameron

Build Consulting Partner Debbie Cameron and change management expert in a webinar on when you can rescue a nonprofit technology project using change management techniques. 

In part 1, Debbie describes the philosophy of change management and how these techniques work in helping the people at your organization understand and adapt to big changes. In part 2, she discusses how to rescue a failed project and some techniques to turn a project around. She also gives a mini-case study and takes audience questions.

It is never too late to go back and re-assess where change management best practices can help.
Learn how to use change management principles to get more out of your nonprofit technology investments and rescue a tech project that hasn’t succeeded – yet.


Do you have a technology tool that is not living up to expectations?

In an ideal world, change management would help inform three main phases of technology project implementation: planning, during, and after go-live. Build Consulting curated a three-part video series with Debbie Cameron, change management expert at Build Consulting, walking through the Build philosophy and providing best practices and examples at each stage of nonprofit tech project management.

But what if you weren’t present for the entire project? What if you are facing a project that isn’t going well – that you inherited – a technology tool that your organization is paying for but everyone hates – a tool your organization is stuck with … is there still a role for good change management? Is it too late to use change management best practices to rescue these projects?

In this new webinar, Debbie shares techniques and tools to help analyze where change management can support implementation after technology change.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17874615 Fri, 19 Sep 2025 17:00:00 -0400 2202 6 38 full false Google Drive Trick for Nonprofits with Steve Longenecker Google Drive Trick for Nonprofits with Steve Longenecker Do you have important files in your nonprofits’ Google Drive that are associated with their owners’ personal gmail address? Google lets you migrate those files to Shared Drive so your organization never loses access to them. 

Google Workspace is fantastically easy for nonprofit start ups to set up and doesn’t take a lot of technical know-how to manage until you grow to a larger staff size. 

One of the common issues we run into is ownership of files. In Google world, the creator “owns” the files even when shared or saved on a shared Google Drive, and if that owner leaves the organization – through any number of scenarios – the organization no longer has access to those files. 

Depending on how important the files are, that can cause problems! For example, if you are using an outsourced CFO – or if a photographer “shared” files with you – you can lose access. 

A while back Google created “Shared Drive” and we recommend moving files from individually shared folders to organizationally owned folders. 

In this podcast, Steve shares a Google Drive trick for nonprofits on migrating those files to Shared Drive relatively easily, by making the owner a temporary manager of the new folder. 


The takeaways: 

  • Google regards the “owner” of files as the creator. Various options for sharing files may not grant complete access to those files for as long as they are needed. 
  • Community IT recommends creating Shared Drive in Google Workspace and migrating individual files and folders there to preserve organization access to them. This changes the “owner” from the individual to the organization. 
  • If you are running into migration issues with shared files disappearing, it is probably because the file was “owned” by someone outside your organization, or even someone within your organization using an individual gmail account to access Google. It is very easy to mistakenly log in to Google under other accounts to do your work!
  • To migrate files in that situation, Google makes it possible to solve the ownership problem without a third-party tool. Staying within the Google universe preserves the file formats and makes migration easier. Links remain valid as will dynamic connections within Google Sheets.
  • Community IT recommends creating a Shared Drive and temporarily making those external people managers with their individual gmail account. That gives them the ability to move whole folders of their files into the Shared Drive, where they become “owned” by the organization even after the individual leaves. This also helps clear up files created by external vendors where ownership needs to sit with the organization not with the individual owner, such as photos.
  • It sounds complicated, but Steve walks through how to approach “ownership” in the Google Workspace universe and make data management as easy as possible.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Do you have important files in your nonprofits’ Google Drive that are associated with their owners’ personal gmail address? Google lets you migrate those files to Shared Drive so your organization never loses access to them. 

Google Workspace is fantastically easy for nonprofit start ups to set up and doesn’t take a lot of technical know-how to manage until you grow to a larger staff size. 

One of the common issues we run into is ownership of files. In Google world, the creator “owns” the files even when shared or saved on a shared Google Drive, and if that owner leaves the organization – through any number of scenarios – the organization no longer has access to those files. 

Depending on how important the files are, that can cause problems! For example, if you are using an outsourced CFO – or if a photographer “shared” files with you – you can lose access. 

A while back Google created “Shared Drive” and we recommend moving files from individually shared folders to organizationally owned folders. 

In this podcast, Steve shares a Google Drive trick for nonprofits on migrating those files to Shared Drive relatively easily, by making the owner a temporary manager of the new folder. 


The takeaways: 

  • Google regards the “owner” of files as the creator. Various options for sharing files may not grant complete access to those files for as long as they are needed. 
  • Community IT recommends creating Shared Drive in Google Workspace and migrating individual files and folders there to preserve organization access to them. This changes the “owner” from the individual to the organization. 
  • If you are running into migration issues with shared files disappearing, it is probably because the file was “owned” by someone outside your organization, or even someone within your organization using an individual gmail account to access Google. It is very easy to mistakenly log in to Google under other accounts to do your work!
  • To migrate files in that situation, Google makes it possible to solve the ownership problem without a third-party tool. Staying within the Google universe preserves the file formats and makes migration easier. Links remain valid as will dynamic connections within Google Sheets.
  • Community IT recommends creating a Shared Drive and temporarily making those external people managers with their individual gmail account. That gives them the ability to move whole folders of their files into the Shared Drive, where they become “owned” by the organization even after the individual leaves. This also helps clear up files created by external vendors where ownership needs to sit with the organization not with the individual owner, such as photos.
  • It sounds complicated, but Steve walks through how to approach “ownership” in the Google Workspace universe and make data management as easy as possible.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17829466 Fri, 12 Sep 2025 15:00:00 -0400 1620 6 37 full false How to Nonprofit AI with Brenda Foster pt 2 How to Nonprofit AI with Brenda Foster pt 2 Vanguard Communications’ Chief of Innovation Brenda Foster shared tips and practical advice on getting started using generative Artificial Intelligence AI tools at your nonprofit in a way that matches your mission and values.
Learn how to prompt, when and how to use AI tools, and when not to.
Learn how to evaluate the outputs and feel good using AI at your nonprofit.

In part 1, Brenda explains the various types of AI and walks through the ethical considerations and trade offs for the environment, community justice, human creativity, privacy and security, and bias. She presents a five question framework for creating your nonprofit AI policy. In part 2, Brenda explores good prompting and the differences between tools in this moment, and takes audience Q&A.


Are you wondering where to start with AI?

Chances are you and your colleagues are already using it for some things, and wondering how to use it better, or whether you should be using it at all. Your organization may be ambivalent or aghast at AI, have already embraced it, or be unsure where to start. You may have colleagues that are using AI for everything and others who won’t touch it.

Brenda Foster is a PRSA-NCC Hall of Fame inductee who has specialized in nonprofit communication for decades. 

In this webinar, she shares tips and best practices on improving your AI prompts for communication success and explores situations where AI can improve the day-to-day job satisfaction for nonprofit staff. You can hear more from Brenda in our podcast discussion of AI tips here.


How can your nonprofit get started ?

In this webinar learn how to prompt, when and how to use AI tools, and when not to. Learn how to evaluate the output and ensure that your team feels confident and comfortable using AI to make their jobs more interesting and to better support your mission.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Learn how to create an AI Acceptable Use Policy here. The nonprofit sector is deeply concerned with ethics, accountability, the environment, and systemic change. Learn more about ethical AI frameworks here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Vanguard Communications’ Chief of Innovation Brenda Foster shared tips and practical advice on getting started using generative Artificial Intelligence AI tools at your nonprofit in a way that matches your mission and values.
Learn how to prompt, when and how to use AI tools, and when not to.
Learn how to evaluate the outputs and feel good using AI at your nonprofit.

In part 1, Brenda explains the various types of AI and walks through the ethical considerations and trade offs for the environment, community justice, human creativity, privacy and security, and bias. She presents a five question framework for creating your nonprofit AI policy. In part 2, Brenda explores good prompting and the differences between tools in this moment, and takes audience Q&A.


Are you wondering where to start with AI?

Chances are you and your colleagues are already using it for some things, and wondering how to use it better, or whether you should be using it at all. Your organization may be ambivalent or aghast at AI, have already embraced it, or be unsure where to start. You may have colleagues that are using AI for everything and others who won’t touch it.

Brenda Foster is a PRSA-NCC Hall of Fame inductee who has specialized in nonprofit communication for decades. 

In this webinar, she shares tips and best practices on improving your AI prompts for communication success and explores situations where AI can improve the day-to-day job satisfaction for nonprofit staff. You can hear more from Brenda in our podcast discussion of AI tips here.


How can your nonprofit get started ?

In this webinar learn how to prompt, when and how to use AI tools, and when not to. Learn how to evaluate the output and ensure that your team feels confident and comfortable using AI to make their jobs more interesting and to better support your mission.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Learn how to create an AI Acceptable Use Policy here. The nonprofit sector is deeply concerned with ethics, accountability, the environment, and systemic change. Learn more about ethical AI frameworks here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17755480 Fri, 05 Sep 2025 15:00:00 -0400 1933 6 36 full false How to Nonprofit AI with Brenda Foster pt 1 How to Nonprofit AI with Brenda Foster pt 1 Vanguard Communications’ Chief of Innovation Brenda Foster shared tips and practical advice on getting started using generative Artificial Intelligence AI tools at your nonprofit in a way that matches your mission and values.
Learn how to prompt, when and how to use AI tools, and when not to.
Learn how to evaluate the outputs and feel good using AI at your nonprofit.

In part 1, Brenda explains the various types of AI and walks through the ethical considerations and trade offs for the environment, community justice, human creativity, privacy and security, and bias. She presents a five question framework for creating your nonprofit AI policy. In part 2, Brenda explores good prompting and the differences between tools in this moment, and takes audience Q&A.


Are you wondering where to start with AI?

Chances are you and your colleagues are already using it for some things, and wondering how to use it better, or whether you should be using it at all. Your organization may be ambivalent or aghast at AI, have already embraced it, or be unsure where to start. You may have colleagues that are using AI for everything and others who won’t touch it.

Brenda Foster is a PRSA-NCC Hall of Fame inductee who has specialized in nonprofit communication for decades. 

In this webinar, she shares tips and best practices on improving your AI prompts for communication success and explores situations where AI can improve the day-to-day job satisfaction for nonprofit staff. You can hear more from Brenda in our podcast discussion of AI tips here.


How can your nonprofit get started ?

In this webinar learn how to prompt, when and how to use AI tools, and when not to. Learn how to evaluate the output and ensure that your team feels confident and comfortable using AI to make their jobs more interesting and to better support your mission.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Learn how to create an AI Acceptable Use Policy here. The nonprofit sector is deeply concerned with ethics, accountability, the environment, and systemic change. Learn more about ethical AI frameworks here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Vanguard Communications’ Chief of Innovation Brenda Foster shared tips and practical advice on getting started using generative Artificial Intelligence AI tools at your nonprofit in a way that matches your mission and values.
Learn how to prompt, when and how to use AI tools, and when not to.
Learn how to evaluate the outputs and feel good using AI at your nonprofit.

In part 1, Brenda explains the various types of AI and walks through the ethical considerations and trade offs for the environment, community justice, human creativity, privacy and security, and bias. She presents a five question framework for creating your nonprofit AI policy. In part 2, Brenda explores good prompting and the differences between tools in this moment, and takes audience Q&A.


Are you wondering where to start with AI?

Chances are you and your colleagues are already using it for some things, and wondering how to use it better, or whether you should be using it at all. Your organization may be ambivalent or aghast at AI, have already embraced it, or be unsure where to start. You may have colleagues that are using AI for everything and others who won’t touch it.

Brenda Foster is a PRSA-NCC Hall of Fame inductee who has specialized in nonprofit communication for decades. 

In this webinar, she shares tips and best practices on improving your AI prompts for communication success and explores situations where AI can improve the day-to-day job satisfaction for nonprofit staff. You can hear more from Brenda in our podcast discussion of AI tips here.


How can your nonprofit get started ?

In this webinar learn how to prompt, when and how to use AI tools, and when not to. Learn how to evaluate the output and ensure that your team feels confident and comfortable using AI to make their jobs more interesting and to better support your mission.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Learn how to create an AI Acceptable Use Policy here. The nonprofit sector is deeply concerned with ethics, accountability, the environment, and systemic change. Learn more about ethical AI frameworks here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17755439 Fri, 29 Aug 2025 15:00:00 -0400 1833 6 35 full false How to Respond to a Cybersecurity Incident at a Nonprofit with David Dawson How to Respond to a Cybersecurity Incident at a Nonprofit with David Dawson Does your nonprofit know what to do when a staff person clicks on a suspicious email and instantly regrets it? 

David Dawson is a Senior Engineer at Community IT on the escalation team for our help desk. Recently he led the response to a cybersecurity incident at a nonprofit client. In this Community IT podcast, he answers Carolyn’s questions about the flow of the response, best practices, and gives tips on how your nonprofit can be prepared to respond to phishing or hacking attempts. 

Knowing who to call and how to respond to a cybersecurity incident at a nonprofit can be the difference that makes a quick and complete recovery.


The takeaways: 

  • When staff know what to do and who to call it saves valuable time and leads to more confidence in your response. Cybersecurity Awareness Training – particularly anti-phishing training – is a crucial part of your nonprofit cybersecurity defense. 
  • Having a single point of contact handling the communication at the nonprofit was important both to provide helpful information back to the IT provider quickly and to communicate effectively with 100+ staff that the incident was being resolved and what they needed to do. 
  • Of course, if your single point of contact is on vacation it can complicate your response. Having an Incident Response Plan with multiple backups will help guide your response.
  • If you haven’t reviewed your Incident Response Plan recently, you should! Better yet, gather the stakeholders and hold a tabletop exercise to run through some scenarios and see how your team would handle them. This kind of an exercise doesn’t cost anything to run except your stakeholders’ time, and can help identify single points of failure or areas where the plan is good but your staff need training on what is in it.
  • Many nonprofits initially handle their IT management internally. As your nonprofit grows, consider when it becomes appropriate to call on a trusted partner like Community IT to help with cybersecurity, help desk, and strategic planning. Are your cybersecurity investments up to date? What does your cyberliability policy cover? Could you resolve and recover from a cybersecurity attack?


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Does your nonprofit know what to do when a staff person clicks on a suspicious email and instantly regrets it? 

David Dawson is a Senior Engineer at Community IT on the escalation team for our help desk. Recently he led the response to a cybersecurity incident at a nonprofit client. In this Community IT podcast, he answers Carolyn’s questions about the flow of the response, best practices, and gives tips on how your nonprofit can be prepared to respond to phishing or hacking attempts. 

Knowing who to call and how to respond to a cybersecurity incident at a nonprofit can be the difference that makes a quick and complete recovery.


The takeaways: 

  • When staff know what to do and who to call it saves valuable time and leads to more confidence in your response. Cybersecurity Awareness Training – particularly anti-phishing training – is a crucial part of your nonprofit cybersecurity defense. 
  • Having a single point of contact handling the communication at the nonprofit was important both to provide helpful information back to the IT provider quickly and to communicate effectively with 100+ staff that the incident was being resolved and what they needed to do. 
  • Of course, if your single point of contact is on vacation it can complicate your response. Having an Incident Response Plan with multiple backups will help guide your response.
  • If you haven’t reviewed your Incident Response Plan recently, you should! Better yet, gather the stakeholders and hold a tabletop exercise to run through some scenarios and see how your team would handle them. This kind of an exercise doesn’t cost anything to run except your stakeholders’ time, and can help identify single points of failure or areas where the plan is good but your staff need training on what is in it.
  • Many nonprofits initially handle their IT management internally. As your nonprofit grows, consider when it becomes appropriate to call on a trusted partner like Community IT to help with cybersecurity, help desk, and strategic planning. Are your cybersecurity investments up to date? What does your cyberliability policy cover? Could you resolve and recover from a cybersecurity attack?


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17717856 Fri, 22 Aug 2025 14:00:00 -0400 1440 6 34 full false Managing AI Risks at Nonprofits with Peter Campbell Managing AI Risks at Nonprofits with Peter Campbell Peter Campbell is the principal consultant at Techcafeteria, a micro-consulting firm dedicated to helping nonprofits make more affordable and effective use of technology to support their missions. He recently published a free download powerpoint on Managing AI Risk and had time to talk with Carolyn about his thoughts on developing AI policies with an eye to risk, where the greatest risks lie for nonprofits using AI, and how often to review your policies as the technology changes rapidly.


The takeaways: 

  • AI tools are like GPS (which is itself an AI). You are the expert; they are not able to critically analyze their own output even though they can mimic authority. 
  • Using AI tools for subjects where you have subject expertise allows you to correct the output. Using AI tools for subjects where you have no knowledge adds risk. 
  • Common AI tasks at nonprofits move from low-level risks such as searching your own inbox for an important email to higher-risk activities more prone to consequential errors, such as automation and analysis.
  • Common AI risks include inaccuracy, lack of authenticity, reputational damage, and copyright and privacy violations.
  • AI also has risk factors associated with audience: your personal use probably has pretty low risk that you will be fooled or divulge sensitive information to yourself, but when you use AI to communicate with the public, the risk increases for your nonprofit.


How to Manage AI Risks at Nonprofits? 

  • Start with an AI Policy. Review it often as the technology and tools are changing rapidly.
  • Use your own judgement. A good rule of thumb is to use AI tools to create things that you are already knowledgeable about, so that you can easily assess the accuracy of the AI output. 
  • Transparency matters. Let people know AI was used and how it was used. Use an “Assisted by AI” disclaimer when appropriate.
  • Require a human third party review before sharing AI created materials with the public. State this in your transparency policy/disclaimers. Be honest about the roles of AI and humans in your nonprofit work.
  • Curate data sources, and always know what your AI is using to create materials or analysis. Guard against bias and harm to communities you care about.
“I’ve been helping clients develop Artificial Intelligence (AI) policies lately. AI has lots of innovative uses and every last one of them has some risk associated with it, so I regularly urge my clients to get the policies and training in place before they let staff loose with the tools. Here is a generic version of a powerpoint explaining AI risks and policies for nonprofits. “

Peter Campbell, Techcafeteria

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Peter Campbell is the principal consultant at Techcafeteria, a micro-consulting firm dedicated to helping nonprofits make more affordable and effective use of technology to support their missions. He recently published a free download powerpoint on Managing AI Risk and had time to talk with Carolyn about his thoughts on developing AI policies with an eye to risk, where the greatest risks lie for nonprofits using AI, and how often to review your policies as the technology changes rapidly.


The takeaways: 

  • AI tools are like GPS (which is itself an AI). You are the expert; they are not able to critically analyze their own output even though they can mimic authority. 
  • Using AI tools for subjects where you have subject expertise allows you to correct the output. Using AI tools for subjects where you have no knowledge adds risk. 
  • Common AI tasks at nonprofits move from low-level risks such as searching your own inbox for an important email to higher-risk activities more prone to consequential errors, such as automation and analysis.
  • Common AI risks include inaccuracy, lack of authenticity, reputational damage, and copyright and privacy violations.
  • AI also has risk factors associated with audience: your personal use probably has pretty low risk that you will be fooled or divulge sensitive information to yourself, but when you use AI to communicate with the public, the risk increases for your nonprofit.


How to Manage AI Risks at Nonprofits? 

  • Start with an AI Policy. Review it often as the technology and tools are changing rapidly.
  • Use your own judgement. A good rule of thumb is to use AI tools to create things that you are already knowledgeable about, so that you can easily assess the accuracy of the AI output. 
  • Transparency matters. Let people know AI was used and how it was used. Use an “Assisted by AI” disclaimer when appropriate.
  • Require a human third party review before sharing AI created materials with the public. State this in your transparency policy/disclaimers. Be honest about the roles of AI and humans in your nonprofit work.
  • Curate data sources, and always know what your AI is using to create materials or analysis. Guard against bias and harm to communities you care about.
“I’ve been helping clients develop Artificial Intelligence (AI) policies lately. AI has lots of innovative uses and every last one of them has some risk associated with it, so I regularly urge my clients to get the policies and training in place before they let staff loose with the tools. Here is a generic version of a powerpoint explaining AI risks and policies for nonprofits. “

Peter Campbell, Techcafeteria

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17677347 Fri, 15 Aug 2025 15:00:00 -0400 1323 6 33 full false Microsoft Unified Security Administration Deadline Approaching with Steve Longenecker Microsoft Unified Security Administration Deadline Approaching with Steve Longenecker On September 30th Microsoft will only support a new unified multi-factor authentication control configuration. What does this mean for your nonprofit?

In March 2023 Microsoft announced that after September 30th, 2025, they would no longer automatically support “legacy” multi-factor authentication controls in the Microsoft 365 Entra ID and General Admin administration portals. The methods your staff are using now will not automatically roll over to be allowed via the new admin dashboard after that date. Steve Longenecker, Community IT’s Director of IT Consulting, explains to Carolyn the implications for nonprofits of this change and the Microsoft unified security administration deadline.


The takeaways:

  • The new unified authentication dashboard is available now to Microsoft 365 admins.
  • The new Authentication Methods page does not inherit methods allowed in the legacy controls. An administrator needs to manually enable the MFA methods your organization wants to allow. Old MFA options your staff are using now will not roll over automatically to the new dashboard.
  • Microsoft and Community IT are pushing admins to use this opportunity to to exclude less secure MFA methods. Community IT advises against allowing SMS texting and one-time codes sent to personal email addresses as MFA methods. 
  • You can upgrade and implement the new MFA and password reset options at any time, and we advise you to do this before September 30, whether or not Microsoft grants an extension of the deadline.
  • If you just started using Microsoft 365 for Nonprofits, you don’t need to worry about the deadline because your initial configuration would already be using the new Authentication Methods page. If you haven’t made the change or don’t know, you need to check before September 30, 2025.
  • This change is visible only to Microsoft administrators, who should be making the change and informing staff where appropriate. If you are a nonprofit leader or board member and have not heard from your IT Director or outsourced IT, check with them to understand the plan for your organization. If you are a nonprofit staffer, pay attention to directions on using the safest MFA to protect your nonprofit.
  • While not directly impacted by this deadline from Microsoft, Carolyn and Steve discuss the importance of “phish-resistant” MFA, preventing Attacker-in-the-Middle (AitM) attacks, for executives and staff working in finance, IT and other highly targeted areas of your operations. 

NOTE: The timelines on Microsoft changes do sometimes shift, and we are working to keep you updated. Please check for the most recent blog or podcast from us to ensure you have the most recent update.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> On September 30th Microsoft will only support a new unified multi-factor authentication control configuration. What does this mean for your nonprofit?

In March 2023 Microsoft announced that after September 30th, 2025, they would no longer automatically support “legacy” multi-factor authentication controls in the Microsoft 365 Entra ID and General Admin administration portals. The methods your staff are using now will not automatically roll over to be allowed via the new admin dashboard after that date. Steve Longenecker, Community IT’s Director of IT Consulting, explains to Carolyn the implications for nonprofits of this change and the Microsoft unified security administration deadline.


The takeaways:

  • The new unified authentication dashboard is available now to Microsoft 365 admins.
  • The new Authentication Methods page does not inherit methods allowed in the legacy controls. An administrator needs to manually enable the MFA methods your organization wants to allow. Old MFA options your staff are using now will not roll over automatically to the new dashboard.
  • Microsoft and Community IT are pushing admins to use this opportunity to to exclude less secure MFA methods. Community IT advises against allowing SMS texting and one-time codes sent to personal email addresses as MFA methods. 
  • You can upgrade and implement the new MFA and password reset options at any time, and we advise you to do this before September 30, whether or not Microsoft grants an extension of the deadline.
  • If you just started using Microsoft 365 for Nonprofits, you don’t need to worry about the deadline because your initial configuration would already be using the new Authentication Methods page. If you haven’t made the change or don’t know, you need to check before September 30, 2025.
  • This change is visible only to Microsoft administrators, who should be making the change and informing staff where appropriate. If you are a nonprofit leader or board member and have not heard from your IT Director or outsourced IT, check with them to understand the plan for your organization. If you are a nonprofit staffer, pay attention to directions on using the safest MFA to protect your nonprofit.
  • While not directly impacted by this deadline from Microsoft, Carolyn and Steve discuss the importance of “phish-resistant” MFA, preventing Attacker-in-the-Middle (AitM) attacks, for executives and staff working in finance, IT and other highly targeted areas of your operations. 

NOTE: The timelines on Microsoft changes do sometimes shift, and we are working to keep you updated. Please check for the most recent blog or podcast from us to ensure you have the most recent update.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17594740 Fri, 08 Aug 2025 16:00:00 -0400 1263 6 32 full false Cybersecurity Tabletop Exercise for Nonprofits with Matt Eshleman pt 2 Cybersecurity Tabletop Exercise for Nonprofits with Matt Eshleman pt 2 Learn how to run this valuable training tool from Community IT Chief Technology Officer and resident cybersecurity guru Matthew Eshleman, who explains how to carry out a cybersecurity tabletop exercise for your nonprofit and why this type of active testing is so valuable to your security planning. 

In pt 1, Matt and Carolyn go over what a tabletop exercise is and how they fit into your cybersecurity planning for your nonprofit. In pt 2, Matt describes 3 scenarios specific to nonprofits that you can use, and reviews general lessons learned and best practices from his work with clients.

Make regular cybersecurity tabletop exercises part of your nonprofit incident response plan.

Do you regularly practice your nonprofit’s cybersecurity incident response?

If you haven’t had a cybersecurity incident yet, count yourself lucky. If you have, you probably encountered some questions you wish you had had the answers to before the incident began to unfold.

That’s where a cybersecurity tabletop exercise for nonprofit has enormous value. A cybersecurity tabletop exercise simulates a cybersecurity incident in a controlled environment so you can practice your response and discover weaknesses before they become damaging. 

For example, a staff member alerts you that they clicked on a malicious link in an email and now their laptop is “acting funny.” Do you have a phone tree of the people you need to contact? What if someone important is on vacation, who do you contact then? What if everyone’s laptops are frozen, can you still access important contacts? What do you do next? 

Cybersecurity tabletop exercises can be elaborate or simple, run by a consultant or run from within. It is surprising how many nonprofits that regularly review and evaluate their programming never use the same principles to evaluate their basic cybersecurity preparedness.


How can your nonprofit get started on this practice?

If you’ve never walked through a cybersecurity tabletop exercise at your nonprofit, you may be intimidated at the prospect or have trouble prioritizing it and carving out time on everyone’s calendar. In this webinar, Matt introduces some popular resources, describes common examples of tabletop exercises, and explains how to adapt this skill-building exercise for nonprofits. 

Matt Eshleman has run through cybersecurity tabletop exercises with many nonprofit clients and guides you through best practices and first steps to get started. Don’t wait to introduce this valuable training tool to learn where you can strengthen your practices and better protect your organization in these challenging times.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Download the free eBook on Cybersecurity at Nonprofits: https://communityit.com/download-cybersecurity-readiness-for-nonprofits-playbook/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Learn how to run this valuable training tool from Community IT Chief Technology Officer and resident cybersecurity guru Matthew Eshleman, who explains how to carry out a cybersecurity tabletop exercise for your nonprofit and why this type of active testing is so valuable to your security planning. 

In pt 1, Matt and Carolyn go over what a tabletop exercise is and how they fit into your cybersecurity planning for your nonprofit. In pt 2, Matt describes 3 scenarios specific to nonprofits that you can use, and reviews general lessons learned and best practices from his work with clients.

Make regular cybersecurity tabletop exercises part of your nonprofit incident response plan.

Do you regularly practice your nonprofit’s cybersecurity incident response?

If you haven’t had a cybersecurity incident yet, count yourself lucky. If you have, you probably encountered some questions you wish you had had the answers to before the incident began to unfold.

That’s where a cybersecurity tabletop exercise for nonprofit has enormous value. A cybersecurity tabletop exercise simulates a cybersecurity incident in a controlled environment so you can practice your response and discover weaknesses before they become damaging. 

For example, a staff member alerts you that they clicked on a malicious link in an email and now their laptop is “acting funny.” Do you have a phone tree of the people you need to contact? What if someone important is on vacation, who do you contact then? What if everyone’s laptops are frozen, can you still access important contacts? What do you do next? 

Cybersecurity tabletop exercises can be elaborate or simple, run by a consultant or run from within. It is surprising how many nonprofits that regularly review and evaluate their programming never use the same principles to evaluate their basic cybersecurity preparedness.


How can your nonprofit get started on this practice?

If you’ve never walked through a cybersecurity tabletop exercise at your nonprofit, you may be intimidated at the prospect or have trouble prioritizing it and carving out time on everyone’s calendar. In this webinar, Matt introduces some popular resources, describes common examples of tabletop exercises, and explains how to adapt this skill-building exercise for nonprofits. 

Matt Eshleman has run through cybersecurity tabletop exercises with many nonprofit clients and guides you through best practices and first steps to get started. Don’t wait to introduce this valuable training tool to learn where you can strengthen your practices and better protect your organization in these challenging times.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Download the free eBook on Cybersecurity at Nonprofits: https://communityit.com/download-cybersecurity-readiness-for-nonprofits-playbook/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17562725 Fri, 01 Aug 2025 15:00:00 -0400 2112 6 31 full false Cybersecurity Tabletop Exercise for Nonprofits with Matt Eshleman pt 1 Cybersecurity Tabletop Exercise for Nonprofits with Matt Eshleman pt 1 Learn how to run this valuable training tool from Community IT Chief Technology Officer and resident cybersecurity guru Matthew Eshleman, who explains how to carry out a cybersecurity tabletop exercise for your nonprofit and why this type of active testing is so valuable to your security planning. 

In pt 1, Matt and Carolyn go over what a tabletop exercise is and how they fit into your cybersecurity planning for your nonprofit. In pt 2, Matt describes 3 scenarios specific to nonprofits that you can use, and reviews general lessons learned and best practices from his work with clients.

Make regular cybersecurity tabletop exercises part of your nonprofit incident response plan.

Do you regularly practice your nonprofit’s cybersecurity incident response?

If you haven’t had a cybersecurity incident yet, count yourself lucky. If you have, you probably encountered some questions you wish you had had the answers to before the incident began to unfold.

That’s where a cybersecurity tabletop exercise for nonprofit has enormous value. A cybersecurity tabletop exercise simulates a cybersecurity incident in a controlled environment so you can practice your response and discover weaknesses before they become damaging. 

For example, a staff member alerts you that they clicked on a malicious link in an email and now their laptop is “acting funny.” Do you have a phone tree of the people you need to contact? What if someone important is on vacation, who do you contact then? What if everyone’s laptops are frozen, can you still access important contacts? What do you do next? 

Cybersecurity tabletop exercises can be elaborate or simple, run by a consultant or run from within. It is surprising how many nonprofits that regularly review and evaluate their programming never use the same principles to evaluate their basic cybersecurity preparedness.


How can your nonprofit get started on this practice?

If you’ve never walked through a cybersecurity tabletop exercise at your nonprofit, you may be intimidated at the prospect or have trouble prioritizing it and carving out time on everyone’s calendar. In this webinar, Matt introduces some popular resources, describes common examples of tabletop exercises, and explains how to adapt this skill-building exercise for nonprofits. 

Matt Eshleman has run through cybersecurity tabletop exercises with many nonprofit clients and guides you through best practices and first steps to get started. Don’t wait to introduce this valuable training tool to learn where you can strengthen your practices and better protect your organization in these challenging times.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Download the free eBook on Cybersecurity at Nonprofits: https://communityit.com/download-cybersecurity-readiness-for-nonprofits-playbook/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Learn how to run this valuable training tool from Community IT Chief Technology Officer and resident cybersecurity guru Matthew Eshleman, who explains how to carry out a cybersecurity tabletop exercise for your nonprofit and why this type of active testing is so valuable to your security planning. 

In pt 1, Matt and Carolyn go over what a tabletop exercise is and how they fit into your cybersecurity planning for your nonprofit. In pt 2, Matt describes 3 scenarios specific to nonprofits that you can use, and reviews general lessons learned and best practices from his work with clients.

Make regular cybersecurity tabletop exercises part of your nonprofit incident response plan.

Do you regularly practice your nonprofit’s cybersecurity incident response?

If you haven’t had a cybersecurity incident yet, count yourself lucky. If you have, you probably encountered some questions you wish you had had the answers to before the incident began to unfold.

That’s where a cybersecurity tabletop exercise for nonprofit has enormous value. A cybersecurity tabletop exercise simulates a cybersecurity incident in a controlled environment so you can practice your response and discover weaknesses before they become damaging. 

For example, a staff member alerts you that they clicked on a malicious link in an email and now their laptop is “acting funny.” Do you have a phone tree of the people you need to contact? What if someone important is on vacation, who do you contact then? What if everyone’s laptops are frozen, can you still access important contacts? What do you do next? 

Cybersecurity tabletop exercises can be elaborate or simple, run by a consultant or run from within. It is surprising how many nonprofits that regularly review and evaluate their programming never use the same principles to evaluate their basic cybersecurity preparedness.


How can your nonprofit get started on this practice?

If you’ve never walked through a cybersecurity tabletop exercise at your nonprofit, you may be intimidated at the prospect or have trouble prioritizing it and carving out time on everyone’s calendar. In this webinar, Matt introduces some popular resources, describes common examples of tabletop exercises, and explains how to adapt this skill-building exercise for nonprofits. 

Matt Eshleman has run through cybersecurity tabletop exercises with many nonprofit clients and guides you through best practices and first steps to get started. Don’t wait to introduce this valuable training tool to learn where you can strengthen your practices and better protect your organization in these challenging times.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Download the free eBook on Cybersecurity at Nonprofits: https://communityit.com/download-cybersecurity-readiness-for-nonprofits-playbook/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17562505 Fri, 25 Jul 2025 15:00:00 -0400 1523 6 30 full false Vulnerability Scanning for Nonprofits with Johan Hammerstrom Vulnerability Scanning for Nonprofits with Johan Hammerstrom Most nonprofits will be asked about vulnerability scanning when they renew cybersecurity liability insurance or complete an annual audit. Do you know what it means and what you should do to comply? 

The takeaways: 

  • There is no one-size-fits-all vulnerability scanning app for your entire organization. You will need to do vulnerability scanning on various systems and the scanning will be different. 
  • As part of your incident response planning you should have an inventory of your general vulnerabilities – website, any custom apps, any customized anything, and then other apps and tools. Check in with your IT team and stakeholders. 
  • If you are being asked to check off a box on your cyberliability insurance or part of your annual financial audit, talk with the auditors or your insurance broker to get more clarity.
  • In addition to checking this necessary box, vulnerability scanning is an important layer of protection to have around your organization and your mission. Take it seriously, but realize that as a buzzy term, you may be approached by vendors overselling what you need. 
  • A trusted IT partner – whether a board member, IT director, or outsourced IT provider – can help you wade through the options and choose the one that fits your budget, risk profile, and the specifics of your IT set up.

Vulnerability scanning is the process of using automated tools to scan for weaknesses in computer systems, apps, networks, and platforms. It is particularly necessary for websites, to avoid falling victim to hacks and ransom extortion. It is a proactive approach to finding these flaws and vulnerabilities before outsiders and hackers can. Doing vulnerability scanning will help your nonprofit learn where risks may hide, and allow you to take proactive steps to mitigate risks and correct errors in configuration. Vulnerability scanning providers will need access to your systems and will provide a comprehensive report on vulnerabilities found, often arranged by most immediate risks or risks most potentially damaging.

Many security regulations and standards require periodic vulnerability scanning. Nonprofits are being asked to complete vulnerability scanning as part of renewing cyberliability insurance or complying with enhanced annual audits as part of SAS145 guidelines. Vulnerability scanning helps prioritize remediation efforts by highlighting the most critical vulnerabilities, and should be a continual process renewed periodically to help improve nonprofits’ security posture. 

Many providers will use the label “vulnerability scanning” so it is important to understand what is meant by this term and what the provider will do and report on. There is no one universal vulnerability scanner. Different systems must be scanned with their own automation. 

If you have questions that aren’t answered by this podcast, talk to us! On our site we have free resources on basic cybersecurity and IT governance policies. You can use our downloadable Cybersecurity Playbook or other online resources, or schedule time with our

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Most nonprofits will be asked about vulnerability scanning when they renew cybersecurity liability insurance or complete an annual audit. Do you know what it means and what you should do to comply? 

The takeaways: 

  • There is no one-size-fits-all vulnerability scanning app for your entire organization. You will need to do vulnerability scanning on various systems and the scanning will be different. 
  • As part of your incident response planning you should have an inventory of your general vulnerabilities – website, any custom apps, any customized anything, and then other apps and tools. Check in with your IT team and stakeholders. 
  • If you are being asked to check off a box on your cyberliability insurance or part of your annual financial audit, talk with the auditors or your insurance broker to get more clarity.
  • In addition to checking this necessary box, vulnerability scanning is an important layer of protection to have around your organization and your mission. Take it seriously, but realize that as a buzzy term, you may be approached by vendors overselling what you need. 
  • A trusted IT partner – whether a board member, IT director, or outsourced IT provider – can help you wade through the options and choose the one that fits your budget, risk profile, and the specifics of your IT set up.

Vulnerability scanning is the process of using automated tools to scan for weaknesses in computer systems, apps, networks, and platforms. It is particularly necessary for websites, to avoid falling victim to hacks and ransom extortion. It is a proactive approach to finding these flaws and vulnerabilities before outsiders and hackers can. Doing vulnerability scanning will help your nonprofit learn where risks may hide, and allow you to take proactive steps to mitigate risks and correct errors in configuration. Vulnerability scanning providers will need access to your systems and will provide a comprehensive report on vulnerabilities found, often arranged by most immediate risks or risks most potentially damaging.

Many security regulations and standards require periodic vulnerability scanning. Nonprofits are being asked to complete vulnerability scanning as part of renewing cyberliability insurance or complying with enhanced annual audits as part of SAS145 guidelines. Vulnerability scanning helps prioritize remediation efforts by highlighting the most critical vulnerabilities, and should be a continual process renewed periodically to help improve nonprofits’ security posture. 

Many providers will use the label “vulnerability scanning” so it is important to understand what is meant by this term and what the provider will do and report on. There is no one universal vulnerability scanner. Different systems must be scanned with their own automation. 

If you have questions that aren’t answered by this podcast, talk to us! On our site we have free resources on basic cybersecurity and IT governance policies. You can use our downloadable Cybersecurity Playbook or other online resources, or schedule time with our

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17527419 Fri, 18 Jul 2025 16:00:00 -0400 1702 6 29 full false Assuaging Fears, Taking Action on Nonprofit Cybersecurity with Jennifer Huftalen Assuaging Fears, Taking Action on Nonprofit Cybersecurity with Jennifer Huftalen Many nonprofit staff are facing increased stress and multiplying concerns about privacy, security, and vulnerabilities. What should you be tackling first in this new political environment? 

The takeaways: 

  • Most attacks are still financially based: criminals want you to wire money to the wrong account. The good news is that cybersecurity basics that protect you from fraud also protect your organization from politically motivated attacks.
  • Taking action – even modest first steps or reading up on the issues – goes a long way to assuage fears and stress. But when the stress is all around us, it is hard to prioritize the boring, back-office tasks like reviewing your incident response plan or acceptable use policies, or updating your cybersecurity awareness training. Working with an accountability partner can help! 
  • To find motivation to carve out the time to gather stakeholders together, remind them that as Jenny says, a trip in an ambulance to the emergency room costs way more than an annual check up. The cost of a breach will likely be a lot more than the time it would take your team to strengthen your security. 

There are lots of resources available – here on our site we have free resources on basic cybersecurity, anti-doxxing resources, staff training, and governance policies. If you need motivation to start, listen to this podcast and take those first steps.

Presenter:

Jennifer Huftalen is a 17-year veteran at Community IT and is our Director of Client Services. She speaks daily with clients about their needs and fears and shares her insights in this podcast interview with Carolyn. 

The good? news is that our fundamental recommendations on foundational cybersecurity still stand, and will protect most nonprofits from most threats, financial or political. More good news? Basic solutions do not have to be expensive, in fact in our experience, most nonprofits worried about cybersecurity need to walk – put fundamentals in place – before they can run – engage vendors in expensive comprehensive testing when an assessment could have already revealed those weaknesses, for less.

Bottom line, it feels good to take action, and Community IT has lots of resources on taking your first steps. 

If you have questions that aren’t answered by our downloadable Cybersecurity Playbook or other online resources, schedule time with our Cybersecurity Expert Matthew Eshleman, no strings attached.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Many nonprofit staff are facing increased stress and multiplying concerns about privacy, security, and vulnerabilities. What should you be tackling first in this new political environment? 

The takeaways: 

  • Most attacks are still financially based: criminals want you to wire money to the wrong account. The good news is that cybersecurity basics that protect you from fraud also protect your organization from politically motivated attacks.
  • Taking action – even modest first steps or reading up on the issues – goes a long way to assuage fears and stress. But when the stress is all around us, it is hard to prioritize the boring, back-office tasks like reviewing your incident response plan or acceptable use policies, or updating your cybersecurity awareness training. Working with an accountability partner can help! 
  • To find motivation to carve out the time to gather stakeholders together, remind them that as Jenny says, a trip in an ambulance to the emergency room costs way more than an annual check up. The cost of a breach will likely be a lot more than the time it would take your team to strengthen your security. 

There are lots of resources available – here on our site we have free resources on basic cybersecurity, anti-doxxing resources, staff training, and governance policies. If you need motivation to start, listen to this podcast and take those first steps.

Presenter:

Jennifer Huftalen is a 17-year veteran at Community IT and is our Director of Client Services. She speaks daily with clients about their needs and fears and shares her insights in this podcast interview with Carolyn. 

The good? news is that our fundamental recommendations on foundational cybersecurity still stand, and will protect most nonprofits from most threats, financial or political. More good news? Basic solutions do not have to be expensive, in fact in our experience, most nonprofits worried about cybersecurity need to walk – put fundamentals in place – before they can run – engage vendors in expensive comprehensive testing when an assessment could have already revealed those weaknesses, for less.

Bottom line, it feels good to take action, and Community IT has lots of resources on taking your first steps. 

If you have questions that aren’t answered by our downloadable Cybersecurity Playbook or other online resources, schedule time with our Cybersecurity Expert Matthew Eshleman, no strings attached.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17484427 Fri, 11 Jul 2025 16:00:00 -0400 1336 6 28 full false Updates: Microsoft Free Nonprofit License Renewal Updates pt 2 with Steve Longenecker Updates: Microsoft Free Nonprofit License Renewal Updates pt 2 with Steve Longenecker NOTE: The Microsoft policy on the end of their donation program for the free and discounted Microsoft Office 365 Business Premium and E1 licenses for qualified nonprofits is shifting frequently, and we are working to keep you updated. Please check for the most recent blog or podcast from us to ensure you have the most recent update.

This podcast provides updates to our episode from June 13th about the changes to Microsoft's donation program for nonprofit licenses. The active date of July 1st has now passed and we are learning more about Microsoft's approach to rolling over or just canceling existing licenses on their anniversary/renewal date.

Steve Longenecker, Community IT Director of IT Consulting, explains our updated understanding and advice on how to handle the changes to these licenses on your anniversary/renewal date. 

We will continue updating our podcasts and blog posts as soon as we learn more information from Microsoft and as we begin to learn best practices from our clients who are renewing and changing these licenses. Check back if you have questions not answered in this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! 

Some Key Takeaways:

  • Check your licenses through your Microsoft admin portal
    • Check the renewal date
    • Check the license types -look for "donation" or "discounted"
  • If you are currently using Microsoft 365 Business Premium licenses you were getting 10 free licenses. Any licenses over the first 10 that you are using are being billed at a discounted nonprofit annual rate. When your licenses renew after July 1, 2025, NONE of them will be free.
    • Microsoft says that your 10 free licenses will be automatically cancelled on your renewal date.
    • You don’t need to do anything to make this happen. However, we recommend actually cancelling your donation licenses about 2 weeks before your renewal date. That will ensure (we hope) that you don't get charged somehow if Microsoft automatically converts those free licenses to discounted licenses. 
    • About 2 weeks before your renewal/anniversary date, you should purchase the equivalent number of discounted Business Premium licenses. 
    • Your finance team needs to be aware that going forward, your payment method on record will be charged an annual renewal fee for ALL your Microsoft 365 Business Premium licenses. 
    • We recommend using the free licenses until about 2 weeks before your renewal date, then purchasing the equivalent number of licenses you need. Why pay for the new licenses early? Save your money until the free licenses are about to expire.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> NOTE: The Microsoft policy on the end of their donation program for the free and discounted Microsoft Office 365 Business Premium and E1 licenses for qualified nonprofits is shifting frequently, and we are working to keep you updated. Please check for the most recent blog or podcast from us to ensure you have the most recent update.

This podcast provides updates to our episode from June 13th about the changes to Microsoft's donation program for nonprofit licenses. The active date of July 1st has now passed and we are learning more about Microsoft's approach to rolling over or just canceling existing licenses on their anniversary/renewal date.

Steve Longenecker, Community IT Director of IT Consulting, explains our updated understanding and advice on how to handle the changes to these licenses on your anniversary/renewal date. 

We will continue updating our podcasts and blog posts as soon as we learn more information from Microsoft and as we begin to learn best practices from our clients who are renewing and changing these licenses. Check back if you have questions not answered in this podcast, we'd love to hear from you! 

Some Key Takeaways:

  • Check your licenses through your Microsoft admin portal
    • Check the renewal date
    • Check the license types -look for "donation" or "discounted"
  • If you are currently using Microsoft 365 Business Premium licenses you were getting 10 free licenses. Any licenses over the first 10 that you are using are being billed at a discounted nonprofit annual rate. When your licenses renew after July 1, 2025, NONE of them will be free.
    • Microsoft says that your 10 free licenses will be automatically cancelled on your renewal date.
    • You don’t need to do anything to make this happen. However, we recommend actually cancelling your donation licenses about 2 weeks before your renewal date. That will ensure (we hope) that you don't get charged somehow if Microsoft automatically converts those free licenses to discounted licenses. 
    • About 2 weeks before your renewal/anniversary date, you should purchase the equivalent number of discounted Business Premium licenses. 
    • Your finance team needs to be aware that going forward, your payment method on record will be charged an annual renewal fee for ALL your Microsoft 365 Business Premium licenses. 
    • We recommend using the free licenses until about 2 weeks before your renewal date, then purchasing the equivalent number of licenses you need. Why pay for the new licenses early? Save your money until the free licenses are about to expire.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17445517 Thu, 03 Jul 2025 16:00:00 -0400 1369 6 27 full false Nonprofit Tech Board Leadership 101 with Board.dev pt 2 Nonprofit Tech Board Leadership 101 with Board.dev pt 2 Board.dev Co-Founder and CEO Alethea Hannemann on how to recruit tech leadership to join your nonprofit board, and why you should have tech leaders an/or a tech committee on your board helping your organization to grow and thrive.

In part 1, Alethea presents research on the benefits of board members with tech experience and gives two case studies. In part 2, she delves into how to recruit a tech-savvy board member and takes audience questions.


Do you have tech expertise on your nonprofit board?

Board.dev was founded to help nonprofits recruit and engage tech leaders for your board—so you can fully and responsibly harness the power of technology to maximize your impact. Board.dev also helps educate tech leaders from the for-profit world on the benefits of joining a board, and helps train them to help them be effective quickly in the nonprofit world.

Alethea Hannemann is the co-founder and CEO of Board.dev and an architect of the pro-bono service movement, with a career in nonprofits, investing, and advising. She will share Board.dev’s insights into the necessity of having board members fluent in tech and nonprofit needs, and how to build tech expertise on your board. 


Why tech board leadership? Why now?

Technology is increasingly a key differentiator for nonprofit performance, from operational efficiency to better service of the community. Yet too few nonprofits have the technology resources they need to achieve their missions.

Board service is a high-potential lever for tech capacity-building in social sector organizations. By placing a tech leader on your board, you bring a unique technology perspective to board conversations, add to your general business knowledge, and engage a valuable strategic technology planning partner to the CEO. Making technology risk and opportunity a regular topic at the highest levels of leadership can transform an organization, driving mission success and building greater support for the community.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Board.dev Co-Founder and CEO Alethea Hannemann on how to recruit tech leadership to join your nonprofit board, and why you should have tech leaders an/or a tech committee on your board helping your organization to grow and thrive.

In part 1, Alethea presents research on the benefits of board members with tech experience and gives two case studies. In part 2, she delves into how to recruit a tech-savvy board member and takes audience questions.


Do you have tech expertise on your nonprofit board?

Board.dev was founded to help nonprofits recruit and engage tech leaders for your board—so you can fully and responsibly harness the power of technology to maximize your impact. Board.dev also helps educate tech leaders from the for-profit world on the benefits of joining a board, and helps train them to help them be effective quickly in the nonprofit world.

Alethea Hannemann is the co-founder and CEO of Board.dev and an architect of the pro-bono service movement, with a career in nonprofits, investing, and advising. She will share Board.dev’s insights into the necessity of having board members fluent in tech and nonprofit needs, and how to build tech expertise on your board. 


Why tech board leadership? Why now?

Technology is increasingly a key differentiator for nonprofit performance, from operational efficiency to better service of the community. Yet too few nonprofits have the technology resources they need to achieve their missions.

Board service is a high-potential lever for tech capacity-building in social sector organizations. By placing a tech leader on your board, you bring a unique technology perspective to board conversations, add to your general business knowledge, and engage a valuable strategic technology planning partner to the CEO. Making technology risk and opportunity a regular topic at the highest levels of leadership can transform an organization, driving mission success and building greater support for the community.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17369713 Fri, 27 Jun 2025 16:00:00 -0400 1545 6 26 full false Nonprofit Tech Board Leadership 101 with Board.dev pt 1 Nonprofit Tech Board Leadership 101 with Board.dev pt 1 Board.dev Co-Founder and CEO Alethea Hannemann on how to recruit tech leadership to join your nonprofit board, and why you should have tech leaders an/or a tech committee on your board helping your organization to grow and thrive.

In part 1, Alethea presents research on the benefits of board members with tech experience and gives two case studies. In part 2, she delves into how to recruit a tech-savvy board member and takes audience questions.


Do you have tech expertise on your nonprofit board?

Board.dev was founded to help nonprofits recruit and engage tech leaders for your board—so you can fully and responsibly harness the power of technology to maximize your impact. Board.dev also helps educate tech leaders from the for-profit world on the benefits of joining a board, and helps train them to help them be effective quickly in the nonprofit world.

Alethea Hannemann is the co-founder and CEO of Board.dev and an architect of the pro-bono service movement, with a career in nonprofits, investing, and advising. She will share Board.dev’s insights into the necessity of having board members fluent in tech and nonprofit needs, and how to build tech expertise on your board. 


Why tech board leadership? Why now?

Technology is increasingly a key differentiator for nonprofit performance, from operational efficiency to better service of the community. Yet too few nonprofits have the technology resources they need to achieve their missions.

Board service is a high-potential lever for tech capacity-building in social sector organizations. By placing a tech leader on your board, you bring a unique technology perspective to board conversations, add to your general business knowledge, and engage a valuable strategic technology planning partner to the CEO. Making technology risk and opportunity a regular topic at the highest levels of leadership can transform an organization, driving mission success and building greater support for the community.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Board.dev Co-Founder and CEO Alethea Hannemann on how to recruit tech leadership to join your nonprofit board, and why you should have tech leaders an/or a tech committee on your board helping your organization to grow and thrive.

In part 1, Alethea presents research on the benefits of board members with tech experience and gives two case studies. In part 2, she delves into how to recruit a tech-savvy board member and takes audience questions.


Do you have tech expertise on your nonprofit board?

Board.dev was founded to help nonprofits recruit and engage tech leaders for your board—so you can fully and responsibly harness the power of technology to maximize your impact. Board.dev also helps educate tech leaders from the for-profit world on the benefits of joining a board, and helps train them to help them be effective quickly in the nonprofit world.

Alethea Hannemann is the co-founder and CEO of Board.dev and an architect of the pro-bono service movement, with a career in nonprofits, investing, and advising. She will share Board.dev’s insights into the necessity of having board members fluent in tech and nonprofit needs, and how to build tech expertise on your board. 


Why tech board leadership? Why now?

Technology is increasingly a key differentiator for nonprofit performance, from operational efficiency to better service of the community. Yet too few nonprofits have the technology resources they need to achieve their missions.

Board service is a high-potential lever for tech capacity-building in social sector organizations. By placing a tech leader on your board, you bring a unique technology perspective to board conversations, add to your general business knowledge, and engage a valuable strategic technology planning partner to the CEO. Making technology risk and opportunity a regular topic at the highest levels of leadership can transform an organization, driving mission success and building greater support for the community.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17369459 Fri, 20 Jun 2025 16:00:00 -0400 2028 6 25 full false Microsoft Free Nonprofit Licenses Update with Steve Longenecker Microsoft Free Nonprofit Licenses Update with Steve Longenecker When do your licenses renew? What kind of free or discounted licenses do you have? What are your options? 

Microsoft announced in the spring of 2025 that after July 1st two classes of nonprofit discounted licenses would be changing. Steve Longenecker, Community IT’s Director of IT Consulting, explains how the license discount and donation program is changing at Microsoft, and how to form a plan of action before your renewal date in this podcast with Carolyn Woodard.

Steve reviews the history of the Microsoft donation and discount programs for nonprofits and how they have changed over the years. Microsoft’s office suite is of course one of the industry standards and very reliable, reputable, and very affordable for nonprofits who qualify for discounts and donated licenses. 

Some Key Takeaways:

  • Check your licenses through your Microsoft admin portal
    • Check the renewal date
    • Check the license types -look for "donation" or "discounted"
  • If you are currently using Microsoft 365 Business Premium licenses you were getting 10 free licenses. Any licenses over the first 10 that you are using are being billed at a discounted nonprofit annual rate. When your licenses renew after July 1, 2025, NONE of them will be free.
    • Microsoft says that your 10 free licenses will be automatically cancelled on your renewal date.
    • You don’t need to do anything to make this happen. However, we recommend actually cancelling your donation licenses about 2 weeks before your renewal date. That will ensure (we hope) that you don't get charged somehow if Microsoft automatically converts those free licenses to discounted licenses. 
    • About 2 weeks before your renewal/anniversary date, you should purchase the equivalent number of discounted Business Premium licenses.
    • Your finance team needs to be aware that going forward, your payment method on record will be charged an annual renewal fee for ALL your Microsoft 365 Business Premium licenses. 
    • We recommend using the free licenses until about 2 weeks before your renewal date, then purchasing the equivalent number of licenses you need. Why pay for the new licenses early? Save your money until the free licenses are about to expire.
  • If you are currently using free nonprofit Office 365 E1 licenses for some staff, those also will roll over to discounted licenses on your renewal date after July 1, 2025.
    • Because Microsoft 365 Business Basic licenses are very similar to Office 365 E1 licenses, and are free for qualified nonprofits for up to 300 licenses, we recommend procuring Microsoft 365 Business Basic licenses and unsubscribing from Office 365 E1 before your renewal date. 
    • Changing licenses can be done at any time before your renewal date, so you can go ahead and do it now rather than risk rolling over to paying for E1 licenses. 
    • Steve walks through the steps he likes to take to change these licenses over for our clients. It is not difficult but not automatic.
  • For further clarity or support, contact your IT provider, IT

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> When do your licenses renew? What kind of free or discounted licenses do you have? What are your options? 

Microsoft announced in the spring of 2025 that after July 1st two classes of nonprofit discounted licenses would be changing. Steve Longenecker, Community IT’s Director of IT Consulting, explains how the license discount and donation program is changing at Microsoft, and how to form a plan of action before your renewal date in this podcast with Carolyn Woodard.

Steve reviews the history of the Microsoft donation and discount programs for nonprofits and how they have changed over the years. Microsoft’s office suite is of course one of the industry standards and very reliable, reputable, and very affordable for nonprofits who qualify for discounts and donated licenses. 

Some Key Takeaways:

  • Check your licenses through your Microsoft admin portal
    • Check the renewal date
    • Check the license types -look for "donation" or "discounted"
  • If you are currently using Microsoft 365 Business Premium licenses you were getting 10 free licenses. Any licenses over the first 10 that you are using are being billed at a discounted nonprofit annual rate. When your licenses renew after July 1, 2025, NONE of them will be free.
    • Microsoft says that your 10 free licenses will be automatically cancelled on your renewal date.
    • You don’t need to do anything to make this happen. However, we recommend actually cancelling your donation licenses about 2 weeks before your renewal date. That will ensure (we hope) that you don't get charged somehow if Microsoft automatically converts those free licenses to discounted licenses. 
    • About 2 weeks before your renewal/anniversary date, you should purchase the equivalent number of discounted Business Premium licenses.
    • Your finance team needs to be aware that going forward, your payment method on record will be charged an annual renewal fee for ALL your Microsoft 365 Business Premium licenses. 
    • We recommend using the free licenses until about 2 weeks before your renewal date, then purchasing the equivalent number of licenses you need. Why pay for the new licenses early? Save your money until the free licenses are about to expire.
  • If you are currently using free nonprofit Office 365 E1 licenses for some staff, those also will roll over to discounted licenses on your renewal date after July 1, 2025.
    • Because Microsoft 365 Business Basic licenses are very similar to Office 365 E1 licenses, and are free for qualified nonprofits for up to 300 licenses, we recommend procuring Microsoft 365 Business Basic licenses and unsubscribing from Office 365 E1 before your renewal date. 
    • Changing licenses can be done at any time before your renewal date, so you can go ahead and do it now rather than risk rolling over to paying for E1 licenses. 
    • Steve walks through the steps he likes to take to change these licenses over for our clients. It is not difficult but not automatic.
  • For further clarity or support, contact your IT provider, IT

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17331184 Fri, 13 Jun 2025 16:00:00 -0400 2097 6 24 full false Nonprofit IT Essentials for Challenging Times with Nuradeen Aboki pt 2 Nonprofit IT Essentials for Challenging Times with Nuradeen Aboki pt 2 Are you worried?

In part 1, Nura and Carolyn covered introductions, policies, and resources on three main categories you may be worried about - cyber, data, and staff safety. In part 2, they go over budgeting for IT when your budget may be up in the air, what to move into the "nice to have" and what needs to stay in the "must have" column, resources on how to stay mentally healthy under stress, and how to make a plan to move you and your nonprofit forward with confidence in your priorities. 

Where does your IT fit into this new world? Is your IT strategy flexible, and have you revisited your IT planning, performance, and policies? As you examine your finances, what IT is essential and where can you afford to pare back without hurting your productivity and morale? Do you have some smart savings opportunities lurking in your IT budget that could help your organization in this moment? Is your cybersecurity up to date and do your staff know how to protect your organization and data? Perhaps most importantly, how are your staff coping with all this stress?

What are the top steps to take NOW to adapt your IT quickly to the new nonprofit sector reality?

Join Senior Consultant Nuradeen Aboki who answers your questions about priorities, strategy, and next steps. Nura has been in nonprofit IT for decades and has enormous experience helping our clients’ executives strategize priorities and cut through the noise to the essentials. This is a perfect opportunity to get guidance and reassurance.

The current situation for the nonprofit sector is highly changeable and changing fast. Every day there’s a new worry turning up around your mission, your funding, and your future. 

What you are doing matters. Don’t burnout with worry but don’t leave your organization vulnerable either. 

Learn what Nura recommends and leave with a plan for your next few months and the resources to help you sort out your nonprofit IT essentials for these challenging times.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Are you worried?

In part 1, Nura and Carolyn covered introductions, policies, and resources on three main categories you may be worried about - cyber, data, and staff safety. In part 2, they go over budgeting for IT when your budget may be up in the air, what to move into the "nice to have" and what needs to stay in the "must have" column, resources on how to stay mentally healthy under stress, and how to make a plan to move you and your nonprofit forward with confidence in your priorities. 

Where does your IT fit into this new world? Is your IT strategy flexible, and have you revisited your IT planning, performance, and policies? As you examine your finances, what IT is essential and where can you afford to pare back without hurting your productivity and morale? Do you have some smart savings opportunities lurking in your IT budget that could help your organization in this moment? Is your cybersecurity up to date and do your staff know how to protect your organization and data? Perhaps most importantly, how are your staff coping with all this stress?

What are the top steps to take NOW to adapt your IT quickly to the new nonprofit sector reality?

Join Senior Consultant Nuradeen Aboki who answers your questions about priorities, strategy, and next steps. Nura has been in nonprofit IT for decades and has enormous experience helping our clients’ executives strategize priorities and cut through the noise to the essentials. This is a perfect opportunity to get guidance and reassurance.

The current situation for the nonprofit sector is highly changeable and changing fast. Every day there’s a new worry turning up around your mission, your funding, and your future. 

What you are doing matters. Don’t burnout with worry but don’t leave your organization vulnerable either. 

Learn what Nura recommends and leave with a plan for your next few months and the resources to help you sort out your nonprofit IT essentials for these challenging times.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17294513 Fri, 06 Jun 2025 16:00:00 -0400 2057 6 23 full false Nonprofit IT Essentials for Challenging Times with Nuradeen Aboki pt 1 Nonprofit IT Essentials for Challenging Times with Nuradeen Aboki pt 1
Are you worried?

The current situation for the nonprofit sector is highly changeable and changing fast. Every day there’s a new worry turning up around your mission, your funding, and your future. 

Where does your IT fit into this new world? Is your IT strategy flexible, and have you revisited your IT planning, performance, and policies? As you examine your finances, what IT is essential and where can you afford to pare back without hurting your productivity and morale? Do you have some smart savings opportunities lurking in your IT budget that could help your organization in this moment? Is your cybersecurity up to date and do your staff know how to protect your organization and data? Perhaps most importantly, how are your staff coping with all this stress?

What are the top steps to take NOW to adapt your IT quickly to the new nonprofit sector reality?

Join Senior Consultant Nuradeen Aboki who answers your questions about priorities, strategy, and next steps. Nura has been in nonprofit IT for decades and has enormous experience helping our clients’ executives strategize priorities and cut through the noise to the essentials. This is a perfect opportunity to get guidance and reassurance.

In part 1, Nura and Carolyn cover introductions, policies, and resources on three main categories you may be worried about - cyber, data, and staff safety. In part 2, they go over budgeting for IT when your budget may be up in the air, what to move into the "nice to have" and what needs to stay in the "must have" column, resources on how to stay mentally healthy under stress, and how to make a plan to move you and your nonprofit forward with confidence in your priorities. 

What you are doing matters. Don’t burnout with worry but don’t leave your organization vulnerable either. 

Learn what Nura recommends and leave with a plan for your next few months and the resources to help you sort out your nonprofit IT essentials for these challenging times.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]>
Are you worried?

The current situation for the nonprofit sector is highly changeable and changing fast. Every day there’s a new worry turning up around your mission, your funding, and your future. 

Where does your IT fit into this new world? Is your IT strategy flexible, and have you revisited your IT planning, performance, and policies? As you examine your finances, what IT is essential and where can you afford to pare back without hurting your productivity and morale? Do you have some smart savings opportunities lurking in your IT budget that could help your organization in this moment? Is your cybersecurity up to date and do your staff know how to protect your organization and data? Perhaps most importantly, how are your staff coping with all this stress?

What are the top steps to take NOW to adapt your IT quickly to the new nonprofit sector reality?

Join Senior Consultant Nuradeen Aboki who answers your questions about priorities, strategy, and next steps. Nura has been in nonprofit IT for decades and has enormous experience helping our clients’ executives strategize priorities and cut through the noise to the essentials. This is a perfect opportunity to get guidance and reassurance.

In part 1, Nura and Carolyn cover introductions, policies, and resources on three main categories you may be worried about - cyber, data, and staff safety. In part 2, they go over budgeting for IT when your budget may be up in the air, what to move into the "nice to have" and what needs to stay in the "must have" column, resources on how to stay mentally healthy under stress, and how to make a plan to move you and your nonprofit forward with confidence in your priorities. 

What you are doing matters. Don’t burnout with worry but don’t leave your organization vulnerable either. 

Learn what Nura recommends and leave with a plan for your next few months and the resources to help you sort out your nonprofit IT essentials for these challenging times.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17254850 Fri, 30 May 2025 18:00:00 -0400 1440 6 22 full false Meet the Community IT On Site Support Team Meet the Community IT On Site Support Team A week in the life of the On Site Support Team - what do they do?

We’re inordinately proud of our On Site Support Team (OSST), who work with clients who need IT help in person, particularly at the nonprofit schools we serve in the DC area.

So many of us work remotely - but many nonprofits do work that can't be remote, and many of them need IT support at the office or workplace. For those clients, Community IT is proud to employ a team of customer service professionals that travel on site to keep IT running smoothly and answer questions in person.

In fact, all our On Site Support Team members have achieved HDI Customer Service Certifications. 

Listen to this presentation, meet our team, and learn about a typical week filled with teamwork, expertise, partnerships with our clients, and love of helping people that goes into providing excellent IT support service.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> A week in the life of the On Site Support Team - what do they do?

We’re inordinately proud of our On Site Support Team (OSST), who work with clients who need IT help in person, particularly at the nonprofit schools we serve in the DC area.

So many of us work remotely - but many nonprofits do work that can't be remote, and many of them need IT support at the office or workplace. For those clients, Community IT is proud to employ a team of customer service professionals that travel on site to keep IT running smoothly and answer questions in person.

In fact, all our On Site Support Team members have achieved HDI Customer Service Certifications. 

Listen to this presentation, meet our team, and learn about a typical week filled with teamwork, expertise, partnerships with our clients, and love of helping people that goes into providing excellent IT support service.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17132344 Fri, 23 May 2025 16:00:00 -0400 884 6 21 full false Cybersecurity and SAS145 with Darren Hulem Cybersecurity and SAS145 with Darren Hulem New auditing requirements SAS145 require nonprofit auditors to consider IT risks in addition to financial risks and mitigation. Learn from Darren Hulem, cybersecurity guru and senior manager in risk advisory at GRF CPAs and Advisors on the new requirements and how they may impact cybersecurity at your nonprofit.

Darren also explores and describes other cybersecurity threats that are targeting nonprofits, and best practices to defend against them. Darren is a certified ethical hacker and certified information systems auditor.

SAS145 is a statement on accounting standards that provides guidelines on a more holistic view of your risks and defenses that includes IT risks. This is a welcome move since for a decade at least IT risks have been growing in impact on financial crimes targeting nonprofits such as phishing email initiated wire fraud, account compromise, spoofing, and other financial compromises and crimes.

Darren provides an overview of the types of risks he sees at nonprofits and some simple steps organizations can take to vastly decrease those risks. 


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> New auditing requirements SAS145 require nonprofit auditors to consider IT risks in addition to financial risks and mitigation. Learn from Darren Hulem, cybersecurity guru and senior manager in risk advisory at GRF CPAs and Advisors on the new requirements and how they may impact cybersecurity at your nonprofit.

Darren also explores and describes other cybersecurity threats that are targeting nonprofits, and best practices to defend against them. Darren is a certified ethical hacker and certified information systems auditor.

SAS145 is a statement on accounting standards that provides guidelines on a more holistic view of your risks and defenses that includes IT risks. This is a welcome move since for a decade at least IT risks have been growing in impact on financial crimes targeting nonprofits such as phishing email initiated wire fraud, account compromise, spoofing, and other financial compromises and crimes.

Darren provides an overview of the types of risks he sees at nonprofits and some simple steps organizations can take to vastly decrease those risks. 


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17130515 Fri, 16 May 2025 16:00:00 -0400 1699 6 20 full false AI How-To for Nonprofits with Brenda Foster AI How-To for Nonprofits with Brenda Foster Media expert and self-taught "AI Evangelist" Brenda Foster spoke to Carolyn about ways to help nonprofit staff explore and begin using AI tools to work smarter, calling AI your new assistant. 

In addition to serving as Vanguard Communications’ Chief of Innovation, she is a communications researcher and strategic planner who has shaped direction and messaging for numerous successful national nonprofit and government campaigns. A former broadcast journalist, Brenda is a sought-after producer and speech, script and media writer for clients and spokespeople that include celebrities, CEOs, farmers, caregivers, advocates and youth.

Have you been dabbling in AI but don't really know what to try next? Are you worried about the impact of AI tools on your nonprofit but don't really know what questions to ask? Concerned about security? Have you set up your AI Acceptable Use policy yet? 

Brenda walks through these considerations and more, while firmly coming down on the side of enabling your staff - no matter your general tech-savviness - to learn to use the AI tools you want and feel comfortable with, to achieve your mission and decrease the "busy work." 

Listen for Brenda's "Five Questions to Ask" mid-episode, which distill her experience adopting AI tools at Vanguard and with their clients into questions to use to inform your philosophy, policies, training, and expectations around AI. 


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Media expert and self-taught "AI Evangelist" Brenda Foster spoke to Carolyn about ways to help nonprofit staff explore and begin using AI tools to work smarter, calling AI your new assistant. 

In addition to serving as Vanguard Communications’ Chief of Innovation, she is a communications researcher and strategic planner who has shaped direction and messaging for numerous successful national nonprofit and government campaigns. A former broadcast journalist, Brenda is a sought-after producer and speech, script and media writer for clients and spokespeople that include celebrities, CEOs, farmers, caregivers, advocates and youth.

Have you been dabbling in AI but don't really know what to try next? Are you worried about the impact of AI tools on your nonprofit but don't really know what questions to ask? Concerned about security? Have you set up your AI Acceptable Use policy yet? 

Brenda walks through these considerations and more, while firmly coming down on the side of enabling your staff - no matter your general tech-savviness - to learn to use the AI tools you want and feel comfortable with, to achieve your mission and decrease the "busy work." 

Listen for Brenda's "Five Questions to Ask" mid-episode, which distill her experience adopting AI tools at Vanguard and with their clients into questions to use to inform your philosophy, policies, training, and expectations around AI. 


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17107896 Fri, 09 May 2025 15:00:00 -0400 1887 6 19 full false 2025 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report with Matt Eshleman pt 2 2025 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report with Matt Eshleman pt 2 2025 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report: Keeping Your Nonprofit Secure

Community IT CTO and cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman delivered our annual report on trend lines and took questions live and online in this popular annual webinar. 

In part 1, Matt discusses the landscape and background of cybersecurity attacks nonprofits face now, goes over the lingo and acronyms, and introduces new trends in attacks and protections. In part 2, Matt discusses the data from 2024 and takes questions.


Is your nonprofit prepared?

Drawn from anonymized data from the calendar year 2024 of cybersecurity incidents across end users in hundreds of our small and mid-sized nonprofit clients, this report shows changes in attacks and emerging threats.

Using this real and timely data, Matt walks through recommendations and outlines the practical steps your organization can take to prevent the most frequent attacks. 

He covers new threats and training best practices for your nonprofit staff around evolving cybersecurity issues, including a spike in online and in-person harassment, wire fraud, AI-enabled scams, smishing and vishing, adversary-in-the-middle MFA attacks, and other new and disturbing trends.

You may also be interested in downloading the free Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook to review a framework for focusing on your cybersecurity fundamentals, or using any of our free cybersecurity webinars and podcasts to learn more about specific protections you can take.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> 2025 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report: Keeping Your Nonprofit Secure

Community IT CTO and cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman delivered our annual report on trend lines and took questions live and online in this popular annual webinar. 

In part 1, Matt discusses the landscape and background of cybersecurity attacks nonprofits face now, goes over the lingo and acronyms, and introduces new trends in attacks and protections. In part 2, Matt discusses the data from 2024 and takes questions.


Is your nonprofit prepared?

Drawn from anonymized data from the calendar year 2024 of cybersecurity incidents across end users in hundreds of our small and mid-sized nonprofit clients, this report shows changes in attacks and emerging threats.

Using this real and timely data, Matt walks through recommendations and outlines the practical steps your organization can take to prevent the most frequent attacks. 

He covers new threats and training best practices for your nonprofit staff around evolving cybersecurity issues, including a spike in online and in-person harassment, wire fraud, AI-enabled scams, smishing and vishing, adversary-in-the-middle MFA attacks, and other new and disturbing trends.

You may also be interested in downloading the free Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook to review a framework for focusing on your cybersecurity fundamentals, or using any of our free cybersecurity webinars and podcasts to learn more about specific protections you can take.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17044453 Fri, 02 May 2025 16:00:00 -0400 1374 6 18 full false 2025 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report with Matt Eshleman pt 1 2025 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report with Matt Eshleman pt 1 2025 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report: Keeping Your Nonprofit Secure

Community IT CTO and cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman delivered our annual report on trend lines and took questions live and online in this popular annual webinar. 

In part 1, Matt discusses the landscape and background of cybersecurity attacks nonprofits face now, goes over the lingo and acronyms, and introduces new trends in attacks and protections. In part 2, Matt discusses the data from 2024 and takes questions.


Is your nonprofit prepared?

Drawn from anonymized data from the calendar year 2024 of cybersecurity incidents across end users in hundreds of our small and mid-sized nonprofit clients, this report shows changes in attacks and emerging threats.

Using this real and timely data, Matt walks through recommendations and outlines the practical steps your organization can take to prevent the most frequent attacks. 

He covers new threats and training best practices for your nonprofit staff around evolving cybersecurity issues, including a spike in online and in-person harassment, wire fraud, AI-enabled scams, smishing and vishing, adversary-in-the-middle MFA attacks, and other new and disturbing trends.

You may also be interested in downloading the free Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook to review a framework for focusing on your cybersecurity fundamentals, or using any of our free cybersecurity webinars and podcasts to learn more about specific protections you can take.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> 2025 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report: Keeping Your Nonprofit Secure

Community IT CTO and cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman delivered our annual report on trend lines and took questions live and online in this popular annual webinar. 

In part 1, Matt discusses the landscape and background of cybersecurity attacks nonprofits face now, goes over the lingo and acronyms, and introduces new trends in attacks and protections. In part 2, Matt discusses the data from 2024 and takes questions.


Is your nonprofit prepared?

Drawn from anonymized data from the calendar year 2024 of cybersecurity incidents across end users in hundreds of our small and mid-sized nonprofit clients, this report shows changes in attacks and emerging threats.

Using this real and timely data, Matt walks through recommendations and outlines the practical steps your organization can take to prevent the most frequent attacks. 

He covers new threats and training best practices for your nonprofit staff around evolving cybersecurity issues, including a spike in online and in-person harassment, wire fraud, AI-enabled scams, smishing and vishing, adversary-in-the-middle MFA attacks, and other new and disturbing trends.

You may also be interested in downloading the free Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook to review a framework for focusing on your cybersecurity fundamentals, or using any of our free cybersecurity webinars and podcasts to learn more about specific protections you can take.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-17044114 Fri, 25 Apr 2025 14:00:00 -0400 2357 6 17 full false Community IT Voices: Tiff Parker, IT Business Manager Community IT Voices: Tiff Parker, IT Business Manager In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Tiff Parker, an IT Business Manager at Community IT. They talk about her background, how she got into a technology career, and what brought her to Community IT in this role. Tiff reflects on her early interest in GIS Geo Information Systems mapping, her years as an “accidental techie” at a nonprofit with increasingly senior roles and responsibilities as she gained experience and expertise managing nonprofit IT, and her move from nonprofit IT Director to her role now providing technical and strategic guidance to multiple clients. 

The Community IT ITBM service provides an outsourced IT manager to clients at a reduced cost to hiring and having an IT manager on staff. These managers are a resource dedicated to matching technology solutions to clients’ business needs. To do this well requires an ongoing conversation with the client to continually understand their business needs, and then effective communication with client staff and leadership about the ways specific technology solutions can meet those business needs and how to budget for technology.

The ITBM makes recommendations on IT investments, training programs, maintenance, and licenses. They help the client be forward-looking, and act as a vendor-agnostic, trusted advisor with deep knowledge of the nonprofit IT software and platforms available. Because Community IT works in partnership with clients to manage long-term IT needs, the ITBM relationship with the client makes them a true asset.

“I’m an IT consultant and I work specifically with nonprofits. I help them leverage technology to meet their mission. …I really love working with the clients. I have a wide variety of all different sizes, different areas they focus on … I might see their name pop up on the news and think “Hey, I’m helping them with their technology.” It’s that nice connecting feeling of helping other people accomplish their great work.”Tiff Parker


Tiff Parker joined Community IT Innovators as an IT Business Manager (ITBM) in October 2023. She brings over 17 years of experience working in nonprofit technology.

As an ITBM, she guides clients through implementation of effective technology investments and utilizing efficient IT services in direct support of their missions. She also assists clients with long-term planning, budgeting, and strategic goals.

Prior to coming to Community IT, Tiff was the IT Director for an environmental nonprofit where she was responsible for the overall vision, planning, implementation, management and support of their various information systems, data, policies, and processes.

Tiff graduated from Virginia Tech in 2007.  She holds the Microsoft 365 Fundamentals MS 900 certification.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Tiff Parker, an IT Business Manager at Community IT. They talk about her background, how she got into a technology career, and what brought her to Community IT in this role. Tiff reflects on her early interest in GIS Geo Information Systems mapping, her years as an “accidental techie” at a nonprofit with increasingly senior roles and responsibilities as she gained experience and expertise managing nonprofit IT, and her move from nonprofit IT Director to her role now providing technical and strategic guidance to multiple clients. 

The Community IT ITBM service provides an outsourced IT manager to clients at a reduced cost to hiring and having an IT manager on staff. These managers are a resource dedicated to matching technology solutions to clients’ business needs. To do this well requires an ongoing conversation with the client to continually understand their business needs, and then effective communication with client staff and leadership about the ways specific technology solutions can meet those business needs and how to budget for technology.

The ITBM makes recommendations on IT investments, training programs, maintenance, and licenses. They help the client be forward-looking, and act as a vendor-agnostic, trusted advisor with deep knowledge of the nonprofit IT software and platforms available. Because Community IT works in partnership with clients to manage long-term IT needs, the ITBM relationship with the client makes them a true asset.

“I’m an IT consultant and I work specifically with nonprofits. I help them leverage technology to meet their mission. …I really love working with the clients. I have a wide variety of all different sizes, different areas they focus on … I might see their name pop up on the news and think “Hey, I’m helping them with their technology.” It’s that nice connecting feeling of helping other people accomplish their great work.”Tiff Parker


Tiff Parker joined Community IT Innovators as an IT Business Manager (ITBM) in October 2023. She brings over 17 years of experience working in nonprofit technology.

As an ITBM, she guides clients through implementation of effective technology investments and utilizing efficient IT services in direct support of their missions. She also assists clients with long-term planning, budgeting, and strategic goals.

Prior to coming to Community IT, Tiff was the IT Director for an environmental nonprofit where she was responsible for the overall vision, planning, implementation, management and support of their various information systems, data, policies, and processes.

Tiff graduated from Virginia Tech in 2007.  She holds the Microsoft 365 Fundamentals MS 900 certification.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16991179 Fri, 18 Apr 2025 15:00:00 -0400 801 6 16 full false Microsoft Nonprofit Tech Conference Reflections with Ryan Ozimek Microsoft Nonprofit Tech Conference Reflections with Ryan Ozimek What does the future hold for nonprofit technology from one of the giants in the industry?

Ryan Ozimek, founder of Soapbox Engage and long time nonprofit IT thought leader, reflects on the trends and topics from this recent conference for the sector from Microsoft – particularly the embrace of AI and the potential of AI tools to impact the nonprofit sector.

In its second year, the Microsoft Global Nonprofit Leaders Summit drew nonprofit sector and IT activists from around the world to discuss new tools, new partnerships, and new needs. 

Listen to Ryan Ozimek in conversation with Carolyn Woodard on his reflections on trends that were discussed and explored at this conference


Some Key Takeaways:

  • Big changes are happening fast – Ryan sees this era as strikingly similar to 1999 when we all got online on this new thing “the internet.”
    • To prepare as a nonprofit: don’t feel you have to dive in the deep end but be aware that in a short time we will all be swimming in this pool. 
  • Generational change is painfully evident in AI adoption.
    • How does the nonprofit sector take full advantage of young people understanding new technologies especially AI, intuitively? 
  • AI is everywhere and will be everywhere. 
    • How can we use it best in our sector?
    • How can our sector push AI tools to be better?
  • Two and a half things for nonprofits to prepare to be able to find opportunities in this new world:
    • Start with what problems we are trying to solve and fit the tech to that. 
    • Be prepared to be more agile and more nimble than ever before.
    • AI agents can help you build the framework to describe your needs. Practice asking AI “what are the types of questions I should be asking you to help me solve my organization’s problems?”
  • It’s important to deeply understand the tech savviness of your nonprofit. How ready are you for change? Opportunities are also coming at us really fast and not every opportunity will be a good fit.
  • Last year at this summit the message was “Copilot is your copilot and it will help you with everything.”
    • This year Ryan heard that multiple agents that specialize in certain tasks/things will be more helpful than a “generalist” AI. You will need to find the AI agent that can help do the exact thing that you need done. We will all need to learn to ask the right AI agent the right questions.
  • What is the expected impact on nonprofit jobs? 
    • People will be able to be more productive, more able to help the organization meet the mission. Nonprofits will be augmenting their people with AI agents doing the grunt work. 
    • Think now about what you can automate. What is there that you have to have done that a person doesn’t have to do? This will free your staff to better meet your community needs.
  • Let’s meet our missions better and bigger than we ever have, because the world has lots of needs right now. The nonprofit sector/social sector will have more and more challenges in the current environme

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> What does the future hold for nonprofit technology from one of the giants in the industry?

Ryan Ozimek, founder of Soapbox Engage and long time nonprofit IT thought leader, reflects on the trends and topics from this recent conference for the sector from Microsoft – particularly the embrace of AI and the potential of AI tools to impact the nonprofit sector.

In its second year, the Microsoft Global Nonprofit Leaders Summit drew nonprofit sector and IT activists from around the world to discuss new tools, new partnerships, and new needs. 

Listen to Ryan Ozimek in conversation with Carolyn Woodard on his reflections on trends that were discussed and explored at this conference


Some Key Takeaways:

  • Big changes are happening fast – Ryan sees this era as strikingly similar to 1999 when we all got online on this new thing “the internet.”
    • To prepare as a nonprofit: don’t feel you have to dive in the deep end but be aware that in a short time we will all be swimming in this pool. 
  • Generational change is painfully evident in AI adoption.
    • How does the nonprofit sector take full advantage of young people understanding new technologies especially AI, intuitively? 
  • AI is everywhere and will be everywhere. 
    • How can we use it best in our sector?
    • How can our sector push AI tools to be better?
  • Two and a half things for nonprofits to prepare to be able to find opportunities in this new world:
    • Start with what problems we are trying to solve and fit the tech to that. 
    • Be prepared to be more agile and more nimble than ever before.
    • AI agents can help you build the framework to describe your needs. Practice asking AI “what are the types of questions I should be asking you to help me solve my organization’s problems?”
  • It’s important to deeply understand the tech savviness of your nonprofit. How ready are you for change? Opportunities are also coming at us really fast and not every opportunity will be a good fit.
  • Last year at this summit the message was “Copilot is your copilot and it will help you with everything.”
    • This year Ryan heard that multiple agents that specialize in certain tasks/things will be more helpful than a “generalist” AI. You will need to find the AI agent that can help do the exact thing that you need done. We will all need to learn to ask the right AI agent the right questions.
  • What is the expected impact on nonprofit jobs? 
    • People will be able to be more productive, more able to help the organization meet the mission. Nonprofits will be augmenting their people with AI agents doing the grunt work. 
    • Think now about what you can automate. What is there that you have to have done that a person doesn’t have to do? This will free your staff to better meet your community needs.
  • Let’s meet our missions better and bigger than we ever have, because the world has lots of needs right now. The nonprofit sector/social sector will have more and more challenges in the current environme

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16963674 Fri, 11 Apr 2025 15:00:00 -0400 1819 6 15 full false Nonprofit Data Retention Policy and Cybersecurity Basics with Ian Gottesman Nonprofit Data Retention Policy and Cybersecurity Basics with Ian Gottesman Ian Gottesman is CEO of a coalition of 200+ NGOs and 20 major IT companies working together to improve cybersecurity for the nonprofit sector (NGO ISAC). He has decades of experience in executive roles in nonprofit cybersecurity in a variety of organizations.

In these challenging times for the nonprofit sector generally, many nonprofits are taking a harder look at their cybersecurity policies to better protect their organization and staff. Community IT recommends getting to a foundational level of basic cybersecurity, and you can download our free Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook to learn what that means and how to put those basics in place. 

Three cybersecurity basics to think about: manage your identity, patch your hardware and software, and look out for phishing – train your staff. You will get 80% protection from just doing those three low cost things – why would you want to get 0%?

When your cybersecurity basics are in place, Ian recommends strengthening your nonprofit data retention policy and compliance as your first next step. Again, this is low cost in terms of your budget, but will have costs to your organization in terms of staff time and energy. So let this challenging moment motivate your team to take on a sorting-and-retaining-or-deleting project.

Some Key Takeaways:

  • Cybersecurity Basics are not difficult and protect you from 80% of hacks.
    • Manage your identity. Accounts must be protected, your staff should be verifying they are who is supposed to be logging in.
    • Patch your hardware and software. The easiest way to do this is reboot – log out, restart, and log back in periodically. Your IT provider or internal IT staff should be patching as part of your cybersecurity strategy.
    • Look out for phishing – train your staff. More than 90% of attacks start out tricking a user into clicking a link. For more information on anti-phishing training, check out this webinar on Cybersecurity Awareness Training Tips.
  • Cybercrimes are crimes.
    • Don’t feel that you were responsible for your own victimization. Clicking on links happens. Huge companies fall for scams. Encourage a culture of openness and sharing around cybersecurity best practices and incident response planning.
    • Make sure your nonprofit culture embraces a team approach to cybersecurity, and that everyone on your staff knows to tell someone when they see something suspicious or make a mistake, and who to tell. 
    • Holding cybercriminals accountable in every country should be a bigger goal for our governments and our laws. 
  • Nonprofit Data Retention Policy is a valuable project now.
    • Remind your staff not to put in writing in any device or app something they would not want to be public about your organization
    • Creating and monitoring compliance with a nonprofit data retention policy does not require expensive tools but it does require the time and energy of your staff. Avoiding unnecessary reputational risks is wor

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Ian Gottesman is CEO of a coalition of 200+ NGOs and 20 major IT companies working together to improve cybersecurity for the nonprofit sector (NGO ISAC). He has decades of experience in executive roles in nonprofit cybersecurity in a variety of organizations.

In these challenging times for the nonprofit sector generally, many nonprofits are taking a harder look at their cybersecurity policies to better protect their organization and staff. Community IT recommends getting to a foundational level of basic cybersecurity, and you can download our free Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook to learn what that means and how to put those basics in place. 

Three cybersecurity basics to think about: manage your identity, patch your hardware and software, and look out for phishing – train your staff. You will get 80% protection from just doing those three low cost things – why would you want to get 0%?

When your cybersecurity basics are in place, Ian recommends strengthening your nonprofit data retention policy and compliance as your first next step. Again, this is low cost in terms of your budget, but will have costs to your organization in terms of staff time and energy. So let this challenging moment motivate your team to take on a sorting-and-retaining-or-deleting project.

Some Key Takeaways:

  • Cybersecurity Basics are not difficult and protect you from 80% of hacks.
    • Manage your identity. Accounts must be protected, your staff should be verifying they are who is supposed to be logging in.
    • Patch your hardware and software. The easiest way to do this is reboot – log out, restart, and log back in periodically. Your IT provider or internal IT staff should be patching as part of your cybersecurity strategy.
    • Look out for phishing – train your staff. More than 90% of attacks start out tricking a user into clicking a link. For more information on anti-phishing training, check out this webinar on Cybersecurity Awareness Training Tips.
  • Cybercrimes are crimes.
    • Don’t feel that you were responsible for your own victimization. Clicking on links happens. Huge companies fall for scams. Encourage a culture of openness and sharing around cybersecurity best practices and incident response planning.
    • Make sure your nonprofit culture embraces a team approach to cybersecurity, and that everyone on your staff knows to tell someone when they see something suspicious or make a mistake, and who to tell. 
    • Holding cybercriminals accountable in every country should be a bigger goal for our governments and our laws. 
  • Nonprofit Data Retention Policy is a valuable project now.
    • Remind your staff not to put in writing in any device or app something they would not want to be public about your organization
    • Creating and monitoring compliance with a nonprofit data retention policy does not require expensive tools but it does require the time and energy of your staff. Avoiding unnecessary reputational risks is wor

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16913077 Fri, 04 Apr 2025 16:00:00 -0400 2051 6 14 full false Microsoft Vs Google Workspace for Nonprofits pt 2 Microsoft Vs Google Workspace for Nonprofits pt 2 Which platform would you choose if you were starting a brand new nonprofit tomorrow?

Learn the differences, how to choose, and when to contemplate changing platforms in this webinar with Community IT Innovators CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker. Johan and Steve together have over 40 years of experience in nonprofit IT and have worked with hundreds of nonprofit clients as they made crucial decisions about their IT platforms.

In part 1, we discuss the basic features of each platform, and acknowledging that most people working at nonprofits do not actually have a choice in platforms, we discuss the reasons one or the other may be a better fit for your organization if you had to choose. And if you are thinking of switching, we recommend you have a very strong business case for the switch, not just personal preferences, and that you practice very good change management if you find you must switch.

In part 2, we discuss security, data retention, and the limited options for nonprofits that are not one of these two platforms. That is, there are many reputable third party options for ID management or cloud storage, but very few other options for basics like email, calendar, or the office suite of documents and spreadsheets. We then take audience questions and delve into managing a hybrid solution (and check out the previous webinar Managing Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 Together for more tips.)


Microsoft VS Google Workspace

Every nonprofit organization must have IT tools and a platform. Google offers its Google Workspace suite at a discount to nonprofit organizations. Many new nonprofits use this suite of tools to start up their organization. For small, young, and growing nonprofit organizations, and nonprofits in the education field, this inexpensive suite of user-oriented essential IT tools is becoming a popular standard.

Of course, there’s a competing service provider also offering a suite of cloud-based basic business productivity tools, also at greatly reduced prices to qualified nonprofit organizations: Microsoft.


We are often asked to give our opinion over which platform our clients should use. The answer is not as simple as you might think.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. That said, we’re obviously talking about two specific platforms in this presentation, Microsoft and Google – and we find that 99% of our clients are using one or the other, or a hybrid of both. Given that these platforms are widely used by nonprofits, it is in that context that we discuss the choices, advantages, and trade-offs that you could be facing as you choose a platform for your nonprofit.

Many questions asked at registration or live at the virtual event will be answered in the transcript. Check back after the webinar for additional resources.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Which platform would you choose if you were starting a brand new nonprofit tomorrow?

Learn the differences, how to choose, and when to contemplate changing platforms in this webinar with Community IT Innovators CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker. Johan and Steve together have over 40 years of experience in nonprofit IT and have worked with hundreds of nonprofit clients as they made crucial decisions about their IT platforms.

In part 1, we discuss the basic features of each platform, and acknowledging that most people working at nonprofits do not actually have a choice in platforms, we discuss the reasons one or the other may be a better fit for your organization if you had to choose. And if you are thinking of switching, we recommend you have a very strong business case for the switch, not just personal preferences, and that you practice very good change management if you find you must switch.

In part 2, we discuss security, data retention, and the limited options for nonprofits that are not one of these two platforms. That is, there are many reputable third party options for ID management or cloud storage, but very few other options for basics like email, calendar, or the office suite of documents and spreadsheets. We then take audience questions and delve into managing a hybrid solution (and check out the previous webinar Managing Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 Together for more tips.)


Microsoft VS Google Workspace

Every nonprofit organization must have IT tools and a platform. Google offers its Google Workspace suite at a discount to nonprofit organizations. Many new nonprofits use this suite of tools to start up their organization. For small, young, and growing nonprofit organizations, and nonprofits in the education field, this inexpensive suite of user-oriented essential IT tools is becoming a popular standard.

Of course, there’s a competing service provider also offering a suite of cloud-based basic business productivity tools, also at greatly reduced prices to qualified nonprofit organizations: Microsoft.


We are often asked to give our opinion over which platform our clients should use. The answer is not as simple as you might think.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. That said, we’re obviously talking about two specific platforms in this presentation, Microsoft and Google – and we find that 99% of our clients are using one or the other, or a hybrid of both. Given that these platforms are widely used by nonprofits, it is in that context that we discuss the choices, advantages, and trade-offs that you could be facing as you choose a platform for your nonprofit.

Many questions asked at registration or live at the virtual event will be answered in the transcript. Check back after the webinar for additional resources.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16859572 Fri, 28 Mar 2025 15:00:00 -0400 1830 6 13 full false Microsoft Vs Google Workspace for Nonprofits pt 1 Microsoft Vs Google Workspace for Nonprofits pt 1 Which platform would you choose if you were starting a brand new nonprofit tomorrow?

Learn the differences, how to choose, and when to contemplate changing platforms in this webinar with Community IT Innovators CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker. Johan and Steve together have over 40 years of experience in nonprofit IT and have worked with hundreds of nonprofit clients as they made crucial decisions about their IT platforms.

In part 1, we discuss the basic features of each platform, and acknowledging that most people working at nonprofits do not actually have a choice in platforms, we discuss the reasons one or the other may be a better fit for your organization if you had to choose. And if you are thinking of switching, we recommend you have a very strong business case for the switch, not just personal preferences, and that you practice very good change management if you find you must switch.

In part 2, we discuss security, data retention, and the limited options for nonprofits that are not one of these two platforms. That is, there are many reputable third party options for ID management or cloud storage, but very few other options for basics like email, calendar, or the office suite of documents and spreadsheets. We then take audience questions and delve into managing a hybrid solution (and check out the previous webinar Managing Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 Together for more tips.)


Microsoft VS Google Workspace

Every nonprofit organization must have IT tools and a platform. Google offers its Google Workspace suite at a discount to nonprofit organizations. Many new nonprofits use this suite of tools to start up their organization. For small, young, and growing nonprofit organizations, and nonprofits in the education field, this inexpensive suite of user-oriented essential IT tools is becoming a popular standard.

Of course, there’s a competing service provider also offering a suite of cloud-based basic business productivity tools, also at greatly reduced prices to qualified nonprofit organizations: Microsoft.


We are often asked to give our opinion over which platform our clients should use. The answer is not as simple as you might think.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. That said, we’re obviously talking about two specific platforms in this presentation, Microsoft and Google – and we find that 99% of our clients are using one or the other, or a hybrid of both. Given that these platforms are widely used by nonprofits, it is in that context that we discuss the choices, advantages, and trade-offs that you could be facing as you choose a platform for your nonprofit.

Many questions asked at registration or live at the virtual event will be answered in the transcript. Check back after the webinar for additional resources.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Which platform would you choose if you were starting a brand new nonprofit tomorrow?

Learn the differences, how to choose, and when to contemplate changing platforms in this webinar with Community IT Innovators CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker. Johan and Steve together have over 40 years of experience in nonprofit IT and have worked with hundreds of nonprofit clients as they made crucial decisions about their IT platforms.

In part 1, we discuss the basic features of each platform, and acknowledging that most people working at nonprofits do not actually have a choice in platforms, we discuss the reasons one or the other may be a better fit for your organization if you had to choose. And if you are thinking of switching, we recommend you have a very strong business case for the switch, not just personal preferences, and that you practice very good change management if you find you must switch.

In part 2, we discuss security, data retention, and the limited options for nonprofits that are not one of these two platforms. That is, there are many reputable third party options for ID management or cloud storage, but very few other options for basics like email, calendar, or the office suite of documents and spreadsheets. We then take audience questions and delve into managing a hybrid solution (and check out the previous webinar Managing Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 Together for more tips.)


Microsoft VS Google Workspace

Every nonprofit organization must have IT tools and a platform. Google offers its Google Workspace suite at a discount to nonprofit organizations. Many new nonprofits use this suite of tools to start up their organization. For small, young, and growing nonprofit organizations, and nonprofits in the education field, this inexpensive suite of user-oriented essential IT tools is becoming a popular standard.

Of course, there’s a competing service provider also offering a suite of cloud-based basic business productivity tools, also at greatly reduced prices to qualified nonprofit organizations: Microsoft.


We are often asked to give our opinion over which platform our clients should use. The answer is not as simple as you might think.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. That said, we’re obviously talking about two specific platforms in this presentation, Microsoft and Google – and we find that 99% of our clients are using one or the other, or a hybrid of both. Given that these platforms are widely used by nonprofits, it is in that context that we discuss the choices, advantages, and trade-offs that you could be facing as you choose a platform for your nonprofit.

Many questions asked at registration or live at the virtual event will be answered in the transcript. Check back after the webinar for additional resources.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16836990 Fri, 21 Mar 2025 15:00:00 -0400 1625 6 12 full false Matching Business Processes and Nonprofit IT with Johan Hammerstrom Matching Business Processes and Nonprofit IT with Johan Hammerstrom Do you have a technology tool that just isn’t working? How do you get at the root of the issue and find solutions?

Sometimes IT staff and directors and executives get really into the cool details of their technology tools without considering the whole organization needs and tolerances. And sometimes executives and leaders want to change IT tools on a whim, where that IT tool is deeply embedded in the functions of the nonprofit organization, and the change impacts all the stakeholders greatly, but none of them were consulted. 

How can you reconcile those two aspects and do a better job of matching business processes and nonprofit IT? What are best practices in assessing your organization needs and matching them to the available technology tools, thoughtfully making the selection (usually in a hurry and under budget and staff constraints), and then implementing your tool with lots of communication and staff training? 

 CEO Johan Hammerstrom shares some of his insights and experience gained in over 20 years of serving nonprofits with well-managed IT. 

Don’t ever look at a technology problem as just a technology problem.. 

If you zoom out enough, technology problems are always part of a larger business problem. It’s really hard to make progress on fixing technology problems if you just have that very narrow focus on the technology itself. 

The more you can zoom out and understand the broader context for the technology problem, the more you can frame it as a business problem for the organization, the more effective you are going to be at addressing it. 

At the end of the day, it may seem to you to be a really big technology problem, but it may actually be a relatively small business problem. So trying to look at what constitutes the business problem around the technology solution will help you to get better perspective on how much of a problem this really is to the organization. You may be right that it is a huge technology problem, but if you look at the larger context and it turns out it’s not a huge business problem, just let it go – because you’re not going to get anywhere trying to change that.  


Some Key Takeaways:

  • Business problem aspects of nonprofit IT
    • What’s the price? What are the cost investments? What are the costs to inaction?
    • Who are the people who are impacted by this technology solution?
    • What was the decision process when the technology was chosen?
    • What is the decision process to choose a new technology now?
  • Sometimes staying with sub-optimum technology solution is the decision that best matches the business needs of the organization.
  • Every “untouchable” ancient IT solution that only one person knows how to keep running actually CAN be replaced. Many vendors for server-based solutions – if they are still in business – will help you move that tool to their cloud-based subscription. If the vendor is no longer in business, that function can definitely be replaced – and should be replaced – with a modern, secure, solution.
  • Your people are the most important component of your technology. Plan for redundancy. 



_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Do you have a technology tool that just isn’t working? How do you get at the root of the issue and find solutions?

Sometimes IT staff and directors and executives get really into the cool details of their technology tools without considering the whole organization needs and tolerances. And sometimes executives and leaders want to change IT tools on a whim, where that IT tool is deeply embedded in the functions of the nonprofit organization, and the change impacts all the stakeholders greatly, but none of them were consulted. 

How can you reconcile those two aspects and do a better job of matching business processes and nonprofit IT? What are best practices in assessing your organization needs and matching them to the available technology tools, thoughtfully making the selection (usually in a hurry and under budget and staff constraints), and then implementing your tool with lots of communication and staff training? 

 CEO Johan Hammerstrom shares some of his insights and experience gained in over 20 years of serving nonprofits with well-managed IT. 

Don’t ever look at a technology problem as just a technology problem.. 

If you zoom out enough, technology problems are always part of a larger business problem. It’s really hard to make progress on fixing technology problems if you just have that very narrow focus on the technology itself. 

The more you can zoom out and understand the broader context for the technology problem, the more you can frame it as a business problem for the organization, the more effective you are going to be at addressing it. 

At the end of the day, it may seem to you to be a really big technology problem, but it may actually be a relatively small business problem. So trying to look at what constitutes the business problem around the technology solution will help you to get better perspective on how much of a problem this really is to the organization. You may be right that it is a huge technology problem, but if you look at the larger context and it turns out it’s not a huge business problem, just let it go – because you’re not going to get anywhere trying to change that.  


Some Key Takeaways:

  • Business problem aspects of nonprofit IT
    • What’s the price? What are the cost investments? What are the costs to inaction?
    • Who are the people who are impacted by this technology solution?
    • What was the decision process when the technology was chosen?
    • What is the decision process to choose a new technology now?
  • Sometimes staying with sub-optimum technology solution is the decision that best matches the business needs of the organization.
  • Every “untouchable” ancient IT solution that only one person knows how to keep running actually CAN be replaced. Many vendors for server-based solutions – if they are still in business – will help you move that tool to their cloud-based subscription. If the vendor is no longer in business, that function can definitely be replaced – and should be replaced – with a modern, secure, solution.
  • Your people are the most important component of your technology. Plan for redundancy. 



_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16794023 Fri, 14 Mar 2025 16:00:00 -0400 1821 6 11 full false Cybersecurity Awareness Training Tips pt 2 with Matt Eshleman Cybersecurity Awareness Training Tips pt 2 with Matt Eshleman Are your staff as ready as they can be for the next attack?

Our cybersecurity training team manages hundreds of clients and shares our knowledge on what works to keep your staff prepared, not just scared.Matt Eshleman, our CTO and cybersecurity expert answers your questions on how to manage frequent, timely, and engaging training.

Part 1 covers the cybersecurity landscape and types of threats facing nonprofits, our framework for how to think about cybersecurity and where staff training fits in your strategy, and the basic philosophy of security awareness training. Pt 2 gets into the details and examples of a typical cybersecurity training program, and Matt answers audience Q&A.


Cybersecurity Awareness Training Tips

We often say that staff training is a foundation for cybersecurity protections. As the risks are always evolving, your training needs to be current too. Gone are the days when your staff could be adequately protected by watching an hour long video with a quiz once a year. 

But managing more frequent training is difficult. We will discuss the tool we use, KnowBe4, which makes it easy to stay up to date and administer training to all staff. There are other training tools out there that work for nonprofit staff – the most important tip is to commit to training and to prioritize it as a team. Your staff and leadership are your best defense of the organization you care about.

In addition, with new auditing requirements SAS145 your auditor must assess IT risks to your financial processes – and it will be necessary to demonstrate staff cybersecurity training in your audits. 

Learn about these issues and more with our experts! If you’ve been putting off implementing a comprehensive cybersecurity awareness training regime, don’t wait any longer. 


Join CTO Matthew Eshleman and host Carolyn Woodard to learn how to implement an up-to-date and flexible cybersecurity awareness training program this year.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. There are multiple cybersecurity awareness training vendors with products that work for nonprofits. We will be discussing the tool we have selected and use, KnowBe4, which offers nonprofit discounts, but our insights and tips will be useful no matter what training program you are using, or if you want to create and run cybersecurity awareness training in house.

Many questions asked at registration or live at the virtual event will be answered in the transcript. Check back after the webinar for additional resources.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Are your staff as ready as they can be for the next attack?

Our cybersecurity training team manages hundreds of clients and shares our knowledge on what works to keep your staff prepared, not just scared.Matt Eshleman, our CTO and cybersecurity expert answers your questions on how to manage frequent, timely, and engaging training.

Part 1 covers the cybersecurity landscape and types of threats facing nonprofits, our framework for how to think about cybersecurity and where staff training fits in your strategy, and the basic philosophy of security awareness training. Pt 2 gets into the details and examples of a typical cybersecurity training program, and Matt answers audience Q&A.


Cybersecurity Awareness Training Tips

We often say that staff training is a foundation for cybersecurity protections. As the risks are always evolving, your training needs to be current too. Gone are the days when your staff could be adequately protected by watching an hour long video with a quiz once a year. 

But managing more frequent training is difficult. We will discuss the tool we use, KnowBe4, which makes it easy to stay up to date and administer training to all staff. There are other training tools out there that work for nonprofit staff – the most important tip is to commit to training and to prioritize it as a team. Your staff and leadership are your best defense of the organization you care about.

In addition, with new auditing requirements SAS145 your auditor must assess IT risks to your financial processes – and it will be necessary to demonstrate staff cybersecurity training in your audits. 

Learn about these issues and more with our experts! If you’ve been putting off implementing a comprehensive cybersecurity awareness training regime, don’t wait any longer. 


Join CTO Matthew Eshleman and host Carolyn Woodard to learn how to implement an up-to-date and flexible cybersecurity awareness training program this year.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. There are multiple cybersecurity awareness training vendors with products that work for nonprofits. We will be discussing the tool we have selected and use, KnowBe4, which offers nonprofit discounts, but our insights and tips will be useful no matter what training program you are using, or if you want to create and run cybersecurity awareness training in house.

Many questions asked at registration or live at the virtual event will be answered in the transcript. Check back after the webinar for additional resources.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16752087 Fri, 07 Mar 2025 15:00:00 -0500 1947 6 10 full false Cybersecurity Awareness Training Tips pt 1 with Matt Eshleman Cybersecurity Awareness Training Tips pt 1 with Matt Eshleman
Are your staff as ready as they can be for the next attack?

Our cybersecurity training team manages hundreds of clients and shares our knowledge on what works to keep your staff prepared, not just scared.Matt Eshleman, our CTO and cybersecurity expert answers your questions on how to manage frequent, timely, and engaging training.

Part 1 covers the cybersecurity landscape and types of threats facing nonprofits, our framework for how to think about cybersecurity and where staff training fits in your strategy, and the basic philosophy of security awareness training. Pt 2 gets into the details and examples of a typical cybersecurity training program, and Matt answers audience Q&A.


Cybersecurity Awareness Training Tips

We often say that staff training is a foundation for cybersecurity protections. As the risks are always evolving, your training needs to be current too. Gone are the days when your staff could be adequately protected by watching an hour long video with a quiz once a year. 

But managing more frequent training is difficult. We will discuss the tool we use, KnowBe4, which makes it easy to stay up to date and administer training to all staff. There are other training tools out there that work for nonprofit staff – the most important tip is to commit to training and to prioritize it as a team. Your staff and leadership are your best defense of the organization you care about.

In addition, with new auditing requirements SAS145 your auditor must assess IT risks to your financial processes – and it will be necessary to demonstrate staff cybersecurity training in your audits. 

Learn about these issues and more with our experts! If you’ve been putting off implementing a comprehensive cybersecurity awareness training regime, don’t wait any longer. 


Join CTO Matthew Eshleman and host Carolyn Woodard to learn how to implement an up-to-date and flexible cybersecurity awareness training program this year.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. There are multiple cybersecurity awareness training vendors with products that work for nonprofits. We will be discussing the tool we have selected and use, KnowBe4, which offers nonprofit discounts, but our insights and tips will be useful no matter what training program you are using, or if you want to create and run cybersecurity awareness training in house.

Many questions asked at registration or live at the virtual event will be answered in the transcript. Check back after the webinar for additional resources.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]>
Are your staff as ready as they can be for the next attack?

Our cybersecurity training team manages hundreds of clients and shares our knowledge on what works to keep your staff prepared, not just scared.Matt Eshleman, our CTO and cybersecurity expert answers your questions on how to manage frequent, timely, and engaging training.

Part 1 covers the cybersecurity landscape and types of threats facing nonprofits, our framework for how to think about cybersecurity and where staff training fits in your strategy, and the basic philosophy of security awareness training. Pt 2 gets into the details and examples of a typical cybersecurity training program, and Matt answers audience Q&A.


Cybersecurity Awareness Training Tips

We often say that staff training is a foundation for cybersecurity protections. As the risks are always evolving, your training needs to be current too. Gone are the days when your staff could be adequately protected by watching an hour long video with a quiz once a year. 

But managing more frequent training is difficult. We will discuss the tool we use, KnowBe4, which makes it easy to stay up to date and administer training to all staff. There are other training tools out there that work for nonprofit staff – the most important tip is to commit to training and to prioritize it as a team. Your staff and leadership are your best defense of the organization you care about.

In addition, with new auditing requirements SAS145 your auditor must assess IT risks to your financial processes – and it will be necessary to demonstrate staff cybersecurity training in your audits. 

Learn about these issues and more with our experts! If you’ve been putting off implementing a comprehensive cybersecurity awareness training regime, don’t wait any longer. 


Join CTO Matthew Eshleman and host Carolyn Woodard to learn how to implement an up-to-date and flexible cybersecurity awareness training program this year.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. There are multiple cybersecurity awareness training vendors with products that work for nonprofits. We will be discussing the tool we have selected and use, KnowBe4, which offers nonprofit discounts, but our insights and tips will be useful no matter what training program you are using, or if you want to create and run cybersecurity awareness training in house.

Many questions asked at registration or live at the virtual event will be answered in the transcript. Check back after the webinar for additional resources.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16711634 Fri, 28 Feb 2025 14:00:00 -0500 2063 6 9 full false Meet the Community IT Help Desk Meet the Community IT Help Desk A week in the life of the Help Desk Team

Ever wonder what it takes to be a help desk analyst, or what our Help Desk Team does in a typical week? 

We’re inordinately proud of our Help Desk Team, the first and usually only point of contact for most staff for most clients. 

Listen to this presentation on a typical week and learn about the teamwork, expertise, and continual learning that goes into providing excellent IT support service.

“You all do such an amazing job, with such great positive energy, and we always get such great feedback from our clients about the service they receive from the help desk. It’s really, it’s so critical to all of the work that we do. 

So I just want to thank each one of you for all your hard work and your diligence.” 

Johan Hammerstrom, CEO



_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> A week in the life of the Help Desk Team

Ever wonder what it takes to be a help desk analyst, or what our Help Desk Team does in a typical week? 

We’re inordinately proud of our Help Desk Team, the first and usually only point of contact for most staff for most clients. 

Listen to this presentation on a typical week and learn about the teamwork, expertise, and continual learning that goes into providing excellent IT support service.

“You all do such an amazing job, with such great positive energy, and we always get such great feedback from our clients about the service they receive from the help desk. It’s really, it’s so critical to all of the work that we do. 

So I just want to thank each one of you for all your hard work and your diligence.” 

Johan Hammerstrom, CEO



_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16671117 Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:00:00 -0500 1171 6 8 full false Anti-Doxxing and Nonprofit Staff Safety with Shauna Dillavou Anti-Doxxing and Nonprofit Staff Safety with Shauna Dillavou Shauna Dillavou is the co-founder of Brightlin.es, a security firm working with the nonprofit sector to prevent vulnerabilities. She is a seasoned intelligence analyst with decades of experience working for the US government. She formerly was part of a team locating cartel associates by their online traces, and founded Brightlines to reverse-engineer that experience to protect vulnerable staff from online doxxing and threats to their personal safety. Unfortunately in recent years the threats against nonprofit staff have grown, making this service necessary and timely.

We know nonprofits are facing challenges in a challenging time. At Community IT, when we think about and enact cybersecurity for our clients in the nonprofit sector, we generally are focused on protecting the organization, its data, its systems, and its finances, from bad actors. Those hackers are overwhelmingly interested in financial benefits: getting you to wire the money to their bank account instead of your real bank account. While some cyber criminals are interested in gaining insights into your advocacy area or your networks, a majority of cyber crimes against nonprofits are purely financial.

But what happens when your nonprofit is involved in an advocacy area, a country, or an issue that has suddenly become controversial? Media attention turns to your spokespeople, your staff, your board, and your volunteers – anyone who has been associated with your organization’s issue. Particularly online. It isn’t long before that online attention can become threats against your personnel.

“Doxxing” is a term for when an opponent releases personally identifiable information about you – your home address, phone number, your parents, your kids’ personal information. Doxxing is meant to inspire terror and to shut you up. And sometimes the online rancor, coupled with personal information, can lead unhinged individuals to act on these online threats.

In this interview, Carolyn talks with Shauna Dillavou, co-founder of Brightlin.es, a security company that works in the nonprofit sector to prevent personal vulnerabilities for staff who may be in the online media spotlight. 

With decades of experience in the intelligence community, Shauna co-founded Brightlines to provide resources to nonprofits, foundations, and others who face threats and escalation against their staff or spokespeople. 

In this podcast on anti-doxxing and nonprofit staff safety with Shauna Dillavou, learn the types of personal threats that are becoming more common, and the steps you should take to protect your vulnerable staff. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our podcasts and webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Podcasts are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. Brightlines is one of many services that exist to improve the security of your staff, executives, and board members. This interview with Shauna Dillavou explores the parameters of the problem and gives general advice on steps to take if you or your staff are threatened online.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Shauna Dillavou is the co-founder of Brightlin.es, a security firm working with the nonprofit sector to prevent vulnerabilities. She is a seasoned intelligence analyst with decades of experience working for the US government. She formerly was part of a team locating cartel associates by their online traces, and founded Brightlines to reverse-engineer that experience to protect vulnerable staff from online doxxing and threats to their personal safety. Unfortunately in recent years the threats against nonprofit staff have grown, making this service necessary and timely.

We know nonprofits are facing challenges in a challenging time. At Community IT, when we think about and enact cybersecurity for our clients in the nonprofit sector, we generally are focused on protecting the organization, its data, its systems, and its finances, from bad actors. Those hackers are overwhelmingly interested in financial benefits: getting you to wire the money to their bank account instead of your real bank account. While some cyber criminals are interested in gaining insights into your advocacy area or your networks, a majority of cyber crimes against nonprofits are purely financial.

But what happens when your nonprofit is involved in an advocacy area, a country, or an issue that has suddenly become controversial? Media attention turns to your spokespeople, your staff, your board, and your volunteers – anyone who has been associated with your organization’s issue. Particularly online. It isn’t long before that online attention can become threats against your personnel.

“Doxxing” is a term for when an opponent releases personally identifiable information about you – your home address, phone number, your parents, your kids’ personal information. Doxxing is meant to inspire terror and to shut you up. And sometimes the online rancor, coupled with personal information, can lead unhinged individuals to act on these online threats.

In this interview, Carolyn talks with Shauna Dillavou, co-founder of Brightlin.es, a security company that works in the nonprofit sector to prevent personal vulnerabilities for staff who may be in the online media spotlight. 

With decades of experience in the intelligence community, Shauna co-founded Brightlines to provide resources to nonprofits, foundations, and others who face threats and escalation against their staff or spokespeople. 

In this podcast on anti-doxxing and nonprofit staff safety with Shauna Dillavou, learn the types of personal threats that are becoming more common, and the steps you should take to protect your vulnerable staff. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our podcasts and webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Podcasts are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. Brightlines is one of many services that exist to improve the security of your staff, executives, and board members. This interview with Shauna Dillavou explores the parameters of the problem and gives general advice on steps to take if you or your staff are threatened online.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16616949 Fri, 14 Feb 2025 15:00:00 -0500 2409 6 7 full false Ramunda Lark Young, Founder of Mahogany Books Ramunda Lark Young, Founder of Mahogany Books In this interview from December 2024, Director of Marketing Carolyn Woodard talks with Ramunda Lark Young about her journey from growing up in Tulsa Oklahoma to working in Washington DC to founding an online Black bookstore during the 2007-2008 recession. 

In addition to a website where you can find curated lists of books to fit any interest, Mahogany Books now has 2.25 in-person stores in DC and hosts author events and a podcast.

What did it take for Ramunda to believe in her vision of owning a bookstore where Black Books Matter, and how did she follow that vision to success? 

What does Ramunda do to stay grounded and mentally healthy, and what lessons has she learned on this journey about the importance of seeing ourselves celebrated in the communities around us? 

We know nonprofits are facing challenges in a challenging time, and we could all use a little inspiration. Join Carolyn and Ramunda for a few minutes to talk about books, entrepreneurship, and community.

---

Ramunda Lark Young is Co-Founder and Co-owner of Mahogany Books online and with 2.25 locations in Washington DC, including National Harbor, National Airport, and a new location in Anacostia. Unapologetically Black-owned, family-run and operated, Mahogany Books is a local independent bookstore that believes in social entrepreneurship. They take a leadership role in the African American community by promoting reading, writing, and cultural awareness as tools to improve self-esteem, self-love and ultimately our communities to enrich the lives of motivated individuals.

With over 20 years of combined retail book industry experience, Ramunda has witnessed a variety of market highs and lows which helped develop a bookstore model capitalizing on technology while staying true to the independent community bookstore roots that define the core values of the owners.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In this interview from December 2024, Director of Marketing Carolyn Woodard talks with Ramunda Lark Young about her journey from growing up in Tulsa Oklahoma to working in Washington DC to founding an online Black bookstore during the 2007-2008 recession. 

In addition to a website where you can find curated lists of books to fit any interest, Mahogany Books now has 2.25 in-person stores in DC and hosts author events and a podcast.

What did it take for Ramunda to believe in her vision of owning a bookstore where Black Books Matter, and how did she follow that vision to success? 

What does Ramunda do to stay grounded and mentally healthy, and what lessons has she learned on this journey about the importance of seeing ourselves celebrated in the communities around us? 

We know nonprofits are facing challenges in a challenging time, and we could all use a little inspiration. Join Carolyn and Ramunda for a few minutes to talk about books, entrepreneurship, and community.

---

Ramunda Lark Young is Co-Founder and Co-owner of Mahogany Books online and with 2.25 locations in Washington DC, including National Harbor, National Airport, and a new location in Anacostia. Unapologetically Black-owned, family-run and operated, Mahogany Books is a local independent bookstore that believes in social entrepreneurship. They take a leadership role in the African American community by promoting reading, writing, and cultural awareness as tools to improve self-esteem, self-love and ultimately our communities to enrich the lives of motivated individuals.

With over 20 years of combined retail book industry experience, Ramunda has witnessed a variety of market highs and lows which helped develop a bookstore model capitalizing on technology while staying true to the independent community bookstore roots that define the core values of the owners.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16583449 Fri, 07 Feb 2025 16:00:00 -0500 2499 6 6 full false 2025 Nonprofit Tech Round Table pt 2 2025 Nonprofit Tech Round Table pt 2 Expert Tips on Current Trends: 
Webinar 2025 Nonprofit Tech Round Table

Join CTO Matthew Eshleman and Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker, moderated by Carolyn Woodard from Community IT, in a lively and specific discussion of all things nonprofit tech for 2025 and beyond.

It’s like listening in on your smart friends talking about stuff you need to know about but don’t know who to ask.

Kick off the new year with a new understanding of trends and practices that can help your nonprofit succeed. This is one of our most popular webinars and podcasts year after year for a reason. We don’t believe a lot of lingo or jargon is necessary to understand what you need to know to manage IT.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. Part 1 covers our introductions, a discussion of hybrid work in the nonprofit context, and tips on new cybersecurity from our expert. Part 2 covers AI, a "grab bag" of new tech and new issues, and audience Q&A.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. 

Many questions asked at registration or live at the virtual event will be answered in the transcript. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Expert Tips on Current Trends: 
Webinar 2025 Nonprofit Tech Round Table

Join CTO Matthew Eshleman and Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker, moderated by Carolyn Woodard from Community IT, in a lively and specific discussion of all things nonprofit tech for 2025 and beyond.

It’s like listening in on your smart friends talking about stuff you need to know about but don’t know who to ask.

Kick off the new year with a new understanding of trends and practices that can help your nonprofit succeed. This is one of our most popular webinars and podcasts year after year for a reason. We don’t believe a lot of lingo or jargon is necessary to understand what you need to know to manage IT.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. Part 1 covers our introductions, a discussion of hybrid work in the nonprofit context, and tips on new cybersecurity from our expert. Part 2 covers AI, a "grab bag" of new tech and new issues, and audience Q&A.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. 

Many questions asked at registration or live at the virtual event will be answered in the transcript. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16535312 Fri, 31 Jan 2025 15:00:00 -0500 2385 6 5 full false 2025 Nonprofit Tech Round Table pt 1 2025 Nonprofit Tech Round Table pt 1 Expert Tips on Current Trends: 
Webinar 2025 Nonprofit Tech Round Table

Join CTO Matthew Eshleman and Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker, moderated by Carolyn Woodard from Community IT, in a lively and specific discussion of all things nonprofit tech for 2025 and beyond.

It’s like listening in on your smart friends talking about stuff you need to know about but don’t know who to ask.

Kick off the new year with a new understanding of trends and practices that can help your nonprofit succeed. This is one of our most popular webinars and podcasts year after year for a reason. We don’t believe a lot of lingo or jargon is necessary to understand what you need to know to manage IT.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. Part 1 covers our introductions, a discussion of hybrid work in the nonprofit context, and tips on new cybersecurity from our expert. Part 2 covers AI, a "grab bag" of new tech and new issues, and audience Q&A.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. 

Many questions asked at registration or live at the virtual event will be answered in the transcript. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Expert Tips on Current Trends: 
Webinar 2025 Nonprofit Tech Round Table

Join CTO Matthew Eshleman and Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker, moderated by Carolyn Woodard from Community IT, in a lively and specific discussion of all things nonprofit tech for 2025 and beyond.

It’s like listening in on your smart friends talking about stuff you need to know about but don’t know who to ask.

Kick off the new year with a new understanding of trends and practices that can help your nonprofit succeed. This is one of our most popular webinars and podcasts year after year for a reason. We don’t believe a lot of lingo or jargon is necessary to understand what you need to know to manage IT.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. Part 1 covers our introductions, a discussion of hybrid work in the nonprofit context, and tips on new cybersecurity from our expert. Part 2 covers AI, a "grab bag" of new tech and new issues, and audience Q&A.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. 

Many questions asked at registration or live at the virtual event will be answered in the transcript. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16496303 Fri, 24 Jan 2025 15:00:00 -0500 1830 6 4 full false 4 New Year's Resolutions with Carolyn Woodard 4 New Year's Resolutions with Carolyn Woodard Set four intentions to make 2025 safer, saner, and more fun for your IT staff and your nonprofit.

Now is the month to set intentions for the year ahead. We know nonprofits are facing challenges in a challenging time. Be intentional about setting expectations for yourself and your organization this year and you will take some of the stress off.

Director of Outreach and podcast host Carolyn Woodard walks through four resolutions you can make to make 2025 easier on yourself. 

  • Put self-care first – set yourself up for mental and physical health so you can do the things your nonprofit needs you to do
  • Put organization care second – up your cybersecurity to meet evolving threats
  • Clean up! – do a spring cleaning of your files, data inventory, and subscriptions 
  • Do something fun – take a tutorial, come together as a team

Keeping these 4 New Year’s Resolutions will make your 2025 safer, saner, less stressed, and more fun. We provide lots of the resources you need on our site – you just need to set your intentions and keep these priorities through the year.

Some key resources:

Ready to get strategic about your IT?

We think your IT vendor should be able to explain everything without jargon or lingo. If you can’t understand your IT management strategy to your own satisfaction, keep asking your questions until you find an outsourced IT provider who will partner with you for well-managed IT.

If you’re ready to gain peace of mind about your IT support, let’s talk.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Set four intentions to make 2025 safer, saner, and more fun for your IT staff and your nonprofit.

Now is the month to set intentions for the year ahead. We know nonprofits are facing challenges in a challenging time. Be intentional about setting expectations for yourself and your organization this year and you will take some of the stress off.

Director of Outreach and podcast host Carolyn Woodard walks through four resolutions you can make to make 2025 easier on yourself. 

  • Put self-care first – set yourself up for mental and physical health so you can do the things your nonprofit needs you to do
  • Put organization care second – up your cybersecurity to meet evolving threats
  • Clean up! – do a spring cleaning of your files, data inventory, and subscriptions 
  • Do something fun – take a tutorial, come together as a team

Keeping these 4 New Year’s Resolutions will make your 2025 safer, saner, less stressed, and more fun. We provide lots of the resources you need on our site – you just need to set your intentions and keep these priorities through the year.

Some key resources:

Ready to get strategic about your IT?

We think your IT vendor should be able to explain everything without jargon or lingo. If you can’t understand your IT management strategy to your own satisfaction, keep asking your questions until you find an outsourced IT provider who will partner with you for well-managed IT.

If you’re ready to gain peace of mind about your IT support, let’s talk.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16454753 Fri, 17 Jan 2025 15:00:00 -0500 1588 6 3 full false Using Google Groups with Steve Longenecker Using Google Groups with Steve Longenecker If your organization uses Google Workspace you have access to Google Groups. Kind of like a listserv but so much better.

What are Google Groups?

If your nonprofit uses Google Workspace, you can use Google Groups to manage tasks via an email group, with granular controls and monitoring if you need it. Google Groups can improve security for email addresses like “donate@mynonprofit” or “info@mynonprofit” if that email directs to a group and is not its own account that’s credentials could be hacked. 

Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker explains the ins and outs of using Google Groups and some issues to consider including Google’s Fedramp certification if you are trying to use Google Groups with federal workers. 

Since few MSPs can help nonprofits using Google Workspace, please contact us if you have more questions we can help with. We know that so many nonprofit startups start using Google Workspace because it is easy. 

Some Key Takeaways:

  • Google Groups works like a listserv, allowing multiple people to view and respond to group emails right from their inbox. No new tools needed like slack or discord. Keeping it simple can help your team or volunteers engage easily.
  • Google Groups allows granular permissions and allows a manager to assign certain email threads to specific team members, so you can make sure all donation inquiries get a quick response, for example. Managers can get valuable insight into email thread status and team members can easily collaborate without checking and back-checking to see who is taking which inquiry.
  • Google Groups can be useful in keeping volunteer groups organized and engaged. You can assign any email to Google Groups, making a partly external volunteer team more functional and making it easier for busy volunteers to participate, right from their inbox.
  • Google Groups has many security features that make it preferable to listservs. And Listerv tools are becoming harder to find and manage. Everyone uses email – if you already use Google Workspace you have a listserv tool already available to you, for free, that has many features and security that listservs just don’t have.
  • Google Groups is relatively easy to set up and manage, and Google provides lots of helpful how-to tutorials and advice that are accessible to non-technical managers.
  • If you are trying to use Google Groups with federal employees and encountering resistance, be aware that Google has Fedramp certification. This means your federal friends are allowed to use it from a security perspective.

Google Groups is a tool you should consider if you are struggling to manage a team or volunteer group. It is easy to get started and easy to expand as you learn the capabilities. 

We know that few MSPs serving nonprofits are experts in Google Workspace. Community IT has developed expertise in Google Workspace support since we serve nonprofits exclusively, and so many nonprofits use this platform. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> If your organization uses Google Workspace you have access to Google Groups. Kind of like a listserv but so much better.

What are Google Groups?

If your nonprofit uses Google Workspace, you can use Google Groups to manage tasks via an email group, with granular controls and monitoring if you need it. Google Groups can improve security for email addresses like “donate@mynonprofit” or “info@mynonprofit” if that email directs to a group and is not its own account that’s credentials could be hacked. 

Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker explains the ins and outs of using Google Groups and some issues to consider including Google’s Fedramp certification if you are trying to use Google Groups with federal workers. 

Since few MSPs can help nonprofits using Google Workspace, please contact us if you have more questions we can help with. We know that so many nonprofit startups start using Google Workspace because it is easy. 

Some Key Takeaways:

  • Google Groups works like a listserv, allowing multiple people to view and respond to group emails right from their inbox. No new tools needed like slack or discord. Keeping it simple can help your team or volunteers engage easily.
  • Google Groups allows granular permissions and allows a manager to assign certain email threads to specific team members, so you can make sure all donation inquiries get a quick response, for example. Managers can get valuable insight into email thread status and team members can easily collaborate without checking and back-checking to see who is taking which inquiry.
  • Google Groups can be useful in keeping volunteer groups organized and engaged. You can assign any email to Google Groups, making a partly external volunteer team more functional and making it easier for busy volunteers to participate, right from their inbox.
  • Google Groups has many security features that make it preferable to listservs. And Listerv tools are becoming harder to find and manage. Everyone uses email – if you already use Google Workspace you have a listserv tool already available to you, for free, that has many features and security that listservs just don’t have.
  • Google Groups is relatively easy to set up and manage, and Google provides lots of helpful how-to tutorials and advice that are accessible to non-technical managers.
  • If you are trying to use Google Groups with federal employees and encountering resistance, be aware that Google has Fedramp certification. This means your federal friends are allowed to use it from a security perspective.

Google Groups is a tool you should consider if you are struggling to manage a team or volunteer group. It is easy to get started and easy to expand as you learn the capabilities. 

We know that few MSPs serving nonprofits are experts in Google Workspace. Community IT has developed expertise in Google Workspace support since we serve nonprofits exclusively, and so many nonprofits use this platform. 

_______________________________
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Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16414233 Fri, 10 Jan 2025 14:00:00 -0500 2294 6 2 full false Top Nonprofit IT Stories of 2024 with Senior Staff at Community IT Top Nonprofit IT Stories of 2024 with Senior Staff at Community IT Welcome 2025! It's going to be a big year for nonprofit IT and as is our tradition, our senior staff weighed in with the biggest stories of 2024, the most overlooked trends, and what they will be keeping an eye on in 2025. 

We hear from Senior Engineer David Dawson, Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker, IT Business Manager Erik Solce, IT Business Manager Team Lead Norwin Herrera, Chief Technology Officer Matthew Eshleman, Senior Consultant Nuradeen Aboki, CEO Johan Hammerstrom, and Carolyn Woodard, Marketing Director and webinar and podcast host on what we are seeing in our sector.

Please join us January 22 for a Nonprofit IT Round Table webinar with Steve, Matt, and Norwin where we will discuss new trends and risks in more depth and take your questions live. https://communityit.com/webinar-2025-nonprofit-tech-round-table/

Thank you for joining us in 2024 and we look forward to sharing resources and learning together in 2025!

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Welcome 2025! It's going to be a big year for nonprofit IT and as is our tradition, our senior staff weighed in with the biggest stories of 2024, the most overlooked trends, and what they will be keeping an eye on in 2025. 

We hear from Senior Engineer David Dawson, Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker, IT Business Manager Erik Solce, IT Business Manager Team Lead Norwin Herrera, Chief Technology Officer Matthew Eshleman, Senior Consultant Nuradeen Aboki, CEO Johan Hammerstrom, and Carolyn Woodard, Marketing Director and webinar and podcast host on what we are seeing in our sector.

Please join us January 22 for a Nonprofit IT Round Table webinar with Steve, Matt, and Norwin where we will discuss new trends and risks in more depth and take your questions live. https://communityit.com/webinar-2025-nonprofit-tech-round-table/

Thank you for joining us in 2024 and we look forward to sharing resources and learning together in 2025!

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16344977 Fri, 03 Jan 2025 16:00:00 -0500 1268 6 1 full false Going Server-less with Norwin Herrera Going Server-less with Norwin Herrera Is your nonprofit ready to go server-less? What's holding you back from going to the cloud? 

Norwin Herrera is an IT Business Manager with Community IT and has decades of experience in IT and as a nonprofit IT consultant. In his work with clients over the years he has learned some of the barriers to moving entirely into the cloud, and gives some advice in overcoming that inertia. 

Starting with saving money, using a more secure and more current technology, and then throwing in convenience - moving to the cloud is the right move to make. If your nonprofit is hesitating, learn more about the cost savings, security, and convenience from Norwin.

Norwin's IT Business Manager team and the Projects team at Community IT are well-versed experts in this type of large project. It can seem daunting, but with expertise and experience, Community IT can help you tackle what needs to be done to get off your server before it is obsolete, and move into a cloud-based platform. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Is your nonprofit ready to go server-less? What's holding you back from going to the cloud? 

Norwin Herrera is an IT Business Manager with Community IT and has decades of experience in IT and as a nonprofit IT consultant. In his work with clients over the years he has learned some of the barriers to moving entirely into the cloud, and gives some advice in overcoming that inertia. 

Starting with saving money, using a more secure and more current technology, and then throwing in convenience - moving to the cloud is the right move to make. If your nonprofit is hesitating, learn more about the cost savings, security, and convenience from Norwin.

Norwin's IT Business Manager team and the Projects team at Community IT are well-versed experts in this type of large project. It can seem daunting, but with expertise and experience, Community IT can help you tackle what needs to be done to get off your server before it is obsolete, and move into a cloud-based platform. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16336380 Fri, 27 Dec 2024 16:00:00 -0500 1714 5 53 full false Cybersecurity Readiness for Accountants with Matt Eshleman Cybersecurity Readiness for Accountants with Matt Eshleman Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofit Accountants, Hosted by Jitasa University

Join Matt Eshleman, cybersecurity expert and author of the re-released Community IT Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook, in a short presentation on how to use the playbook to protect your organization if you are a financial manager or accountant.

In this video, you will 

  • Learn about the free downloadable Playbook on Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits and how financial officers and accountants can utilize this Playbook 
  • Learn the most common scams and trends in cybersecurity for nonprofits
  • Understand the current cybersecurity landscape and the role of AI in new risks
  • Learn tips for getting buy-in from stakeholders
  • Understand cybersecurity training best practices for nonprofit staff

This video is designed for financial professionals in nonprofits, from CFOs to accountants. This Cybersecurity Playbook covers issues and best practices important to any nonprofit staff and leadership; this video concentrates on the questions and issues relevant to financial staff, and is hosted by Jitasa University. You do not need to be an IT professional to find value in this playbook.

Download the free Cybersecurity Playbook here: https://communityit.com/download-cybersecurity-readiness-for-nonprofits-playbook/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofit Accountants, Hosted by Jitasa University

Join Matt Eshleman, cybersecurity expert and author of the re-released Community IT Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook, in a short presentation on how to use the playbook to protect your organization if you are a financial manager or accountant.

In this video, you will 

  • Learn about the free downloadable Playbook on Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits and how financial officers and accountants can utilize this Playbook 
  • Learn the most common scams and trends in cybersecurity for nonprofits
  • Understand the current cybersecurity landscape and the role of AI in new risks
  • Learn tips for getting buy-in from stakeholders
  • Understand cybersecurity training best practices for nonprofit staff

This video is designed for financial professionals in nonprofits, from CFOs to accountants. This Cybersecurity Playbook covers issues and best practices important to any nonprofit staff and leadership; this video concentrates on the questions and issues relevant to financial staff, and is hosted by Jitasa University. You do not need to be an IT professional to find value in this playbook.

Download the free Cybersecurity Playbook here: https://communityit.com/download-cybersecurity-readiness-for-nonprofits-playbook/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16317020 Fri, 20 Dec 2024 13:00:00 -0500 1940 5 52 full false New Nonprofit Auditing Requirements SAS145 with Johan Hammerstrom New Nonprofit Auditing Requirements SAS145 with Johan Hammerstrom New nonprofit auditing requirements SAS145 now include IT and cybersecurity compliance. Are you ready?

In 2022 the AICPA Auditing Standards Board (ASB) issued Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) No. 145,Understanding the Entity and Its Environment and Assessing the Risks of Material Misstatement. The new standard became effective for audits of financial statements for periods ending on or after Dec. 15, 2023. For more on SAS 145 changes, read this article in the Journal of Accountancy.

For the first time, SAS No. 145 now provides explicit definitions for the terms general information technology (IT) controls, IT environment, and information-processing controls. In addition, as IT utilization brings additional risk, the new guidance expressly defines risks arising from the use of IT.

As audits proceed with the new guidelines, we expect a learning period for auditors, IT professionals, and nonprofit leaders. If you have questions about what the new requirements entail, you are not alone. Community IT has begun to field questions from our clients and their auditors about IT systems and cybersecurity controls. We will continue to share our insights and advice with our community as audits evolve to incorporate IT security.

We're happy to see IT security requirements finally addressed in financial audits 
and look forward to helping nonprofit leaders and auditors better understand the interplay of well-managed IT with better financial security and protection from bad actors.


Listen to CEO Johan Hammerstrom explain the changes to the guidelines in SAS145 that you will need to know whether you are in nonprofit IT, financial, or leadership roles, or an auditor looking for insights into the IT management side of the new requirements. 

Since the new nonprofit auditing requirements SAS145 impact everyone in nonprofits, please contact us if you have more questions we can help with.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> New nonprofit auditing requirements SAS145 now include IT and cybersecurity compliance. Are you ready?

In 2022 the AICPA Auditing Standards Board (ASB) issued Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) No. 145,Understanding the Entity and Its Environment and Assessing the Risks of Material Misstatement. The new standard became effective for audits of financial statements for periods ending on or after Dec. 15, 2023. For more on SAS 145 changes, read this article in the Journal of Accountancy.

For the first time, SAS No. 145 now provides explicit definitions for the terms general information technology (IT) controls, IT environment, and information-processing controls. In addition, as IT utilization brings additional risk, the new guidance expressly defines risks arising from the use of IT.

As audits proceed with the new guidelines, we expect a learning period for auditors, IT professionals, and nonprofit leaders. If you have questions about what the new requirements entail, you are not alone. Community IT has begun to field questions from our clients and their auditors about IT systems and cybersecurity controls. We will continue to share our insights and advice with our community as audits evolve to incorporate IT security.

We're happy to see IT security requirements finally addressed in financial audits 
and look forward to helping nonprofit leaders and auditors better understand the interplay of well-managed IT with better financial security and protection from bad actors.


Listen to CEO Johan Hammerstrom explain the changes to the guidelines in SAS145 that you will need to know whether you are in nonprofit IT, financial, or leadership roles, or an auditor looking for insights into the IT management side of the new requirements. 

Since the new nonprofit auditing requirements SAS145 impact everyone in nonprofits, please contact us if you have more questions we can help with.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16274489 Fri, 13 Dec 2024 16:00:00 -0500 1288 5 51 full false Year-End Cybersecurity Tips with Matt Eshleman Year-End Cybersecurity Tips with Matt Eshleman It won’t be a surprise that AI is on everyone’s mind. Matt also shared some thoughts on some year end cybersecurity tips and maintenance to ensure your cybersecurity practices – and permissions – are up to date.

Nonprofit Cybersecurity expert and Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman offered these year-end cybersecurity tips.

  • Do a permissions audit at the enterprise level – what are your defaults for sharing, and how are you training your staff to log in to various tools and subscriptions that can access your data? 
  • At a personal level, what are the safest ways to log on to your accounts? How should you be storing passwords? How are you setting your personal sharing and log in permissions? 
  • Reviewing these policies and practices – and actually going in to your systems and checking – is a good end-of-year cybersecurity task.
  • Consumer Reports has good tools for people who want to reduce their data footprint. 

Matt also reported back from the NGOISAC Conference on the trends that the community is seeing. For more information on the NGOISAC cybersecurity community for NGOs and Nonprofits, use this link.

  • AI companies are not spending nearly enough on safety as they rush to market their products. That puts it on consumers and organizations to know how to protect themselves.
  • AI is increasing the ability of hackers, and in the arms race with protectors, a corresponding use of AI to block phishing and other hacks is playing catch up.
  • Nonprofits are going to need to understand our new environment where not just emails will seem realistic but where voice and video fakes will be put in use. Finding old fashioned ways to verify that the person you are interacting with is a person will become more important as AI powers grow.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> It won’t be a surprise that AI is on everyone’s mind. Matt also shared some thoughts on some year end cybersecurity tips and maintenance to ensure your cybersecurity practices – and permissions – are up to date.

Nonprofit Cybersecurity expert and Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman offered these year-end cybersecurity tips.

  • Do a permissions audit at the enterprise level – what are your defaults for sharing, and how are you training your staff to log in to various tools and subscriptions that can access your data? 
  • At a personal level, what are the safest ways to log on to your accounts? How should you be storing passwords? How are you setting your personal sharing and log in permissions? 
  • Reviewing these policies and practices – and actually going in to your systems and checking – is a good end-of-year cybersecurity task.
  • Consumer Reports has good tools for people who want to reduce their data footprint. 

Matt also reported back from the NGOISAC Conference on the trends that the community is seeing. For more information on the NGOISAC cybersecurity community for NGOs and Nonprofits, use this link.

  • AI companies are not spending nearly enough on safety as they rush to market their products. That puts it on consumers and organizations to know how to protect themselves.
  • AI is increasing the ability of hackers, and in the arms race with protectors, a corresponding use of AI to block phishing and other hacks is playing catch up.
  • Nonprofits are going to need to understand our new environment where not just emails will seem realistic but where voice and video fakes will be put in use. Finding old fashioned ways to verify that the person you are interacting with is a person will become more important as AI powers grow.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16228147 Fri, 06 Dec 2024 15:00:00 -0500 1545 5 50 full false 6 Tips for Nonprofit IT in December with Carolyn Woodard 6 Tips for Nonprofit IT in December with Carolyn Woodard If you find yourself with a little downtime, what should you work on?

The Gala is back! If your nonprofit is focused on an end of the year fundraising event, you may find yourself and your IT team with a little extra time on your hands this December as the rest of your staff are pulled away from their desks and are calling the help desk less frequently. Carolyn Woodard reviewed our recent webinars and podcasts for advice on what projects you might want to start now to be ready to hit the ground running in the new year.

Our list of 6 tips for nonprofit IT in December:

1. Do you have an IT Roadmap? This is one of the most important planning documents you can have as a nonprofit IT professional and leader. We have resources on our site to help you get started.

2. Think about policies and governance. This doesn’t mean you have to write them yourself before January. But if you have an hour free, you can go through our checklists of the most important policies to have, and review your existing documents, and be ready to meet with your leadership team in the new year with advice and priorities ready to go.

3. What is your AI policy? We created a policy template specific to nonprofits that you can download and adapt to your own organization’s values and needs. As AI tools and issues come at our organizations faster and faster, make sure you are setting the policy rather than just accepting whatever happens.

4. Map your data. The more AI tools come into use within our organizations, the more important permissions are going to become as those tools interact with our data. Not just with databases, but also with files, AI is going to find whatever it can find. Think about permissions, and training your staff, and how valuable your data is to you and to hackers.

5. A fifth project we recommend is tracking your inventory, subscriptions and licenses. Once you have an inventory system in place – and maybe have discovered you can do a better job of tracking onboarding and off boarding, or where you can be saving money with an enterprise license rather than individual licenses – it gets easier from there.

6. If you still have any time during your down time – we recommend you block off some time to take some tutorials. Did you know that learning a new skill and improving your confidence in new tools can actually lower your stress levels as an IT professional? If you haven’t been making time for learning, and you have a little down time this December, why don’t you see if you can get in the habit? 

During the regular hustle and bustle of your IT job you may not feel you have time to get started on any of these important projects, so make time when you have down time to think about what you are missing and where to start. Setting priorities is important too, and being realistic. Maybe one of these projects is plenty! Don’t think you are going to finish any of these projects this December, or that you have to do them entirely on your own. But putting a little prep work in now can help you get them off the ground in the new year, with specific questions for your colleagues and specific goals and strategies. 

And won’t that be a great feeling to greet the new year

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> If you find yourself with a little downtime, what should you work on?

The Gala is back! If your nonprofit is focused on an end of the year fundraising event, you may find yourself and your IT team with a little extra time on your hands this December as the rest of your staff are pulled away from their desks and are calling the help desk less frequently. Carolyn Woodard reviewed our recent webinars and podcasts for advice on what projects you might want to start now to be ready to hit the ground running in the new year.

Our list of 6 tips for nonprofit IT in December:

1. Do you have an IT Roadmap? This is one of the most important planning documents you can have as a nonprofit IT professional and leader. We have resources on our site to help you get started.

2. Think about policies and governance. This doesn’t mean you have to write them yourself before January. But if you have an hour free, you can go through our checklists of the most important policies to have, and review your existing documents, and be ready to meet with your leadership team in the new year with advice and priorities ready to go.

3. What is your AI policy? We created a policy template specific to nonprofits that you can download and adapt to your own organization’s values and needs. As AI tools and issues come at our organizations faster and faster, make sure you are setting the policy rather than just accepting whatever happens.

4. Map your data. The more AI tools come into use within our organizations, the more important permissions are going to become as those tools interact with our data. Not just with databases, but also with files, AI is going to find whatever it can find. Think about permissions, and training your staff, and how valuable your data is to you and to hackers.

5. A fifth project we recommend is tracking your inventory, subscriptions and licenses. Once you have an inventory system in place – and maybe have discovered you can do a better job of tracking onboarding and off boarding, or where you can be saving money with an enterprise license rather than individual licenses – it gets easier from there.

6. If you still have any time during your down time – we recommend you block off some time to take some tutorials. Did you know that learning a new skill and improving your confidence in new tools can actually lower your stress levels as an IT professional? If you haven’t been making time for learning, and you have a little down time this December, why don’t you see if you can get in the habit? 

During the regular hustle and bustle of your IT job you may not feel you have time to get started on any of these important projects, so make time when you have down time to think about what you are missing and where to start. Setting priorities is important too, and being realistic. Maybe one of these projects is plenty! Don’t think you are going to finish any of these projects this December, or that you have to do them entirely on your own. But putting a little prep work in now can help you get them off the ground in the new year, with specific questions for your colleagues and specific goals and strategies. 

And won’t that be a great feeling to greet the new year

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16185947 Fri, 29 Nov 2024 15:00:00 -0500 903 5 49 full false De-Stress! Self Care in Nonprofit IT Roles with Carolyn Woodard De-Stress! Self Care in Nonprofit IT Roles with Carolyn Woodard Are you feeling burned out? 
Nonprofit IT can be exhausting. Learn how to de-stress to better tackle your job and help your nonprofit succeed.

There is so much stress in managing nonprofit IT. 

There are conflicting agendas, tight budgets, and unrealistic demands. 
A lot of us have been burned by IT projects in the past that still give us nightmares. The tool was expensive, required a huge project to implement, took a ton of time, didn’t work, everyone hated it, the training was terrible, and the vendor or consultants or your boss left you holding the bag. 

Some executives really do understand how crucial functioning IT is to your nonprofit – to your work life and to your ability to achieve your mission. 
But even if you are lucky enough to have a lot of leadership, IT management is still tough. It touches every staff member and even little issues can make your work unworkable. Don’t get us started on cybersecurity fears.

While you work on the big picture of IT management at your nonprofit, don’t forget to work on managing your own stress and avoiding burnout.
With all the recent research and attention paid to self-care in nonprofit careers we wanted to spend a webinar focused particularly on 
de-stress and self-care in nonprofit IT roles. 

Director of Marketing and recovering IT Director at large and small nonprofits Carolyn Woodard explores the latest research on the benefits of de-stressing and some tips on incorporating self-care in your nonprofit IT management routine.

If your first reaction to the idea of self care is that you are too busy to put it on your to-do list, this is the podcast episode for you.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Are you feeling burned out? 
Nonprofit IT can be exhausting. Learn how to de-stress to better tackle your job and help your nonprofit succeed.

There is so much stress in managing nonprofit IT. 

There are conflicting agendas, tight budgets, and unrealistic demands. 
A lot of us have been burned by IT projects in the past that still give us nightmares. The tool was expensive, required a huge project to implement, took a ton of time, didn’t work, everyone hated it, the training was terrible, and the vendor or consultants or your boss left you holding the bag. 

Some executives really do understand how crucial functioning IT is to your nonprofit – to your work life and to your ability to achieve your mission. 
But even if you are lucky enough to have a lot of leadership, IT management is still tough. It touches every staff member and even little issues can make your work unworkable. Don’t get us started on cybersecurity fears.

While you work on the big picture of IT management at your nonprofit, don’t forget to work on managing your own stress and avoiding burnout.
With all the recent research and attention paid to self-care in nonprofit careers we wanted to spend a webinar focused particularly on 
de-stress and self-care in nonprofit IT roles. 

Director of Marketing and recovering IT Director at large and small nonprofits Carolyn Woodard explores the latest research on the benefits of de-stressing and some tips on incorporating self-care in your nonprofit IT management routine.

If your first reaction to the idea of self care is that you are too busy to put it on your to-do list, this is the podcast episode for you.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16158259 Fri, 22 Nov 2024 16:00:00 -0500 2463 5 48 full false Design an IT Roadmap to Create Value with Johan Hammerstrom Design an IT Roadmap to Create Value with Johan Hammerstrom Do you have an IT roadmap at your nonprofit? 
As a nonprofit leader, how can you design an IT roadmap to create value for your organization?

On October 3, 2024 the Center for Public and Nonprofit Leadership partnered with Community IT Innovators to provide a workshop: Design an IT Roadmap to Create Value for Your Nonprofit.

To fully utilize the power of IT to support your nonprofit, you need to have a plan. View the workshop video to learn the steps to create your own IT roadmap and incorporate IT strategy into your leadership and budget practice.

To learn more about the Georgetown Center for Public & Nonprofit Leadership at the McCourt School of Public Policy check out their program here. The Center for Public & Nonprofit Leadership provides advanced education in leadership, public and nonprofit management, advocacy and philanthropy, with domestic and international applications. Their multi-sectoral approach, public policy orientation, and research focus on effective practices, ensure the breadth and relevance of the educational experiences we offer.

They focus on four program areas, found on their website:

Executive Certificate and Customized Programs available online and in person.
Graduate Education
Research that Informs Practice
Local to Global Community Engagement

Thank you, Georgetown Center for Public & Nonprofit Leadership for inviting us to present to your alumni and to Hoyas For Others.

This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers, accounting, development, and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Do you have an IT roadmap at your nonprofit? 
As a nonprofit leader, how can you design an IT roadmap to create value for your organization?

On October 3, 2024 the Center for Public and Nonprofit Leadership partnered with Community IT Innovators to provide a workshop: Design an IT Roadmap to Create Value for Your Nonprofit.

To fully utilize the power of IT to support your nonprofit, you need to have a plan. View the workshop video to learn the steps to create your own IT roadmap and incorporate IT strategy into your leadership and budget practice.

To learn more about the Georgetown Center for Public & Nonprofit Leadership at the McCourt School of Public Policy check out their program here. The Center for Public & Nonprofit Leadership provides advanced education in leadership, public and nonprofit management, advocacy and philanthropy, with domestic and international applications. Their multi-sectoral approach, public policy orientation, and research focus on effective practices, ensure the breadth and relevance of the educational experiences we offer.

They focus on four program areas, found on their website:

Executive Certificate and Customized Programs available online and in person.
Graduate Education
Research that Informs Practice
Local to Global Community Engagement

Thank you, Georgetown Center for Public & Nonprofit Leadership for inviting us to present to your alumni and to Hoyas For Others.

This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers, accounting, development, and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16114805 Fri, 15 Nov 2024 14:00:00 -0500 3313 5 47 full false Consejos Para Organizar Archivos en la Nube con Norwin Herrera Consejos Para Organizar Archivos en la Nube con Norwin Herrera Las mejores prácticas para organizar sus archivos en la nube para lograr seguridad y eficiencia.

La organización de archivos en la nube es algo que puede parecer una prioridad menor, en particular con el aumento de las herramientas de búsqueda potentes y ahora con el auge de la búsqueda con inteligencia artificial (IA). Carolyn habló con el invitado Norwin Herrera, IT Business Manager Team Lead de Community IT, para responder a preguntas sobre por qué es importante crear un sistema de organización de archivos, tanto para una mayor ciberseguridad en el mundo de la IA como para la productividad y la eficiencia de su personal. Los consejos para la organización de archivos en la nube incluyen priorizar el proyecto, etiquetar claramente los archivos y crear políticas de gobernanza sólidas y capacitar al personal sobre sus expectativas en cuanto al etiquetado y el guardado de archivos.

Norwin ofrece algunas razones para etiquetar con precisión sus archivos y defiende la necesidad de organizarse en línea. También ofrece consejos para lograr que su liderazgo participe en la definición de sus políticas de organización de archivos y vea las ventajas estratégicas de priorizar este proyecto.


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Las mejores prácticas para organizar sus archivos en la nube para lograr seguridad y eficiencia.

La organización de archivos en la nube es algo que puede parecer una prioridad menor, en particular con el aumento de las herramientas de búsqueda potentes y ahora con el auge de la búsqueda con inteligencia artificial (IA). Carolyn habló con el invitado Norwin Herrera, IT Business Manager Team Lead de Community IT, para responder a preguntas sobre por qué es importante crear un sistema de organización de archivos, tanto para una mayor ciberseguridad en el mundo de la IA como para la productividad y la eficiencia de su personal. Los consejos para la organización de archivos en la nube incluyen priorizar el proyecto, etiquetar claramente los archivos y crear políticas de gobernanza sólidas y capacitar al personal sobre sus expectativas en cuanto al etiquetado y el guardado de archivos.

Norwin ofrece algunas razones para etiquetar con precisión sus archivos y defiende la necesidad de organizarse en línea. También ofrece consejos para lograr que su liderazgo participe en la definición de sus políticas de organización de archivos y vea las ventajas estratégicas de priorizar este proyecto.


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16085478 Mon, 11 Nov 2024 12:00:00 -0500 920 5 46 full false Cloud File Organization Tips with Norwin Herrera Cloud File Organization Tips with Norwin Herrera Best practices on organizing your files in the cloud for security and efficiency.

Cloud files organization is something that can seem like a low priority, particularly with the rise of strong search tools and now with the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) search. Carolyn spoke with guest Norwin Herrera, IT Business Manager, to answer questions about why it’s important to create a file organization system, both for increased cybersecurity in the world of AI, and for the productivity and efficiency of your staff. Cloud file organization tips include prioritizing the project, clearly labeling files, and creating strong governance policies and training staff on your expectations on labeling and saving files.

Having a method and a system is important for safeguarding file access when you use AI tools to search accessible files. It’s also important to create a file retention policy for your organization, and governance around file search. 

How can you save money by routinely saving what is important and removing old or misleading files to an archive or deleting them? In addition to spending your nonprofit funds to backup files that are no longer relevant, your staff will spend more time evaluating if the AI search tool has surfaced a relevant or irrelevant file. That staff time is also money. 

Norwin provides some reasons to accurately label your files and makes a case for being organized online. He also provides tips on getting your leadership engaged in setting your file organization policies and seeing the strategic advantages to prioritizing this project.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Best practices on organizing your files in the cloud for security and efficiency.

Cloud files organization is something that can seem like a low priority, particularly with the rise of strong search tools and now with the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) search. Carolyn spoke with guest Norwin Herrera, IT Business Manager, to answer questions about why it’s important to create a file organization system, both for increased cybersecurity in the world of AI, and for the productivity and efficiency of your staff. Cloud file organization tips include prioritizing the project, clearly labeling files, and creating strong governance policies and training staff on your expectations on labeling and saving files.

Having a method and a system is important for safeguarding file access when you use AI tools to search accessible files. It’s also important to create a file retention policy for your organization, and governance around file search. 

How can you save money by routinely saving what is important and removing old or misleading files to an archive or deleting them? In addition to spending your nonprofit funds to backup files that are no longer relevant, your staff will spend more time evaluating if the AI search tool has surfaced a relevant or irrelevant file. That staff time is also money. 

Norwin provides some reasons to accurately label your files and makes a case for being organized online. He also provides tips on getting your leadership engaged in setting your file organization policies and seeing the strategic advantages to prioritizing this project.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16071370 Fri, 08 Nov 2024 15:00:00 -0500 1367 5 45 full false Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook with Matt Eshleman pt 2 Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook with Matt Eshleman pt 2 Is your nonprofit struggling to understand cybersecurity fundamentals? 
Are you unsure what level of protection you need or can afford?

In part 1, Matt discussed the cybersecurity landscape for nonprofits and some of the changes that prompted this update to the Playbook. In pt 2, Matt walks through the "foundational" suggestions and takes audience questions.

October is Cybersecurity month! Community IT Chief Technology Officer Matt Eshleman walked through our revised Playbook on Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits in a webinar designed to get your nonprofit prepped to face cyberliability insurance requirements and ever-evolving threats. 

Learn the Community IT approach to cybersecurity and how even small changes will protect your organization against threats big and small. 


2024 Updated Playbook on Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits – Download

Matt shares updated advice on security improvements that provide protection against the most common attacks. You will learn about AI and cybersecurity, best practices in staff training, how to qualify for cyber insurance, and why you need written IT documentation and governance policies. Do you have an approach to compliance? Do you know if your staff are following your cybersecurity policies and procedures? 

With the rise of automated and realistic AI tools and more sophisticated methods of identity and email verification, your nonprofit can’t afford not to prioritize cybersecurity. It may be difficult to qualify for business insurance if you don’t complete certain checklists of cybersecurity precautions. But if you don’t know where to start, it can be tempting to delay indefinitely.

This Playbook gives you a simple structure to understand how to think about cybersecurity risks and costs for your nonprofit. Matt’s presentation gives you tips you can put in place quickly and train your staff on immediately. You can download the new Playbook for free here.

This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers, accounting, development, and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenter:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT and our resident cybersecurity expert, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy around the technology platforms used by organizations to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.

Matt is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and has presented at the Inside NGO conference, Non-Profit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Is your nonprofit struggling to understand cybersecurity fundamentals? 
Are you unsure what level of protection you need or can afford?

In part 1, Matt discussed the cybersecurity landscape for nonprofits and some of the changes that prompted this update to the Playbook. In pt 2, Matt walks through the "foundational" suggestions and takes audience questions.

October is Cybersecurity month! Community IT Chief Technology Officer Matt Eshleman walked through our revised Playbook on Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits in a webinar designed to get your nonprofit prepped to face cyberliability insurance requirements and ever-evolving threats. 

Learn the Community IT approach to cybersecurity and how even small changes will protect your organization against threats big and small. 


2024 Updated Playbook on Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits – Download

Matt shares updated advice on security improvements that provide protection against the most common attacks. You will learn about AI and cybersecurity, best practices in staff training, how to qualify for cyber insurance, and why you need written IT documentation and governance policies. Do you have an approach to compliance? Do you know if your staff are following your cybersecurity policies and procedures? 

With the rise of automated and realistic AI tools and more sophisticated methods of identity and email verification, your nonprofit can’t afford not to prioritize cybersecurity. It may be difficult to qualify for business insurance if you don’t complete certain checklists of cybersecurity precautions. But if you don’t know where to start, it can be tempting to delay indefinitely.

This Playbook gives you a simple structure to understand how to think about cybersecurity risks and costs for your nonprofit. Matt’s presentation gives you tips you can put in place quickly and train your staff on immediately. You can download the new Playbook for free here.

This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers, accounting, development, and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenter:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT and our resident cybersecurity expert, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy around the technology platforms used by organizations to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.

Matt is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and has presented at the Inside NGO conference, Non-Profit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-16032460 Fri, 01 Nov 2024 14:00:00 -0400 1779 5 44 full false Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook with Matt Eshleman pt 1 Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook with Matt Eshleman pt 1
Is your nonprofit struggling to understand cybersecurity fundamentals? 
Are you unsure what level of protection you need or can afford?

In part 1, Matt discussed the cybersecurity landscape for nonprofits and some of the changes that prompted this update to the Playbook. In pt 2, Matt walks through the "foundational" suggestions and takes audience questions.

October is Cybersecurity month! Community IT Chief Technology Officer Matt Eshleman walked through our revised Playbook on Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits in a webinar designed to get your nonprofit prepped to face cyberliability insurance requirements and ever-evolving threats. 

Learn the Community IT approach to cybersecurity and how even small changes will protect your organization against threats big and small. 


2024 Updated Playbook on Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits – Download

Matt shares updated advice on security improvements that provide protection against the most common attacks. You will learn about AI and cybersecurity, best practices in staff training, how to qualify for cyber insurance, and why you need written IT documentation and governance policies. Do you have an approach to compliance? Do you know if your staff are following your cybersecurity policies and procedures? 

With the rise of automated and realistic AI tools and more sophisticated methods of identity and email verification, your nonprofit can’t afford not to prioritize cybersecurity. It may be difficult to qualify for business insurance if you don’t complete certain checklists of cybersecurity precautions. But if you don’t know where to start, it can be tempting to delay indefinitely.

This Playbook gives you a simple structure to understand how to think about cybersecurity risks and costs for your nonprofit. Matt’s presentation gives you tips you can put in place quickly and train your staff on immediately. You can download the new Playbook for free here.

This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers, accounting, development, and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenter:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT and our resident cybersecurity expert, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy around the technology platforms used by organizations to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.

Matt joined Community IT as an intern in the summer of 2000 and after finishing his dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University, he rejoined Community IT as a network administrator in January of 2001. Matt has steadily

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]>
Is your nonprofit struggling to understand cybersecurity fundamentals? 
Are you unsure what level of protection you need or can afford?

In part 1, Matt discussed the cybersecurity landscape for nonprofits and some of the changes that prompted this update to the Playbook. In pt 2, Matt walks through the "foundational" suggestions and takes audience questions.

October is Cybersecurity month! Community IT Chief Technology Officer Matt Eshleman walked through our revised Playbook on Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits in a webinar designed to get your nonprofit prepped to face cyberliability insurance requirements and ever-evolving threats. 

Learn the Community IT approach to cybersecurity and how even small changes will protect your organization against threats big and small. 


2024 Updated Playbook on Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits – Download

Matt shares updated advice on security improvements that provide protection against the most common attacks. You will learn about AI and cybersecurity, best practices in staff training, how to qualify for cyber insurance, and why you need written IT documentation and governance policies. Do you have an approach to compliance? Do you know if your staff are following your cybersecurity policies and procedures? 

With the rise of automated and realistic AI tools and more sophisticated methods of identity and email verification, your nonprofit can’t afford not to prioritize cybersecurity. It may be difficult to qualify for business insurance if you don’t complete certain checklists of cybersecurity precautions. But if you don’t know where to start, it can be tempting to delay indefinitely.

This Playbook gives you a simple structure to understand how to think about cybersecurity risks and costs for your nonprofit. Matt’s presentation gives you tips you can put in place quickly and train your staff on immediately. You can download the new Playbook for free here.

This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers, accounting, development, and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenter:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT and our resident cybersecurity expert, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy around the technology platforms used by organizations to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.

Matt joined Community IT as an intern in the summer of 2000 and after finishing his dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University, he rejoined Community IT as a network administrator in January of 2001. Matt has steadily

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15992127 Fri, 25 Oct 2024 16:00:00 -0400 1847 5 43 full false Data Governance for Nonprofits with Jeff Gibson Data Governance for Nonprofits with Jeff Gibson
Best practices on improving data security, making the case for creating the policies, and the impact of AI on data security.

Carolyn speaks with guest Jeff Gibson from Build Consulting to answer questions about why data is important to nonprofits, how your data can get really widely distributed in different tools in different departments, and why it is important to do an audit and assessment to know what data you have. 

Do you know where your data risks lie? Do you know you are in compliance with laws and your internal policies? Do you have a data policy? What do you need to know about data governance for nonprofits?

Jeff has over 25 years in nonprofit IT including as CIO Chief Information Officer, but recognizes that many staff at nonprofits work with data or use tools that create databases – but don’t have a data background or expertise with database management. That can create holes in your cybersecurity that cause real risks for your organization. 

But it can be really difficult to see a need for specific data policies. It can be difficult to convince leadership to prioritize the time to do a data assessment and create data policies. And at small to medium sized nonprofits without resources for a compliance team, it can be hard to monitor compliance with your own policies and with legal requirements. 

Jeff shared his experiences and insights into these difficulties and offered some tips on making the case for the danger of unmanaged data. If you are feeling anxious about your data security policies, this discussion on data governance for nonprofits will give you ideas on how to move forward. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]>
Best practices on improving data security, making the case for creating the policies, and the impact of AI on data security.

Carolyn speaks with guest Jeff Gibson from Build Consulting to answer questions about why data is important to nonprofits, how your data can get really widely distributed in different tools in different departments, and why it is important to do an audit and assessment to know what data you have. 

Do you know where your data risks lie? Do you know you are in compliance with laws and your internal policies? Do you have a data policy? What do you need to know about data governance for nonprofits?

Jeff has over 25 years in nonprofit IT including as CIO Chief Information Officer, but recognizes that many staff at nonprofits work with data or use tools that create databases – but don’t have a data background or expertise with database management. That can create holes in your cybersecurity that cause real risks for your organization. 

But it can be really difficult to see a need for specific data policies. It can be difficult to convince leadership to prioritize the time to do a data assessment and create data policies. And at small to medium sized nonprofits without resources for a compliance team, it can be hard to monitor compliance with your own policies and with legal requirements. 

Jeff shared his experiences and insights into these difficulties and offered some tips on making the case for the danger of unmanaged data. If you are feeling anxious about your data security policies, this discussion on data governance for nonprofits will give you ideas on how to move forward. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15950329 Fri, 18 Oct 2024 15:00:00 -0400 1444 5 42 full false Tracking Subscriptions Tips for Nonprofits with Pat Sprehe Tracking Subscriptions Tips for Nonprofits with Pat Sprehe How do you track your subscriptions and licenses? Why is it important to know who has which subscription at your nonprofit? 

Many clients come to Community IT experiencing difficulty tracking IT inventory. In addition to tracking physical hardware, laptops, and devices, nonprofits also can find it difficult to track licenses and software subscriptions to cloud-based apps and IT tools. 

The rise in cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) models has led to ease of use. It is really easy to sign up for a subscription to many IT tools and platforms that can help productivity and benefit your nonprofit. But there are many advantages to tracking subscriptions, and disadvantages – financial and security – over leaving subscriptions and licenses up to individuals on your staff. Also make sure your nonprofit has strong practices for off-boarding staff and ending their subscriptions and licenses when no longer needed. 

Director of Information Systems and Technology Pat Sprehe joins Carolyn in this podcast to discuss the reasons your nonprofit should care about licenses and subscriptions, and how to go about managing the ecosystem from an IT and budget perspective. Among other duties, Pat manages subscriptions and licenses for Community IT staff and is well aware of the challenges and issues.

Learn best practices to manage costs and ensure security for all your users, without stifling their entrepreneurship and self-management. With a little prioritization now, you can ensure your organization is protected from bad actors and can save on subscriptions and licenses.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> How do you track your subscriptions and licenses? Why is it important to know who has which subscription at your nonprofit? 

Many clients come to Community IT experiencing difficulty tracking IT inventory. In addition to tracking physical hardware, laptops, and devices, nonprofits also can find it difficult to track licenses and software subscriptions to cloud-based apps and IT tools. 

The rise in cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) models has led to ease of use. It is really easy to sign up for a subscription to many IT tools and platforms that can help productivity and benefit your nonprofit. But there are many advantages to tracking subscriptions, and disadvantages – financial and security – over leaving subscriptions and licenses up to individuals on your staff. Also make sure your nonprofit has strong practices for off-boarding staff and ending their subscriptions and licenses when no longer needed. 

Director of Information Systems and Technology Pat Sprehe joins Carolyn in this podcast to discuss the reasons your nonprofit should care about licenses and subscriptions, and how to go about managing the ecosystem from an IT and budget perspective. Among other duties, Pat manages subscriptions and licenses for Community IT staff and is well aware of the challenges and issues.

Learn best practices to manage costs and ensure security for all your users, without stifling their entrepreneurship and self-management. With a little prioritization now, you can ensure your organization is protected from bad actors and can save on subscriptions and licenses.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15899037 Fri, 11 Oct 2024 15:00:00 -0400 927 5 41 full false IT Inventory Tips for Nonprofits with Johan Hammerstrom IT Inventory Tips for Nonprofits with Johan Hammerstrom What do you need to do now to track your inventory? Why do you need to track inventory - and why isn't there a killer app for that yet?

A significant number of clients come to Community IT without any inventory tracking at all. Besides being a financial risk this is a clear security risk - especially if you have no system in place to off-board staff who leave your nonprofit but keep their laptop and access to private files and business subscriptions.

Why is it so hard to track inventory if you are a smaller organization (under 100 staff)? Listen to CEO Johan Hammerstrom share the three categories of inventory you need to track, and where that information probably lives at your nonprofit. With a little prioritization now, you can ensure your organization is protected from bad actors and can account for all your laptops. Johan shares these IT inventory tips to help our community avoid headaches and security risks. 

Some Key IT Inventory Tips:

There is no perfect software or app to track inventory for smaller organizations. You will have to track it yourself, it cannot easily be delegated and philosophically probably shouldn’t be outsourced. A spreadsheet can work for smaller organizations.

Three categories of inventory you need to track:

  • Equipment as an asset that the organization has purchased. Need to track it as part of financial accounting. Usually tracked by finance team.
  • Who has that equipment been assigned to? Which laptop went to which staff member? This can also be tracked by the finance or HR team, or the IT team.
  • Who is logged in to that computer? Who is the end user and which apps and licenses are they using (that the organization is paying for). Where is it located, how is it logged into the internet, who is the last person to log in to it? Your IT team will be able to track this. 

You should cross reference these three categories and reconcile them periodically.

You need a standard process for off-boarding staff and recovering equipment from them/deactivating their subscriptions and access. 

Managing subscriptions is a related issue, and is equally important for your nonprofit to track, both for financial reasons (paying for subscriptions that are not being used, or paying for individual subscriptions when an enterprise subscription would be easier/cheaper/have more features) and for cybersecurity reasons.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> What do you need to do now to track your inventory? Why do you need to track inventory - and why isn't there a killer app for that yet?

A significant number of clients come to Community IT without any inventory tracking at all. Besides being a financial risk this is a clear security risk - especially if you have no system in place to off-board staff who leave your nonprofit but keep their laptop and access to private files and business subscriptions.

Why is it so hard to track inventory if you are a smaller organization (under 100 staff)? Listen to CEO Johan Hammerstrom share the three categories of inventory you need to track, and where that information probably lives at your nonprofit. With a little prioritization now, you can ensure your organization is protected from bad actors and can account for all your laptops. Johan shares these IT inventory tips to help our community avoid headaches and security risks. 

Some Key IT Inventory Tips:

There is no perfect software or app to track inventory for smaller organizations. You will have to track it yourself, it cannot easily be delegated and philosophically probably shouldn’t be outsourced. A spreadsheet can work for smaller organizations.

Three categories of inventory you need to track:

  • Equipment as an asset that the organization has purchased. Need to track it as part of financial accounting. Usually tracked by finance team.
  • Who has that equipment been assigned to? Which laptop went to which staff member? This can also be tracked by the finance or HR team, or the IT team.
  • Who is logged in to that computer? Who is the end user and which apps and licenses are they using (that the organization is paying for). Where is it located, how is it logged into the internet, who is the last person to log in to it? Your IT team will be able to track this. 

You should cross reference these three categories and reconcile them periodically.

You need a standard process for off-boarding staff and recovering equipment from them/deactivating their subscriptions and access. 

Managing subscriptions is a related issue, and is equally important for your nonprofit to track, both for financial reasons (paying for subscriptions that are not being used, or paying for individual subscriptions when an enterprise subscription would be easier/cheaper/have more features) and for cybersecurity reasons.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15870326 Fri, 04 Oct 2024 15:00:00 -0400 1367 5 40 full false Using an IT Skills Matrix with Heather Ritchie pt 2 Using an IT Skills Matrix with Heather Ritchie pt 2 Have you ever used a skills matrix in IT change management at your nonprofit?

In pt 1, Heather describes a typical IT Skills Matrix and how you create one, and responds to audience questions. In podcast part 2, she delves into identifying stakeholders and gives several examples of when and how to use a Skills Matrix to build and empower your team.

Do you know your super-users and early adopters? Your champions and ambassadors? Do you know who on your staff will happily and reliably use the tool exactly as trained vs your staffer who is always looking for new features and finding new shortcuts? Do you know who usually needs a little extra training and review sessions? Who is tech-hesitant, or even tech-phobic? How can you make your IT roll out a success for ALL your users? Can using an IT skills matrix make a difference?

Join Build change management expert Heather Ritchie in an interactive, free webinar to learn about this simple and effective tool. She shares a spreadsheet template, talks through real life scenarios and examples from her work, and explores the benefits and challenges of creating a staff skills matrix.

A skills matrix is also a useful tool to increase the value of training and enhance your conversations about professional development. Where are you investing in your staff skills? Where should you invest? Where do your staff want to learn and improve? What skills will help them and your nonprofit the most?

How can using an IT skills matrix improve new tech rollout?

Build Consulting download: IT Skills Matrix Template

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. Community IT believes strongly that your IT vendor should be able to explain everything without jargon or lingo. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Have you ever used a skills matrix in IT change management at your nonprofit?

In pt 1, Heather describes a typical IT Skills Matrix and how you create one, and responds to audience questions. In podcast part 2, she delves into identifying stakeholders and gives several examples of when and how to use a Skills Matrix to build and empower your team.

Do you know your super-users and early adopters? Your champions and ambassadors? Do you know who on your staff will happily and reliably use the tool exactly as trained vs your staffer who is always looking for new features and finding new shortcuts? Do you know who usually needs a little extra training and review sessions? Who is tech-hesitant, or even tech-phobic? How can you make your IT roll out a success for ALL your users? Can using an IT skills matrix make a difference?

Join Build change management expert Heather Ritchie in an interactive, free webinar to learn about this simple and effective tool. She shares a spreadsheet template, talks through real life scenarios and examples from her work, and explores the benefits and challenges of creating a staff skills matrix.

A skills matrix is also a useful tool to increase the value of training and enhance your conversations about professional development. Where are you investing in your staff skills? Where should you invest? Where do your staff want to learn and improve? What skills will help them and your nonprofit the most?

How can using an IT skills matrix improve new tech rollout?

Build Consulting download: IT Skills Matrix Template

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. Community IT believes strongly that your IT vendor should be able to explain everything without jargon or lingo. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15814088 Fri, 27 Sep 2024 15:00:00 -0400 1589 5 39 full false Using an IT Skills Matrix with Heather Ritchie pt 1 Using an IT Skills Matrix with Heather Ritchie pt 1 Have you ever used a skills matrix in IT change management at your nonprofit?

In pt 1, Heather describes a typical IT Skills Matrix and how you create one, and responds to audience questions. In podcast part 2, she delves into identifying stakeholders and gives several examples of when and how to use a Skills Matrix to build and empower your team.

Do you know your super-users and early adopters? Your champions and ambassadors? Do you know who on your staff will happily and reliably use the tool exactly as trained vs your staffer who is always looking for new features and finding new shortcuts? Do you know who usually needs a little extra training and review sessions? Who is tech-hesitant, or even tech-phobic? How can you make your IT roll out a success for ALL your users? Can using an IT skills matrix make a difference?

Join Build change management expert Heather Ritchie in an interactive, free webinar to learn about this simple and effective tool. She shares a spreadsheet template, talks through real life scenarios and examples from her work, and explores the benefits and challenges of creating a staff skills matrix.

A skills matrix is also a useful tool to increase the value of training and enhance your conversations about professional development. Where are you investing in your staff skills? Where should you invest? Where do your staff want to learn and improve? What skills will help them and your nonprofit the most?

How can using an IT skills matrix improve new tech rollout?

Build Consulting download: IT Skills Matrix Template

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. Community IT believes strongly that your IT vendor should be able to explain everything without jargon or lingo. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Have you ever used a skills matrix in IT change management at your nonprofit?

In pt 1, Heather describes a typical IT Skills Matrix and how you create one, and responds to audience questions. In podcast part 2, she delves into identifying stakeholders and gives several examples of when and how to use a Skills Matrix to build and empower your team.

Do you know your super-users and early adopters? Your champions and ambassadors? Do you know who on your staff will happily and reliably use the tool exactly as trained vs your staffer who is always looking for new features and finding new shortcuts? Do you know who usually needs a little extra training and review sessions? Who is tech-hesitant, or even tech-phobic? How can you make your IT roll out a success for ALL your users? Can using an IT skills matrix make a difference?

Join Build change management expert Heather Ritchie in an interactive, free webinar to learn about this simple and effective tool. She shares a spreadsheet template, talks through real life scenarios and examples from her work, and explores the benefits and challenges of creating a staff skills matrix.

A skills matrix is also a useful tool to increase the value of training and enhance your conversations about professional development. Where are you investing in your staff skills? Where should you invest? Where do your staff want to learn and improve? What skills will help them and your nonprofit the most?

How can using an IT skills matrix improve new tech rollout?

Build Consulting download: IT Skills Matrix Template

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. Community IT believes strongly that your IT vendor should be able to explain everything without jargon or lingo. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15787586 Fri, 20 Sep 2024 14:00:00 -0400 1743 5 38 full false Google Tips for Nonprofits with Tiff Parker Google Tips for Nonprofits with Tiff Parker Tiff Parker is an expert in Google Workspace support, having used Google Workspace herself throughout her career and developing a practice as an in-house expert to our clients who use Google Workspace. Carolyn asked Tiff for her tips on features to use and things to know about Google Workspace at the office.

The takeaways: 

  • Know the difference between My Drive and Shared Drives, and set up Shared Drives for anything that you will want access to after a staff member leaves your organization. Step by step instructions to set up Shared Drives can be found in the Google knowledge center and can be done by “non technical” staff. Be thoughtful about creating the Shared Drives architecture and assigning access. Train your existing and new staff on your expectation for saving and collaborating on files using Shared Drives. 
  • Google uses the acronym “2SV” for second factor verification. Similar to Multi-Factor-Authentication (MFA,) you can use any authenticator (including Google’s) or have a text or call sent to your phone. Whatever you use, the important thing is to REQUIRE 2SV for any account that your staff log into.
  • Use Google Groups to save money on licenses and make it easier for teams or committees to collaborate. You can set up Google Groups with a single email address such as “contact@yourdomain” and all the members can see and respond. Groups has a lot of great use cases at nonprofits.
  • Google Calendar has an option for “rooms” that you can use for many resources you may want to be able to reserve, like projectors and other AV equipment if you are still using a physical office. 

Thank you, Tiff, for these useful tips! If you have more Google Workspace questions, or have a great tip to share, get in touch! 

Presenter: Tiff Parker joined Community IT Innovators as an IT Business Manager (ITBM) in October 2023. She brings over 17 years of experience working in nonprofit technology.

As an ITBM, she guides clients through implementation of effective technology investments and utilizing efficient IT services in direct support of their missions. She also assists clients with long-term planning, budgeting, and strategic goals.

The Community IT ITBM service provides an outsourced IT manager to clients at a reduced cost to hiring and having an IT manager on staff. These managers are a resource dedicated to matching technology solutions to clients’ business needs. 

The ITBM makes recommendations on IT investments, training programs, maintenance, and licenses. They help the client be forward-looking, and act as a vendor-agnostic, trusted advisor with deep knowledge of the nonprofit IT software and platforms available. Because Community IT works in partnership with clients to manage long-term IT needs, the ITBM relationship with the client makes them a true asset.

Prior to coming to Community IT, Tiff was the IT Director for an environmental nonprofit where she was responsible for the overall vision, planning, implementation, management and support of their various information systems, data, policies, and processes. Tiff graduated from Virginia Tech in 2007.  She holds the Microsoft 365 Fundamentals MS 900 certification.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Tiff Parker is an expert in Google Workspace support, having used Google Workspace herself throughout her career and developing a practice as an in-house expert to our clients who use Google Workspace. Carolyn asked Tiff for her tips on features to use and things to know about Google Workspace at the office.

The takeaways: 

  • Know the difference between My Drive and Shared Drives, and set up Shared Drives for anything that you will want access to after a staff member leaves your organization. Step by step instructions to set up Shared Drives can be found in the Google knowledge center and can be done by “non technical” staff. Be thoughtful about creating the Shared Drives architecture and assigning access. Train your existing and new staff on your expectation for saving and collaborating on files using Shared Drives. 
  • Google uses the acronym “2SV” for second factor verification. Similar to Multi-Factor-Authentication (MFA,) you can use any authenticator (including Google’s) or have a text or call sent to your phone. Whatever you use, the important thing is to REQUIRE 2SV for any account that your staff log into.
  • Use Google Groups to save money on licenses and make it easier for teams or committees to collaborate. You can set up Google Groups with a single email address such as “contact@yourdomain” and all the members can see and respond. Groups has a lot of great use cases at nonprofits.
  • Google Calendar has an option for “rooms” that you can use for many resources you may want to be able to reserve, like projectors and other AV equipment if you are still using a physical office. 

Thank you, Tiff, for these useful tips! If you have more Google Workspace questions, or have a great tip to share, get in touch! 

Presenter: Tiff Parker joined Community IT Innovators as an IT Business Manager (ITBM) in October 2023. She brings over 17 years of experience working in nonprofit technology.

As an ITBM, she guides clients through implementation of effective technology investments and utilizing efficient IT services in direct support of their missions. She also assists clients with long-term planning, budgeting, and strategic goals.

The Community IT ITBM service provides an outsourced IT manager to clients at a reduced cost to hiring and having an IT manager on staff. These managers are a resource dedicated to matching technology solutions to clients’ business needs. 

The ITBM makes recommendations on IT investments, training programs, maintenance, and licenses. They help the client be forward-looking, and act as a vendor-agnostic, trusted advisor with deep knowledge of the nonprofit IT software and platforms available. Because Community IT works in partnership with clients to manage long-term IT needs, the ITBM relationship with the client makes them a true asset.

Prior to coming to Community IT, Tiff was the IT Director for an environmental nonprofit where she was responsible for the overall vision, planning, implementation, management and support of their various information systems, data, policies, and processes. Tiff graduated from Virginia Tech in 2007.  She holds the Microsoft 365 Fundamentals MS 900 certification.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15749103 Fri, 13 Sep 2024 14:00:00 -0400 729 5 37 full false Managing a Few Macs at Your Nonprofit with Nura Aboki Managing a Few Macs at Your Nonprofit with Nura Aboki Senior Consultant Nura Aboki explores best practices on supporting one or two Macs when everyone else is on Windows laptops.

Nura and Carolyn discussed the ins and outs of supporting a few staff members and managing a few Macs, whether in a Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace environment. 

The days of leaving your Mac users to manage their own devices are long gone – current cybersecurity risks require full management of ALL your end users. You might try to get all your staff on the same laptops, but Mac users really love their Macs and are reluctant to give them up. How can you best ensure their device is secure while letting them use the machine that makes them the most productive? 

There are a lot of advantages to allowing Mac users to keep their Macs. It increases the pool of qualified talent you can hire, and can make your office more able to recover from cyber attacks by having a variety of laptops running different systems even if they are united on Microsoft or Google platforms. 

Nura recommends starting with policy – even if you are only managing a few Macs, you are going to want to include those users in your Acceptable Use Policies. You’ll also want to document the expectations on your IT team or IT provider for their level of Mac support. 

Second, do not leave your Mac users behind in terms of IT support. If you allow them, support them. If you are hiring for an internal IT team, ensure the ability to support Macs. And if you are hiring outsourced IT, be thorough in questioning their support agreement to manage a few Macs.

Finally, Nura gave us some ideas in three issues: 

  • on what one thing nonprofits could do to better support Mac users, 
  • what Mac users would do differently, and 
  • what Apple could do to better at the enterprise level in addition to the individual level.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Senior Consultant Nura Aboki explores best practices on supporting one or two Macs when everyone else is on Windows laptops.

Nura and Carolyn discussed the ins and outs of supporting a few staff members and managing a few Macs, whether in a Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace environment. 

The days of leaving your Mac users to manage their own devices are long gone – current cybersecurity risks require full management of ALL your end users. You might try to get all your staff on the same laptops, but Mac users really love their Macs and are reluctant to give them up. How can you best ensure their device is secure while letting them use the machine that makes them the most productive? 

There are a lot of advantages to allowing Mac users to keep their Macs. It increases the pool of qualified talent you can hire, and can make your office more able to recover from cyber attacks by having a variety of laptops running different systems even if they are united on Microsoft or Google platforms. 

Nura recommends starting with policy – even if you are only managing a few Macs, you are going to want to include those users in your Acceptable Use Policies. You’ll also want to document the expectations on your IT team or IT provider for their level of Mac support. 

Second, do not leave your Mac users behind in terms of IT support. If you allow them, support them. If you are hiring for an internal IT team, ensure the ability to support Macs. And if you are hiring outsourced IT, be thorough in questioning their support agreement to manage a few Macs.

Finally, Nura gave us some ideas in three issues: 

  • on what one thing nonprofits could do to better support Mac users, 
  • what Mac users would do differently, and 
  • what Apple could do to better at the enterprise level in addition to the individual level.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15701613 Fri, 06 Sep 2024 14:00:00 -0400 2326 5 36 full false Nonprofit Tech FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) pt 2 Nonprofit Tech FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) pt 2 Does your organization struggle to match your IT to your actual business needs? 
Learn how to right size your IT and get rid of FOMO.

In pt 1, Johan, Pat and Carolyn discuss Tech FOMO and the reasons nonprofits are susceptible to feeling it. They ask the webinar audience about their last new tech implementations and explore everyone’s current FOMO, AI. In part 2, Pat walks us through an IT decision making pathway (which you can download below) and Johan answers audience questions.

Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is a natural human condition. And when it comes to technology, shiny new tools and platforms can seem very shiny. Add in tech giants’ large marketing budgets and vendors who pressure you to keep up with the latest and greatest, and you can feel like you constantly need to move to the newer, better solution to get the latest features, or you will be missing out.

What if you could escape the cycle of reacting to new technology marketing by firmly establishing a new tech decision making process based in your nonprofit’s needs, with flexibility and vision, that includes a mechanism to thoughtfully evaluate where you want to go with your nonprofit technology over time?

Join CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Director of Information Systems and Technology Pat Sprehe for this webinar to learn how to assess your nonprofit’s readiness for new technology. Give your leadership team practical tools to evaluate new technology wants vs needs.

Is your nonprofit suffering from new tech FOMO?

Free Download: IT Decision Making Cheat Sheet For Nonprofits

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. Community IT believes strongly that your IT vendor should be able to explain everything without jargon or lingo. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Does your organization struggle to match your IT to your actual business needs? 
Learn how to right size your IT and get rid of FOMO.

In pt 1, Johan, Pat and Carolyn discuss Tech FOMO and the reasons nonprofits are susceptible to feeling it. They ask the webinar audience about their last new tech implementations and explore everyone’s current FOMO, AI. In part 2, Pat walks us through an IT decision making pathway (which you can download below) and Johan answers audience questions.

Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is a natural human condition. And when it comes to technology, shiny new tools and platforms can seem very shiny. Add in tech giants’ large marketing budgets and vendors who pressure you to keep up with the latest and greatest, and you can feel like you constantly need to move to the newer, better solution to get the latest features, or you will be missing out.

What if you could escape the cycle of reacting to new technology marketing by firmly establishing a new tech decision making process based in your nonprofit’s needs, with flexibility and vision, that includes a mechanism to thoughtfully evaluate where you want to go with your nonprofit technology over time?

Join CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Director of Information Systems and Technology Pat Sprehe for this webinar to learn how to assess your nonprofit’s readiness for new technology. Give your leadership team practical tools to evaluate new technology wants vs needs.

Is your nonprofit suffering from new tech FOMO?

Free Download: IT Decision Making Cheat Sheet For Nonprofits

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. Community IT believes strongly that your IT vendor should be able to explain everything without jargon or lingo. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15657934 Fri, 30 Aug 2024 14:00:00 -0400 1621 5 34 full false Nonprofit Tech FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) pt 1 Nonprofit Tech FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) pt 1 Does your organization struggle to match your IT to your actual business needs? 
Learn how to right size your IT and get rid of FOMO.

In pt 1, Johan, Pat and Carolyn discuss Tech FOMO and the reasons nonprofits are susceptible to feeling it. They ask the webinar audience about their last new tech implementations and explore everyone’s current FOMO, AI. In part 2, Pat walks us through an IT decision making pathway (which you can download below) and Johan answers audience questions.

Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is a natural human condition. And when it comes to technology, shiny new tools and platforms can seem very shiny. Add in tech giants’ large marketing budgets and vendors who pressure you to keep up with the latest and greatest, and you can feel like you constantly need to move to the newer, better solution to get the latest features, or you will be missing out.

What if you could escape the cycle of reacting to new technology marketing by firmly establishing a new tech decision making process based in your nonprofit’s needs, with flexibility and vision, that includes a mechanism to thoughtfully evaluate where you want to go with your nonprofit technology over time?

Join CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Director of Information Systems and Technology Pat Sprehe for this webinar to learn how to assess your nonprofit’s readiness for new technology. Give your leadership team practical tools to evaluate new technology wants vs needs.

Is your nonprofit suffering from new tech FOMO?

Free Download: IT Decision Making Cheat Sheet For Nonprofits

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. Community IT believes strongly that your IT vendor should be able to explain everything without jargon or lingo. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Does your organization struggle to match your IT to your actual business needs? 
Learn how to right size your IT and get rid of FOMO.

In pt 1, Johan, Pat and Carolyn discuss Tech FOMO and the reasons nonprofits are susceptible to feeling it. They ask the webinar audience about their last new tech implementations and explore everyone’s current FOMO, AI. In part 2, Pat walks us through an IT decision making pathway (which you can download below) and Johan answers audience questions.

Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is a natural human condition. And when it comes to technology, shiny new tools and platforms can seem very shiny. Add in tech giants’ large marketing budgets and vendors who pressure you to keep up with the latest and greatest, and you can feel like you constantly need to move to the newer, better solution to get the latest features, or you will be missing out.

What if you could escape the cycle of reacting to new technology marketing by firmly establishing a new tech decision making process based in your nonprofit’s needs, with flexibility and vision, that includes a mechanism to thoughtfully evaluate where you want to go with your nonprofit technology over time?

Join CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Director of Information Systems and Technology Pat Sprehe for this webinar to learn how to assess your nonprofit’s readiness for new technology. Give your leadership team practical tools to evaluate new technology wants vs needs.

Is your nonprofit suffering from new tech FOMO?

Free Download: IT Decision Making Cheat Sheet For Nonprofits

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. Community IT believes strongly that your IT vendor should be able to explain everything without jargon or lingo. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15631165 Fri, 23 Aug 2024 15:00:00 -0400 1916 5 33 full false AI Artificial Intelligence at Nonprofits with Matt Eshleman AI Artificial Intelligence at Nonprofits with Matt Eshleman The pace of new AI tools and uses on the market is like a rocket. Does your nonprofit have questions about cybersecurity, opting out, or best practices when using AI? 

Microsoft released a new AI Governance Framework for Nonprofits joining many institutions putting out guidelines and studying the impact of AI on nonprofits and the ways nonprofits are using AI. Many nonprofits are approaching AI very cautiously, or may not have developed policies yet to use AI securely. Or your nonprofit may have ethical questions about using AI at all.

How do you even attempt to opt out of AI tools that are packaged with an update of tools you already use? 

How do you communicate with your staff the ethics your organization expects staff to use when using AI?

Nonprofit Cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman shares his thoughts in this podcast on the importance of AI Artificial Intelligence at nonprofits. Some key takeaways:

  • Understanding that you can use your organization values about using AI without opting out of everything.
  • Opting out is difficult as tools you already use add AI enhancements and upgrades. It can be done but must be intentional. 
  • Cybersecurity concerns are valid concerns when using AI.
  • Understand when an AI is public and your queries and its responses will be part of a public data set, and when an AI tool is private to your own organization’s data.
  • AI for automation can be a very beneficial add to nonprofit productivity and ability to do more with less. 
  • Having someone or a team at your organization “own” training for secure and productive AI use is a good concept to embrace.
  • Some nonprofits are very tech-savvy and will be exploring AI uses for mission use cases. 
    • Almost every nonprofit is going to be using AI for increased productivity unless they plan to be vigilant and intentional about opting out.
  • Pay attention to the tools and reputation of the vendors. 
    • Larger organizations have a higher level of reputation to maintain and more resources to spend to get their AI tools right. 
    • During this AI bubble where so many new vendors are rushing to enter the market, nonprofits should be intentional about vetting new tools and vendors before committing.
    • When updating existing tools, research and evaluate and understand the new AI enhancements, and communicate them to staff. 
  • AI will be transformative to the nonprofit and every other sector. 

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman leads the team responsible for strategic planning, research, and implementation of the technology platforms used by nonprofit organization clients to be secure and productive. With extensive experience serving nonprofits, Matt also understands nonprofit culture and constraints, and has a history of implementing cost-effective and secure solutions at the enterprise level.

Matt has over 23 years of expertise in cybersecurity, IT support, team leadership, software selection and research, and client support. 

Matt holds dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems from Eastern Mennonite University

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> The pace of new AI tools and uses on the market is like a rocket. Does your nonprofit have questions about cybersecurity, opting out, or best practices when using AI? 

Microsoft released a new AI Governance Framework for Nonprofits joining many institutions putting out guidelines and studying the impact of AI on nonprofits and the ways nonprofits are using AI. Many nonprofits are approaching AI very cautiously, or may not have developed policies yet to use AI securely. Or your nonprofit may have ethical questions about using AI at all.

How do you even attempt to opt out of AI tools that are packaged with an update of tools you already use? 

How do you communicate with your staff the ethics your organization expects staff to use when using AI?

Nonprofit Cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman shares his thoughts in this podcast on the importance of AI Artificial Intelligence at nonprofits. Some key takeaways:

  • Understanding that you can use your organization values about using AI without opting out of everything.
  • Opting out is difficult as tools you already use add AI enhancements and upgrades. It can be done but must be intentional. 
  • Cybersecurity concerns are valid concerns when using AI.
  • Understand when an AI is public and your queries and its responses will be part of a public data set, and when an AI tool is private to your own organization’s data.
  • AI for automation can be a very beneficial add to nonprofit productivity and ability to do more with less. 
  • Having someone or a team at your organization “own” training for secure and productive AI use is a good concept to embrace.
  • Some nonprofits are very tech-savvy and will be exploring AI uses for mission use cases. 
    • Almost every nonprofit is going to be using AI for increased productivity unless they plan to be vigilant and intentional about opting out.
  • Pay attention to the tools and reputation of the vendors. 
    • Larger organizations have a higher level of reputation to maintain and more resources to spend to get their AI tools right. 
    • During this AI bubble where so many new vendors are rushing to enter the market, nonprofits should be intentional about vetting new tools and vendors before committing.
    • When updating existing tools, research and evaluate and understand the new AI enhancements, and communicate them to staff. 
  • AI will be transformative to the nonprofit and every other sector. 

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman leads the team responsible for strategic planning, research, and implementation of the technology platforms used by nonprofit organization clients to be secure and productive. With extensive experience serving nonprofits, Matt also understands nonprofit culture and constraints, and has a history of implementing cost-effective and secure solutions at the enterprise level.

Matt has over 23 years of expertise in cybersecurity, IT support, team leadership, software selection and research, and client support. 

Matt holds dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems from Eastern Mennonite University

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15595083 Fri, 16 Aug 2024 15:00:00 -0400 1438 5 32 full false Nonprofit Boards and IT Roadmaps with Carolyn Woodard Nonprofit Boards and IT Roadmaps with Carolyn Woodard Are you a new board member hoping to help your nonprofit navigate IT management? 

Do you know what you need to know about IT, cybersecurity, and change management as a board member? 

Where is your nonprofit on the scale of IT management maturity? 

In this podcast Marketing Director Carolyn Woodard, who has served as an IT Director at nonprofits in her career, shares best practices and her thoughts on the importance of

  • setting priorities
  • how to start designing an IT Roadmap from your priorities
  • how to allocate budget, staff time, and staff energy
  • understanding IT change management best practices and the staff capacity of your nonprofit
  • setting project timelines from your IT Roadmap

For more information on creating an IT Roadmap and to view the slides mentioned in this podcast, https://communityit.com/webinar-design-an-it-roadmap-to-create-value/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Are you a new board member hoping to help your nonprofit navigate IT management? 

Do you know what you need to know about IT, cybersecurity, and change management as a board member? 

Where is your nonprofit on the scale of IT management maturity? 

In this podcast Marketing Director Carolyn Woodard, who has served as an IT Director at nonprofits in her career, shares best practices and her thoughts on the importance of

  • setting priorities
  • how to start designing an IT Roadmap from your priorities
  • how to allocate budget, staff time, and staff energy
  • understanding IT change management best practices and the staff capacity of your nonprofit
  • setting project timelines from your IT Roadmap

For more information on creating an IT Roadmap and to view the slides mentioned in this podcast, https://communityit.com/webinar-design-an-it-roadmap-to-create-value/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15559067 Fri, 09 Aug 2024 17:00:00 -0400 2360 5 31 full false Cybersecurity Incident Recovery Plans with Matt Eshleman Cybersecurity Incident Recovery Plans with Matt Eshleman Whether or not your nonprofit faced Crowdstrike impacts, the aftermath of a national or worldwide incident is a great time to gather your cybersecurity team and run the exercise: what will your organization do during the next outage or cyber attack? 

Nonprofit Cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman shares his thoughts in this podcast on the importance of

  • reviewing your incident response and business continuity plans regularly, 
  • practicing your response regularly – what will you do if a critical person is absent? 
  • involving stakeholders outside the domain of the IT team to weigh the recovery options and order of importance. Payroll first? Email? Securing a backup of your data?

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman leads the team responsible for strategic planning, research, and implementation of the technology platforms used by nonprofit organization clients to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how nonprofit tech works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud. With extensive experience serving nonprofits, Matt also understands nonprofit culture and constraints, and has a history of implementing cost-effective and secure solutions at the enterprise level.

Matt has over 23 years of expertise in cybersecurity, IT support, team leadership, software selection and research, and client support. Matt is a frequent speaker on cybersecurity topics for nonprofits and has presented at NTEN events, the Inside NGO conference, Nonprofit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium, LGBT MAP Finance Conference, and Tech Forward Conference. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course, and our resident Cybersecurity expert.

Learn how to recover better from a cybersecurity incident with some key takeaways from this podcast.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Whether or not your nonprofit faced Crowdstrike impacts, the aftermath of a national or worldwide incident is a great time to gather your cybersecurity team and run the exercise: what will your organization do during the next outage or cyber attack? 

Nonprofit Cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman shares his thoughts in this podcast on the importance of

  • reviewing your incident response and business continuity plans regularly, 
  • practicing your response regularly – what will you do if a critical person is absent? 
  • involving stakeholders outside the domain of the IT team to weigh the recovery options and order of importance. Payroll first? Email? Securing a backup of your data?

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman leads the team responsible for strategic planning, research, and implementation of the technology platforms used by nonprofit organization clients to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how nonprofit tech works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud. With extensive experience serving nonprofits, Matt also understands nonprofit culture and constraints, and has a history of implementing cost-effective and secure solutions at the enterprise level.

Matt has over 23 years of expertise in cybersecurity, IT support, team leadership, software selection and research, and client support. Matt is a frequent speaker on cybersecurity topics for nonprofits and has presented at NTEN events, the Inside NGO conference, Nonprofit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium, LGBT MAP Finance Conference, and Tech Forward Conference. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course, and our resident Cybersecurity expert.

Learn how to recover better from a cybersecurity incident with some key takeaways from this podcast.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15516235 Fri, 02 Aug 2024 16:00:00 -0400 1059 5 30 full false Single Sign On (SSO) for Nonprofits pt 2 Single Sign On (SSO) for Nonprofits pt 2 In part 2, we discuss Single Sign On (SSO) implementation and roll out, and answer questions from the webinar audience.

In part 1, our guests Steve Longenecker and Phil Oswald Christano define SSO and go over what it does and doesn't do. We discuss the unfortunate fact that each app interacts with SSO differently so you have to enable it for each app. However, if you use Google or Microsoft you already have some basic tools to implement SSO.

If you have heard about Single Sign On (SSO) and wondered what it can do for your nonprofit, this webinar explains the concept and examines the ways that SSO can help your organization be more productive and work more safely online.

Single Sign-On (SSO) is a pivotal security and usability tool for any modern organization. By enabling users to access multiple applications with one set of login credentials, SSO not only simplifies the authentication process but also enhances security. 

At the most basic level, when a user is logged in via SSO, they access the websites and tools they use for work through that SSO service. Those individual websites and tools are configured to trust the SSO-providing service. Organizations can set up a stand-alone SSO service like Okta or use an existing service that provides the functionality as an option, like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. We discussed all of these options in the webinar.  

SSO allows organizations to focus their identity management efforts. It reduces the risk of password fatigue and decreases the likelihood of phishing attacks. SSO allows for improved governance around which applications users can access. User account provisioning and deprovisioning can be more efficient than when each application is managed separately. And SSO should also help staff work more smoothly without needing to pause to log in to tools and sites throughout the day. More details are available in our blog post SSO for nonprofits. 

With the evolution of AI fueling more sophisticated cyber-attacks, Community IT often recommends implementing SSO as another layer of protection. View or listen to this webinar to delve deeper into the benefits of SSO, understand implementation strategies, and learn how it can streamline your workflow, bolster security, and improve user experience.


Is your nonprofit protected?

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. You do not have to have previous experience with SSO or cybersecurity to benefit from this webinar. Community IT believes strongly that your IT vendor should be able to explain everything without jargon or lingo. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In part 2, we discuss Single Sign On (SSO) implementation and roll out, and answer questions from the webinar audience.

In part 1, our guests Steve Longenecker and Phil Oswald Christano define SSO and go over what it does and doesn't do. We discuss the unfortunate fact that each app interacts with SSO differently so you have to enable it for each app. However, if you use Google or Microsoft you already have some basic tools to implement SSO.

If you have heard about Single Sign On (SSO) and wondered what it can do for your nonprofit, this webinar explains the concept and examines the ways that SSO can help your organization be more productive and work more safely online.

Single Sign-On (SSO) is a pivotal security and usability tool for any modern organization. By enabling users to access multiple applications with one set of login credentials, SSO not only simplifies the authentication process but also enhances security. 

At the most basic level, when a user is logged in via SSO, they access the websites and tools they use for work through that SSO service. Those individual websites and tools are configured to trust the SSO-providing service. Organizations can set up a stand-alone SSO service like Okta or use an existing service that provides the functionality as an option, like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. We discussed all of these options in the webinar.  

SSO allows organizations to focus their identity management efforts. It reduces the risk of password fatigue and decreases the likelihood of phishing attacks. SSO allows for improved governance around which applications users can access. User account provisioning and deprovisioning can be more efficient than when each application is managed separately. And SSO should also help staff work more smoothly without needing to pause to log in to tools and sites throughout the day. More details are available in our blog post SSO for nonprofits. 

With the evolution of AI fueling more sophisticated cyber-attacks, Community IT often recommends implementing SSO as another layer of protection. View or listen to this webinar to delve deeper into the benefits of SSO, understand implementation strategies, and learn how it can streamline your workflow, bolster security, and improve user experience.


Is your nonprofit protected?

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. You do not have to have previous experience with SSO or cybersecurity to benefit from this webinar. Community IT believes strongly that your IT vendor should be able to explain everything without jargon or lingo. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15464354 Fri, 26 Jul 2024 16:00:00 -0400 1327 5 29 full false Single Sign On (SSO) for Nonprofits pt 1 Single Sign On (SSO) for Nonprofits pt 1 If you have heard about Single Sign On (SSO) and wondered what it can do for your nonprofit, this webinar explains the concept and examines the ways that SSO can help your organization be more productive and work more safely online.

In part 1, our guests Steve Longenecker and Phil Oswald Christano define SSO and go over what it does and doesn't do. We discuss the unfortunate fact that each app interacts with SSO differently so you have to enable it for each app. However, if you use Google or Microsoft you already have some basic tools to implement SSO.

In part 2, we discuss implementation and roll out, and answer questions from the webinar audience. 

Single Sign-On (SSO) is a pivotal security and usability tool for any modern organization. By enabling users to access multiple applications with one set of login credentials, SSO not only simplifies the authentication process but also enhances security. 

At the most basic level, when a user is logged in via SSO, they access the websites and tools they use for work through that SSO service. Those individual websites and tools are configured to trust the SSO-providing service. Organizations can set up a stand-alone SSO service like Okta or use an existing service that provides the functionality as an option, like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. We discussed all of these options in the webinar.  

SSO allows organizations to focus their identity management efforts. It reduces the risk of password fatigue and decreases the likelihood of phishing attacks. SSO allows for improved governance around which applications users can access. User account provisioning and deprovisioning can be more efficient than when each application is managed separately. And SSO should also help staff work more smoothly without needing to pause to log in to tools and sites throughout the day. More details are available in our blog post SSO for nonprofits. 

With the evolution of AI fueling more sophisticated cyber-attacks, Community IT often recommends implementing SSO as another layer of protection. View or listen to this webinar to delve deeper into the benefits of SSO, understand implementation strategies, and learn how it can streamline your workflow, bolster security, and improve user experience.


Is your nonprofit protected?

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. You do not have to have previous experience with SSO or cybersecurity to benefit from this webinar. Community IT believes strongly that your IT vendor should be able to explain everything without jargon or lingo. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> If you have heard about Single Sign On (SSO) and wondered what it can do for your nonprofit, this webinar explains the concept and examines the ways that SSO can help your organization be more productive and work more safely online.

In part 1, our guests Steve Longenecker and Phil Oswald Christano define SSO and go over what it does and doesn't do. We discuss the unfortunate fact that each app interacts with SSO differently so you have to enable it for each app. However, if you use Google or Microsoft you already have some basic tools to implement SSO.

In part 2, we discuss implementation and roll out, and answer questions from the webinar audience. 

Single Sign-On (SSO) is a pivotal security and usability tool for any modern organization. By enabling users to access multiple applications with one set of login credentials, SSO not only simplifies the authentication process but also enhances security. 

At the most basic level, when a user is logged in via SSO, they access the websites and tools they use for work through that SSO service. Those individual websites and tools are configured to trust the SSO-providing service. Organizations can set up a stand-alone SSO service like Okta or use an existing service that provides the functionality as an option, like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. We discussed all of these options in the webinar.  

SSO allows organizations to focus their identity management efforts. It reduces the risk of password fatigue and decreases the likelihood of phishing attacks. SSO allows for improved governance around which applications users can access. User account provisioning and deprovisioning can be more efficient than when each application is managed separately. And SSO should also help staff work more smoothly without needing to pause to log in to tools and sites throughout the day. More details are available in our blog post SSO for nonprofits. 

With the evolution of AI fueling more sophisticated cyber-attacks, Community IT often recommends implementing SSO as another layer of protection. View or listen to this webinar to delve deeper into the benefits of SSO, understand implementation strategies, and learn how it can streamline your workflow, bolster security, and improve user experience.


Is your nonprofit protected?

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. You do not have to have previous experience with SSO or cybersecurity to benefit from this webinar. Community IT believes strongly that your IT vendor should be able to explain everything without jargon or lingo. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15442263 Fri, 19 Jul 2024 16:00:00 -0400 1906 5 28 full false Email Protection and Deliverability with Johan Hammerstrom Email Protection and Deliverability with Johan Hammerstrom What do the acronyms SFP, DKIM, and DMARC mean, and why do you need to prove your email is legit?

If you have been hearing these terms lately about your email or your cybersecurity liability insurance checklist, and don’t know your DKIM from your DMARC, you aren’t alone! Carolyn sat down with CEO Johan Hammerstrom to demystify the lingo and learn about the latest requirements for ensuring emails from your domain look legit to other inboxes, and how that helps protect your nonprofit now and in the future. 

Deliverability requirements are changing, so if you are in nonprofit leadership or nonprofit IT you will need to ensure your organization is in compliance. Listen to this podcast to learn the latest about this lingo, and then ask your IT provider or IT department about email protection and deliverability at your next check in.

Johan Hammerstrom, CEO of Community IT, breaks down why you should care about these acronyms and what they can do for your nonprofit security. Do you want to make sure your major donor can receive that email thank you? Then get on the email protection and deliverability train and listen to learn all about new requirements and best practices.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> What do the acronyms SFP, DKIM, and DMARC mean, and why do you need to prove your email is legit?

If you have been hearing these terms lately about your email or your cybersecurity liability insurance checklist, and don’t know your DKIM from your DMARC, you aren’t alone! Carolyn sat down with CEO Johan Hammerstrom to demystify the lingo and learn about the latest requirements for ensuring emails from your domain look legit to other inboxes, and how that helps protect your nonprofit now and in the future. 

Deliverability requirements are changing, so if you are in nonprofit leadership or nonprofit IT you will need to ensure your organization is in compliance. Listen to this podcast to learn the latest about this lingo, and then ask your IT provider or IT department about email protection and deliverability at your next check in.

Johan Hammerstrom, CEO of Community IT, breaks down why you should care about these acronyms and what they can do for your nonprofit security. Do you want to make sure your major donor can receive that email thank you? Then get on the email protection and deliverability train and listen to learn all about new requirements and best practices.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15401059 Fri, 12 Jul 2024 16:00:00 -0400 2729 5 27 full false Is Your Nonprofit a Learning Organization? with Karen Graham pt 2 Is Your Nonprofit a Learning Organization? with Karen Graham pt 2 What does it mean to be a learning organization and how can you grow learning practices at your nonprofit?

In pt 1 Karen defined a Learning Organization and explored struggles to embrace learning at your nonprofit. In pt 2 Karen discusses the categories of learning technologies that can help nonprofits organize their learning management, and gave us tips on implementing learning strategies at our organizations.

Karen Graham has more than 20 years in senior nonprofit leadership, and a broad knowledge of trends and best practices in technology, leadership, and organizational development. Formerly head of Idealware, a research institution studying nonprofits’ use of technology, Karen has long observed there are some nonprofits that have a strong internal learning culture, and she sees benefits to those who take knowledge management and sharing very seriously. 

She shared ideas on how to grow that learning impulse at your nonprofit and find funding for it and strategic value in it. 

If you are struggling with a learning management system or thinking about investing in one, we also talked about tech tools that help with knowledge management – but as we always say, the tech should come last, the clearly articulated business need should come first. 

Karen’s presentation helps us think about why learning is so crucial to our organizations and how to invest in the idea of the learning organization. 

Is your nonprofit a learning organization?

For more on the concept of learning organizations and the history of the term over the decades, we recommend this article from Harvard Business Review Is Yours a Learning Organization? (1 free article/month or by subscription.)

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT and Karen Graham Consulting are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenter:

Karen Graham is a nonprofit technology strategist who loves helping people solve problems – from making their work easier and more enjoyable, to enabling their organization to more effectively achieve its mission. 

Her consulting work focuses on the intersection of technology strategy, leadership, and culture for mission based organizations. She has worked in a variety of roles in sector-strengthening organizations such as Tech Impact (Chief Advancement Officer), Idealware (Executive Director), MAP for Nonprofits (Director of Technology & Innovation), and thedatabank (Director of Business Development). She serves on the grant review board for the Shavlik Family Foundation and the board of directors for the Minneapolis Southwest High School Performing Arts Committee. Karen earned her MBA in Nonprofit Management from the University of St. Thomas.

For an introduction to Karen’s thinking on learning organizations, listen to this podcast Karen Graham on Learning from Build Consulting. You can also

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> What does it mean to be a learning organization and how can you grow learning practices at your nonprofit?

In pt 1 Karen defined a Learning Organization and explored struggles to embrace learning at your nonprofit. In pt 2 Karen discusses the categories of learning technologies that can help nonprofits organize their learning management, and gave us tips on implementing learning strategies at our organizations.

Karen Graham has more than 20 years in senior nonprofit leadership, and a broad knowledge of trends and best practices in technology, leadership, and organizational development. Formerly head of Idealware, a research institution studying nonprofits’ use of technology, Karen has long observed there are some nonprofits that have a strong internal learning culture, and she sees benefits to those who take knowledge management and sharing very seriously. 

She shared ideas on how to grow that learning impulse at your nonprofit and find funding for it and strategic value in it. 

If you are struggling with a learning management system or thinking about investing in one, we also talked about tech tools that help with knowledge management – but as we always say, the tech should come last, the clearly articulated business need should come first. 

Karen’s presentation helps us think about why learning is so crucial to our organizations and how to invest in the idea of the learning organization. 

Is your nonprofit a learning organization?

For more on the concept of learning organizations and the history of the term over the decades, we recommend this article from Harvard Business Review Is Yours a Learning Organization? (1 free article/month or by subscription.)

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT and Karen Graham Consulting are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenter:

Karen Graham is a nonprofit technology strategist who loves helping people solve problems – from making their work easier and more enjoyable, to enabling their organization to more effectively achieve its mission. 

Her consulting work focuses on the intersection of technology strategy, leadership, and culture for mission based organizations. She has worked in a variety of roles in sector-strengthening organizations such as Tech Impact (Chief Advancement Officer), Idealware (Executive Director), MAP for Nonprofits (Director of Technology & Innovation), and thedatabank (Director of Business Development). She serves on the grant review board for the Shavlik Family Foundation and the board of directors for the Minneapolis Southwest High School Performing Arts Committee. Karen earned her MBA in Nonprofit Management from the University of St. Thomas.

For an introduction to Karen’s thinking on learning organizations, listen to this podcast Karen Graham on Learning from Build Consulting. You can also

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15336882 Fri, 05 Jul 2024 16:00:00 -0400 1627 5 26 full false Is Your Nonprofit a Learning Organization? with Karen Graham pt 1 Is Your Nonprofit a Learning Organization? with Karen Graham pt 1 What does it mean to be a learning organization and how can you grow learning practices at your nonprofit?

In pt 1 Karen defines a Learning Organization and explored struggles to embrace learning at your nonprofit. In pt 2 Karen discusses the categories of learning technologies that can help nonprofits organize their learning management, and gave us tips on implementing learning strategies at our organizations.

Karen Graham has more than 20 years in senior nonprofit leadership, and a broad knowledge of trends and best practices in technology, leadership, and organizational development. Formerly head of Idealware, a research institution studying nonprofits’ use of technology, Karen has long observed there are some nonprofits that have a strong internal learning culture, and she sees benefits to those who take knowledge management and sharing very seriously. 

She shared ideas on how to grow that learning impulse at your nonprofit and find funding for it and strategic value in it. 

If you are struggling with a learning management system or thinking about investing in one, we also talked about tech tools that help with knowledge management – but as we always say, the tech should come last, the clearly articulated business need should come first. 

Karen’s presentation helps us think about why learning is so crucial to our organizations and how to invest in the idea of the learning organization. 

Is your nonprofit a learning organization?

For more on the concept of learning organizations and the history of the term over the decades, we recommend this article from Harvard Business Review Is Yours a Learning Organization? (1 free article/month or by subscription.)

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT and Karen Graham Consulting are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenter:

Karen Graham is a nonprofit technology strategist who loves helping people solve problems – from making their work easier and more enjoyable, to enabling their organization to more effectively achieve its mission. She writes, speaks, and advises organizations on technology leadership, software selection, user adoption, innovation, and strategic IT alignment. She has guided dozens of organizations through their software decisions, from requirements analysis to implementation and ongoing database optimization. Karen earned her MBA in Nonprofit Management from the University of St. Thomas.

For an introduction to Karen’s thinking on learning organizations, listen to this podcast Karen Graham on Learning from Build Consulting. You can also follow her on LinkedIn.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> What does it mean to be a learning organization and how can you grow learning practices at your nonprofit?

In pt 1 Karen defines a Learning Organization and explored struggles to embrace learning at your nonprofit. In pt 2 Karen discusses the categories of learning technologies that can help nonprofits organize their learning management, and gave us tips on implementing learning strategies at our organizations.

Karen Graham has more than 20 years in senior nonprofit leadership, and a broad knowledge of trends and best practices in technology, leadership, and organizational development. Formerly head of Idealware, a research institution studying nonprofits’ use of technology, Karen has long observed there are some nonprofits that have a strong internal learning culture, and she sees benefits to those who take knowledge management and sharing very seriously. 

She shared ideas on how to grow that learning impulse at your nonprofit and find funding for it and strategic value in it. 

If you are struggling with a learning management system or thinking about investing in one, we also talked about tech tools that help with knowledge management – but as we always say, the tech should come last, the clearly articulated business need should come first. 

Karen’s presentation helps us think about why learning is so crucial to our organizations and how to invest in the idea of the learning organization. 

Is your nonprofit a learning organization?

For more on the concept of learning organizations and the history of the term over the decades, we recommend this article from Harvard Business Review Is Yours a Learning Organization? (1 free article/month or by subscription.)

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT and Karen Graham Consulting are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenter:

Karen Graham is a nonprofit technology strategist who loves helping people solve problems – from making their work easier and more enjoyable, to enabling their organization to more effectively achieve its mission. She writes, speaks, and advises organizations on technology leadership, software selection, user adoption, innovation, and strategic IT alignment. She has guided dozens of organizations through their software decisions, from requirements analysis to implementation and ongoing database optimization. Karen earned her MBA in Nonprofit Management from the University of St. Thomas.

For an introduction to Karen’s thinking on learning organizations, listen to this podcast Karen Graham on Learning from Build Consulting. You can also follow her on LinkedIn.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> https://communityit.com/webinar-is-your-nonprofit-a-learning-organization/ Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15329362 Fri, 28 Jun 2024 15:00:00 -0400 1614 nonprofit, learning management system, nonprofit technology, nonprofit leadership, nonprofit management, nonprofit IT 5 25 full false Community IT Innovators Voices: Vince Grady, CFO Community IT Innovators Voices: Vince Grady, CFO In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Vince Grady, the new Community IT Chief Financial Officer (CFO) who is 8 months into the job. Vince and Carolyn discuss his roundabout path to the CFO role, and how a diversity of backgrounds is common at Community IT and valued as one of our strengths – not all our employees have followed a typical path and that helps us connect with our nonprofit clients who often also have non-conventional backgrounds, education, and careers.

Vince also comments on the value of mentors in his career, and he and Carolyn discuss steps to finding mentors you connect with and can turn to for advice. The takeaway? Be open to finding mentors that have the skills you want to develop, in addition to the career roles you want to grow into, and invite mentorship wherever you find it. Most people love being invited out for coffee and to discuss their skills and experience.

Vince and Carolyn also discuss the way being an employee-owned company (ESOP) has shaped the internal culture at Community IT in valuable ways.

“It is cool seeing how being an ESOP affects the culture of our company. I can see first hand that it has such a positive impact on our employees. Everyone feels so connected and has pride of ownership in their work and in our mission, because they have a say in it, ultimately.”  Vince Grady


Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about it here. https://communityit.com/careers/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Vince Grady, the new Community IT Chief Financial Officer (CFO) who is 8 months into the job. Vince and Carolyn discuss his roundabout path to the CFO role, and how a diversity of backgrounds is common at Community IT and valued as one of our strengths – not all our employees have followed a typical path and that helps us connect with our nonprofit clients who often also have non-conventional backgrounds, education, and careers.

Vince also comments on the value of mentors in his career, and he and Carolyn discuss steps to finding mentors you connect with and can turn to for advice. The takeaway? Be open to finding mentors that have the skills you want to develop, in addition to the career roles you want to grow into, and invite mentorship wherever you find it. Most people love being invited out for coffee and to discuss their skills and experience.

Vince and Carolyn also discuss the way being an employee-owned company (ESOP) has shaped the internal culture at Community IT in valuable ways.

“It is cool seeing how being an ESOP affects the culture of our company. I can see first hand that it has such a positive impact on our employees. Everyone feels so connected and has pride of ownership in their work and in our mission, because they have a say in it, ultimately.”  Vince Grady


Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about it here. https://communityit.com/careers/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15295966 Sun, 23 Jun 2024 07:00:00 -0400 1190 5 24 full false Fighting Financial Fraud with Carole Melvin Fighting Financial Fraud with Carole Melvin Listen to this conversation with Carole Melvin from Your Part Time Controller (YPTC) and catch up on the current thinking on preventing financial fraud as scams seem to multiply all around us in our jobs at nonprofits.

Learn what new frauds and scams are evolving and how to protect yourself and your nonprofit. Some key takeaways:

Cultivate a healthy dose of skepticism and use common sense. 

Utilize analog and off-line verification best practices. 

Stay curious and aware of new threats. 

Don’t be ashamed if you fell for a fraud.

Learn these tips and more from Carole Melvin as she discusses recent examples of fraud that accountants, CFOs and other staff in financial roles like Development and anyone who deals with vendors should know.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Listen to this conversation with Carole Melvin from Your Part Time Controller (YPTC) and catch up on the current thinking on preventing financial fraud as scams seem to multiply all around us in our jobs at nonprofits.

Learn what new frauds and scams are evolving and how to protect yourself and your nonprofit. Some key takeaways:

Cultivate a healthy dose of skepticism and use common sense. 

Utilize analog and off-line verification best practices. 

Stay curious and aware of new threats. 

Don’t be ashamed if you fell for a fraud.

Learn these tips and more from Carole Melvin as she discusses recent examples of fraud that accountants, CFOs and other staff in financial roles like Development and anyone who deals with vendors should know.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15240986 Fri, 14 Jun 2024 16:00:00 -0400 1356 5 23 full false Community IT Innovators Voices: Rob Schamberg, Board Member Community IT Innovators Voices: Rob Schamberg, Board Member In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Rob Schamberg about his long service on the Community IT Board helping steer the company through the process to become employee-owned through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and to his recent retirement from the Board.

Rob describes his career from his days as a college grad who loved technology and the outdoors, through teaching and becoming Principal and Superintendent at various California public schools, to joining the Forum for Youth Investment in Washington DC. It was at the Forum that he met Community IT folks, and was asked to serve on the board where he has been over a decade. After moving back to California near Lake Tahoe, he has now founded his own nonprofit to give students in Reno a chance to explore the wilderness activities all around them, Reno Inspiring Connections Outdoors.

“The relationships that Community IT has with our customers are top-notch. I was just talking to somebody from another company, I didn’t know he was with this company and I didn’t know they were Community IT clients, and he said “we will stick with them because they are our partners in this.”” - Rob Schamberg


Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees and board members. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about it here. https://communityit.com/careers/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Rob Schamberg about his long service on the Community IT Board helping steer the company through the process to become employee-owned through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and to his recent retirement from the Board.

Rob describes his career from his days as a college grad who loved technology and the outdoors, through teaching and becoming Principal and Superintendent at various California public schools, to joining the Forum for Youth Investment in Washington DC. It was at the Forum that he met Community IT folks, and was asked to serve on the board where he has been over a decade. After moving back to California near Lake Tahoe, he has now founded his own nonprofit to give students in Reno a chance to explore the wilderness activities all around them, Reno Inspiring Connections Outdoors.

“The relationships that Community IT has with our customers are top-notch. I was just talking to somebody from another company, I didn’t know he was with this company and I didn’t know they were Community IT clients, and he said “we will stick with them because they are our partners in this.”” - Rob Schamberg


Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees and board members. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about it here. https://communityit.com/careers/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15213160 Fri, 07 Jun 2024 14:00:00 -0400 2421 5 22 full false Making IT Governance Work for Your Nonprofit pt 3 Making IT Governance Work for Your Nonprofit pt 3 Pt 3 delves deeper into implementation, roll out, and overcoming barriers to updating or creating IT governance policies at your nonprofit.

In this podcast follow up to their webinar, Community IT Senior Consultant Nura Aboki and guest Jeff Gibson from Build Consulting spoke with moderator Carolyn Woodard and shared their experiences and insights into the difficulties rolling out your updated policies. How can you overcome barriers like fear or inertia and see this process as an opportunity for your leadership to bring staff together around shared values, and not an onerous chore? What are good ways to get stakeholders on board and successfully  roll out training on the new policies to all staff?

If you are feeling paralyzed about this project to implement your policies, this discussion will give you a roadmap on how to move forward. Learn about making IT governance work for your nonprofit.

For templates: Free Resources for Building IT Policies at Nonprofits has a ton of links for you to start with. Check out this podcast pt 1 and 2 for an introduction.

Is your nonprofit protected?

In our work with clients over the twenty years we have been providing outsourced IT services, Community IT has frequently run into clients with no Acceptable Use Policy at all. In addition to protecting your organization from employee misuse of equipment, IT governance policies are strategic documents that need regular review to stay in alignment with your nonprofit’s goals and tactics.

If your organization has no IT governance documents or they haven’t been updated in a while, this webinar teaches how and where to start creating these vital documents. Our panelists also shared their experiences and successful strategies to roll out these policies to all staff, and gave ideas on updating your training on these policies to be fun and engaging. The key takeaway? Collaborating: the IT department needs to work with other teams to incorporate various needs and insights. 

Your organization’s protection from cyber crime and multiple legal issues rests on your staff understanding and following your IT policies. Don’t get caught without policies you can rely on and refer back to when situations with cyber attacks or disgruntled employees arise.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT and Build Consulting are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Pt 3 delves deeper into implementation, roll out, and overcoming barriers to updating or creating IT governance policies at your nonprofit.

In this podcast follow up to their webinar, Community IT Senior Consultant Nura Aboki and guest Jeff Gibson from Build Consulting spoke with moderator Carolyn Woodard and shared their experiences and insights into the difficulties rolling out your updated policies. How can you overcome barriers like fear or inertia and see this process as an opportunity for your leadership to bring staff together around shared values, and not an onerous chore? What are good ways to get stakeholders on board and successfully  roll out training on the new policies to all staff?

If you are feeling paralyzed about this project to implement your policies, this discussion will give you a roadmap on how to move forward. Learn about making IT governance work for your nonprofit.

For templates: Free Resources for Building IT Policies at Nonprofits has a ton of links for you to start with. Check out this podcast pt 1 and 2 for an introduction.

Is your nonprofit protected?

In our work with clients over the twenty years we have been providing outsourced IT services, Community IT has frequently run into clients with no Acceptable Use Policy at all. In addition to protecting your organization from employee misuse of equipment, IT governance policies are strategic documents that need regular review to stay in alignment with your nonprofit’s goals and tactics.

If your organization has no IT governance documents or they haven’t been updated in a while, this webinar teaches how and where to start creating these vital documents. Our panelists also shared their experiences and successful strategies to roll out these policies to all staff, and gave ideas on updating your training on these policies to be fun and engaging. The key takeaway? Collaborating: the IT department needs to work with other teams to incorporate various needs and insights. 

Your organization’s protection from cyber crime and multiple legal issues rests on your staff understanding and following your IT policies. Don’t get caught without policies you can rely on and refer back to when situations with cyber attacks or disgruntled employees arise.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT and Build Consulting are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15171458 Fri, 31 May 2024 15:00:00 -0400 2381 5 21 full false Making IT Governance Work for Your Nonprofit pt 2 Making IT Governance Work for Your Nonprofit pt 2 Pt 2 covers implementation, overcoming barriers to this project, and Q&A. Pt 1 Covers policy definitions and priority policies, a process to create or revise your policies, and 2 polls.

For templates: Free Resources for Building IT Policies at Nonprofits has a ton of links for you.

Community IT Senior Consultant Nura Aboki and guest Jeff Gibson from Build Consulting took your questions on where to find nonprofit IT policy templates, how to overcome barriers and modify the templates to your organizational needs and strategic goals, and how to get the stakeholders on board and roll out training on the new policies to all staff. 

If you are feeling paralyzed about starting this project to create or revise your policies, this discussion will give you a roadmap on how to move forward. Learn about making IT governance work for your nonprofit.

Is your nonprofit protected?

In our work with clients over the twenty years we have been providing outsourced IT services, Community IT has frequently run into clients with no Acceptable Use Policy at all. In addition to protecting your organization from employee misuse of equipment, IT governance policies are strategic documents that need regular review to stay in alignment with your nonprofit’s goals and tactics.

If your organization has no IT governance documents or they haven’t been updated in a while, this webinar teaches how and where to start creating these vital documents. Our panelists also shared their experiences and successful strategies to roll out these policies to all staff, and gave ideas on updating your training on these policies to be fun and engaging. The key takeaway? Collaborating: the IT department needs to work with other teams to incorporate various needs and insights. 

Your organization’s protection from cyber crime and multiple legal issues rests on your staff understanding and following your IT policies. Don’t get caught without policies you can rely on and refer back to when situations with cyber attacks or disgruntled employees arise.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT and Build Consulting are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Pt 2 covers implementation, overcoming barriers to this project, and Q&A. Pt 1 Covers policy definitions and priority policies, a process to create or revise your policies, and 2 polls.

For templates: Free Resources for Building IT Policies at Nonprofits has a ton of links for you.

Community IT Senior Consultant Nura Aboki and guest Jeff Gibson from Build Consulting took your questions on where to find nonprofit IT policy templates, how to overcome barriers and modify the templates to your organizational needs and strategic goals, and how to get the stakeholders on board and roll out training on the new policies to all staff. 

If you are feeling paralyzed about starting this project to create or revise your policies, this discussion will give you a roadmap on how to move forward. Learn about making IT governance work for your nonprofit.

Is your nonprofit protected?

In our work with clients over the twenty years we have been providing outsourced IT services, Community IT has frequently run into clients with no Acceptable Use Policy at all. In addition to protecting your organization from employee misuse of equipment, IT governance policies are strategic documents that need regular review to stay in alignment with your nonprofit’s goals and tactics.

If your organization has no IT governance documents or they haven’t been updated in a while, this webinar teaches how and where to start creating these vital documents. Our panelists also shared their experiences and successful strategies to roll out these policies to all staff, and gave ideas on updating your training on these policies to be fun and engaging. The key takeaway? Collaborating: the IT department needs to work with other teams to incorporate various needs and insights. 

Your organization’s protection from cyber crime and multiple legal issues rests on your staff understanding and following your IT policies. Don’t get caught without policies you can rely on and refer back to when situations with cyber attacks or disgruntled employees arise.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT and Build Consulting are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15123867 Fri, 24 May 2024 15:00:00 -0400 1790 5 20 full false Making IT Governance Work for Your Nonprofit pt 1 Making IT Governance Work for Your Nonprofit pt 1 Pt 1 Covers policy definitions and priority policies, a process to create or revise your policies, and 2 polls. Pt 2 covers implementation, overcoming barriers to this project, and Q&A.

For templates: Free Resources for Building IT Policies at Nonprofits has a ton of links for you.

Community IT Senior Consultant Nura Aboki and guest Jeff Gibson from Build Consulting took your questions on where to find nonprofit IT policy templates, how to overcome barriers and modify the templates to your organizational needs and strategic goals, and how to get the stakeholders on board and roll out training on the new policies to all staff. 

If you are feeling paralyzed about starting this project to create or revise your policies, this discussion will give you a roadmap on how to move forward. Learn about making IT governance work for your nonprofit.

Is your nonprofit protected?

In our work with clients over the twenty years we have been providing outsourced IT services, Community IT has frequently run into clients with no Acceptable Use Policy at all. In addition to protecting your organization from employee misuse of equipment, IT governance policies are strategic documents that need regular review to stay in alignment with your nonprofit’s goals and tactics.

If your organization has no IT governance documents or they haven’t been updated in a while, this webinar teaches how and where to start creating these vital documents. Our panelists also shared their experiences and successful strategies to roll out these policies to all staff, and gave ideas on updating your training on these policies to be fun and engaging. The key takeaway? Collaborating: the IT department needs to work with other teams to incorporate various needs and insights. 

Your organization’s protection from cyber crime and multiple legal issues rests on your staff understanding and following your IT policies. Don’t get caught without policies you can rely on and refer back to when situations with cyber attacks or disgruntled employees arise.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT and Build Consulting are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Pt 1 Covers policy definitions and priority policies, a process to create or revise your policies, and 2 polls. Pt 2 covers implementation, overcoming barriers to this project, and Q&A.

For templates: Free Resources for Building IT Policies at Nonprofits has a ton of links for you.

Community IT Senior Consultant Nura Aboki and guest Jeff Gibson from Build Consulting took your questions on where to find nonprofit IT policy templates, how to overcome barriers and modify the templates to your organizational needs and strategic goals, and how to get the stakeholders on board and roll out training on the new policies to all staff. 

If you are feeling paralyzed about starting this project to create or revise your policies, this discussion will give you a roadmap on how to move forward. Learn about making IT governance work for your nonprofit.

Is your nonprofit protected?

In our work with clients over the twenty years we have been providing outsourced IT services, Community IT has frequently run into clients with no Acceptable Use Policy at all. In addition to protecting your organization from employee misuse of equipment, IT governance policies are strategic documents that need regular review to stay in alignment with your nonprofit’s goals and tactics.

If your organization has no IT governance documents or they haven’t been updated in a while, this webinar teaches how and where to start creating these vital documents. Our panelists also shared their experiences and successful strategies to roll out these policies to all staff, and gave ideas on updating your training on these policies to be fun and engaging. The key takeaway? Collaborating: the IT department needs to work with other teams to incorporate various needs and insights. 

Your organization’s protection from cyber crime and multiple legal issues rests on your staff understanding and following your IT policies. Don’t get caught without policies you can rely on and refer back to when situations with cyber attacks or disgruntled employees arise.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT and Build Consulting are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15087489 Fri, 17 May 2024 14:00:00 -0400 1802 5 19 full false 3 AI Impacts on Cybersecurity at Nonprofits 3 AI Impacts on Cybersecurity at Nonprofits
What are the main ways AI impacts nonprofit cybersecurity risks?

Social engineering, trust, and data risks are the three big areas where AI will have impacts on cybersecurity at nonprofits that you need to be aware of. Whether or not your organization is using AI, these are areas where hackers are definitely using AI to devise new methods of attack.

Matt Eshleman, CTO at Community IT, recommends creating policies that address the way your staff uses AI – if you haven’t updated your Acceptable Use policies recently, AI concerns are a good reason to do that. He also recommends taking an inventory of your file sharing permissions before AI surfaces something that wasn’t secured correctly. Finally, make sure your staff training is up to date, engaging, and constant. AI is creating more believable attacks that change more frequently; if your staff don’t know what to look out for you could fall for the newest scams or accidentally share sensitive data with a public AI generator.

Community IT has created an Acceptable Use of AI Tools policy template; you can download it for free. And if you are trying to update or create policies but don’t know where to start, here is a resource on Making IT Governance Work for Your Nonprofit.

Good Tech Fest is a global virtual conference on how you can responsibly use emerging technologies for impact. Whether it’s AI, web3, machine learning, or just simple mobile and application development, Good Tech Fest is the place to hear from practitioners using these technologies for impact.

As with all our webinars, these presentations are appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenter:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman leads the team responsible for strategic planning, research, and implementation of the technology platforms used by nonprofit organization clients to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how nonprofit tech works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud. With extensive experience serving nonprofits, Matt also understands nonprofit culture and constraints, and has a history of implementing cost-effective and secure solutions at the enterprise level.

Matt has over 22 years of expertise in cybersecurity, IT support, team leadership, software selection and research, and client support. Matt is a frequent speaker on cybersecurity topics for nonprofits and has presented at NTEN events, the Inside NGO conference, Nonprofit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium, LGBT MAP Finance Conference, and Tech Forward Conference. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course, and our resident Cybersecurity expert

Matt holds dual degrees in Compu

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]>
What are the main ways AI impacts nonprofit cybersecurity risks?

Social engineering, trust, and data risks are the three big areas where AI will have impacts on cybersecurity at nonprofits that you need to be aware of. Whether or not your organization is using AI, these are areas where hackers are definitely using AI to devise new methods of attack.

Matt Eshleman, CTO at Community IT, recommends creating policies that address the way your staff uses AI – if you haven’t updated your Acceptable Use policies recently, AI concerns are a good reason to do that. He also recommends taking an inventory of your file sharing permissions before AI surfaces something that wasn’t secured correctly. Finally, make sure your staff training is up to date, engaging, and constant. AI is creating more believable attacks that change more frequently; if your staff don’t know what to look out for you could fall for the newest scams or accidentally share sensitive data with a public AI generator.

Community IT has created an Acceptable Use of AI Tools policy template; you can download it for free. And if you are trying to update or create policies but don’t know where to start, here is a resource on Making IT Governance Work for Your Nonprofit.

Good Tech Fest is a global virtual conference on how you can responsibly use emerging technologies for impact. Whether it’s AI, web3, machine learning, or just simple mobile and application development, Good Tech Fest is the place to hear from practitioners using these technologies for impact.

As with all our webinars, these presentations are appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenter:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman leads the team responsible for strategic planning, research, and implementation of the technology platforms used by nonprofit organization clients to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how nonprofit tech works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud. With extensive experience serving nonprofits, Matt also understands nonprofit culture and constraints, and has a history of implementing cost-effective and secure solutions at the enterprise level.

Matt has over 22 years of expertise in cybersecurity, IT support, team leadership, software selection and research, and client support. Matt is a frequent speaker on cybersecurity topics for nonprofits and has presented at NTEN events, the Inside NGO conference, Nonprofit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium, LGBT MAP Finance Conference, and Tech Forward Conference. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course, and our resident Cybersecurity expert

Matt holds dual degrees in Compu

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15045880 Fri, 10 May 2024 16:00:00 -0400 2302 5 18 full false Cybersecurity Updates for Nonprofits Cybersecurity Updates for Nonprofits How to Protect Your Organization Against New Threats

Following the 2024 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report, Carolyn sat down with Matt Eshleman, our Chief Technology Officer and cybersecurity expert, and José Antonio Peña-Rosales, our Director of Support Services, to talk about what users can do to stay safe and share some cybersecurity updates for nonprofits.

When should you report something or submit a ticket? (Right away is the correct answer!)
How can you tell if an email is legit? (Consider the address but also consider the content. Be suspicious!)
What should you do if you a pop up tells you your laptop is infected? (Don't call the number on the popup!)

Get some practical tips and helpful advice to protect yourself and your organization with these cybersecurity updates for nonprofits.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> How to Protect Your Organization Against New Threats

Following the 2024 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report, Carolyn sat down with Matt Eshleman, our Chief Technology Officer and cybersecurity expert, and José Antonio Peña-Rosales, our Director of Support Services, to talk about what users can do to stay safe and share some cybersecurity updates for nonprofits.

When should you report something or submit a ticket? (Right away is the correct answer!)
How can you tell if an email is legit? (Consider the address but also consider the content. Be suspicious!)
What should you do if you a pop up tells you your laptop is infected? (Don't call the number on the popup!)

Get some practical tips and helpful advice to protect yourself and your organization with these cybersecurity updates for nonprofits.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-15004016 Fri, 03 May 2024 15:00:00 -0400 1627 5 17 full false 2024 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report pt 2 2024 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report pt 2 Community IT CTO and cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman delivers our report on trend lines and took questions live in this popular webinar.

In pt 2 Matt goes into the report data and pulls out new and disturbing attacks, and finishes up with the best ways to protect yourself, especially from Attacker-in-the-Middle MFA attacks. In pt 1 he explores a systematic approach to cybersecurity for your nonprofit, talks about the big picture trends, takes a couple of audience polls on what type of incidents are common, and demystifies some lingo. 

Is your nonprofit prepared?

Drawn from anonymized data from the calendar year 2023 of cybersecurity incidents across end users in our small and mid-sized nonprofit clients, this report shows changes in attacks and emerging threats.

Using this real and timely data, Matt walks through recommendations and outlines the practical steps your organization can take to prevent the most frequent attacks.

He covers new threats and training best practices for your nonprofit staff around evolving cybersecurity issues, including AI-enabled scams, smishing, adversary-in-the-middle MFA attacks, fake in-person events phishing for credentials, and the return of popup malware, among other new and disturbing trends.

You may also be interested in downloading the free Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook to review a framework for focusing on your cybersecurity fundamentals, or using any of our free cybersecurity webinars and podcasts to learn more about specific protections you can take.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT CTO and cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman delivers our report on trend lines and took questions live in this popular webinar.

In pt 2 Matt goes into the report data and pulls out new and disturbing attacks, and finishes up with the best ways to protect yourself, especially from Attacker-in-the-Middle MFA attacks. In pt 1 he explores a systematic approach to cybersecurity for your nonprofit, talks about the big picture trends, takes a couple of audience polls on what type of incidents are common, and demystifies some lingo. 

Is your nonprofit prepared?

Drawn from anonymized data from the calendar year 2023 of cybersecurity incidents across end users in our small and mid-sized nonprofit clients, this report shows changes in attacks and emerging threats.

Using this real and timely data, Matt walks through recommendations and outlines the practical steps your organization can take to prevent the most frequent attacks.

He covers new threats and training best practices for your nonprofit staff around evolving cybersecurity issues, including AI-enabled scams, smishing, adversary-in-the-middle MFA attacks, fake in-person events phishing for credentials, and the return of popup malware, among other new and disturbing trends.

You may also be interested in downloading the free Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook to review a framework for focusing on your cybersecurity fundamentals, or using any of our free cybersecurity webinars and podcasts to learn more about specific protections you can take.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-14920354 Fri, 26 Apr 2024 16:00:00 -0400 1437 5 16 full false 2024 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report pt 1 2024 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report pt 1 Community IT CTO and cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman delivers our report on trend lines and took questions live in this popular webinar.

In pt 1 we explore a systematic approach to cybersecurity for your nonprofit, talk about the big picture trends, take a couple of audience polls on what type of incidents are common, and demystify some lingo. In pt 2 Matt goes into the report data and pulls out new and disturbing attacks, and finishes up with the best ways to protect yourself, especially from Attacker-in-the-Middle MFA attacks.

Is your nonprofit prepared?

Drawn from anonymized data from the calendar year 2023 of cybersecurity incidents across end users in our small and mid-sized nonprofit clients, this report shows changes in attacks and emerging threats.

Using this real and timely data, Matt walks through recommendations and outlines the practical steps your organization can take to prevent the most frequent attacks.

He covers new threats and training best practices for your nonprofit staff around evolving cybersecurity issues, including AI-enabled scams, smishing, adversary-in-the-middle MFA attacks, fake in-person events phishing for credentials, and the return of popup malware, among other new and disturbing trends.

You may also be interested in downloading the free Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook to review a framework for focusing on your cybersecurity fundamentals, or using any of our free cybersecurity webinars and podcasts to learn more about specific protections you can take.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT CTO and cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman delivers our report on trend lines and took questions live in this popular webinar.

In pt 1 we explore a systematic approach to cybersecurity for your nonprofit, talk about the big picture trends, take a couple of audience polls on what type of incidents are common, and demystify some lingo. In pt 2 Matt goes into the report data and pulls out new and disturbing attacks, and finishes up with the best ways to protect yourself, especially from Attacker-in-the-Middle MFA attacks.

Is your nonprofit prepared?

Drawn from anonymized data from the calendar year 2023 of cybersecurity incidents across end users in our small and mid-sized nonprofit clients, this report shows changes in attacks and emerging threats.

Using this real and timely data, Matt walks through recommendations and outlines the practical steps your organization can take to prevent the most frequent attacks.

He covers new threats and training best practices for your nonprofit staff around evolving cybersecurity issues, including AI-enabled scams, smishing, adversary-in-the-middle MFA attacks, fake in-person events phishing for credentials, and the return of popup malware, among other new and disturbing trends.

You may also be interested in downloading the free Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook to review a framework for focusing on your cybersecurity fundamentals, or using any of our free cybersecurity webinars and podcasts to learn more about specific protections you can take.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-14920324 Fri, 19 Apr 2024 15:00:00 -0400 2025 5 15 full false Growing Your Nonprofit With Google Workspace Growing Your Nonprofit With Google Workspace How can your nonprofit avoid common headaches with the free Google Workspace implementation as you grow? 

So many small nonprofits start out using the free Google Workspace platform you can set up and administer yourself. Google makes it easy! But as you grow from a one- or two-person nonprofit to a larger team you may be wondering if Google Workspace is professional enough, and whether it can handle more complex IT needs. And what about volunteers and others who need to access your files – is Google secure? What are best practices on setting up and administering Google Workspace in nonprofits with 10+ staff? Are there steps you can take now to make it easy to keep Google Workspace as you grow?

Join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom for a look at what you need to know about growing your nonprofit and managing the IT to go with growth. This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit staff of any technical level, and is recommended for nonprofit managers and leaders. Learn how well-managed IT can help you achieve your mission.

Johan makes use of our expertise to give you some simple updates and changes you can make as you grow that can help avoid a lot of work later. Doing these things now can make your Google Workspace more secure and better able to accommodate you as your organization grows in complexity and your IT needs change. 

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. Thanks to the Nonprofit Learning Lab for hosting us.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> How can your nonprofit avoid common headaches with the free Google Workspace implementation as you grow? 

So many small nonprofits start out using the free Google Workspace platform you can set up and administer yourself. Google makes it easy! But as you grow from a one- or two-person nonprofit to a larger team you may be wondering if Google Workspace is professional enough, and whether it can handle more complex IT needs. And what about volunteers and others who need to access your files – is Google secure? What are best practices on setting up and administering Google Workspace in nonprofits with 10+ staff? Are there steps you can take now to make it easy to keep Google Workspace as you grow?

Join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom for a look at what you need to know about growing your nonprofit and managing the IT to go with growth. This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit staff of any technical level, and is recommended for nonprofit managers and leaders. Learn how well-managed IT can help you achieve your mission.

Johan makes use of our expertise to give you some simple updates and changes you can make as you grow that can help avoid a lot of work later. Doing these things now can make your Google Workspace more secure and better able to accommodate you as your organization grows in complexity and your IT needs change. 

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. Thanks to the Nonprofit Learning Lab for hosting us.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-14873439 Fri, 12 Apr 2024 16:00:00 -0400 3251 5 14 full false Nonprofit AI Framework pt 2 Nonprofit AI Framework pt 2 Ethics, AI Tools, and Policies. How is Your Philanthropy Using AI?

Part 1 of this podcast introduced basic AI concepts and definitions and gave some practical examples of nonprofits very intentionally using AI  to further their mission. It ended with results of a poll of the audience members and discussion on how nonprofits are using AI tools - individually, organization-wide, and/or to perform their mission.

In Part 2, Sarah and Jean delve  deeper into the AI Framework they have developed, to walk the audience through organizational, ethical, and technical considerations, and discuss the policies that ideally your nonprofit or foundation will put in place to govern your use of AI tools. 

Community IT was thrilled to welcome two respected leaders, Sarah Di Troia from Project Evident and Jean Westrick from Technology Association of Grantmakers, who shared their informed perspective on AI in philanthropy to share this AI Framework with our audience. You will not want to miss this discussion.

As society grapples with the increasing prevalence of AI tools, the “Responsible AI Adoption in Philanthropy” guide from Project Evident and the Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG) provides pragmatic guidance and a holistic evaluation framework for grant makers to adopt AI in alignment with their core values. 

The framework emphasizes the responsibility of philanthropic organizations to ensure that the usage of AI enables human flourishing, minimizes risk, and maximizes benefit. The easy-to-follow framework includes considerations in three key areas – Organizational, Ethical, and Technical.

Sarah Di Troia from Project Evident and Jean Westrick from TAG walked us through the research and thought behind the framework. At the end of the hour they answered a moderated Q&A discussion of the role of nonprofits in the evolution of AI tools, and how your nonprofit can use the Framework to guide your own implementation and thinking about AI at your organization.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. 

We hope that you can use this Nonprofit AI Framework at your organization.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Ethics, AI Tools, and Policies. How is Your Philanthropy Using AI?

Part 1 of this podcast introduced basic AI concepts and definitions and gave some practical examples of nonprofits very intentionally using AI  to further their mission. It ended with results of a poll of the audience members and discussion on how nonprofits are using AI tools - individually, organization-wide, and/or to perform their mission.

In Part 2, Sarah and Jean delve  deeper into the AI Framework they have developed, to walk the audience through organizational, ethical, and technical considerations, and discuss the policies that ideally your nonprofit or foundation will put in place to govern your use of AI tools. 

Community IT was thrilled to welcome two respected leaders, Sarah Di Troia from Project Evident and Jean Westrick from Technology Association of Grantmakers, who shared their informed perspective on AI in philanthropy to share this AI Framework with our audience. You will not want to miss this discussion.

As society grapples with the increasing prevalence of AI tools, the “Responsible AI Adoption in Philanthropy” guide from Project Evident and the Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG) provides pragmatic guidance and a holistic evaluation framework for grant makers to adopt AI in alignment with their core values. 

The framework emphasizes the responsibility of philanthropic organizations to ensure that the usage of AI enables human flourishing, minimizes risk, and maximizes benefit. The easy-to-follow framework includes considerations in three key areas – Organizational, Ethical, and Technical.

Sarah Di Troia from Project Evident and Jean Westrick from TAG walked us through the research and thought behind the framework. At the end of the hour they answered a moderated Q&A discussion of the role of nonprofits in the evolution of AI tools, and how your nonprofit can use the Framework to guide your own implementation and thinking about AI at your organization.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. 

We hope that you can use this Nonprofit AI Framework at your organization.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-14831239 Fri, 05 Apr 2024 16:00:00 -0400 1530 5 13 full false Nonprofit AI Framework pt 1 Nonprofit AI Framework pt 1 Ethics, AI Tools, and Policies. How is Your Philanthropy Using AI?

Community IT was thrilled to welcome two respected leaders, Sarah Di Troia from Project Evident and Jean Westrick from Technology Association of Grantmakers, who shared their informed perspective on AI in philanthropy to share this AI Framework with our audience. You will not want to miss this discussion.

As society grapples with the increasing prevalence of AI tools, the “Responsible AI Adoption in Philanthropy” guide from Project Evident and the Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG) provides pragmatic guidance and a holistic evaluation framework for grant makers to adopt AI in alignment with their core values. 

The framework emphasizes the responsibility of philanthropic organizations to ensure that the usage of AI enables human flourishing, minimizes risk, and maximizes benefit. The easy-to-follow framework includes considerations in three key areas – Organizational, Ethical, and Technical.

Sarah Di Troia from Project Evident and Jean Westrick from TAG walked us through the research and thought behind the framework. At the end of the hour they answered a moderated Q&A discussion of the role of nonprofits in the evolution of AI tools, and how your nonprofit can use the Framework to guide your own implementation and thinking about AI at your organization.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. 

We hope that you can use this Nonprofit AI Framework at your organization.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Ethics, AI Tools, and Policies. How is Your Philanthropy Using AI?

Community IT was thrilled to welcome two respected leaders, Sarah Di Troia from Project Evident and Jean Westrick from Technology Association of Grantmakers, who shared their informed perspective on AI in philanthropy to share this AI Framework with our audience. You will not want to miss this discussion.

As society grapples with the increasing prevalence of AI tools, the “Responsible AI Adoption in Philanthropy” guide from Project Evident and the Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG) provides pragmatic guidance and a holistic evaluation framework for grant makers to adopt AI in alignment with their core values. 

The framework emphasizes the responsibility of philanthropic organizations to ensure that the usage of AI enables human flourishing, minimizes risk, and maximizes benefit. The easy-to-follow framework includes considerations in three key areas – Organizational, Ethical, and Technical.

Sarah Di Troia from Project Evident and Jean Westrick from TAG walked us through the research and thought behind the framework. At the end of the hour they answered a moderated Q&A discussion of the role of nonprofits in the evolution of AI tools, and how your nonprofit can use the Framework to guide your own implementation and thinking about AI at your organization.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. 

We hope that you can use this Nonprofit AI Framework at your organization.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-14793871 Fri, 29 Mar 2024 15:00:00 -0400 2029 5 12 full false Email Safety and Spam with Johan Hammerstrom Email Safety and Spam with Johan Hammerstrom How to Protect Your Inbox and Your Sanity

Are you getting more unwelcome email lately? From junk emails, to annoying advertising, to malicious phishing, it can feel like the tools that keep our inboxes spam free aren’t working as well lately.

Johan Hammerstrom, our CEO, answers Carolyn’s questions about email safety. 

How do you know which unsubscribe links are legitimate, how do you flag spam, how do you report phishing emails? 

Get some helpful and practical tips on cleaning out your subscriptions and protect yourself and your organization.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> How to Protect Your Inbox and Your Sanity

Are you getting more unwelcome email lately? From junk emails, to annoying advertising, to malicious phishing, it can feel like the tools that keep our inboxes spam free aren’t working as well lately.

Johan Hammerstrom, our CEO, answers Carolyn’s questions about email safety. 

How do you know which unsubscribe links are legitimate, how do you flag spam, how do you report phishing emails? 

Get some helpful and practical tips on cleaning out your subscriptions and protect yourself and your organization.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-14740901 Fri, 22 Mar 2024 16:00:00 -0400 1532 5 11 full false Assessments and IT Maturity with Nura Aboki Assessments and IT Maturity with Nura Aboki Do you know if you are in technology debt or investing at the right level in your nonprofit IT?

Senior Consultant Nura Aboki sat down with Carolyn Woodard recently and discussed his work as a senior consultant and the strategic responses he sees as the most successful across his clients. You can benefit from these tips no matter the size or technology comfort at your organization. Assessments can help you determine the IT maturity level of your nonprofit and help you invest accordingly.

IT maturity is not a judgment call. The chart included on our website is a tool to help evaluate your needs and goals. Your organization may function best at a medium level of maturity – moving to a higher level would not be a wise investment, given your mission or staff size. However, no nonprofit does well at the lowest level of maturity – with failing systems, high cyber risks, or low staff morale around IT systems and training. We always advocate for well-managed IT that is appropriate, affordable, and strategic for your nonprofit.   

Listen to Nura’s insights into the importance of doing assessments at any size, and how the assessment can be geared toward your needs and budget. You need to know what you have.

When you have a good record of your IT systems and have committed to well-managed IT, you are ready to explore that question of the right IT maturity level for your business needs, and make investments accordingly. Sometimes an external consultant like Nura can be the easiest way to tackle this task, but often a nonprofit can be strategic at the executive level internally. For more on training up your IT leaders and practitioners, check out our webinar Nonprofit Digital Health Workshop.

For more from Nura on the need for foundational policies and governance, listen to this podcast.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Do you know if you are in technology debt or investing at the right level in your nonprofit IT?

Senior Consultant Nura Aboki sat down with Carolyn Woodard recently and discussed his work as a senior consultant and the strategic responses he sees as the most successful across his clients. You can benefit from these tips no matter the size or technology comfort at your organization. Assessments can help you determine the IT maturity level of your nonprofit and help you invest accordingly.

IT maturity is not a judgment call. The chart included on our website is a tool to help evaluate your needs and goals. Your organization may function best at a medium level of maturity – moving to a higher level would not be a wise investment, given your mission or staff size. However, no nonprofit does well at the lowest level of maturity – with failing systems, high cyber risks, or low staff morale around IT systems and training. We always advocate for well-managed IT that is appropriate, affordable, and strategic for your nonprofit.   

Listen to Nura’s insights into the importance of doing assessments at any size, and how the assessment can be geared toward your needs and budget. You need to know what you have.

When you have a good record of your IT systems and have committed to well-managed IT, you are ready to explore that question of the right IT maturity level for your business needs, and make investments accordingly. Sometimes an external consultant like Nura can be the easiest way to tackle this task, but often a nonprofit can be strategic at the executive level internally. For more on training up your IT leaders and practitioners, check out our webinar Nonprofit Digital Health Workshop.

For more from Nura on the need for foundational policies and governance, listen to this podcast.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-14696638 Fri, 15 Mar 2024 14:00:00 -0400 1078 5 10 full false AI and Cybersecurity for Nonprofits AI and Cybersecurity for Nonprofits Join Matt Eshleman, a cybersecurity expert, in a short presentation on AI, new AI tools for nonprofits, some use cases, things to watch out for, new cybersecurity fraud and scams enabled by AI, and ways to protect your organization. 

In this video, you will learn to

  • Learn about AI and what nonprofits need to know about AI
  • Use cases for AI at your nonprofit
  • New cybersecurity fraud and scams enabled by AI and how to prevent becoming a victim

This video is designed for nonprofit executives and financial professionals in nonprofits, from CFOs to accountants. If you want to know how AI is going to impact you and your nonprofit, from your work life to cybersecurity, please review this introduction to AI and cybersecurity at nonprofits, hosted by Jitasa University.



_______________________________
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Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join Matt Eshleman, a cybersecurity expert, in a short presentation on AI, new AI tools for nonprofits, some use cases, things to watch out for, new cybersecurity fraud and scams enabled by AI, and ways to protect your organization. 

In this video, you will learn to

  • Learn about AI and what nonprofits need to know about AI
  • Use cases for AI at your nonprofit
  • New cybersecurity fraud and scams enabled by AI and how to prevent becoming a victim

This video is designed for nonprofit executives and financial professionals in nonprofits, from CFOs to accountants. If you want to know how AI is going to impact you and your nonprofit, from your work life to cybersecurity, please review this introduction to AI and cybersecurity at nonprofits, hosted by Jitasa University.



_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-14654743 Fri, 08 Mar 2024 15:00:00 -0500 2069 5 10 full false Nonprofit Digital Health Workshop pt 2 Nonprofit Digital Health Workshop pt 2 Guest speaker Tim Lockie from The Human Stack in a workshop focused on smaller nonprofits struggling to manage IT.

In pt 1, Tim describes the tactical issues nonprofits face in trying to work with tech tools. In pt 2, Tim walks through the different mis-alignments that leadership and "boots on the ground" staff can have, and ways to overcome them. He gives a roadmap of where to start and how to keep going.

Tim Lockie has been in nonprofits and tech for over 20 years. Over the last decade, he founded Now IT Matters and The Human Stack, dedicated to helping small nonprofits succeed with their technology. 

View this webinar on nonprofit digital health, for anyone who needs to manage nonprofit IT.

  • Tim led us in a free workshop aimed at small nonprofits, under 15 staff, who are struggling to manage IT. 
  • Take his enlightening free quiz on the digital health of your nonprofit (requires registration)
  • Learn where and how to get your IT in order, even if you are not a techie person. 


Humans first, then technology

Tim wants to change the narrative on nonprofit IT by showing how even the smallest nonprofits can get a handle on their tech AND human stack. This workshop is centered on people – how the people at your organization FEEL about technology is going to be fundamental to how you are able to USE technology. 

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Guest speaker Tim Lockie from The Human Stack in a workshop focused on smaller nonprofits struggling to manage IT.

In pt 1, Tim describes the tactical issues nonprofits face in trying to work with tech tools. In pt 2, Tim walks through the different mis-alignments that leadership and "boots on the ground" staff can have, and ways to overcome them. He gives a roadmap of where to start and how to keep going.

Tim Lockie has been in nonprofits and tech for over 20 years. Over the last decade, he founded Now IT Matters and The Human Stack, dedicated to helping small nonprofits succeed with their technology. 

View this webinar on nonprofit digital health, for anyone who needs to manage nonprofit IT.

  • Tim led us in a free workshop aimed at small nonprofits, under 15 staff, who are struggling to manage IT. 
  • Take his enlightening free quiz on the digital health of your nonprofit (requires registration)
  • Learn where and how to get your IT in order, even if you are not a techie person. 


Humans first, then technology

Tim wants to change the narrative on nonprofit IT by showing how even the smallest nonprofits can get a handle on their tech AND human stack. This workshop is centered on people – how the people at your organization FEEL about technology is going to be fundamental to how you are able to USE technology. 

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-14610975 Fri, 01 Mar 2024 16:00:00 -0500 1411 5 9 full false Nonprofit Digital Health Workshop pt 1 Nonprofit Digital Health Workshop pt 1 Guest speaker Tim Lockie from The Human Stack in a workshop focused on smaller nonprofits struggling to manage IT.

In pt 1, Tim describes the tactical issues nonprofits face in trying to work with tech tools. In pt 2, Tim walks through the different mis-alignments that leadership and "boots on the ground" staff can have, and ways to overcome them. He gives a roadmap of where to start and how to keep going.

Tim Lockie has been in nonprofits and tech for over 20 years. Over the last decade, he founded Now IT Matters and The Human Stack, dedicated to helping small nonprofits succeed with their technology. 

View this webinar on nonprofit digital health, for anyone who needs to manage nonprofit IT.

  • Tim led us in a free workshop aimed at small nonprofits, under 15 staff, who are struggling to manage IT. 
  • Take his enlightening free quiz on the digital health of your nonprofit (requires registration)
  • Learn where and how to get your IT in order, even if you are not a techie person. 


Humans first, then technology

Tim wants to change the narrative on nonprofit IT by showing how even the smallest nonprofits can get a handle on their tech AND human stack. This workshop is centered on people – how the people at your organization FEEL about technology is going to be fundamental to how you are able to USE technology. 

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Guest speaker Tim Lockie from The Human Stack in a workshop focused on smaller nonprofits struggling to manage IT.

In pt 1, Tim describes the tactical issues nonprofits face in trying to work with tech tools. In pt 2, Tim walks through the different mis-alignments that leadership and "boots on the ground" staff can have, and ways to overcome them. He gives a roadmap of where to start and how to keep going.

Tim Lockie has been in nonprofits and tech for over 20 years. Over the last decade, he founded Now IT Matters and The Human Stack, dedicated to helping small nonprofits succeed with their technology. 

View this webinar on nonprofit digital health, for anyone who needs to manage nonprofit IT.

  • Tim led us in a free workshop aimed at small nonprofits, under 15 staff, who are struggling to manage IT. 
  • Take his enlightening free quiz on the digital health of your nonprofit (requires registration)
  • Learn where and how to get your IT in order, even if you are not a techie person. 


Humans first, then technology

Tim wants to change the narrative on nonprofit IT by showing how even the smallest nonprofits can get a handle on their tech AND human stack. This workshop is centered on people – how the people at your organization FEEL about technology is going to be fundamental to how you are able to USE technology. 

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-14561228 Fri, 23 Feb 2024 16:00:00 -0500 1789 5 8 full false Being Strategic About Nonprofit Tech with Johan Hammerstrom Being Strategic About Nonprofit Tech with Johan Hammerstrom Excerpts from CEO Johan Hammerstrom's appearance on a panel hosted by NXUnite on strategic nonprofit tech decision making.

Full video and transcript available on our site: https://communityit.com/panel-dialing-in-being-strategic-about-nonprofit-tech/

Nonprofit organizations often grapple with limited resources and outdated technology, limiting their ability to make a difference.  In today’s fast-paced digital world, nonprofits must be strategic about their technology choices to maximize their impact. 

What do the panelists discuss?

– Best practices when driving tech innovation

– Tips on how to assess the current state of your tech stack

– How to create an effective implementation plan including budget

– How to avoid nonprofit tech FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and ensure your tech investments sustainably match your real business needs



_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Excerpts from CEO Johan Hammerstrom's appearance on a panel hosted by NXUnite on strategic nonprofit tech decision making.

Full video and transcript available on our site: https://communityit.com/panel-dialing-in-being-strategic-about-nonprofit-tech/

Nonprofit organizations often grapple with limited resources and outdated technology, limiting their ability to make a difference.  In today’s fast-paced digital world, nonprofits must be strategic about their technology choices to maximize their impact. 

What do the panelists discuss?

– Best practices when driving tech innovation

– Tips on how to assess the current state of your tech stack

– How to create an effective implementation plan including budget

– How to avoid nonprofit tech FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and ensure your tech investments sustainably match your real business needs



_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-14516744 Fri, 16 Feb 2024 14:00:00 -0500 740 5 7 full false Community IT Voices: Jennifer Huftalen, Director of Client Services Community IT Voices: Jennifer Huftalen, Director of Client Services Today Carolyn interviews Jenny Huftalen, Director of Client Services on her new role and long history with Community IT. 

Jenny has been providing Account Management services for Community IT’s partner organizations since 2007. Now as Director of Client Services, she is responsible for ensuring those partner organizations are receiving the right combination of IT support services that meet their organizational needs and goals.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Today Carolyn interviews Jenny Huftalen, Director of Client Services on her new role and long history with Community IT. 

Jenny has been providing Account Management services for Community IT’s partner organizations since 2007. Now as Director of Client Services, she is responsible for ensuring those partner organizations are receiving the right combination of IT support services that meet their organizational needs and goals.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-14475132 Fri, 09 Feb 2024 18:00:00 -0500 1514 5 6 full false Talking To Your MSP Managed Service Provider Talking To Your MSP Managed Service Provider How to Communicate to Create a Great Relationship

Community IT gets this type of question a lot from nonprofits in our community: My MSP doesn’t talk to me about what they are doing and why their rates have gone up. How can I talk to them to understand what they are doing, when I don’t have a technical background?

Johan Hammerstrom, our CEO, addresses communication issues, consolidation and private equity acquisitions in the MSP sector, ways to approach your existing MSP outsourced IT provider, and issues to consider when you are searching for your first MSP or a new MSP. Community IT has also created the “Nonprofit Guide to Vetting a Managed IT Service Provider” free download to help you make informed decisions on your outsourced IT vendor.

Learn how to build a good relationship with your MSP, and when to look for a new partner.

Full transcript: https://communityit.com/podcast-talking-to-your-msp/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> How to Communicate to Create a Great Relationship

Community IT gets this type of question a lot from nonprofits in our community: My MSP doesn’t talk to me about what they are doing and why their rates have gone up. How can I talk to them to understand what they are doing, when I don’t have a technical background?

Johan Hammerstrom, our CEO, addresses communication issues, consolidation and private equity acquisitions in the MSP sector, ways to approach your existing MSP outsourced IT provider, and issues to consider when you are searching for your first MSP or a new MSP. Community IT has also created the “Nonprofit Guide to Vetting a Managed IT Service Provider” free download to help you make informed decisions on your outsourced IT vendor.

Learn how to build a good relationship with your MSP, and when to look for a new partner.

Full transcript: https://communityit.com/podcast-talking-to-your-msp/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-14429594 Fri, 02 Feb 2024 15:00:00 -0500 1013 5 5 full false Nonprofit Tech Round Table 2024 pt 2 - Cybersecurity, Platforms, and Hybrid Work Tools Nonprofit Tech Round Table 2024 pt 2 - Cybersecurity, Platforms, and Hybrid Work Tools Part 2 explores cybersecurity, Google Workspace v Office365 for nonprofits, and hybrid work considerations.

In Part 1 our panel discussed AI and the impacts of new AI tools and considerations on nonprofits. We also released a free new AI Acceptable Use Policy Template for nonprofits.

Join CTO Matthew Eshleman, Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker, and IT Business Manager Team Lead Norwin Herrera, moderated by Carolyn Woodard from Community IT, in part 1 of a lively and specific discussion of all things nonprofit tech for 2024 and beyond. 

It’s like listening in on your smart friends talking about stuff you need to know about but don’t know who to ask. We’ve gathered our senior experts in one place – ask them your questions at registration or live during this webinar nonprofit tech round table.

Kick off the new year with a new understanding of trends and practices that can help your nonprofit succeed. This is one of our most popular webinars and podcasts year after year for a reason. We don’t believe a lot of lingo or jargon is necessary to understand what you need to know to manage IT.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Part 2 explores cybersecurity, Google Workspace v Office365 for nonprofits, and hybrid work considerations.

In Part 1 our panel discussed AI and the impacts of new AI tools and considerations on nonprofits. We also released a free new AI Acceptable Use Policy Template for nonprofits.

Join CTO Matthew Eshleman, Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker, and IT Business Manager Team Lead Norwin Herrera, moderated by Carolyn Woodard from Community IT, in part 1 of a lively and specific discussion of all things nonprofit tech for 2024 and beyond. 

It’s like listening in on your smart friends talking about stuff you need to know about but don’t know who to ask. We’ve gathered our senior experts in one place – ask them your questions at registration or live during this webinar nonprofit tech round table.

Kick off the new year with a new understanding of trends and practices that can help your nonprofit succeed. This is one of our most popular webinars and podcasts year after year for a reason. We don’t believe a lot of lingo or jargon is necessary to understand what you need to know to manage IT.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-14385227 Fri, 26 Jan 2024 15:00:00 -0500 1037 5 4 full false Nonprofit Tech Round Table 2024 pt 1 - Artificial Intelligence (AI) Nonprofit Tech Round Table 2024 pt 1 - Artificial Intelligence (AI) How is your organization using AI? What policies do you need? 

Join CTO Matthew Eshleman, Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker, and IT Business Manager Team Lead Norwin Herrera, moderated by Carolyn Woodard from Community IT, in part 1 of a lively and specific discussion of all things nonprofit tech for 2024 and beyond.

Part one focuses on the impact of AI on nonprofits, including a free new AI Acceptable Use Policy Template for nonprofits. Part 2 explores cybersecurity, Google Workspace v Office365 for nonprofits, and hybrid work considerations.

It’s like listening in on your smart friends talking about stuff you need to know about but don’t know who to ask. We’ve gathered our senior experts in one place – ask them your questions at registration or live during this webinar nonprofit tech round table. 

Kick off the new year with a new understanding of trends and practices that can help your nonprofit succeed. This is one of our most popular webinars and podcasts year after year for a reason. We don’t believe a lot of lingo or jargon is necessary to understand what you need to know to manage IT.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> How is your organization using AI? What policies do you need? 

Join CTO Matthew Eshleman, Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker, and IT Business Manager Team Lead Norwin Herrera, moderated by Carolyn Woodard from Community IT, in part 1 of a lively and specific discussion of all things nonprofit tech for 2024 and beyond.

Part one focuses on the impact of AI on nonprofits, including a free new AI Acceptable Use Policy Template for nonprofits. Part 2 explores cybersecurity, Google Workspace v Office365 for nonprofits, and hybrid work considerations.

It’s like listening in on your smart friends talking about stuff you need to know about but don’t know who to ask. We’ve gathered our senior experts in one place – ask them your questions at registration or live during this webinar nonprofit tech round table. 

Kick off the new year with a new understanding of trends and practices that can help your nonprofit succeed. This is one of our most popular webinars and podcasts year after year for a reason. We don’t believe a lot of lingo or jargon is necessary to understand what you need to know to manage IT.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Buzzsprout-14341321 Fri, 19 Jan 2024 15:00:00 -0500 1752 5 3 full false Community IT Voices: Bill Evans, Retiring CFO Community IT Voices: Bill Evans, Retiring CFO In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Bill Evans, who is retiring as CFO after 14 years.

After a long career at Verizon where he held both operations and finance roles, Bill realized he was ready for a new challenge, and started looking around for a nonprofit where he could assist with his finance expertise as a CFO. Community IT is a 100% employee-owned business, an ESOP, and the job opening that turned up at the moment when he was looking for a challenge required him to learn about ESOP administration and serve as the ESOP Trustee. He has also served as Community IT’s board secretary and will remain as an external board member in 2024. 

“When you use the term “culture,” … in fact, ESOP becomes part of the culture, but there are cultures which facilitate an ESOP arrangement. There are many companies that may become ESOPs for reasons that are not necessarily a culture fit. In Community IT’s case, David Deal, the founder and longtime CEO, …his vision was for a participatory egalitarian type of business that had employee involvement from A-Z. When he introduced the ESOP concept, it really was an extension of what was already there… It’s important to recognize that ESOP doesn’t create culture. The culture has to start from a different point and ESOP becomes something that enhances that and moves it forward [as it has at Community IT].”

- Bill Evans, Retiring CFO, Community IT Innovators

Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about it here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Bill Evans, who is retiring as CFO after 14 years.

After a long career at Verizon where he held both operations and finance roles, Bill realized he was ready for a new challenge, and started looking around for a nonprofit where he could assist with his finance expertise as a CFO. Community IT is a 100% employee-owned business, an ESOP, and the job opening that turned up at the moment when he was looking for a challenge required him to learn about ESOP administration and serve as the ESOP Trustee. He has also served as Community IT’s board secretary and will remain as an external board member in 2024. 

“When you use the term “culture,” … in fact, ESOP becomes part of the culture, but there are cultures which facilitate an ESOP arrangement. There are many companies that may become ESOPs for reasons that are not necessarily a culture fit. In Community IT’s case, David Deal, the founder and longtime CEO, …his vision was for a participatory egalitarian type of business that had employee involvement from A-Z. When he introduced the ESOP concept, it really was an extension of what was already there… It’s important to recognize that ESOP doesn’t create culture. The culture has to start from a different point and ESOP becomes something that enhances that and moves it forward [as it has at Community IT].”

- Bill Evans, Retiring CFO, Community IT Innovators

Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about it here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-14299864 Fri, 12 Jan 2024 15:00:00 -0500 1536 5 2 full false Prepping Files to Migrate Them with Robin Harris Prepping Files to Migrate Them with Robin Harris Robin Harris is a Cloud Technologies Specialist at Community IT. She primarily works with clients who are moving files into SharePoint, from a server, from another cloud-based file sharing service like Dropbox or Google Drive, or creating a file sharing database for the first time.

Today she shares some tips from her years of helping many clients who have faced this daunting task, and helps us break it down into smaller tasks. She compares moving your files to moving house. Making sure you throw out all the stuff you don’t want to move and clearly labeling the boxes from each room makes moving day so much easier.

But as with all nonprofit tech, there is no one size to fit all. The organizational principles you choose and the leader of the project should fit your nonprofit. As long as the files are organized, it doesn’t matter if you have a committee or an individual in charge. Robin also explains when it is advantageous to have an outside company like Community IT assist with the migration, and some of her tricks for helping nonprofits prepping files to migrate them.

Especially for an organization that has been in existence for a very long time, the way files were organized has probably changed often. Sometimes using a “dump truck” approach is the only way to migrate. If your business is such that you are always busy, it’s always going to be hard to prioritize organizing the files, before or after the migration. 

If you can start to make organization a habit, though, you will find that many other policies will start to fall into place, especially as you think about your permissions. As AI tools for discovering files become more advanced and ubiquitous, you are going to want to be sure your permissions and your policies are in good shape. A migration can be just the deadline you need to update your organization-wide attitudes toward knowledge management.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Robin Harris is a Cloud Technologies Specialist at Community IT. She primarily works with clients who are moving files into SharePoint, from a server, from another cloud-based file sharing service like Dropbox or Google Drive, or creating a file sharing database for the first time.

Today she shares some tips from her years of helping many clients who have faced this daunting task, and helps us break it down into smaller tasks. She compares moving your files to moving house. Making sure you throw out all the stuff you don’t want to move and clearly labeling the boxes from each room makes moving day so much easier.

But as with all nonprofit tech, there is no one size to fit all. The organizational principles you choose and the leader of the project should fit your nonprofit. As long as the files are organized, it doesn’t matter if you have a committee or an individual in charge. Robin also explains when it is advantageous to have an outside company like Community IT assist with the migration, and some of her tricks for helping nonprofits prepping files to migrate them.

Especially for an organization that has been in existence for a very long time, the way files were organized has probably changed often. Sometimes using a “dump truck” approach is the only way to migrate. If your business is such that you are always busy, it’s always going to be hard to prioritize organizing the files, before or after the migration. 

If you can start to make organization a habit, though, you will find that many other policies will start to fall into place, especially as you think about your permissions. As AI tools for discovering files become more advanced and ubiquitous, you are going to want to be sure your permissions and your policies are in good shape. A migration can be just the deadline you need to update your organization-wide attitudes toward knowledge management.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-14256724 Fri, 05 Jan 2024 15:00:00 -0500 1448 5 1 full false Community IT Voices: Top Nonprofit Tech Stories of 2023 Community IT Voices: Top Nonprofit Tech Stories of 2023 What topics should we expect to be important next year? 

In a New Year’s Eve tradition, Carolyn asked Community IT senior staff to weigh in on the most important and/or under-reported tech stories that impact nonprofit technology. While many of these stories are not under-reported, widely reported mainstream tech stories often have particular or unexpected impacts on the nonprofit sector. We’re following many of them this year.

It won't surprise anyone that cybersecurity, AI, and workforce issues are at the top of our list. Hear from our experts Steve Longenecker, Saba Gebru, Matthew Eshleman, Nuradeen Aboki, and Carolyn Woodard on the stories they are interested in, and their expectations for nonprofit tech in 2024. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> What topics should we expect to be important next year? 

In a New Year’s Eve tradition, Carolyn asked Community IT senior staff to weigh in on the most important and/or under-reported tech stories that impact nonprofit technology. While many of these stories are not under-reported, widely reported mainstream tech stories often have particular or unexpected impacts on the nonprofit sector. We’re following many of them this year.

It won't surprise anyone that cybersecurity, AI, and workforce issues are at the top of our list. Hear from our experts Steve Longenecker, Saba Gebru, Matthew Eshleman, Nuradeen Aboki, and Carolyn Woodard on the stories they are interested in, and their expectations for nonprofit tech in 2024. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-14213937 Fri, 29 Dec 2023 16:00:00 -0500 1215 4 53 full false Nonprofits, AI, and Cybersecurity with Matt Eshleman Nonprofits, AI, and Cybersecurity with Matt Eshleman Matt Eshleman, Community IT CTO and cybersecurity expert, sat down with Carolyn recently to discuss what he's hearing about and expecting from AI in the upcoming year. In his role as CTO he interacts with all of our clients and also plays a foundational role in adopting new technologies internally at Community IT. 

Carolyn wanted to know what questions clients have, particularly about the ways AI impacts their cybersecurity risks. Not surprisingly, Matt recommends creating policies that address the way your staff uses AI - if you haven't updated your Acceptable Use policies recently, AI concerns are a good reason to do that. He also recommends taking an inventory of your file sharing permissions before AI surfaces something that wasn't secured to the correct staff level.

Matt points out that in January 2023 no one was talking about ChatGPT. The exponential growth in AI tools this year should keep us paying attention; no one knows what we'll be talking about in January 2025. 

"My hope is that we can really use these AI tools to help build bridges between  towers of knowledge that we couldn't figure out on our own. I think there's lots of really smart and thoughtful people that are doing a lot of good work in this area. It's important to read and understand and process and be open to the conversation about AI. I really hope that AI can be an enabler of technology to help us, to shape our world into what we want it to be and not just a way for corporations to reduce the value of our individual creativity. I'm optimistic about the technology and the benefits that we're going to receive from it."

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Matt Eshleman, Community IT CTO and cybersecurity expert, sat down with Carolyn recently to discuss what he's hearing about and expecting from AI in the upcoming year. In his role as CTO he interacts with all of our clients and also plays a foundational role in adopting new technologies internally at Community IT. 

Carolyn wanted to know what questions clients have, particularly about the ways AI impacts their cybersecurity risks. Not surprisingly, Matt recommends creating policies that address the way your staff uses AI - if you haven't updated your Acceptable Use policies recently, AI concerns are a good reason to do that. He also recommends taking an inventory of your file sharing permissions before AI surfaces something that wasn't secured to the correct staff level.

Matt points out that in January 2023 no one was talking about ChatGPT. The exponential growth in AI tools this year should keep us paying attention; no one knows what we'll be talking about in January 2025. 

"My hope is that we can really use these AI tools to help build bridges between  towers of knowledge that we couldn't figure out on our own. I think there's lots of really smart and thoughtful people that are doing a lot of good work in this area. It's important to read and understand and process and be open to the conversation about AI. I really hope that AI can be an enabler of technology to help us, to shape our world into what we want it to be and not just a way for corporations to reduce the value of our individual creativity. I'm optimistic about the technology and the benefits that we're going to receive from it."

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-14194451 Fri, 22 Dec 2023 16:00:00 -0500 1251 4 52 full false Creating and Updating IT Policies with Nura Aboki Creating and Updating IT Policies with Nura Aboki Carolyn Woodard sat down with Senior Consultant Nura Aboki recently and asked “What’s the most pressing question you are seeing from your mid-market clients around nonprofit IT needs?”

Nura quickly answered: Policies.  

Astonishingly, many larger nonprofits he works with either don’t have basic IT policies for Acceptable Use and Business Continuity, or they have outdated policies that don’t adequately cover our new hybrid environment, cybersecurity needs, or AI.

Some of the major blocks to creating or updating these policies are leadership challenges, issues of ownership of IT, and inertia. But inadequate Acceptable Use policies put your entire organization at risk and create a situation where your staff may inadvertently make security mistakes. And were that cybersecurity outcome to be severe, a lack of Business Continuity policy would hinder your organization’s ability to recover.

Listen to Nura’s insights into the importance of these foundational documents and policies, and hear his tips on how to address the barriers that are keeping you from updating those policies.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Carolyn Woodard sat down with Senior Consultant Nura Aboki recently and asked “What’s the most pressing question you are seeing from your mid-market clients around nonprofit IT needs?”

Nura quickly answered: Policies.  

Astonishingly, many larger nonprofits he works with either don’t have basic IT policies for Acceptable Use and Business Continuity, or they have outdated policies that don’t adequately cover our new hybrid environment, cybersecurity needs, or AI.

Some of the major blocks to creating or updating these policies are leadership challenges, issues of ownership of IT, and inertia. But inadequate Acceptable Use policies put your entire organization at risk and create a situation where your staff may inadvertently make security mistakes. And were that cybersecurity outcome to be severe, a lack of Business Continuity policy would hinder your organization’s ability to recover.

Listen to Nura’s insights into the importance of these foundational documents and policies, and hear his tips on how to address the barriers that are keeping you from updating those policies.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-14155161 Fri, 15 Dec 2023 15:00:00 -0500 1240 4 51 full false Community IT Voices: Erik Fernandez, IT Business Manager Community IT Voices: Erik Fernandez, IT Business Manager In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Erik Fernandez, who is an IT Business Manager at Community IT and has been with us for nine years. 

IT Business Managers are a unique aspect of account management at Community IT. They have senior technical expertise but also business and strategic knowledge. ITBMs function as a general strategic IT advisor; a liaison between our clients and our internal department at Community IT. ITBMs advise clients on improvement projects, IT budgeting, licensing software, hardware recommendations, general short- and long-term goals and initiatives and provide a central point to coordinate such initiatives. ITBMs help clients be forward-looking, and act as a vendor-agnostic, trusted advisors with deep knowledge of the nonprofit IT software and platforms available. 

“…When you’re working with nonprofits, the people part is very important. You need to have soft skills and an attitude of helpfulness and kindness. The human component is very important, I would say … My previous work experience in IT related jobs was in kind of cutthroat environments. While I was prepared for the same here, I found the atmosphere of camaraderie, service, helping and learning at Community IT proved me wrong on that.” - Erik Fernandez, IT Business Manager


Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about it here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Erik Fernandez, who is an IT Business Manager at Community IT and has been with us for nine years. 

IT Business Managers are a unique aspect of account management at Community IT. They have senior technical expertise but also business and strategic knowledge. ITBMs function as a general strategic IT advisor; a liaison between our clients and our internal department at Community IT. ITBMs advise clients on improvement projects, IT budgeting, licensing software, hardware recommendations, general short- and long-term goals and initiatives and provide a central point to coordinate such initiatives. ITBMs help clients be forward-looking, and act as a vendor-agnostic, trusted advisors with deep knowledge of the nonprofit IT software and platforms available. 

“…When you’re working with nonprofits, the people part is very important. You need to have soft skills and an attitude of helpfulness and kindness. The human component is very important, I would say … My previous work experience in IT related jobs was in kind of cutthroat environments. While I was prepared for the same here, I found the atmosphere of camaraderie, service, helping and learning at Community IT proved me wrong on that.” - Erik Fernandez, IT Business Manager


Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about it here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-14114546 Fri, 08 Dec 2023 16:00:00 -0500 860 4 50 full false Manage Printers in a Nonprofit Office Manage Printers in a Nonprofit Office
Manage Printers in a Nonprofit Office 

So many of us are working from home, but when you do come in to the office, there are some IT networked items you need, like A/V and printing. 

The big challenge with printers in our hybrid work environment is how to make them easily accessible to staff when they come into the office with their portable laptop. The access to office-located printers must still be managed and regulated to allow staff – when in the office – to use the office printer/s. 

Johan Hammerstrom, Community IT CEO, walks us through the solutions available to modern offices. With cloud-managed printing solutions, the installation details of every printer at a particular office is stored in the cloud. There is also a special software agent that runs on the staff member’s computer. When the agent detects that the computer is on the office network, it downloads the latest configuration settings from the cloud and automatically (and silently!) installs the latest printers. When the agent detects that the computer is away from the office network, access to those printers is removed.

Learn how to manage printers in a nonprofit office and how to make it less complicated and more seamless for your staff.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]>
Manage Printers in a Nonprofit Office 

So many of us are working from home, but when you do come in to the office, there are some IT networked items you need, like A/V and printing. 

The big challenge with printers in our hybrid work environment is how to make them easily accessible to staff when they come into the office with their portable laptop. The access to office-located printers must still be managed and regulated to allow staff – when in the office – to use the office printer/s. 

Johan Hammerstrom, Community IT CEO, walks us through the solutions available to modern offices. With cloud-managed printing solutions, the installation details of every printer at a particular office is stored in the cloud. There is also a special software agent that runs on the staff member’s computer. When the agent detects that the computer is on the office network, it downloads the latest configuration settings from the cloud and automatically (and silently!) installs the latest printers. When the agent detects that the computer is away from the office network, access to those printers is removed.

Learn how to manage printers in a nonprofit office and how to make it less complicated and more seamless for your staff.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-14071852 Fri, 01 Dec 2023 14:00:00 -0500 833 4 49 full false Thoughtful Tech Tool Selection for Nonprofit Impact pt 2 Thoughtful Tech Tool Selection for Nonprofit Impact pt 2 In part 2, Join Gillian Knight from Healthy Communities Foundation for a case study presentation on one of the tools they decided to use for their grant-making process, Asana. She also takes audience Q&A on the process they used to increase equity in their  reporting requirements and process. 

After an assessment and listening, they identified technology tools that could help them refine their work flow and decrease the reporting and evaluation burden on their grantees, while still giving them time to check in and support the work they fund. 

This new work flow – a work in progress! – takes advantage of several technology tools they were already using, assembled in new ways. They also chose new tools and utilized some tools like Zoom, Calendly, Wizehive, and some AI tools, to work more efficiently. 

Join us to learn from Gillian their thought process, how they assessed their old work flow and how they went about matching up specific technologies to their business needs. As Gillian says, lots of tech presentations tend to talk in abstracts – join us to hear about some specifics. 

Part 1 of the presentation walks you through the Healthy Communities Foundation mission and assessment process as they tried to set up a grant-making and reporting process that would reflect their organizational values and decrease the burden on grantees, building partnership and equity into their granting relationships.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In part 2, Join Gillian Knight from Healthy Communities Foundation for a case study presentation on one of the tools they decided to use for their grant-making process, Asana. She also takes audience Q&A on the process they used to increase equity in their  reporting requirements and process. 

After an assessment and listening, they identified technology tools that could help them refine their work flow and decrease the reporting and evaluation burden on their grantees, while still giving them time to check in and support the work they fund. 

This new work flow – a work in progress! – takes advantage of several technology tools they were already using, assembled in new ways. They also chose new tools and utilized some tools like Zoom, Calendly, Wizehive, and some AI tools, to work more efficiently. 

Join us to learn from Gillian their thought process, how they assessed their old work flow and how they went about matching up specific technologies to their business needs. As Gillian says, lots of tech presentations tend to talk in abstracts – join us to hear about some specifics. 

Part 1 of the presentation walks you through the Healthy Communities Foundation mission and assessment process as they tried to set up a grant-making and reporting process that would reflect their organizational values and decrease the burden on grantees, building partnership and equity into their granting relationships.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-14030506 Fri, 24 Nov 2023 21:00:00 -0500 1906 4 48 full false Thoughtful Tech Tool Selection for Nonprofit Impact pt 1 Thoughtful Tech Tool Selection for Nonprofit Impact pt 1 Join Gillian Knight from Healthy Communities Foundation for a case study presentation on the process they used to increase equity in their grant-making process and reporting. 

After an assessment and listening, they identified technology tools that could help them refine their work flow and decrease the reporting and evaluation burden on their grantees, while still giving them time to check in and support the work they fund. 

This new work flow – a work in progress! – takes advantage of several technology tools they were already using, assembled in new ways. They also chose new tools and utilized some tools like Zoom, Calendly, Wizehive, and some AI tools, to work more efficiently. 

Join us to learn from Gillian their thought process, how they assessed their old work flow and how they went about matching up specific technologies to their business needs. As Gillian says, lots of tech presentations tend to talk in abstracts – join us to hear about some specifics. 

One of the tools they use is Asana, so if your nonprofit uses Asana or is thinking about it, or you would like to use it better, stay tuned for part 2 of this case study, which delves into setting up and using Asana. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join Gillian Knight from Healthy Communities Foundation for a case study presentation on the process they used to increase equity in their grant-making process and reporting. 

After an assessment and listening, they identified technology tools that could help them refine their work flow and decrease the reporting and evaluation burden on their grantees, while still giving them time to check in and support the work they fund. 

This new work flow – a work in progress! – takes advantage of several technology tools they were already using, assembled in new ways. They also chose new tools and utilized some tools like Zoom, Calendly, Wizehive, and some AI tools, to work more efficiently. 

Join us to learn from Gillian their thought process, how they assessed their old work flow and how they went about matching up specific technologies to their business needs. As Gillian says, lots of tech presentations tend to talk in abstracts – join us to hear about some specifics. 

One of the tools they use is Asana, so if your nonprofit uses Asana or is thinking about it, or you would like to use it better, stay tuned for part 2 of this case study, which delves into setting up and using Asana. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13992170 Fri, 17 Nov 2023 15:00:00 -0500 1356 4 47 full false 12 Questions for Nonprofits to Vet a Managed Services Provider (MSP) 12 Questions for Nonprofits to Vet a Managed Services Provider (MSP) “Managed services” can mean different things to different people, especially when you are just embarking on a quest to find a provider. To understand what you need, what a provider is offering – and whether they’ll be able to deliver – Community IT Innovators developed a list of basic questions to ask.

Download the white paper here: 12 Questions Nonprofits Should Ask to Evaluate a Managed Service Provider (MSP)

In our two decades serving the nonprofit IT community, we’ve heard lots of confusion over what an MSP does and how to evaluate one for your nonprofit. We used our experience to develop this list of 12 questions you can use to vet any managed service provider as you evaluate how your needs fit their services.

You don't need to be an IT techie to understand your outsourced IT provider. We are big proponents of cutting out all the lingo and jargon and talking about the partnership you expect to have.

Join Steve Longenecker, our Director of IT, and Johan Hammerstrom, our President and CEO, for an in depth discussion on avoiding common pitfalls and getting the right level of service for your nonprofit.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> “Managed services” can mean different things to different people, especially when you are just embarking on a quest to find a provider. To understand what you need, what a provider is offering – and whether they’ll be able to deliver – Community IT Innovators developed a list of basic questions to ask.

Download the white paper here: 12 Questions Nonprofits Should Ask to Evaluate a Managed Service Provider (MSP)

In our two decades serving the nonprofit IT community, we’ve heard lots of confusion over what an MSP does and how to evaluate one for your nonprofit. We used our experience to develop this list of 12 questions you can use to vet any managed service provider as you evaluate how your needs fit their services.

You don't need to be an IT techie to understand your outsourced IT provider. We are big proponents of cutting out all the lingo and jargon and talking about the partnership you expect to have.

Join Steve Longenecker, our Director of IT, and Johan Hammerstrom, our President and CEO, for an in depth discussion on avoiding common pitfalls and getting the right level of service for your nonprofit.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13951822 Sat, 11 Nov 2023 13:00:00 -0500 2554 4 46 full false Community IT Voices: Pat Sprehe, Director of Information Systems and Technology Community IT Voices: Pat Sprehe, Director of Information Systems and Technology In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Pat Sprehe, who recently was promoted from managing the IT Business Manager team to Director of the internal Information Systems and Technology at Community IT. This is a new position and an example of the ways at Community IT if you see a need, there’s a lot of flexibility to create a role. 

Pat has worked his way up at Community IT over 13 years and his career is one of increasing responsibility and new opportunities. As a former IT Business Manager, Pat also touches in this interview on that role of strategic planner, IT consultant, and tech expert rolled into one. ITBMs help clients be forward-looking, and act as a vendor-agnostic, trusted advisors with deep knowledge of the nonprofit IT software and platforms available. 

“…you need to have both technical skills and you need to have people skills… You need to be able to have a high-level, holistic view of technology and then be able to talk about it, to describe it to people who are not technical. And that just comes with a lot of experience of interacting with people and constantly working on learning how to talk to people about technology.” - Pat Sprehe, Director of Information Systems and Technology

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Pat Sprehe, who recently was promoted from managing the IT Business Manager team to Director of the internal Information Systems and Technology at Community IT. This is a new position and an example of the ways at Community IT if you see a need, there’s a lot of flexibility to create a role. 

Pat has worked his way up at Community IT over 13 years and his career is one of increasing responsibility and new opportunities. As a former IT Business Manager, Pat also touches in this interview on that role of strategic planner, IT consultant, and tech expert rolled into one. ITBMs help clients be forward-looking, and act as a vendor-agnostic, trusted advisors with deep knowledge of the nonprofit IT software and platforms available. 

“…you need to have both technical skills and you need to have people skills… You need to be able to have a high-level, holistic view of technology and then be able to talk about it, to describe it to people who are not technical. And that just comes with a lot of experience of interacting with people and constantly working on learning how to talk to people about technology.” - Pat Sprehe, Director of Information Systems and Technology

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13904967 Fri, 03 Nov 2023 18:00:00 -0400 1143 4 45 full false Data Cybersecurity for Nonprofits pt 2 Data Cybersecurity for Nonprofits pt 2 Is your data safe? All your data?

Join Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman and Build Consulting Partner David Deal for a presentation on data cybersecurity for nonprofits. You may have invested in your basic cybersecurity, but how do you know if your data is as secure as it needs to be? Do you know all the tools you use that store crucial data and how that data is protected

Explore best practices to protect data, wherever it lives, 
in business applications such as ERP, CRM, Program Management, etc.

Learn new threats to watch for 

Plan to enhance your data governance and security

Matt and David held a deep discussion of data security in applications such as ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), CRM (Client Relationship Management) and other tools you use, plus some tips and strategies for data cybersecurity at nonprofits.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT and Build Consulting are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. In this webinar we will be sharing our advice and insights based on what we are seeing among our clients and in the community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Is your data safe? All your data?

Join Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman and Build Consulting Partner David Deal for a presentation on data cybersecurity for nonprofits. You may have invested in your basic cybersecurity, but how do you know if your data is as secure as it needs to be? Do you know all the tools you use that store crucial data and how that data is protected

Explore best practices to protect data, wherever it lives, 
in business applications such as ERP, CRM, Program Management, etc.

Learn new threats to watch for 

Plan to enhance your data governance and security

Matt and David held a deep discussion of data security in applications such as ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), CRM (Client Relationship Management) and other tools you use, plus some tips and strategies for data cybersecurity at nonprofits.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT and Build Consulting are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. In this webinar we will be sharing our advice and insights based on what we are seeing among our clients and in the community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13853160 Fri, 27 Oct 2023 16:00:00 -0400 1896 4 44 full false Data Cybersecurity for Nonprofits pt 1 Data Cybersecurity for Nonprofits pt 1
Is your data safe? All your data?

Join Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman and Build Consulting Partner David Deal for a presentation on data cybersecurity for nonprofits. You may have invested in your basic cybersecurity, but how do you know if your data is as secure as it needs to be? Do you know all the tools you use that store crucial data and how that data is protected?

Explore best practices to protect data, wherever it lives, 
in business applications such as ERP, CRM, Program Management, etc.

Learn new threats to watch for 

Plan to enhance your data governance and security

Matt and David held a deep discussion of data security in applications such as ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), CRM (Client Relationship Management) and other tools you use, plus some tips and strategies for data cybersecurity at nonprofits.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT and Build Consulting are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. In this webinar we will be sharing our advice and insights based on what we are seeing among our clients and in the community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]>
Is your data safe? All your data?

Join Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman and Build Consulting Partner David Deal for a presentation on data cybersecurity for nonprofits. You may have invested in your basic cybersecurity, but how do you know if your data is as secure as it needs to be? Do you know all the tools you use that store crucial data and how that data is protected?

Explore best practices to protect data, wherever it lives, 
in business applications such as ERP, CRM, Program Management, etc.

Learn new threats to watch for 

Plan to enhance your data governance and security

Matt and David held a deep discussion of data security in applications such as ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), CRM (Client Relationship Management) and other tools you use, plus some tips and strategies for data cybersecurity at nonprofits.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT and Build Consulting are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. In this webinar we will be sharing our advice and insights based on what we are seeing among our clients and in the community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13817720 Fri, 20 Oct 2023 19:00:00 -0400 1665 4 43 full false Cybersecurity Strategies for Nonprofits Cybersecurity Strategies for Nonprofits Cybersecurity expert and Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman walks us through the strategy behind creating a strong cybersecurity culture at your nonprofit. 

Whether you are a large organization, small start up, comfortable with technology or not sure what you need, cybersecurity is something that everyone at your nonprofit needs to think about. This podcast covers the basics and gives you a foundation to put in place. 

If you don’t know what you need to know, you’ve come to the right place. Set your team and your organization up for success by taking the first steps. As attacks more frequently also target your personal email for your organization’s passwords, learn how to protect yourself too. 

Key Takeaways

  • People are your human firewall, they need training and guidance to know what to look for and who to tell. Putting efforts into tools but not training your staff is not going to protect your organization’s assets and data. 
  • There are simple steps you can take to begin; the key is to start. Make time for cybersecurity and find an accountability buddy. 50% is better than 0%. Once you get started you will be able to build on your beginnings.
  • Start with:
    • MFA
    • Password Managers
    • Training
    • Install the updates/Reboot regularly
    • Tools such as Antivirus and other protections
    • Your organization should have security policies and incident response plans
  • It is not a matter of if but when. Nonprofit organizations are not protected by being small or doing good work. Hackers want password credentials and money, and your nonprofit can’t afford to lose either. 
  • As hackers become more sophisticated and use social engineering cons to trick users into wiring money to the wrong account or clicking on the wrong link to enter credentials, staff preparedness is the number one step you can take to increase your cybersecurity and protect your nonprofit. Staff training can be simple and low cost. The key is to build a culture of security and trust, and make sure people are not afraid to report incidents quickly.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Cybersecurity expert and Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman walks us through the strategy behind creating a strong cybersecurity culture at your nonprofit. 

Whether you are a large organization, small start up, comfortable with technology or not sure what you need, cybersecurity is something that everyone at your nonprofit needs to think about. This podcast covers the basics and gives you a foundation to put in place. 

If you don’t know what you need to know, you’ve come to the right place. Set your team and your organization up for success by taking the first steps. As attacks more frequently also target your personal email for your organization’s passwords, learn how to protect yourself too. 

Key Takeaways

  • People are your human firewall, they need training and guidance to know what to look for and who to tell. Putting efforts into tools but not training your staff is not going to protect your organization’s assets and data. 
  • There are simple steps you can take to begin; the key is to start. Make time for cybersecurity and find an accountability buddy. 50% is better than 0%. Once you get started you will be able to build on your beginnings.
  • Start with:
    • MFA
    • Password Managers
    • Training
    • Install the updates/Reboot regularly
    • Tools such as Antivirus and other protections
    • Your organization should have security policies and incident response plans
  • It is not a matter of if but when. Nonprofit organizations are not protected by being small or doing good work. Hackers want password credentials and money, and your nonprofit can’t afford to lose either. 
  • As hackers become more sophisticated and use social engineering cons to trick users into wiring money to the wrong account or clicking on the wrong link to enter credentials, staff preparedness is the number one step you can take to increase your cybersecurity and protect your nonprofit. Staff training can be simple and low cost. The key is to build a culture of security and trust, and make sure people are not afraid to report incidents quickly.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13774092 Fri, 13 Oct 2023 16:00:00 -0400 1842 4 42 full false Community IT Voices: Luke Casey, IT Business Manager Community IT Voices: Luke Casey, IT Business Manager In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Luke Casey, one of our IT Business Managers. ITBMs are kind of a strategic planner, IT consultant, and tech expert rolled into one. Luke has 18 years of experience in IT in both the public and private sectors, from starting in the Help Desk to working his way up through Team Leadership positions, System Administration, and IT Project Management before joining Community IT. 

As ITBM, Luke makes recommendations on IT investments, training programs, maintenance, and licenses. ITBMs help clients be forward-looking, and act as a vendor-agnostic, trusted advisors with deep knowledge of the nonprofit IT software and platforms available. 

Luke explains how he studied Medieval Literature at Indiana University but took a hard look at careers and ended up in tech, which he had always enjoyed. He came to Community IT and found the place where his tech experience can make a difference to nonprofits.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Luke Casey, one of our IT Business Managers. ITBMs are kind of a strategic planner, IT consultant, and tech expert rolled into one. Luke has 18 years of experience in IT in both the public and private sectors, from starting in the Help Desk to working his way up through Team Leadership positions, System Administration, and IT Project Management before joining Community IT. 

As ITBM, Luke makes recommendations on IT investments, training programs, maintenance, and licenses. ITBMs help clients be forward-looking, and act as a vendor-agnostic, trusted advisors with deep knowledge of the nonprofit IT software and platforms available. 

Luke explains how he studied Medieval Literature at Indiana University but took a hard look at careers and ended up in tech, which he had always enjoyed. He came to Community IT and found the place where his tech experience can make a difference to nonprofits.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13711886 Tue, 03 Oct 2023 20:00:00 -0400 1008 4 41 full false AI and Ethics for Nonprofit pt 2 AI and Ethics for Nonprofit pt 2 Join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and nonprofit AI expert Sarah Di Troia for a conversation about using Artificial Intelligence with ethics both within your organization as staff do their jobs, and with your community as you work with your partners, volunteers, and funders to achieve your mission. 

Part 1 covers basics about AI and the ways nonprofits are using AI in innovative ways. Sarah also covers AI readiness and gives some guidelines for getting ready to create AI policies at your nonprofit.

In Part 2, Sarah and Johan discuss the ethics of algorithms and take audience questions on policies, risks, and how there are no really good policy templates (yet!) This field is changing so quickly we're sure to do more webinars and podcasts on AI as it evolves. 

AI tools are growing ahead of the capacity of governments, the private sector, and nonprofits to develop policies around the ethics of these tools. It is clear the marketplace is not going to slow down on introducing new applications of AI. Sarah Di Troia argues that the nonprofit sector is uniquely positioned to understand, evaluate, and publicize the impacts of AI on our communities, including our work communities.

Join Sarah and Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom for a deep discussion of AI applications and ethical questions, and learn to craft governance policies for your own nonprofit.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and nonprofit AI expert Sarah Di Troia for a conversation about using Artificial Intelligence with ethics both within your organization as staff do their jobs, and with your community as you work with your partners, volunteers, and funders to achieve your mission. 

Part 1 covers basics about AI and the ways nonprofits are using AI in innovative ways. Sarah also covers AI readiness and gives some guidelines for getting ready to create AI policies at your nonprofit.

In Part 2, Sarah and Johan discuss the ethics of algorithms and take audience questions on policies, risks, and how there are no really good policy templates (yet!) This field is changing so quickly we're sure to do more webinars and podcasts on AI as it evolves. 

AI tools are growing ahead of the capacity of governments, the private sector, and nonprofits to develop policies around the ethics of these tools. It is clear the marketplace is not going to slow down on introducing new applications of AI. Sarah Di Troia argues that the nonprofit sector is uniquely positioned to understand, evaluate, and publicize the impacts of AI on our communities, including our work communities.

Join Sarah and Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom for a deep discussion of AI applications and ethical questions, and learn to craft governance policies for your own nonprofit.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13688221 Fri, 29 Sep 2023 18:00:00 -0400 1371 4 40 full false AI and Ethics for Nonprofits pt 1 AI and Ethics for Nonprofits pt 1 Join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and nonprofit AI expert Sarah Di Troia for a conversation about using Artificial Intelligence with ethics both within your organization as staff do their jobs, and with your community as you work with your partners, volunteers, and funders to achieve your mission. 

Part 1 covers basics about AI and the ways nonprofits are using AI in innovative ways. Sarah also covers AI readiness and gives some guidelines for getting ready to create AI policies at your nonprofit.

In Part 2, Sarah and Johan discuss the ethics of algorithms and take audience questions on policies, risks, and how there are no really good policy templates (yet!) This field is changing so quickly we're sure to do more webinars and podcasts on AI as it evolves. 


Learn the basics about AI in the nonprofit workplace

Explore ethical questions surrounding AI. Nonprofits may be uniquely positioned to understand and draw attention to the impact of AI.

Learn how to craft organization policies around ethical AI use 

AI tools are growing ahead of the capacity of governments, the private sector, and nonprofits to develop policies around the ethics of these tools. It is clear the marketplace is not going to slow down on introducing new applications of AI. Sarah Di Troia argues that the nonprofit sector is uniquely positioned to understand, evaluate, and publicize the impacts of AI on our communities, including our work communities.

Join Sarah and Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom for a deep discussion of AI applications and ethical questions, and learn to craft governance policies for your own nonprofit.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and nonprofit AI expert Sarah Di Troia for a conversation about using Artificial Intelligence with ethics both within your organization as staff do their jobs, and with your community as you work with your partners, volunteers, and funders to achieve your mission. 

Part 1 covers basics about AI and the ways nonprofits are using AI in innovative ways. Sarah also covers AI readiness and gives some guidelines for getting ready to create AI policies at your nonprofit.

In Part 2, Sarah and Johan discuss the ethics of algorithms and take audience questions on policies, risks, and how there are no really good policy templates (yet!) This field is changing so quickly we're sure to do more webinars and podcasts on AI as it evolves. 


Learn the basics about AI in the nonprofit workplace

Explore ethical questions surrounding AI. Nonprofits may be uniquely positioned to understand and draw attention to the impact of AI.

Learn how to craft organization policies around ethical AI use 

AI tools are growing ahead of the capacity of governments, the private sector, and nonprofits to develop policies around the ethics of these tools. It is clear the marketplace is not going to slow down on introducing new applications of AI. Sarah Di Troia argues that the nonprofit sector is uniquely positioned to understand, evaluate, and publicize the impacts of AI on our communities, including our work communities.

Join Sarah and Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom for a deep discussion of AI applications and ethical questions, and learn to craft governance policies for your own nonprofit.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13641258 Fri, 22 Sep 2023 14:00:00 -0400 2314 4 39 full false Community IT Voices: Robin Harris Updates, Cloud Technology Engineer Community IT Voices: Robin Harris Updates, Cloud Technology Engineer In today’s interview, Carolyn catches up with Robin Harris, who has been promoted to become a Cloud Technology Engineer, working on complex migrations to SharePoint file sharing. Robin shares her career path and how her managers at Community IT tapped her for this role based on the way she was interacting with clients and her experience. She works now within the cloud migrations practice and exploring new options for clients. She sees a continued need for further advances in cloud platforms and is excited to be mastering this for our clients.

“I love to investigate what makes things tick. When I was little my parents got me an Easy-Bake Oven and I might have baked one cake in it. The next day, I took it apart to see how that little cake was baking. So those kinds of things have always intrigued me. And even cloud technology right now, we love to experiment and try new things and see what else we can offer our clients by seeing what’s under the hood, so to speak.”


Robin Harris, Cloud Technology Engineer

Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about it here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In today’s interview, Carolyn catches up with Robin Harris, who has been promoted to become a Cloud Technology Engineer, working on complex migrations to SharePoint file sharing. Robin shares her career path and how her managers at Community IT tapped her for this role based on the way she was interacting with clients and her experience. She works now within the cloud migrations practice and exploring new options for clients. She sees a continued need for further advances in cloud platforms and is excited to be mastering this for our clients.

“I love to investigate what makes things tick. When I was little my parents got me an Easy-Bake Oven and I might have baked one cake in it. The next day, I took it apart to see how that little cake was baking. So those kinds of things have always intrigued me. And even cloud technology right now, we love to experiment and try new things and see what else we can offer our clients by seeing what’s under the hood, so to speak.”


Robin Harris, Cloud Technology Engineer

Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about it here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13586641 Fri, 15 Sep 2023 14:00:00 -0400 933 4 38 full false Crafting a Nonprofit IT Security Policy Crafting a Nonprofit IT Security Policy Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom has a conversation with cybersecurity expert and Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman about what policies you need, and where to find templates for them. 

Do you have the security and IT general policies you need? Have they been updated recently to reflect any new work environment or expectations? Are staff using personal devices? Are they working from home? Are you requiring MFA on all log ins, or using Single Sign On? What do you do when staff off-board to recover company data assets and reset their passwords? 

Crafting nonprofit IT security policies helps your teams think about your IT expectations, and helps clarify expectations with staff.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom has a conversation with cybersecurity expert and Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman about what policies you need, and where to find templates for them. 

Do you have the security and IT general policies you need? Have they been updated recently to reflect any new work environment or expectations? Are staff using personal devices? Are they working from home? Are you requiring MFA on all log ins, or using Single Sign On? What do you do when staff off-board to recover company data assets and reset their passwords? 

Crafting nonprofit IT security policies helps your teams think about your IT expectations, and helps clarify expectations with staff.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13556252 Fri, 08 Sep 2023 13:00:00 -0400 2114 4 37 full false Community IT Voices: Ben Nuest, Centralized Services Administrator Community IT Voices: Ben Nuest, Centralized Services Administrator In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Ben Nuest, Centralized Services Administrator, about his background in music and what it has been like joining Community IT remotely to work on the many systems that keep our clients’ laptops and devices running smoothly in the background. Ben says he didn’t start out interested in scripting, but found that he really liked it and obviously had a talent for it. And his job at Community IT lets him take on challenging and complex automation and feel good about serving nonprofits.

“I feel like I’m not working to fill someone else’s pockets. And I also feel like the people that we support are doing good and important work. Every time we get new client descriptions in, I love reading about what they do … we’ve got some really cool clients!'”


Ben Nuest, Centralized Services Administrator

Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about it here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Ben Nuest, Centralized Services Administrator, about his background in music and what it has been like joining Community IT remotely to work on the many systems that keep our clients’ laptops and devices running smoothly in the background. Ben says he didn’t start out interested in scripting, but found that he really liked it and obviously had a talent for it. And his job at Community IT lets him take on challenging and complex automation and feel good about serving nonprofits.

“I feel like I’m not working to fill someone else’s pockets. And I also feel like the people that we support are doing good and important work. Every time we get new client descriptions in, I love reading about what they do … we’ve got some really cool clients!'”


Ben Nuest, Centralized Services Administrator

Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about it here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13482739 Fri, 01 Sep 2023 15:00:00 -0400 663 4 36 full false Google Workspace Updates for Nonprofits pt 2 Google Workspace Updates for Nonprofits pt 2 What does your nonprofit need to know about Google Workspace as you grow?

Review the basics you need to know about this platform

Understand recent updates that can help you use Google better

Learn how to avoid common headaches with Google implementation 

Part 2 covers typical headaches with Workspace that you can encounter as your organization grows in IT complexity and answers Q&A.

Some simple updates and changes you make as you grow can really help avoid a lot of work later. We interact with a lot of nonprofits who have managed their Google implementation themselves until they grew to a certain size, so we’re going to share with you some of the quirky things about set up that you can start doing now to make your Google Workspace more secure and better able to accommodate you as your organization grows in complexity and IT needs change.

Join Community IT experts Steve Longenecker and Luke Casey and Outreach Director Carolyn Woodard for a conversation about Google Workspace updates for nonprofits and how this versatile platform is evolving.  Part 1 covers an overview of Google Workspace and various updates launched over the past year that can help you work smarter. 

Many nonprofits are choosing Google Workspace as their platform. If you have questions, or are interested in getting the most out of Google Workspace, join Steve and Luke for their insights in what to look out for and how to help your staff use this platform effectively.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. In this webinar we will be discussing a popular and common platform used by many nonprofits, and sharing our technical advice and insights based on what we are seeing among our clients and in the community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> What does your nonprofit need to know about Google Workspace as you grow?

Review the basics you need to know about this platform

Understand recent updates that can help you use Google better

Learn how to avoid common headaches with Google implementation 

Part 2 covers typical headaches with Workspace that you can encounter as your organization grows in IT complexity and answers Q&A.

Some simple updates and changes you make as you grow can really help avoid a lot of work later. We interact with a lot of nonprofits who have managed their Google implementation themselves until they grew to a certain size, so we’re going to share with you some of the quirky things about set up that you can start doing now to make your Google Workspace more secure and better able to accommodate you as your organization grows in complexity and IT needs change.

Join Community IT experts Steve Longenecker and Luke Casey and Outreach Director Carolyn Woodard for a conversation about Google Workspace updates for nonprofits and how this versatile platform is evolving.  Part 1 covers an overview of Google Workspace and various updates launched over the past year that can help you work smarter. 

Many nonprofits are choosing Google Workspace as their platform. If you have questions, or are interested in getting the most out of Google Workspace, join Steve and Luke for their insights in what to look out for and how to help your staff use this platform effectively.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. In this webinar we will be discussing a popular and common platform used by many nonprofits, and sharing our technical advice and insights based on what we are seeing among our clients and in the community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13465744 Fri, 25 Aug 2023 16:00:00 -0400 2005 4 35 full false Google Workspace Updates for Nonprofits pt 1 Google Workspace Updates for Nonprofits pt 1 What does your nonprofit need to know about Google Workspace as you grow?

Review the basics you need to know about this platform

Understand recent updates that can help you use Google better

Learn how to avoid common headaches with Google implementation

Part 1 covers an overview of Google Workspace and various updates launched over the past year that can help you work smarter.

Part 2 covers typical headaches with Workspace that you can encounter as your organization grows in IT complexity and answers Q&A. Some simple updates and changes you make as you grow can really help avoid a lot of work later. We interact with a lot of nonprofits who have managed their Google implementation themselves until they grew to a certain size, so we’re going to share with you some of the quirky things about set up that you can start doing now to make your Google Workspace more secure and better able to accommodate you as your organization grows in complexity and IT needs change.

If you missed our introductory webinar on Google Workspace last year, you can review it here. The webinar covers different topics, and you don’t need to have listened to the previous one to benefit from this one. They are complementary.

Join Community IT experts Steve Longenecker and Luke Casey and Outreach Director Carolyn Woodard for a conversation about Google Workspace updates for nonprofits and how this versatile platform is evolving. 

Many nonprofits are choosing Google Workspace as their platform. If you have questions, or are interested in getting the most out of Google Workspace, join Steve and Luke for their insights in what to look out for and how to help your staff use this platform effectively.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. In this webinar we will be discussing a popular and common platform used by many nonprofits, and sharing our technical advice and insights based on what we are seeing among our clients and in the community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> What does your nonprofit need to know about Google Workspace as you grow?

Review the basics you need to know about this platform

Understand recent updates that can help you use Google better

Learn how to avoid common headaches with Google implementation

Part 1 covers an overview of Google Workspace and various updates launched over the past year that can help you work smarter.

Part 2 covers typical headaches with Workspace that you can encounter as your organization grows in IT complexity and answers Q&A. Some simple updates and changes you make as you grow can really help avoid a lot of work later. We interact with a lot of nonprofits who have managed their Google implementation themselves until they grew to a certain size, so we’re going to share with you some of the quirky things about set up that you can start doing now to make your Google Workspace more secure and better able to accommodate you as your organization grows in complexity and IT needs change.

If you missed our introductory webinar on Google Workspace last year, you can review it here. The webinar covers different topics, and you don’t need to have listened to the previous one to benefit from this one. They are complementary.

Join Community IT experts Steve Longenecker and Luke Casey and Outreach Director Carolyn Woodard for a conversation about Google Workspace updates for nonprofits and how this versatile platform is evolving. 

Many nonprofits are choosing Google Workspace as their platform. If you have questions, or are interested in getting the most out of Google Workspace, join Steve and Luke for their insights in what to look out for and how to help your staff use this platform effectively.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. In this webinar we will be discussing a popular and common platform used by many nonprofits, and sharing our technical advice and insights based on what we are seeing among our clients and in the community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13425456 Fri, 18 Aug 2023 16:00:00 -0400 2036 4 34 full false PowerBI Overview for Nonprofits PowerBI Overview for Nonprofits Do you want to get better at analyzing your data and publishing data visualizations? 

Do you ever feel that processing and massaging your data is taking over your time? Do you use Microsoft Office365? If so, you have a powerful data visualization tool available to you at an affordable price for nonprofit organizations. With minimal ramp-up, your organization can start to visualize and analyze your key data from all systems – including website and social media analytics, CRM, constituent communications platforms like Mailchimp and Constant Contact, and other data sources—in an easy-to-digest format.  

In this webinar we review the capabilities (and limitations) of Microsoft PowerBI and how it can be used by nonprofits to better understand all types of data. Community IT Innovators is product agnostic – in this presentation a power user of PowerBI shares our experience to introduce you to this tool, and share resources to learn more. If you are already using Office365 then PowerBI is an additional tool in the Microsoft suite that you may want to take a look at.

To view the demos and video of the full presentation, visit our website here: https://communityit.com/powerbi-for-nonprofits/

What is Power BI? From Microsoft: “Power BI enables everyone at every level of your organization to make confident decisions using up-to-the-minute analytics…It is a suite of business analytics tools that deliver insights throughout your organization. Connect to hundreds of data sources, simplify data prep, and drive ad hoc analysis. Produce beautiful reports, then publish them for your organization to consume on the web and across mobile devices. Everyone can create personalized dashboards with a unique, 360-degree view of their business. And scale across the enterprise, with governance and security built-in.. Keep your data secure with industry-leading data security capabilities including sensitivity labeling, end-to-end encryption, and real-time access monitoring.”

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Do you want to get better at analyzing your data and publishing data visualizations? 

Do you ever feel that processing and massaging your data is taking over your time? Do you use Microsoft Office365? If so, you have a powerful data visualization tool available to you at an affordable price for nonprofit organizations. With minimal ramp-up, your organization can start to visualize and analyze your key data from all systems – including website and social media analytics, CRM, constituent communications platforms like Mailchimp and Constant Contact, and other data sources—in an easy-to-digest format.  

In this webinar we review the capabilities (and limitations) of Microsoft PowerBI and how it can be used by nonprofits to better understand all types of data. Community IT Innovators is product agnostic – in this presentation a power user of PowerBI shares our experience to introduce you to this tool, and share resources to learn more. If you are already using Office365 then PowerBI is an additional tool in the Microsoft suite that you may want to take a look at.

To view the demos and video of the full presentation, visit our website here: https://communityit.com/powerbi-for-nonprofits/

What is Power BI? From Microsoft: “Power BI enables everyone at every level of your organization to make confident decisions using up-to-the-minute analytics…It is a suite of business analytics tools that deliver insights throughout your organization. Connect to hundreds of data sources, simplify data prep, and drive ad hoc analysis. Produce beautiful reports, then publish them for your organization to consume on the web and across mobile devices. Everyone can create personalized dashboards with a unique, 360-degree view of their business. And scale across the enterprise, with governance and security built-in.. Keep your data secure with industry-leading data security capabilities including sensitivity labeling, end-to-end encryption, and real-time access monitoring.”

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13391747 Fri, 11 Aug 2023 20:00:00 -0400 1348 4 33 full false Community IT Voices: Ann Corran, Controller Community IT Voices: Ann Corran, Controller In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Ann Corran, the longest vested employee-owner and one of the first employees at the spin off Community IT Innovators, having been recruited to join our parent company Reliacom over two decades ago. Ann recalls asking to work part time and from home to balance life with her young family, and how that emphasis on work-life integration has been a central factor in our internal culture since the company was founded. As an empty nester now, Ann has advice for anyone pursuing an accounting position – ask for what you want to make your work meaningful to you.

“I say to Community IT [when we are hiring] ‘Look for the working moms and dads; we know how to juggle… We know how to get stuff done.'”

Ann Corran, Controller

Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about it here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Ann Corran, the longest vested employee-owner and one of the first employees at the spin off Community IT Innovators, having been recruited to join our parent company Reliacom over two decades ago. Ann recalls asking to work part time and from home to balance life with her young family, and how that emphasis on work-life integration has been a central factor in our internal culture since the company was founded. As an empty nester now, Ann has advice for anyone pursuing an accounting position – ask for what you want to make your work meaningful to you.

“I say to Community IT [when we are hiring] ‘Look for the working moms and dads; we know how to juggle… We know how to get stuff done.'”

Ann Corran, Controller

Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about it here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13324920 Fri, 04 Aug 2023 13:00:00 -0400 1385 4 32 full false Start Up and Spin Off Nonprofit IT pt 2 Start Up and Spin Off Nonprofit IT pt 2 What IT do you need as you grow?

In part 2,  Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Outreach Director Carolyn Woodard get into practical advice on managing your IT during growth, cybersecurity considerations, and leadership tips including putting an IT Roadmap together to help your change management. Johan also answers questions on managing inventory (it's hard!) and costs (it depends!)

 What IT do you need as a start up? As you spin off from a parent organization, how can you put your best IT foot forward? 

Learn best practices and what to expect as you go out on your own

Learn the first decisions you need to make about IT support

Set your organization up for success and avoid common IT pitfalls

Over the decades Community IT has helped multiple clients grow from startups to well established organizations, as they grow in staff size and IT complexity. 

We also have assisted nonprofits as they spin off from a parent organization, a university incubator, or a fiscal sponsor who previously provided IT support.

Join Johan and Carolyn for a practical presentation of what you need to know about start up and spin off nonprofit IT.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> What IT do you need as you grow?

In part 2,  Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Outreach Director Carolyn Woodard get into practical advice on managing your IT during growth, cybersecurity considerations, and leadership tips including putting an IT Roadmap together to help your change management. Johan also answers questions on managing inventory (it's hard!) and costs (it depends!)

 What IT do you need as a start up? As you spin off from a parent organization, how can you put your best IT foot forward? 

Learn best practices and what to expect as you go out on your own

Learn the first decisions you need to make about IT support

Set your organization up for success and avoid common IT pitfalls

Over the decades Community IT has helped multiple clients grow from startups to well established organizations, as they grow in staff size and IT complexity. 

We also have assisted nonprofits as they spin off from a parent organization, a university incubator, or a fiscal sponsor who previously provided IT support.

Join Johan and Carolyn for a practical presentation of what you need to know about start up and spin off nonprofit IT.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13258374 Fri, 28 Jul 2023 16:00:00 -0400 1567 4 31 full false Start Up and Spin Off Nonprofit IT pt 1 Start Up and Spin Off Nonprofit IT pt 1 What IT do you need as you grow?

In part 1, join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Outreach Director Carolyn Woodard for an overview of managing IT at different states of growth, and how to start early to make it a leadership habit to manage IT.  What IT do you need as a start up? As you spin off from a parent organization, how can you put your best IT foot forward? 

Learn best practices and what to expect as you go out on your own

Learn the first decisions you need to make about IT support

Set your organization up for success and avoid common IT pitfalls

Over the decades Community IT has helped multiple clients grow from startups to well established organizations, as they grow in staff size and IT complexity. 

We also have assisted nonprofits as they spin off from a parent organization, a university incubator, or a fiscal sponsor who previously provided IT support.

Join Johan and Carolyn for a practical presentation of what you need to know about start up and spin off nonprofit IT.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> What IT do you need as you grow?

In part 1, join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Outreach Director Carolyn Woodard for an overview of managing IT at different states of growth, and how to start early to make it a leadership habit to manage IT.  What IT do you need as a start up? As you spin off from a parent organization, how can you put your best IT foot forward? 

Learn best practices and what to expect as you go out on your own

Learn the first decisions you need to make about IT support

Set your organization up for success and avoid common IT pitfalls

Over the decades Community IT has helped multiple clients grow from startups to well established organizations, as they grow in staff size and IT complexity. 

We also have assisted nonprofits as they spin off from a parent organization, a university incubator, or a fiscal sponsor who previously provided IT support.

Join Johan and Carolyn for a practical presentation of what you need to know about start up and spin off nonprofit IT.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13258336 Fri, 21 Jul 2023 14:00:00 -0400 1675 4 30 full false Working with an Outsourced IT Business Manager Working with an Outsourced IT Business Manager Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom moderates a presentation from Steve Longenecker and Pat Sprehe about Community IT’s approach to outsourced IT for nonprofits and how clients can benefit from our IT Business Manager model. They give tips and offer examples on maximizing the relationship with IT experts who can help you match the IT you need with your business strategy.

Key Takeaways

  • Many nonprofits enter a relationship with outsourced IT after building up technical debt by underinvesting in their infrastructure. Once the immediate needs are met, a new MSP may or may not be able to help the nonprofit with strategy. 
  • Community IT believes in a partnership with nonprofit clients in order to address strategic needs. The IT Business Manager at Community IT has a technical background but is also versed in Business Relationship Management. ITBMs can perform many functions to provide feedback and advice on IT investments, projects, and budget issues, in addition to providing all the basic services and expertise needed for day-to-day IT management.
  • Many factors impact the relationship of a nonprofit with an outsourced IT provider. In this podcast, Steve and Pat touch on several aspects you can pursue to help your partnership succeed, including finding an MSP with a culture of transparency, professionalism and respect. Within your nonprofit you can also develop and encourage a sense of IT ownership, an understanding of your internal culture, and a belief in the return on investment of nonprofit IT.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom moderates a presentation from Steve Longenecker and Pat Sprehe about Community IT’s approach to outsourced IT for nonprofits and how clients can benefit from our IT Business Manager model. They give tips and offer examples on maximizing the relationship with IT experts who can help you match the IT you need with your business strategy.

Key Takeaways

  • Many nonprofits enter a relationship with outsourced IT after building up technical debt by underinvesting in their infrastructure. Once the immediate needs are met, a new MSP may or may not be able to help the nonprofit with strategy. 
  • Community IT believes in a partnership with nonprofit clients in order to address strategic needs. The IT Business Manager at Community IT has a technical background but is also versed in Business Relationship Management. ITBMs can perform many functions to provide feedback and advice on IT investments, projects, and budget issues, in addition to providing all the basic services and expertise needed for day-to-day IT management.
  • Many factors impact the relationship of a nonprofit with an outsourced IT provider. In this podcast, Steve and Pat touch on several aspects you can pursue to help your partnership succeed, including finding an MSP with a culture of transparency, professionalism and respect. Within your nonprofit you can also develop and encourage a sense of IT ownership, an understanding of your internal culture, and a belief in the return on investment of nonprofit IT.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13205166 Fri, 14 Jul 2023 14:00:00 -0400 2288 4 29 full false Preventing Wire Fraud at Nonprofits Preventing Wire Fraud at Nonprofits Join Matt Eshleman, a cybersecurity expert, in a short presentation hosted by Jitasa University on preventing wire fraud at nonprofits, including the most common types of frauds and scams, what to look out for, some helpful resources, and prevention ideas.

Jitasa is a network providing accounting services, CFO services, and nonprofit tax advice across the US. Jitasa partners with nonprofit associations and federations, to provide bookkeeping and accounting services to members of their network.

Community IT is always looking for opportunities to provide nonprofits technical tips and insights from our 20+ years of serving this sector. Matt Eshleman was happy to sit down with Jitasa to go over cybersecurity basics for financial departments and CFOs and answer questions. Learn more on preventing wire fraud at nonprofits here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join Matt Eshleman, a cybersecurity expert, in a short presentation hosted by Jitasa University on preventing wire fraud at nonprofits, including the most common types of frauds and scams, what to look out for, some helpful resources, and prevention ideas.

Jitasa is a network providing accounting services, CFO services, and nonprofit tax advice across the US. Jitasa partners with nonprofit associations and federations, to provide bookkeeping and accounting services to members of their network.

Community IT is always looking for opportunities to provide nonprofits technical tips and insights from our 20+ years of serving this sector. Matt Eshleman was happy to sit down with Jitasa to go over cybersecurity basics for financial departments and CFOs and answer questions. Learn more on preventing wire fraud at nonprofits here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13160676 Fri, 07 Jul 2023 10:00:00 -0400 1394 4 28 full false SharePoint File Migration pt 2 SharePoint File Migration pt 2 Join Community IT experts Norwin Herrera, IT Business Manager, and Robin Harris, Cloud Technologies Engineer, for a case study of an ongoing, large, and complex SharePoint migration they are managing with our client, Chinatown Community Development Center. 

Part 1 covers an introduction to SharePoint, some clarification of the terminology and a run through of some FAQs, and the introduction to the case study, including our 4 step process for migration.

Part 2 covers change management tips and an extensive Q&A session with the audience of nonprofit practitioners. Listen and see if your question was answered! A full transcript is available on our website.

Learn to:

Migrate files with confidence

Learn best practices and what to expect

Learn to plan a SharePoint migration and mitigate the impact on your staff

  • Has your nonprofit been considering moving to SharePoint file sharing in the cloud?
  • Are you moving files from an on-premises server, an older iteration of SharePoint, or from a different cloud platform like Dropbox or Google Drive? 
  • Are you moving files from multiple locations to a unified SharePoint?
  • Does your nonprofit have the capacity to manage a large (or small!) migration project?
  • Are you in the midst of a migration and wondering how to make it more of a success?
  • Looking for pointers and tips?

The best practices we have developed for SharePoint migrations are applicable to any size organization with any number of files. The basic process is the same. This webinar is a run-through of the steps to take to make your migration a success.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join Community IT experts Norwin Herrera, IT Business Manager, and Robin Harris, Cloud Technologies Engineer, for a case study of an ongoing, large, and complex SharePoint migration they are managing with our client, Chinatown Community Development Center. 

Part 1 covers an introduction to SharePoint, some clarification of the terminology and a run through of some FAQs, and the introduction to the case study, including our 4 step process for migration.

Part 2 covers change management tips and an extensive Q&A session with the audience of nonprofit practitioners. Listen and see if your question was answered! A full transcript is available on our website.

Learn to:

Migrate files with confidence

Learn best practices and what to expect

Learn to plan a SharePoint migration and mitigate the impact on your staff

  • Has your nonprofit been considering moving to SharePoint file sharing in the cloud?
  • Are you moving files from an on-premises server, an older iteration of SharePoint, or from a different cloud platform like Dropbox or Google Drive? 
  • Are you moving files from multiple locations to a unified SharePoint?
  • Does your nonprofit have the capacity to manage a large (or small!) migration project?
  • Are you in the midst of a migration and wondering how to make it more of a success?
  • Looking for pointers and tips?

The best practices we have developed for SharePoint migrations are applicable to any size organization with any number of files. The basic process is the same. This webinar is a run-through of the steps to take to make your migration a success.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13126965 Fri, 30 Jun 2023 16:00:00 -0400 2015 4 27 full false SharePoint File Migration pt 1 SharePoint File Migration pt 1 Join Community IT experts Norwin Herrera, IT Business Manager, and Robin Harris, Cloud Technologies Engineer, for a case study of an ongoing, large, and complex SharePoint migration they are managing with our client, Chinatown Community Development Center. 

Part 1 covers an introduction to SharePoint, some clarification of the terminology and a run through of some FAQs, and the introduction to the case study, including our 4 step process for migration.

Part 2 covers change management tips and an extensive Q&A session with the audience of nonprofit practitioners. Listen and see if your question was answered!

Learn to:

Migrate files with confidence

Learn best practices and what to expect

Learn to plan a SharePoint migration and mitigate the impact on your staff

  • Has your nonprofit been considering moving to SharePoint file sharing in the cloud?
  • Are you moving files from an on-premises server, an older iteration of SharePoint, or from a different cloud platform like Dropbox or Google Drive? 
  • Are you moving files from multiple locations to a unified SharePoint?
  • Does your nonprofit have the capacity to manage a large (or small!) migration project?
  • Are you in the midst of a migration and wondering how to make it more of a success?
  • Looking for pointers and tips?

The best practices we have developed for SharePoint migrations are applicable to any size organization with any number of files. The basic process is the same. This webinar is a run-through of the steps to take to make your migration a success.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join Community IT experts Norwin Herrera, IT Business Manager, and Robin Harris, Cloud Technologies Engineer, for a case study of an ongoing, large, and complex SharePoint migration they are managing with our client, Chinatown Community Development Center. 

Part 1 covers an introduction to SharePoint, some clarification of the terminology and a run through of some FAQs, and the introduction to the case study, including our 4 step process for migration.

Part 2 covers change management tips and an extensive Q&A session with the audience of nonprofit practitioners. Listen and see if your question was answered!

Learn to:

Migrate files with confidence

Learn best practices and what to expect

Learn to plan a SharePoint migration and mitigate the impact on your staff

  • Has your nonprofit been considering moving to SharePoint file sharing in the cloud?
  • Are you moving files from an on-premises server, an older iteration of SharePoint, or from a different cloud platform like Dropbox or Google Drive? 
  • Are you moving files from multiple locations to a unified SharePoint?
  • Does your nonprofit have the capacity to manage a large (or small!) migration project?
  • Are you in the midst of a migration and wondering how to make it more of a success?
  • Looking for pointers and tips?

The best practices we have developed for SharePoint migrations are applicable to any size organization with any number of files. The basic process is the same. This webinar is a run-through of the steps to take to make your migration a success.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13096879 Fri, 23 Jun 2023 19:00:00 -0400 2003 4 26 full false Design an IT Roadmap to Create Value pt 2 Design an IT Roadmap to Create Value pt 2 Do you budget to replace a third of your laptops every year? Is your cybersecurity patching and antivirus up to date? How often to you hold cybersecurity staff trainings? How can you ensure your big IT migration doesn’t happen the same month as your big annual conference and stress everyone out?

To fully utilize the power of IT to support your nonprofit, you need to have a plan. You don’t have to be an IT expert to incorporate basic IT budgeting and timelines into your strategic planning. 

Join Johan Hammerstrom, CEO of Community IT Innovators, to learn actionable first steps and view some templates for creating a simple IT Roadmap that can help your nonprofit succeed.

In Part 1 you will learn 

  • how to set priorities, 
  • how to design your IT roadmap from those priorities

Part 2 covers

  • how to allocate budget/time/staff energy, 
  • how to understand the capacity of your organization for change, 
  • how to build a simple timeline for implementing IT updates and tech projects, whether large or small.
  • Audience Q&A

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Do you budget to replace a third of your laptops every year? Is your cybersecurity patching and antivirus up to date? How often to you hold cybersecurity staff trainings? How can you ensure your big IT migration doesn’t happen the same month as your big annual conference and stress everyone out?

To fully utilize the power of IT to support your nonprofit, you need to have a plan. You don’t have to be an IT expert to incorporate basic IT budgeting and timelines into your strategic planning. 

Join Johan Hammerstrom, CEO of Community IT Innovators, to learn actionable first steps and view some templates for creating a simple IT Roadmap that can help your nonprofit succeed.

In Part 1 you will learn 

  • how to set priorities, 
  • how to design your IT roadmap from those priorities

Part 2 covers

  • how to allocate budget/time/staff energy, 
  • how to understand the capacity of your organization for change, 
  • how to build a simple timeline for implementing IT updates and tech projects, whether large or small.
  • Audience Q&A

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13053090 Fri, 16 Jun 2023 12:00:00 -0400 1696 4 25 full false Design an IT Roadmap to Create Value pt 1 Design an IT Roadmap to Create Value pt 1 Do you budget to replace a third of your laptops every year? Is your cybersecurity patching and antivirus up to date? How often to you hold cybersecurity staff trainings? How can you ensure your big IT migration doesn’t happen the same month as your big annual conference and stress everyone out?

To fully utilize the power of IT to support your nonprofit, you need to have a plan. You don’t have to be an IT expert to incorporate basic IT budgeting and timelines into your strategic planning. 

Join Johan Hammerstrom, CEO of Community IT Innovators, to learn actionable first steps and view some templates for creating a simple IT Roadmap that can help your nonprofit succeed.

In Part 1 you will learn 

  • how to set priorities, 
  • how to design your IT roadmap from those priorities

Part 2 covers

  • how to allocate budget/time/staff energy, 
  • how to understand the capacity of your organization for change, 
  • how to build a simple timeline for implementing IT updates and tech projects, whether large or small.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Do you budget to replace a third of your laptops every year? Is your cybersecurity patching and antivirus up to date? How often to you hold cybersecurity staff trainings? How can you ensure your big IT migration doesn’t happen the same month as your big annual conference and stress everyone out?

To fully utilize the power of IT to support your nonprofit, you need to have a plan. You don’t have to be an IT expert to incorporate basic IT budgeting and timelines into your strategic planning. 

Join Johan Hammerstrom, CEO of Community IT Innovators, to learn actionable first steps and view some templates for creating a simple IT Roadmap that can help your nonprofit succeed.

In Part 1 you will learn 

  • how to set priorities, 
  • how to design your IT roadmap from those priorities

Part 2 covers

  • how to allocate budget/time/staff energy, 
  • how to understand the capacity of your organization for change, 
  • how to build a simple timeline for implementing IT updates and tech projects, whether large or small.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-13010609 Fri, 09 Jun 2023 15:00:00 -0400 1896 4 24 full false Community IT Voices Update: Norwin Herrera Community IT Voices Update: Norwin Herrera Today Carolyn catches up with Norwin Herrera, recently promoted to IT Business Manager (ITBM) Team Lead. He talks more about the role the ITBMS fill with clients, guiding them to well-managed IT and helping with strategic planning, budgeting, and investing in addition to keeping IT running smoothly. 

The Community IT ITBM service is unique to our company. ITBMs provide an outsourced IT manager to clients at a reduced cost to hiring and having an IT manager on staff. This manager is a resource dedicated to matching technology solutions to clients’ business needs. To do this well requires an ongoing conversation with the client to continually understand their business needs, and then effective communication with client staff and leadership about the ways specific technology solutions can meet those business needs. 

The ITBM makes recommendations on IT investments, training programs, maintenance, and licenses. They help the client be forward-looking, and act as a vendor-agnostic, trusted advisor with deep knowledge of the nonprofit IT software and platforms available. Because Community IT works in partnership with clients to manage IT needs longterm, sometimes the advice does not involve investing in more, or more expensive, IT tools at all – and when the ITBM develops a long relationship with the client they can be a true asset to the nonprofit.

"The success of Community IT is that we share knowledge. We don't keep it to ourselves. The more we share, the more we learn, the more effective we are with the work that we do with our clients." 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Today Carolyn catches up with Norwin Herrera, recently promoted to IT Business Manager (ITBM) Team Lead. He talks more about the role the ITBMS fill with clients, guiding them to well-managed IT and helping with strategic planning, budgeting, and investing in addition to keeping IT running smoothly. 

The Community IT ITBM service is unique to our company. ITBMs provide an outsourced IT manager to clients at a reduced cost to hiring and having an IT manager on staff. This manager is a resource dedicated to matching technology solutions to clients’ business needs. To do this well requires an ongoing conversation with the client to continually understand their business needs, and then effective communication with client staff and leadership about the ways specific technology solutions can meet those business needs. 

The ITBM makes recommendations on IT investments, training programs, maintenance, and licenses. They help the client be forward-looking, and act as a vendor-agnostic, trusted advisor with deep knowledge of the nonprofit IT software and platforms available. Because Community IT works in partnership with clients to manage IT needs longterm, sometimes the advice does not involve investing in more, or more expensive, IT tools at all – and when the ITBM develops a long relationship with the client they can be a true asset to the nonprofit.

"The success of Community IT is that we share knowledge. We don't keep it to ourselves. The more we share, the more we learn, the more effective we are with the work that we do with our clients." 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-12968072 Fri, 02 Jun 2023 14:00:00 -0400 1972 4 23 full false Bleeding-edge Nonprofit Tech: Hype? Hope? Bleeding-edge Nonprofit Tech: Hype? Hope? Ever heard about something that sounded really cool, like Artificial Intelligence or Blockchain and thought to yourself, my nonprofit needs to get some of that, no matter the cost? 

Or have you had a vendor approach you with bleeding edge technology and swear it can transform your nonprofit and the world, but you have doubts? 

Are you looking around at peer organizations and feeling a little fomo? Not sure what you need to know about?

Nura Aboki, Senior Engineer-IT Business Manager-Tech Strategist talks with CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Carolyn Woodard on the “buzziest” technologies, their realistic promise for the nonprofit sector, and where they are not quite ready for primetime. 

Is your nonprofit tech foundation in place for a big innovative leap? Or are you poised to fall hard? 

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. This presentation was made for the 23NTC virtual conference.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Ever heard about something that sounded really cool, like Artificial Intelligence or Blockchain and thought to yourself, my nonprofit needs to get some of that, no matter the cost? 

Or have you had a vendor approach you with bleeding edge technology and swear it can transform your nonprofit and the world, but you have doubts? 

Are you looking around at peer organizations and feeling a little fomo? Not sure what you need to know about?

Nura Aboki, Senior Engineer-IT Business Manager-Tech Strategist talks with CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Carolyn Woodard on the “buzziest” technologies, their realistic promise for the nonprofit sector, and where they are not quite ready for primetime. 

Is your nonprofit tech foundation in place for a big innovative leap? Or are you poised to fall hard? 

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. This presentation was made for the 23NTC virtual conference.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-12927497 Fri, 26 May 2023 15:00:00 -0400 1679 4 22 full false Leadership in IT at Nonprofits pt 2 Leadership in IT at Nonprofits pt 2 Do you find a leader and teach them IT? 
Or do you find an IT person and teach them leadership?

Join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Build Consulting co-founding Partner David Deal for this discussion of leadership needs and career training in nonprofit technology. 

In part 2 Johan and David narrow in on how nonprofit leaders can match IT needs with strategic business needs to grow their organization and invest in opportunities to be more efficient. They also touch on 3 traits of IT leaders that you can cultivate: setting priorities, leading by example, and holding yourself and your organization accountable.

Between them, Johan and David have decades of experience both in being executive leaders and in interacting with IT leaders at nonprofit clients, from large to small, with a variety of IT needs. Learn about leadership at nonprofits and who finds themselves managing IT. 

In part 1, Johan and David discuss leadership broadly, and how to avoid being pigeonholed into EITHER management/leadership or IT, when the reality is that nonprofits need leaders who can do both. They discuss resources to find your path and how to find mentors. 

As with all our webinars, these presentations are appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Do you find a leader and teach them IT? 
Or do you find an IT person and teach them leadership?

Join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Build Consulting co-founding Partner David Deal for this discussion of leadership needs and career training in nonprofit technology. 

In part 2 Johan and David narrow in on how nonprofit leaders can match IT needs with strategic business needs to grow their organization and invest in opportunities to be more efficient. They also touch on 3 traits of IT leaders that you can cultivate: setting priorities, leading by example, and holding yourself and your organization accountable.

Between them, Johan and David have decades of experience both in being executive leaders and in interacting with IT leaders at nonprofit clients, from large to small, with a variety of IT needs. Learn about leadership at nonprofits and who finds themselves managing IT. 

In part 1, Johan and David discuss leadership broadly, and how to avoid being pigeonholed into EITHER management/leadership or IT, when the reality is that nonprofits need leaders who can do both. They discuss resources to find your path and how to find mentors. 

As with all our webinars, these presentations are appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-12836161 Fri, 19 May 2023 15:00:00 -0400 1678 4 21 full false Leadership in IT at Nonprofits pt 1 Leadership in IT at Nonprofits pt 1 Do you find a leader and teach them IT? 
Or do you find an IT person and teach them leadership?

Join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Build Consulting co-founding Partner David Deal for this discussion of leadership needs and career training in nonprofit technology. 

How can you be an effective advocate for technology opportunities for your nonprofit?

What do nonprofit IT leaders need to succeed?

Between them, Johan and David have decades of experience both in being executive leaders and in interacting with IT leaders at nonprofit clients, from large to small, with a variety of IT needs. Learn about leadership at nonprofits and who finds themselves managing IT. 

In part 1, Johan and David discuss leadership broadly, and how to avoid being pigeonholed into EITHER management/leadership or IT, when the reality is that nonprofits need leaders who can do both. They discuss resources to find your path and how to find mentors. 

In part 2 Johan and David narrow in on how nonprofit leaders can match IT needs with strategic business needs to grow their organization and invest in opportunities to be more efficient. They also touch on 3 traits of IT leaders that you can cultivate: setting priorities, leading by example, and holding yourself and your organization accountable.

As with all our webinars, these presentations are appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Do you find a leader and teach them IT? 
Or do you find an IT person and teach them leadership?

Join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Build Consulting co-founding Partner David Deal for this discussion of leadership needs and career training in nonprofit technology. 

How can you be an effective advocate for technology opportunities for your nonprofit?

What do nonprofit IT leaders need to succeed?

Between them, Johan and David have decades of experience both in being executive leaders and in interacting with IT leaders at nonprofit clients, from large to small, with a variety of IT needs. Learn about leadership at nonprofits and who finds themselves managing IT. 

In part 1, Johan and David discuss leadership broadly, and how to avoid being pigeonholed into EITHER management/leadership or IT, when the reality is that nonprofits need leaders who can do both. They discuss resources to find your path and how to find mentors. 

In part 2 Johan and David narrow in on how nonprofit leaders can match IT needs with strategic business needs to grow their organization and invest in opportunities to be more efficient. They also touch on 3 traits of IT leaders that you can cultivate: setting priorities, leading by example, and holding yourself and your organization accountable.

As with all our webinars, these presentations are appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-12836131 Fri, 12 May 2023 15:00:00 -0400 1330 4 20 full false Artificial Intelligence: Impacts on Nonprofits Artificial Intelligence: Impacts on Nonprofits Vendors have been trying to sell fundraising AI (Artificial Intelligence) for years now, promising to effortlessly analyze your database and help move members to major donors by automating the right ask at the right time. AI completes our emails and chides us when we don’t take a break between meetings. AI can be a tool for equity and can also just be an expensive investment. AI is transforming jobs right now.

Nura Aboki is a senior consultant at Community IT and watching the rapid evolution of machine learning as it will impact the work of our clients. Johan Hammerstrom is CEO of Community IT and also keeps an eye on AI developments and the nonprofit sector. Our room at the virtual Good Tech Fest conference had a great expert Q&A on the impacts of Artificial Intelligence on nonprofits.

More resources on the growing role of AI at nonprofits:

Biggest Nonprofit Tech Stories of 2022

AI and Machine-Based Learning: Nonprofit Tech of the Future

How your organization can harness AI for more equitable outcomes 

Really good article from one of my favorite writers/thinkers about fundraising and nonprofits and equity: https://nonprofitaf.com/2023/03/the-ethics-and-opportunities-of-artificial-intelligence-in-the-nonprofit-sector/

As with all our webinars, these presentations are appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Vendors have been trying to sell fundraising AI (Artificial Intelligence) for years now, promising to effortlessly analyze your database and help move members to major donors by automating the right ask at the right time. AI completes our emails and chides us when we don’t take a break between meetings. AI can be a tool for equity and can also just be an expensive investment. AI is transforming jobs right now.

Nura Aboki is a senior consultant at Community IT and watching the rapid evolution of machine learning as it will impact the work of our clients. Johan Hammerstrom is CEO of Community IT and also keeps an eye on AI developments and the nonprofit sector. Our room at the virtual Good Tech Fest conference had a great expert Q&A on the impacts of Artificial Intelligence on nonprofits.

More resources on the growing role of AI at nonprofits:

Biggest Nonprofit Tech Stories of 2022

AI and Machine-Based Learning: Nonprofit Tech of the Future

How your organization can harness AI for more equitable outcomes 

Really good article from one of my favorite writers/thinkers about fundraising and nonprofits and equity: https://nonprofitaf.com/2023/03/the-ethics-and-opportunities-of-artificial-intelligence-in-the-nonprofit-sector/

As with all our webinars, these presentations are appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-12790394 Fri, 05 May 2023 14:00:00 -0400 2155 4 19 full false 2023 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report pt 2 2023 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report pt 2 Is your nonprofit prepared?

Drawn from data from the calendar year 2022 of cybersecurity incidents across our small and mid-sized nonprofit client users, this report shows changes in attacks and emerging threats.

Using this real and timely data, Community IT CTO and Cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman walks through recommendations and outlines the practical steps your organization can take to prevent the most frequent attacks. 

He covers new threats and ways to think about continual training for your nonprofit staff around evolving cybersecurity issues.

Part 1 includes an introduction and overview of cybersecurity for nonprofits. Part 2 covers the analysis of the 2022 data and what it means for your nonprofit. Both parts include audience Q&A.

You may also be interested in taking the 10-minute Cybersecurity Self Quiz to assess your organization’s stance and priorities, or downloading the free Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook to review a framework for focusing on your cybersecurity fundamentals.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Is your nonprofit prepared?

Drawn from data from the calendar year 2022 of cybersecurity incidents across our small and mid-sized nonprofit client users, this report shows changes in attacks and emerging threats.

Using this real and timely data, Community IT CTO and Cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman walks through recommendations and outlines the practical steps your organization can take to prevent the most frequent attacks. 

He covers new threats and ways to think about continual training for your nonprofit staff around evolving cybersecurity issues.

Part 1 includes an introduction and overview of cybersecurity for nonprofits. Part 2 covers the analysis of the 2022 data and what it means for your nonprofit. Both parts include audience Q&A.

You may also be interested in taking the 10-minute Cybersecurity Self Quiz to assess your organization’s stance and priorities, or downloading the free Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook to review a framework for focusing on your cybersecurity fundamentals.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-12744835 Fri, 28 Apr 2023 17:00:00 -0400 1953 4 18 full false 2023 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report pt 1 2023 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report pt 1
Is your nonprofit prepared?

Drawn from data from the calendar year 2022 of cybersecurity incidents across our small and mid-sized nonprofit client users, this report shows changes in attacks and emerging threats.

Using this real and timely data, Community IT CTO and Cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman walks through recommendations and outlines the practical steps your organization can take to prevent the most frequent attacks. 

He covers new threats and ways to think about continual training for your nonprofit staff around evolving cybersecurity issues.

Part 1 includes an introduction and overview of cybersecurity for nonprofits. Part 2 covers the analysis of the 2022 data and what it means for your nonprofit. Both parts include audience Q&A.

You may also be interested in taking the 10-minute Cybersecurity Self Quiz to assess your organization’s stance and priorities, or downloading the free Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook to review a framework for focusing on your cybersecurity fundamentals.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]>
Is your nonprofit prepared?

Drawn from data from the calendar year 2022 of cybersecurity incidents across our small and mid-sized nonprofit client users, this report shows changes in attacks and emerging threats.

Using this real and timely data, Community IT CTO and Cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman walks through recommendations and outlines the practical steps your organization can take to prevent the most frequent attacks. 

He covers new threats and ways to think about continual training for your nonprofit staff around evolving cybersecurity issues.

Part 1 includes an introduction and overview of cybersecurity for nonprofits. Part 2 covers the analysis of the 2022 data and what it means for your nonprofit. Both parts include audience Q&A.

You may also be interested in taking the 10-minute Cybersecurity Self Quiz to assess your organization’s stance and priorities, or downloading the free Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook to review a framework for focusing on your cybersecurity fundamentals.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-12697486 Fri, 21 Apr 2023 14:00:00 -0400 1816 4 17 full false Community IT Voices: Emeka Okocha, IT Business Manager Community IT Voices: Emeka Okocha, IT Business Manager Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about it here.

In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Emeka Okocha, IT Business Manager at Community IT. Emeka moved to the United States from Nigeria and as an ITBM, helps clients with IT planning, IT management, dealing with the day to day activities, troubleshooting, and advising.

The ITBM makes recommendations on IT investments, training programs, maintenance, and licenses. They help the client be forward-looking, and act as a vendor-agnostic, trusted advisor with deep knowledge of the nonprofit IT software and platforms available. Because Community IT works in partnership with clients to manage long-term IT needs, the ITBM relationship with the client makes them a true asset.

"The number one value I have is to help. I love to help. So working with nonprofits is where I’m supposed to be."

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about it here.

In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Emeka Okocha, IT Business Manager at Community IT. Emeka moved to the United States from Nigeria and as an ITBM, helps clients with IT planning, IT management, dealing with the day to day activities, troubleshooting, and advising.

The ITBM makes recommendations on IT investments, training programs, maintenance, and licenses. They help the client be forward-looking, and act as a vendor-agnostic, trusted advisor with deep knowledge of the nonprofit IT software and platforms available. Because Community IT works in partnership with clients to manage long-term IT needs, the ITBM relationship with the client makes them a true asset.

"The number one value I have is to help. I love to help. So working with nonprofits is where I’m supposed to be."

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-12651827 Fri, 14 Apr 2023 15:00:00 -0400 1083 4 16 full false Successful Nonprofit Change Management Successful Nonprofit Change Management Why do technology projects at nonprofits fail? 

Peter Gross walks through ways to think about technology as it fits into nonprofit offices and business practices, and the ways new technology or new processes can have a hard time being adapted at organizations. He presents a template for taking action, and goes through a short case study, and then takes questions from the audience.

Peter breaks down the change management process into three logical steps.

  • defining the change, 
  • identifying the impact from that change, and then 
  • preparing for those impacts.

If you are considering a technology project that seems daunting, that involves multiple stakeholders, and that requires staff to adjust their processes, you need change management as a foundational expectation of your project team. If you are recovering from a tech implementation that hit some bumps you can use this change management template to plan and better prepare for your next project.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Why do technology projects at nonprofits fail? 

Peter Gross walks through ways to think about technology as it fits into nonprofit offices and business practices, and the ways new technology or new processes can have a hard time being adapted at organizations. He presents a template for taking action, and goes through a short case study, and then takes questions from the audience.

Peter breaks down the change management process into three logical steps.

  • defining the change, 
  • identifying the impact from that change, and then 
  • preparing for those impacts.

If you are considering a technology project that seems daunting, that involves multiple stakeholders, and that requires staff to adjust their processes, you need change management as a foundational expectation of your project team. If you are recovering from a tech implementation that hit some bumps you can use this change management template to plan and better prepare for your next project.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-12609099 Fri, 07 Apr 2023 14:00:00 -0400 1997 4 15 full false Using Microsoft Teams at Nonprofits pt 2 Using Microsoft Teams at Nonprofits pt 2 If you have Office365 then you have access to Teams, Microsoft’s tool for chat, video conference, and calendar. But Teams does a lot more, and integrates with lots of other tools beyond the Microsoft office suite.

Community IT experts presented this Q&A webinar with tips on using this multi-function tool better at nonprofits.

In part 2, hear a mini-case study from nonprofit practitioner guests Elisa Mondragon and Alessandra Brolin from Alexandria Housing, along with audience submitted questions answered by our experts. You can also find a full transcript including questions we didn't have time for at the link below.

In part 1, Carolyn and Courtney give an overview of the Teams app, its relationship to other Microsoft tools, and walk through a visual of the Teams interface, which is available on our website: https://communityit.com/webinar-using-microsoft-teams-at-nonprofits/

Want to get the most out of a tool you already have?

Have questions about best practices, tips, and shortcuts?

Looking for ideas on managing Teams as a staff portal to SharePoint and other apps?

Using Teams for voice? Wondering what ELSE Teams can do?

We heard your feedback. Teams has lots of great features but can also be confusing. How can you get the most value out of it? What are best practices for using Microsoft Teams at nonprofits?

Carolyn Woodard, Outreach Director, and guests Elisa Mondragon and Alessandra Brolin from Housing Alexandria share best practices and ideas on getting the most out of Teams. Courtney Carroll from Community IT was also on hand to answer technical questions about the multitude of functions Teams can perform.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> If you have Office365 then you have access to Teams, Microsoft’s tool for chat, video conference, and calendar. But Teams does a lot more, and integrates with lots of other tools beyond the Microsoft office suite.

Community IT experts presented this Q&A webinar with tips on using this multi-function tool better at nonprofits.

In part 2, hear a mini-case study from nonprofit practitioner guests Elisa Mondragon and Alessandra Brolin from Alexandria Housing, along with audience submitted questions answered by our experts. You can also find a full transcript including questions we didn't have time for at the link below.

In part 1, Carolyn and Courtney give an overview of the Teams app, its relationship to other Microsoft tools, and walk through a visual of the Teams interface, which is available on our website: https://communityit.com/webinar-using-microsoft-teams-at-nonprofits/

Want to get the most out of a tool you already have?

Have questions about best practices, tips, and shortcuts?

Looking for ideas on managing Teams as a staff portal to SharePoint and other apps?

Using Teams for voice? Wondering what ELSE Teams can do?

We heard your feedback. Teams has lots of great features but can also be confusing. How can you get the most value out of it? What are best practices for using Microsoft Teams at nonprofits?

Carolyn Woodard, Outreach Director, and guests Elisa Mondragon and Alessandra Brolin from Housing Alexandria share best practices and ideas on getting the most out of Teams. Courtney Carroll from Community IT was also on hand to answer technical questions about the multitude of functions Teams can perform.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-12468709 Fri, 24 Mar 2023 16:00:00 -0400 2038 4 13 full false Using Microsoft Teams at Nonprofits pt 1 Using Microsoft Teams at Nonprofits pt 1 If you have Office365 then you have access to Teams, Microsoft’s tool for chat, video conference, and calendar. But Teams does a lot more, and integrates with lots of other tools beyond the Microsoft office suite.

Community IT experts presented this Q&A webinar with tips on using this multi-function tool better at nonprofits.

In part 1, Carolyn and Courtney give an overview of the Teams app, its relationship to other Microsoft tools, and walk through a visual of the Teams interface, which is available on our website: https://communityit.com/webinar-using-microsoft-teams-at-nonprofits/

In this webinar we also provided a mini-case study from nonprofit practitioner guests Elisa Mondragon and Alessandra Brolin from Alexandria Housing, which will be in the podcast episode part 2 along with audience submitted questions answered by our experts. You can also find a full transcript including questions we didn't have time for at the link above.

Want to get the most out of a tool you already have?

Have questions about best practices, tips, and shortcuts?

Looking for ideas on managing Teams as a staff portal to SharePoint and other apps?

Using Teams for voice? Wondering what ELSE Teams can do?

We heard your feedback. Teams has lots of great features but can also be confusing. How can you get the most value out of it? What are best practices for using Microsoft Teams at nonprofits?

Carolyn Woodard, Outreach Director, and guests Elisa Mondragon and Alessandra Brolin from Housing Alexandria share best practices and ideas on getting the most out of Teams. Courtney Carroll from Community IT was also on hand to answer technical questions about the multitude of functions Teams can perform.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> If you have Office365 then you have access to Teams, Microsoft’s tool for chat, video conference, and calendar. But Teams does a lot more, and integrates with lots of other tools beyond the Microsoft office suite.

Community IT experts presented this Q&A webinar with tips on using this multi-function tool better at nonprofits.

In part 1, Carolyn and Courtney give an overview of the Teams app, its relationship to other Microsoft tools, and walk through a visual of the Teams interface, which is available on our website: https://communityit.com/webinar-using-microsoft-teams-at-nonprofits/

In this webinar we also provided a mini-case study from nonprofit practitioner guests Elisa Mondragon and Alessandra Brolin from Alexandria Housing, which will be in the podcast episode part 2 along with audience submitted questions answered by our experts. You can also find a full transcript including questions we didn't have time for at the link above.

Want to get the most out of a tool you already have?

Have questions about best practices, tips, and shortcuts?

Looking for ideas on managing Teams as a staff portal to SharePoint and other apps?

Using Teams for voice? Wondering what ELSE Teams can do?

We heard your feedback. Teams has lots of great features but can also be confusing. How can you get the most value out of it? What are best practices for using Microsoft Teams at nonprofits?

Carolyn Woodard, Outreach Director, and guests Elisa Mondragon and Alessandra Brolin from Housing Alexandria share best practices and ideas on getting the most out of Teams. Courtney Carroll from Community IT was also on hand to answer technical questions about the multitude of functions Teams can perform.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-12462946 Fri, 17 Mar 2023 16:00:00 -0400 1543 4 12 full false Does Your Nonprofit Need an Office? Does Your Nonprofit Need an Office? Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom runs through the three highest priorities for nonprofits that want to work remotely and need the IT support to do that.

Community IT is seeing a huge increase in inquiries from nonprofits looking to downsize entirely and permanently from the expenses of an office that they no longer need. 

But without a physical office, do you need different IT support? The answer is yes, and luckily new tools and IT management processes allow entirely remote work force to be supported entirely remotely, nationally, no matter where you are working from. Our colleagues like to call this “flexible” work, because it can happen from home, from a coffee shop, while you are traveling, even back in a hybrid office at a borrowed desk. 


If you are considering going fully remote, or have gone remote but are worried about the implications of that on your IT, this podcast can help you get started assessing your new needs.

Key Takeaways:

  • Device management
    • Have you updated your Acceptable Use Policy lately? 
  • New telephony options
    • If you are already using Teams, for example, you can add on phone service licenses and keep all your calling in one place. 
  • Cybersecurity check-up
    • The attacks on identity and attempts to con you through spoofed emails, phishing attacks, and wire transfer fraud keep increasing. Is your staff still protected if they are all working remotely? Do you need extra, or different, cybersecurity protections? 
  • Can outsourced IT help remote workers as well as the in-person IT used to help keep the physical office running smoothly? Check out our 12 Questions to Ask Your Managed Services Provider download.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom runs through the three highest priorities for nonprofits that want to work remotely and need the IT support to do that.

Community IT is seeing a huge increase in inquiries from nonprofits looking to downsize entirely and permanently from the expenses of an office that they no longer need. 

But without a physical office, do you need different IT support? The answer is yes, and luckily new tools and IT management processes allow entirely remote work force to be supported entirely remotely, nationally, no matter where you are working from. Our colleagues like to call this “flexible” work, because it can happen from home, from a coffee shop, while you are traveling, even back in a hybrid office at a borrowed desk. 


If you are considering going fully remote, or have gone remote but are worried about the implications of that on your IT, this podcast can help you get started assessing your new needs.

Key Takeaways:

  • Device management
    • Have you updated your Acceptable Use Policy lately? 
  • New telephony options
    • If you are already using Teams, for example, you can add on phone service licenses and keep all your calling in one place. 
  • Cybersecurity check-up
    • The attacks on identity and attempts to con you through spoofed emails, phishing attacks, and wire transfer fraud keep increasing. Is your staff still protected if they are all working remotely? Do you need extra, or different, cybersecurity protections? 
  • Can outsourced IT help remote workers as well as the in-person IT used to help keep the physical office running smoothly? Check out our 12 Questions to Ask Your Managed Services Provider download.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-12415659 Fri, 10 Mar 2023 15:00:00 -0500 1992 4 11 full false Community IT Voices: Matt Eshleman, Chief Technology Officer Community IT Voices: Matt Eshleman, Chief Technology Officer Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about it here.

In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Matt Eshleman, Chief Technology Officer, who has been with Community IT over 23 years, about how his job has changed with the growth in the need for cybersecurity expertise. 

Matt started at Community IT as a college intern in 2000. He’s seen a lot of changes over those years and shares some of his insight here.

We have really taken a relationship-driven approach to the technology support that we do. We’ve recognized that the actual technology piece of the work is relatively small. It’s super important, but it is relatively small. The big thing that we focus on is helping organizations use and adopt appropriate technology solutions. And that really involves a lot of planning. It involves understanding the organization, understanding their staff, how they use technology, and the tools that are available. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about it here.

In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Matt Eshleman, Chief Technology Officer, who has been with Community IT over 23 years, about how his job has changed with the growth in the need for cybersecurity expertise. 

Matt started at Community IT as a college intern in 2000. He’s seen a lot of changes over those years and shares some of his insight here.

We have really taken a relationship-driven approach to the technology support that we do. We’ve recognized that the actual technology piece of the work is relatively small. It’s super important, but it is relatively small. The big thing that we focus on is helping organizations use and adopt appropriate technology solutions. And that really involves a lot of planning. It involves understanding the organization, understanding their staff, how they use technology, and the tools that are available. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-12369505 Fri, 03 Mar 2023 14:00:00 -0500 1509 4 10 full false Nonprofit IT: a Look Ahead pt 2 Nonprofit IT: a Look Ahead pt 2 In part 2 of this podcast, three Community IT Innovators executives held an “ask the experts” discussion and Q&A on the direction nonprofit IT innovation is heading in the next 2-3 years and how your organization can invest in these growing trends.

After helping you think about how cutting edge your nonprofit really is or wants to be, they discuss 6 topics: Cybersecurity, crypto and blockchain, creating community using IT tools and platforms and what happens to communities when those platforms are changed by the corporation that produces them, the tension between the convenience of a stack of tools from a tech company vs doing it yourself with custom apps and a DIY approach, our expectations for supply chain stresses and the role of the global tech industry in the ways we work, and finally touch on AI and automation and how nonprofits may take advantage of AI and be impacted by AI.

Looking forward and want to be sure you are looking at the right IT that’s going to last?

Is your nonprofit looking to use IT in innovative ways to deliver your mission?

Has your office changed to such an extent you need new tools and ways to work?

This is always one of our most popular webinars, and this year’s was no exception. We shared some insights on the best practices of your nonprofit peers and forward-thinking nonprofits. 

Where should you invest your bandwidth and budget? What technology tools are coming, and where should you hold off and wait for the market to catch up? How do you know when your organization is ready to invest in forward-looking technology that will give you an advantage in your sector and as you deliver your mission? Why is it important to stay current, even if your organization is not the most tech-savvy nonprofit out there?

 Community IT Innovators’ CTO and cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman answered your questions on emerging threats, emerging ideas and tools on prevention, and best practices on staff cybersecurity training. 

Senior Consultant Nura Aboki weighed in with his observations on what nonprofits with IT bandwidth and expertise are investing in. 

Patrick Sprehe brings a deep knowledge of technical support, an interest in new technology uses at nonprofits, and experience implementing and maintaining established platforms and systems for large and mid-sized nonprofit clients. He was featured in our webinar on Building Foundations for Innovationand is always on the lookout for the next tech tools and new IT ideas.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In part 2 of this podcast, three Community IT Innovators executives held an “ask the experts” discussion and Q&A on the direction nonprofit IT innovation is heading in the next 2-3 years and how your organization can invest in these growing trends.

After helping you think about how cutting edge your nonprofit really is or wants to be, they discuss 6 topics: Cybersecurity, crypto and blockchain, creating community using IT tools and platforms and what happens to communities when those platforms are changed by the corporation that produces them, the tension between the convenience of a stack of tools from a tech company vs doing it yourself with custom apps and a DIY approach, our expectations for supply chain stresses and the role of the global tech industry in the ways we work, and finally touch on AI and automation and how nonprofits may take advantage of AI and be impacted by AI.

Looking forward and want to be sure you are looking at the right IT that’s going to last?

Is your nonprofit looking to use IT in innovative ways to deliver your mission?

Has your office changed to such an extent you need new tools and ways to work?

This is always one of our most popular webinars, and this year’s was no exception. We shared some insights on the best practices of your nonprofit peers and forward-thinking nonprofits. 

Where should you invest your bandwidth and budget? What technology tools are coming, and where should you hold off and wait for the market to catch up? How do you know when your organization is ready to invest in forward-looking technology that will give you an advantage in your sector and as you deliver your mission? Why is it important to stay current, even if your organization is not the most tech-savvy nonprofit out there?

 Community IT Innovators’ CTO and cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman answered your questions on emerging threats, emerging ideas and tools on prevention, and best practices on staff cybersecurity training. 

Senior Consultant Nura Aboki weighed in with his observations on what nonprofits with IT bandwidth and expertise are investing in. 

Patrick Sprehe brings a deep knowledge of technical support, an interest in new technology uses at nonprofits, and experience implementing and maintaining established platforms and systems for large and mid-sized nonprofit clients. He was featured in our webinar on Building Foundations for Innovationand is always on the lookout for the next tech tools and new IT ideas.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-12273399 Fri, 24 Feb 2023 16:00:00 -0500 1493 4 9 full false Nonprofit IT: a Look Ahead pt 1 Nonprofit IT: a Look Ahead pt 1 Three Community IT Innovators executives held an “ask the experts” discussion and Q&A on the direction nonprofit IT innovation is heading in the next 2-3 years and how your organization can invest in these growing trends.

Looking forward and want to be sure you are looking at the right IT that’s going to last?

Is your nonprofit looking to use IT in innovative ways to deliver your mission?

Has your office changed to such an extent you need new tools and ways to work?

In part 1 we discussed the big picture of IT changes worldwide  we expect to be relevant to our sector in the next few years. 

This is always one of our most popular webinars, and this year’s was no exception. We shared some insights on the best practices of your nonprofit peers and forward-thinking nonprofits. 

Where should you invest your bandwidth and budget? What technology tools are coming, and where should you hold off and wait for the market to catch up? How do you know when your organization is ready to invest in forward-looking technology that will give you an advantage in your sector and as you deliver your mission? Why is it important to stay current, even if your organization is not the most tech-savvy nonprofit out there?

With recent hacks and breeches, even small nonprofits are learning that the need for Cybersecurity is growing and evolving as these attacks become bigger and bigger business. As the cybersecurity community continues to look to out-pace the development of new attacks and respond to new vulnerabilities, what are the innovations in prevention that are emerging? Community IT Innovators’ CTO and cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman answered your questions on emerging threats, emerging ideas and tools on prevention, and best practices on staff cybersecurity training. 

Senior Consultant Nura Aboki weighed in with his observations on what nonprofits with IT bandwidth and expertise are investing in. What are the exciting new technologies nonprofits can expect to impact our sector, such as ChatGPT and other Artificial Intelligence applications, donations in Crypto, or training through Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality that could be the next big thing? Remembering how the iPhone/iPad, social media (remember the ice bucket challenge?), or data management have changed nonprofit operations in the blink of an eye, we’re going to look into the future to think about where nonprofit IT is ripe for disruption.

Patrick Sprehe is our IT Business Manager Team Lead, managing the team that guides our clients’ IT roadmaps and provides help with overcoming nonprofit technology challenges. Patrick brings a deep knowledge of technical support, an interest in new technology uses at nonprofits, and experience implementing and maintaining established platforms and systems for large and mid-sized nonprofit clients. He was featured in our webinar on Building Foundations for Innovation and is always on the lookout for the next tech tools and new

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Three Community IT Innovators executives held an “ask the experts” discussion and Q&A on the direction nonprofit IT innovation is heading in the next 2-3 years and how your organization can invest in these growing trends.

Looking forward and want to be sure you are looking at the right IT that’s going to last?

Is your nonprofit looking to use IT in innovative ways to deliver your mission?

Has your office changed to such an extent you need new tools and ways to work?

In part 1 we discussed the big picture of IT changes worldwide  we expect to be relevant to our sector in the next few years. 

This is always one of our most popular webinars, and this year’s was no exception. We shared some insights on the best practices of your nonprofit peers and forward-thinking nonprofits. 

Where should you invest your bandwidth and budget? What technology tools are coming, and where should you hold off and wait for the market to catch up? How do you know when your organization is ready to invest in forward-looking technology that will give you an advantage in your sector and as you deliver your mission? Why is it important to stay current, even if your organization is not the most tech-savvy nonprofit out there?

With recent hacks and breeches, even small nonprofits are learning that the need for Cybersecurity is growing and evolving as these attacks become bigger and bigger business. As the cybersecurity community continues to look to out-pace the development of new attacks and respond to new vulnerabilities, what are the innovations in prevention that are emerging? Community IT Innovators’ CTO and cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman answered your questions on emerging threats, emerging ideas and tools on prevention, and best practices on staff cybersecurity training. 

Senior Consultant Nura Aboki weighed in with his observations on what nonprofits with IT bandwidth and expertise are investing in. What are the exciting new technologies nonprofits can expect to impact our sector, such as ChatGPT and other Artificial Intelligence applications, donations in Crypto, or training through Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality that could be the next big thing? Remembering how the iPhone/iPad, social media (remember the ice bucket challenge?), or data management have changed nonprofit operations in the blink of an eye, we’re going to look into the future to think about where nonprofit IT is ripe for disruption.

Patrick Sprehe is our IT Business Manager Team Lead, managing the team that guides our clients’ IT roadmaps and provides help with overcoming nonprofit technology challenges. Patrick brings a deep knowledge of technical support, an interest in new technology uses at nonprofits, and experience implementing and maintaining established platforms and systems for large and mid-sized nonprofit clients. He was featured in our webinar on Building Foundations for Innovation and is always on the lookout for the next tech tools and new

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-12273112 Fri, 17 Feb 2023 15:00:00 -0500 1884 4 8 full false Creating Value and Saving Money on Nonprofit Tech pt 2 Creating Value and Saving Money on Nonprofit Tech pt 2 Hosted by the Nonprofit Learning Lab.

In part 2 of two parts, learn when it makes sense to outsource IT and more about the various technologies appropriate for different sizes and stages of growth of your nonprofit. Are you a small start up? Middle sized and middle aged? Is your organization tech risk averse or cutting edge eager?  These factors play a big role in whether you outsource some or all of your IT support, and what roles you need to keep in house.

Johan also responds to audience questions about migrating from a faulty old file share to SharePoint as an example of a tech project that  a "non-techie" nonprofit might need to undertake, and talks about how to engage staff in tech innovations.

Start up and small nonprofits can usually manage their own IT using free and low-cost tools for email, cybersecurity, file sharing, and online marketing. But as you grow, you will need to think about the role IT can play in the success of your nonprofit and the IT staff you will need to keep your nonprofit functioning. 

CEO Johan Hammerstrom, an expert with 20+ years of experience supporting nonprofit IT, talks about how to save money on tech and still plan for your nonprofit’s future. You will learn how to grow your internal staff skills, how to write job descriptions and hire for IT positions, and when to save money by outsourcing your IT. With new cybersecurity threats able to force you out of operations, it is never too early to build your IT roadmap and learn what tech expertise you can’t live without.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Resources shared in this episode:

https://communityit.com/building-the-foundation-for-it-innovation-download-this-guide/

https://www.indeed.com/hire/how-to-write-a-job-description

Find a full transcript and slides as a pdf download here: https://communityit.com/webinar-creating-value-and-saving-money-on-nonprofit-tech/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Hosted by the Nonprofit Learning Lab.

In part 2 of two parts, learn when it makes sense to outsource IT and more about the various technologies appropriate for different sizes and stages of growth of your nonprofit. Are you a small start up? Middle sized and middle aged? Is your organization tech risk averse or cutting edge eager?  These factors play a big role in whether you outsource some or all of your IT support, and what roles you need to keep in house.

Johan also responds to audience questions about migrating from a faulty old file share to SharePoint as an example of a tech project that  a "non-techie" nonprofit might need to undertake, and talks about how to engage staff in tech innovations.

Start up and small nonprofits can usually manage their own IT using free and low-cost tools for email, cybersecurity, file sharing, and online marketing. But as you grow, you will need to think about the role IT can play in the success of your nonprofit and the IT staff you will need to keep your nonprofit functioning. 

CEO Johan Hammerstrom, an expert with 20+ years of experience supporting nonprofit IT, talks about how to save money on tech and still plan for your nonprofit’s future. You will learn how to grow your internal staff skills, how to write job descriptions and hire for IT positions, and when to save money by outsourcing your IT. With new cybersecurity threats able to force you out of operations, it is never too early to build your IT roadmap and learn what tech expertise you can’t live without.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Resources shared in this episode:

https://communityit.com/building-the-foundation-for-it-innovation-download-this-guide/

https://www.indeed.com/hire/how-to-write-a-job-description

Find a full transcript and slides as a pdf download here: https://communityit.com/webinar-creating-value-and-saving-money-on-nonprofit-tech/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-12118193 Fri, 10 Feb 2023 16:00:00 -0500 1467 4 7 full false Creating Value and Saving Money on Nonprofit Tech pt 1 Creating Value and Saving Money on Nonprofit Tech pt 1 Hosted by the Nonprofit Learning Lab.

Start up and small nonprofits can usually manage their own IT using free and low-cost tools for email, cybersecurity, file sharing, and online marketing. But as you grow, you will need to think about the role IT can play in the success of your nonprofit and the IT staff you will need to keep your nonprofit functioning. 

CEO Johan Hammerstrom, an expert with 20+ years of experience supporting nonprofit IT, talks about how to save money on tech and still plan for your nonprofit’s future. You will learn how to grow your internal staff skills, how to write job descriptions and hire for IT positions, and when to save money by outsourcing your IT. With new cybersecurity threats able to force you out of operations, it is never too early to build your IT roadmap and learn what tech expertise you can’t live without.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Resources shared in this episode:

https://communityit.com/building-the-foundation-for-it-innovation-download-this-guide/

https://www.indeed.com/hire/how-to-write-a-job-description

Find a full transcript and slides as a pdf download here: https://communityit.com/webinar-creating-value-and-saving-money-on-nonprofit-tech/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Hosted by the Nonprofit Learning Lab.

Start up and small nonprofits can usually manage their own IT using free and low-cost tools for email, cybersecurity, file sharing, and online marketing. But as you grow, you will need to think about the role IT can play in the success of your nonprofit and the IT staff you will need to keep your nonprofit functioning. 

CEO Johan Hammerstrom, an expert with 20+ years of experience supporting nonprofit IT, talks about how to save money on tech and still plan for your nonprofit’s future. You will learn how to grow your internal staff skills, how to write job descriptions and hire for IT positions, and when to save money by outsourcing your IT. With new cybersecurity threats able to force you out of operations, it is never too early to build your IT roadmap and learn what tech expertise you can’t live without.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Resources shared in this episode:

https://communityit.com/building-the-foundation-for-it-innovation-download-this-guide/

https://www.indeed.com/hire/how-to-write-a-job-description

Find a full transcript and slides as a pdf download here: https://communityit.com/webinar-creating-value-and-saving-money-on-nonprofit-tech/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-12118143 Fri, 03 Feb 2023 15:00:00 -0500 1686 4 6 full false Nonprofit IT Expert Round Table pt 2 Nonprofit IT Expert Round Table pt 2 Three Community IT Innovators executives hold an “ask the experts” discussion and Q&A. Our executives, with decades of nonprofit IT experience between them discuss the nonprofit technology trends we expect to continue to impact our sector this year. You’ll learn how to ensure your nonprofit is up to date on the essentials in a changing landscape. 

This is always one of our most popular webinars as we take audience questions on nonprofit tech.

In part two, we turn our attention to cybersecurity and cloud computing. CEO Johan Hammerstrom discusses nonprofit IT trends with CTO and cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman and the ways cybersecurity safeguards and training are evolving as nonprofits suffer increasing hacks, wire fraud, and ransomware. Matt answers your questions on emerging threats, prevention, and staff cybersecurity training. Does your organization need a cybersecurity assessment or cybersecurity insurance? Have you taken our free self-quiz to see where you stand in cybersecurity readiness?

We expect cloud-based tech to continue to be the ongoing story of the modern office, for nonprofits as well as everyone else. Are you migrating to the cloud? Are you in the cloud but wondering if your team is utilizing all the tools you have, or has all the tools you need? Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker wraps up our discussion with his experience with cloud computing platforms, migrations, and implementations, and gives will have some insights for you on the best practices of your peers and forward-thinking nonprofits.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Three Community IT Innovators executives hold an “ask the experts” discussion and Q&A. Our executives, with decades of nonprofit IT experience between them discuss the nonprofit technology trends we expect to continue to impact our sector this year. You’ll learn how to ensure your nonprofit is up to date on the essentials in a changing landscape. 

This is always one of our most popular webinars as we take audience questions on nonprofit tech.

In part two, we turn our attention to cybersecurity and cloud computing. CEO Johan Hammerstrom discusses nonprofit IT trends with CTO and cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman and the ways cybersecurity safeguards and training are evolving as nonprofits suffer increasing hacks, wire fraud, and ransomware. Matt answers your questions on emerging threats, prevention, and staff cybersecurity training. Does your organization need a cybersecurity assessment or cybersecurity insurance? Have you taken our free self-quiz to see where you stand in cybersecurity readiness?

We expect cloud-based tech to continue to be the ongoing story of the modern office, for nonprofits as well as everyone else. Are you migrating to the cloud? Are you in the cloud but wondering if your team is utilizing all the tools you have, or has all the tools you need? Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker wraps up our discussion with his experience with cloud computing platforms, migrations, and implementations, and gives will have some insights for you on the best practices of your peers and forward-thinking nonprofits.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-12087414 Fri, 27 Jan 2023 15:00:00 -0500 1947 4 5 full false Nonprofit IT Expert Round Table pt 1 Nonprofit IT Expert Round Table pt 1 Three Community IT Innovators executives hold an “ask the experts” discussion and Q&A. Our executives, with decades of nonprofit IT experience between them discuss the nonprofit technology trends we expect to continue to impact our sector this year. You’ll learn how to ensure your nonprofit is up to date on the essentials in a changing landscape. 

This is always one of our most popular webinars as we take audience questions on nonprofit tech.

In part one, CEO Johan Hammerstrom shares his experience and observations on the top technology trends that nonprofits are using right now. Whether you have outsourced or in-house IT support, if you are back in the office or working remotely for the foreseeable future, Johan and our Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker and CTO and cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman  have some insights for you on the best practices of your peers and forward-thinking nonprofits.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Three Community IT Innovators executives hold an “ask the experts” discussion and Q&A. Our executives, with decades of nonprofit IT experience between them discuss the nonprofit technology trends we expect to continue to impact our sector this year. You’ll learn how to ensure your nonprofit is up to date on the essentials in a changing landscape. 

This is always one of our most popular webinars as we take audience questions on nonprofit tech.

In part one, CEO Johan Hammerstrom shares his experience and observations on the top technology trends that nonprofits are using right now. Whether you have outsourced or in-house IT support, if you are back in the office or working remotely for the foreseeable future, Johan and our Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker and CTO and cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman  have some insights for you on the best practices of your peers and forward-thinking nonprofits.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-12087261 Fri, 20 Jan 2023 16:00:00 -0500 1595 4 4 full false Nonprofit Development, Meet Accounting! pt 2 Nonprofit Development, Meet Accounting! pt 2 In part 2 of this podcast, our experts jump right in where part 1 left off and answer these remaining questions.

  1. What are some of the key problems with how nonprofits manage gift records that make life hard for Accounting? 
  2. Our donation/membership/grants are first recorded in the Financial Edge in our accounting office, then given to development to record in Raiser’s Edge.  Is this process being done backwards? 
  3. What should we be thinking about when planning a CRM to ERP integration to help make sure the data flows properly?
  4. We’re thinking about changing our CRM and/or ERP system to help solve our financial data flow problems. How should we approach this process? And what systems should we consider? 
  5. Have you ever had two nonprofits who needed essentially the same application share the development cost?
  6. What items in the new FASB financial reporting rules have the biggest impact on nonprofit GL structures and GL feeds from the CRM system?


Nonprofit organizations often enter and manage key financial data in places other than their accounting system—and require that the data flow into the general ledger.

But getting the data from those systems—for managing fundraising, membership, grants, or service management—into the accounting system is rarely as straightforward as we would like it to be.

Do you struggle to integrate data in your Development and Accounting systems?

Many nonprofits struggle to manage the entire lifecycle of financial transactions flowing into the general ledger from other systems. All nonprofits exert too much energy and time manually manipulating financial data inside or outside of their systems, performing duplicative data entry, exporting and importing data, debugging integration tools and processes, performing reconciliations, creating and maintaining reports, and responding to auditors.

While there are clearly technical challenges, often the heart of the problem is the need to reconcile the differences in requirements between departments – for example, Development and Accounting – where both have different but equally legitimate needs to view financial data in different ways.

We’ve assembled a panel of three experts with more than 60 combined years of experience solving just these sorts of problems for nonprofit organizations. As they’ve worked with the World Wildlife Fund, Bread for the World, the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, the Meridian Institute, and hundreds of other organizations, they’ve picked up a few things about how to establish leadership and operational practices, business processes, data models, and technology environments that work together in solving our clients’ challenges.

This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers, accounting, development, and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In part 2 of this podcast, our experts jump right in where part 1 left off and answer these remaining questions.

  1. What are some of the key problems with how nonprofits manage gift records that make life hard for Accounting? 
  2. Our donation/membership/grants are first recorded in the Financial Edge in our accounting office, then given to development to record in Raiser’s Edge.  Is this process being done backwards? 
  3. What should we be thinking about when planning a CRM to ERP integration to help make sure the data flows properly?
  4. We’re thinking about changing our CRM and/or ERP system to help solve our financial data flow problems. How should we approach this process? And what systems should we consider? 
  5. Have you ever had two nonprofits who needed essentially the same application share the development cost?
  6. What items in the new FASB financial reporting rules have the biggest impact on nonprofit GL structures and GL feeds from the CRM system?


Nonprofit organizations often enter and manage key financial data in places other than their accounting system—and require that the data flow into the general ledger.

But getting the data from those systems—for managing fundraising, membership, grants, or service management—into the accounting system is rarely as straightforward as we would like it to be.

Do you struggle to integrate data in your Development and Accounting systems?

Many nonprofits struggle to manage the entire lifecycle of financial transactions flowing into the general ledger from other systems. All nonprofits exert too much energy and time manually manipulating financial data inside or outside of their systems, performing duplicative data entry, exporting and importing data, debugging integration tools and processes, performing reconciliations, creating and maintaining reports, and responding to auditors.

While there are clearly technical challenges, often the heart of the problem is the need to reconcile the differences in requirements between departments – for example, Development and Accounting – where both have different but equally legitimate needs to view financial data in different ways.

We’ve assembled a panel of three experts with more than 60 combined years of experience solving just these sorts of problems for nonprofit organizations. As they’ve worked with the World Wildlife Fund, Bread for the World, the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, the Meridian Institute, and hundreds of other organizations, they’ve picked up a few things about how to establish leadership and operational practices, business processes, data models, and technology environments that work together in solving our clients’ challenges.

This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers, accounting, development, and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11936962 Fri, 13 Jan 2023 16:00:00 -0500 1697 4 3 full false Nonprofit Development, Meet Accounting! pt 1 Nonprofit Development, Meet Accounting! pt 1 Nonprofit organizations often enter and manage key financial data in places other than their accounting system—and require that the data flow into the general ledger.

But getting the data from those systems—for managing fundraising, membership, grants, or service management—into the accounting system is rarely as straightforward as we would like it to be.

In part 1 of this podcast, our experts shared our thoughts in answer to the following questions:

  1. What are the differing viewpoints or priorities of Development and Accounting when it comes to managing financial data? 
  2. How can we resolve misunderstanding between Development and Accounting about how to categorize gift records? 
  3. Our chart of accounts is currently very complex and confusing, which makes it very difficult to map gift records to the GL for integration. Is there a solution? 


Do you struggle to integrate data in your Development and Accounting systems?

Many nonprofits struggle to manage the entire lifecycle of financial transactions flowing into the general ledger from other systems. All nonprofits exert too much energy and time manually manipulating financial data inside or outside of their systems, performing duplicative data entry, exporting and importing data, debugging integration tools and processes, performing reconciliations, creating and maintaining reports, and responding to auditors.

While there are clearly technical challenges, often the heart of the problem is the need to reconcile the differences in requirements between departments – for example, Development and Accounting – where both have different but equally legitimate needs to view financial data in different ways.

We’ve assembled a panel of three experts with more than 60 combined years of experience solving just these sorts of problems for nonprofit organizations. As they’ve worked with the World Wildlife Fund, Bread for the World, the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, the Meridian Institute, and hundreds of other organizations, they’ve picked up a few things about how to establish leadership and operational practices, business processes, data models, and technology environments that work together in solving our clients’ challenges.

This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers, accounting, development, and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Nonprofit organizations often enter and manage key financial data in places other than their accounting system—and require that the data flow into the general ledger.

But getting the data from those systems—for managing fundraising, membership, grants, or service management—into the accounting system is rarely as straightforward as we would like it to be.

In part 1 of this podcast, our experts shared our thoughts in answer to the following questions:

  1. What are the differing viewpoints or priorities of Development and Accounting when it comes to managing financial data? 
  2. How can we resolve misunderstanding between Development and Accounting about how to categorize gift records? 
  3. Our chart of accounts is currently very complex and confusing, which makes it very difficult to map gift records to the GL for integration. Is there a solution? 


Do you struggle to integrate data in your Development and Accounting systems?

Many nonprofits struggle to manage the entire lifecycle of financial transactions flowing into the general ledger from other systems. All nonprofits exert too much energy and time manually manipulating financial data inside or outside of their systems, performing duplicative data entry, exporting and importing data, debugging integration tools and processes, performing reconciliations, creating and maintaining reports, and responding to auditors.

While there are clearly technical challenges, often the heart of the problem is the need to reconcile the differences in requirements between departments – for example, Development and Accounting – where both have different but equally legitimate needs to view financial data in different ways.

We’ve assembled a panel of three experts with more than 60 combined years of experience solving just these sorts of problems for nonprofit organizations. As they’ve worked with the World Wildlife Fund, Bread for the World, the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, the Meridian Institute, and hundreds of other organizations, they’ve picked up a few things about how to establish leadership and operational practices, business processes, data models, and technology environments that work together in solving our clients’ challenges.

This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers, accounting, development, and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11845091 Tue, 10 Jan 2023 16:00:00 -0500 1556 4 2 full false Community IT Voices: Galen Wenger's New Endeavor Orchard Stack Community IT Voices: Galen Wenger's New Endeavor Orchard Stack In today’s interview, Galen Wenger talks about leaving Community IT and our support during this transition, as he takes on a really big and really exciting new endeavor, starting a start-up. This new business developed software for Meals on Wheels and other meal and food delivery nonprofits to manage their kitchen, dietary specifics, routes, volunteers, and mapping. 

After volunteering for over a decade and serving on the board of his local Meals on Wheels in Lancaster PA, Galen stepped in to help with a software selection that turned up a real and pressing need for mapping and management tools for local meal delivery nonprofits. Galen Wenger's new endeavor hopes to serve that need with affordable software that is easy to implement. We couldn't be prouder. We will miss you Galen but we know from your work at Community IT that you will put your total effort into everything you do and we know meal-delivery nonprofits will be putting this software to work to deliver on their missions through effective use of IT.

Listen to the podcast to learn about Galen's new company, and hear from Johan Hammerstrom about this successful transition.

At the end of the day, that’s what we want for everybody here, that they’re doing work that they’re excited by and that they find rewarding and fulfilling.  Johan Hammerstrom, CEO

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In today’s interview, Galen Wenger talks about leaving Community IT and our support during this transition, as he takes on a really big and really exciting new endeavor, starting a start-up. This new business developed software for Meals on Wheels and other meal and food delivery nonprofits to manage their kitchen, dietary specifics, routes, volunteers, and mapping. 

After volunteering for over a decade and serving on the board of his local Meals on Wheels in Lancaster PA, Galen stepped in to help with a software selection that turned up a real and pressing need for mapping and management tools for local meal delivery nonprofits. Galen Wenger's new endeavor hopes to serve that need with affordable software that is easy to implement. We couldn't be prouder. We will miss you Galen but we know from your work at Community IT that you will put your total effort into everything you do and we know meal-delivery nonprofits will be putting this software to work to deliver on their missions through effective use of IT.

Listen to the podcast to learn about Galen's new company, and hear from Johan Hammerstrom about this successful transition.

At the end of the day, that’s what we want for everybody here, that they’re doing work that they’re excited by and that they find rewarding and fulfilling.  Johan Hammerstrom, CEO

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11936951 Fri, 06 Jan 2023 16:00:00 -0500 749 4 1 full false Community IT Voices: Biggest Nonprofit Tech Stories of 2022 Community IT Voices: Biggest Nonprofit Tech Stories of 2022 In today’s Community IT Voices podcast, Carolyn asked several senior staff to reflect on the biggest nonprofit tech stories of 2022, and some of the undervalued or under-reported stories as well. You’ll hear from Carolyn, David Dawson, Senior Engineer; Saba Gebru, Director of Service Operations; Matt Eshleman, CTO and Cybersecurity Expert; Steve Longenecker, Director of IT Consulting; Johanny Torrico, COO; Nuradeen Aboki, Senior Engineer and IT Business Manager Consultant; and Johan Hammerstrom, CEO.

Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about what our staff are thinking about and working on here.

We hope you enjoyed hearing Community IT Voices throughout 2022 and this podcast episode on the biggest nonprofit tech stories of 2022. Community IT is the right place for you if you find fulfillment in helping others succeed and love mastering new technologies.

Our employees stay and grow with us, and over half of our staff have been with us for over a decade. Community IT is an employee-owned company with a positive, sustainable workplace that promotes professional development and a healthy work/life balance. We have been 100% employee-owned since 2012. Check out careers with us here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In today’s Community IT Voices podcast, Carolyn asked several senior staff to reflect on the biggest nonprofit tech stories of 2022, and some of the undervalued or under-reported stories as well. You’ll hear from Carolyn, David Dawson, Senior Engineer; Saba Gebru, Director of Service Operations; Matt Eshleman, CTO and Cybersecurity Expert; Steve Longenecker, Director of IT Consulting; Johanny Torrico, COO; Nuradeen Aboki, Senior Engineer and IT Business Manager Consultant; and Johan Hammerstrom, CEO.

Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about what our staff are thinking about and working on here.

We hope you enjoyed hearing Community IT Voices throughout 2022 and this podcast episode on the biggest nonprofit tech stories of 2022. Community IT is the right place for you if you find fulfillment in helping others succeed and love mastering new technologies.

Our employees stay and grow with us, and over half of our staff have been with us for over a decade. Community IT is an employee-owned company with a positive, sustainable workplace that promotes professional development and a healthy work/life balance. We have been 100% employee-owned since 2012. Check out careers with us here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11934214 Fri, 30 Dec 2022 15:00:00 -0500 1625 3 56 full false Community IT Voices: Rivel Koulle, Help Desk Analyst Community IT Voices: Rivel Koulle, Help Desk Analyst Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about it here.

In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Rivel Koulle, Help Desk Analyst, who has been with Community IT over three years, about how he found this job and what attracted him to Community IT. Rivel answers the help desk phones, emails, and live chat and is the first person many people talk to when they have to get in touch for help. He was getting his Comptia A+ certification at Carlos Rosario International School in DC, where he met our CEO, Johan Hammerstrom, and knew he wanted to work at Community IT. 

Originally from Cameroun, Rivel has found community in DC and lots of support. His advice for aspiring IT techs is to get the certifications and find people to learn from who will help you grow confidence in yourself. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about it here.

In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Rivel Koulle, Help Desk Analyst, who has been with Community IT over three years, about how he found this job and what attracted him to Community IT. Rivel answers the help desk phones, emails, and live chat and is the first person many people talk to when they have to get in touch for help. He was getting his Comptia A+ certification at Carlos Rosario International School in DC, where he met our CEO, Johan Hammerstrom, and knew he wanted to work at Community IT. 

Originally from Cameroun, Rivel has found community in DC and lots of support. His advice for aspiring IT techs is to get the certifications and find people to learn from who will help you grow confidence in yourself. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11832109 Fri, 23 Dec 2022 16:00:00 -0500 848 3 55 full false Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Machine Based Learning: Nonprofit Tech of the Future pt 3 Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Machine Based Learning: Nonprofit Tech of the Future pt 3 In pt 3 of this interview series on high tech and nonprofits, we wrap up our discussion about cutting edge technology with 3 nonprofit tech experts with decades of experience and a deep interest in tech innovations; Johan Hammerstrom, CEO of Community IT Innovators, Steve Longenecker, our Director of IT Consulting, and Nura Aboki, Senior IT Business Manager and Consultant. 

Johan, Nura, and Steve look into applications of Artificial Intelligence for nonprofits, from a chatbot who can answer questions while taking donations to on-demand images created by AI for your website or brochure, crafted to appeal to universal emotions. Nura also explores machine based learning and how forward looking nonprofits may be able to use this tech to save people from repetitive tasks in the future.

Is your nonprofit forward looking? Are you wondering what tech changes your nonprofit will be facing in the next 3-5 years and how embracing new technologies could enhance and support your nonprofit mission and goals?

Join us for a quick preview of where we think these technologies are going and how we expect this trendy tech to impact the nonprofit sector. 

In parts 1 and 2 of this series our experts discussed Virtual Reality and Crypto. You can find those episodes in your subscription feed or on our website.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In pt 3 of this interview series on high tech and nonprofits, we wrap up our discussion about cutting edge technology with 3 nonprofit tech experts with decades of experience and a deep interest in tech innovations; Johan Hammerstrom, CEO of Community IT Innovators, Steve Longenecker, our Director of IT Consulting, and Nura Aboki, Senior IT Business Manager and Consultant. 

Johan, Nura, and Steve look into applications of Artificial Intelligence for nonprofits, from a chatbot who can answer questions while taking donations to on-demand images created by AI for your website or brochure, crafted to appeal to universal emotions. Nura also explores machine based learning and how forward looking nonprofits may be able to use this tech to save people from repetitive tasks in the future.

Is your nonprofit forward looking? Are you wondering what tech changes your nonprofit will be facing in the next 3-5 years and how embracing new technologies could enhance and support your nonprofit mission and goals?

Join us for a quick preview of where we think these technologies are going and how we expect this trendy tech to impact the nonprofit sector. 

In parts 1 and 2 of this series our experts discussed Virtual Reality and Crypto. You can find those episodes in your subscription feed or on our website.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11825576 Fri, 16 Dec 2022 15:00:00 -0500 2159 3 54 full false Cyber, Crypto, Blockchain: Nonprofit Tech of the Future pt 2 Cyber, Crypto, Blockchain: Nonprofit Tech of the Future pt 2 In pt 2 of this interview series, learn about cutting edge technology from 3 nonprofit tech experts with decades of experience and a deep interest in tech innovations. Johan Hammerstrom, CEO of Community IT Innovators, Steve Longenecker, our Director of IT Consulting, and Nura Aboki, Senior IT Business Manager and Consultant. 

We start by exploring the way offices are working today and the changes that modern nonprofit offices have gone through to work remotely or with hybrid set ups or hoteling desks. We then discuss a topic that all nonprofits have to pay attention to: Cybersecurity protections. We also delve into crypto, touching on how nonprofits want to be able to accept donations, and also discuss blockchain applications for financial transparency and transactions. What is the future of Docusign? When will we go entirely paperless and what will documents look like then?

Is your nonprofit forward looking? Are you wondering what tech changes your nonprofit will be facing in the next 3-5 years and how our offices will keep changing to address cybersecurity and financial risks? Are you conflicted about crypto's impact on the environment, but interested in the financial transparency behind the hype?

Join us for a quick preview of where we think these technologies are going and how we expect this trendy tech to impact the nonprofit sector. 

In part 3 of this series our experts will discuss Artificial Intelligence for nonprofits (AI) and Machine Based Learning innovations. Stay tuned! 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In pt 2 of this interview series, learn about cutting edge technology from 3 nonprofit tech experts with decades of experience and a deep interest in tech innovations. Johan Hammerstrom, CEO of Community IT Innovators, Steve Longenecker, our Director of IT Consulting, and Nura Aboki, Senior IT Business Manager and Consultant. 

We start by exploring the way offices are working today and the changes that modern nonprofit offices have gone through to work remotely or with hybrid set ups or hoteling desks. We then discuss a topic that all nonprofits have to pay attention to: Cybersecurity protections. We also delve into crypto, touching on how nonprofits want to be able to accept donations, and also discuss blockchain applications for financial transparency and transactions. What is the future of Docusign? When will we go entirely paperless and what will documents look like then?

Is your nonprofit forward looking? Are you wondering what tech changes your nonprofit will be facing in the next 3-5 years and how our offices will keep changing to address cybersecurity and financial risks? Are you conflicted about crypto's impact on the environment, but interested in the financial transparency behind the hype?

Join us for a quick preview of where we think these technologies are going and how we expect this trendy tech to impact the nonprofit sector. 

In part 3 of this series our experts will discuss Artificial Intelligence for nonprofits (AI) and Machine Based Learning innovations. Stay tuned! 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11825480 Fri, 09 Dec 2022 15:00:00 -0500 1442 3 53 full false Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and more. Nonprofit Tech of the Future pt 1 Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and more. Nonprofit Tech of the Future pt 1 Learn about cutting edge technology from 3 nonprofit tech experts with decades of experience and a deep interest in tech innovations. Johan Hammerstrom, CEO of Community IT Innovators, Steve Longenecker, our Director of IT Consulting, and Nura Aboki, Senior IT Business Manager and Consultant, discuss a topic that is getting a lot of buzz - Virtual Reality.

Is your nonprofit forward looking? Are you thinking about ways to use VR outside of the games you play at home? Wondering what VR is going to look like 3-5 years from now and how we might all be using it for meetings and trainings? Wondering if VR is a smart investment for your nonprofit or whether you should hold tight and wait for the technology to develop for the market?

Join us for a quick preview of where we think VR and Augmented Reality are going and how we expect this trendy tech to impact the nonprofit sector. 

In part 2 of this series our experts discuss Cyber, Crypto, and Blockchain, and in part 3 we'll talk about Artificial Intelligence for nonprofits (AI) and Machine Based Learning innovations. Stay tuned! 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Learn about cutting edge technology from 3 nonprofit tech experts with decades of experience and a deep interest in tech innovations. Johan Hammerstrom, CEO of Community IT Innovators, Steve Longenecker, our Director of IT Consulting, and Nura Aboki, Senior IT Business Manager and Consultant, discuss a topic that is getting a lot of buzz - Virtual Reality.

Is your nonprofit forward looking? Are you thinking about ways to use VR outside of the games you play at home? Wondering what VR is going to look like 3-5 years from now and how we might all be using it for meetings and trainings? Wondering if VR is a smart investment for your nonprofit or whether you should hold tight and wait for the technology to develop for the market?

Join us for a quick preview of where we think VR and Augmented Reality are going and how we expect this trendy tech to impact the nonprofit sector. 

In part 2 of this series our experts discuss Cyber, Crypto, and Blockchain, and in part 3 we'll talk about Artificial Intelligence for nonprofits (AI) and Machine Based Learning innovations. Stay tuned! 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11802918 Fri, 02 Dec 2022 14:00:00 -0500 1922 3 52 full false Staffing IT Positions at Nonprofits pt 2 Staffing IT Positions at Nonprofits pt 2 In part 2, CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Senior Engineer Nura Aboki discuss hiring IT positions at nonprofits when you are not necessarily an IT person, and took questions from the audience on accidental techies and how to convince leadership to invest in IT staff (and IT in general).

Apologies for the first instance of this podcast pt 2 which inadvertently cut off the ending. The audio file has been corrected.

When does it make sense to outsource some or all of these positions, and when is it crucial to keep these roles in-house? 

Do you need a full-time IT strategist in a leadership role, or can a consultant help you out once a year at budget time? Can outsourced IT really help you develop your strategic roadmap?

Johan and Nura answer your questions on staffing IT positions at nonprofits and shared their expertise and insights from decades of experience in this field.

The nonprofit IT sector has changed a lot in the 20+ years Community IT has been serving nonprofits. While many smaller and start-up nonprofits may still have a place for an “accidental techie” on staff, on the whole the sector has professionalized IT support over time, whether through staffing up or outsourcing. 

If you are having trouble hiring for tech positions, or wondering about the value of outsourcing IT or hiring a part-time CIO, this webinar discussion could help you sort out your priorities and learn how to think about qualifications and interviewing, providing professional development, or working with an MSP to co-manage your nonprofit tech, or outsource completely. If your MSP just takes a break-fix approach, please tune in to explore alternatives and learn how to build valuable long-term technology partnerships with your providers.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In part 2, CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Senior Engineer Nura Aboki discuss hiring IT positions at nonprofits when you are not necessarily an IT person, and took questions from the audience on accidental techies and how to convince leadership to invest in IT staff (and IT in general).

Apologies for the first instance of this podcast pt 2 which inadvertently cut off the ending. The audio file has been corrected.

When does it make sense to outsource some or all of these positions, and when is it crucial to keep these roles in-house? 

Do you need a full-time IT strategist in a leadership role, or can a consultant help you out once a year at budget time? Can outsourced IT really help you develop your strategic roadmap?

Johan and Nura answer your questions on staffing IT positions at nonprofits and shared their expertise and insights from decades of experience in this field.

The nonprofit IT sector has changed a lot in the 20+ years Community IT has been serving nonprofits. While many smaller and start-up nonprofits may still have a place for an “accidental techie” on staff, on the whole the sector has professionalized IT support over time, whether through staffing up or outsourcing. 

If you are having trouble hiring for tech positions, or wondering about the value of outsourcing IT or hiring a part-time CIO, this webinar discussion could help you sort out your priorities and learn how to think about qualifications and interviewing, providing professional development, or working with an MSP to co-manage your nonprofit tech, or outsource completely. If your MSP just takes a break-fix approach, please tune in to explore alternatives and learn how to build valuable long-term technology partnerships with your providers.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11744263 Fri, 25 Nov 2022 16:00:00 -0500 1703 3 51 full false Staffing IT Positions at Nonprofits pt 1 Staffing IT Positions at Nonprofits pt 1 CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Senior Engineer Nura Aboki discuss hiring IT positions at nonprofits when you are not necessarily an IT person. 

How do you know what requirements to ask for? What kind of skill set is required for an entry-level position? An information manager? Other roles? An IT Director? A CIO? 

When does it make sense to outsource some or all of these positions, and when is it crucial to keep this role in-house? 

Do you need a full-time IT strategist in a leadership role, or can a consultant help you out once a year at budget time? Can outsourced IT really help you develop your strategic roadmap?

How does the size or growth stage of your nonprofit make a difference in the types of IT staff or providers you need?

In part 1 of this webinar, Johan and Nura answer your questions on staffing IT positions at nonprofits and shared their expertise and insights from decades of experience in this field.

The nonprofit IT sector has changed a lot in the 20+ years Community IT has been serving nonprofits. While many smaller and start-up nonprofits may still have a place for an “accidental techie” on staff, on the whole the sector has professionalized IT support over time, whether through staffing up or outsourcing. 

If you are having trouble hiring for tech positions, or wondering about the value of outsourcing IT or hiring a part-time CIO, this webinar discussion could help you sort out your priorities and learn how to think about qualifications and interviewing, providing professional development, or working with an MSP to co-manage your nonprofit tech, or outsource completely. If your MSP just takes a break-fix approach, please tune in to explore alternatives and learn how to build valuable long-term technology partnerships with your providers.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Senior Engineer Nura Aboki discuss hiring IT positions at nonprofits when you are not necessarily an IT person. 

How do you know what requirements to ask for? What kind of skill set is required for an entry-level position? An information manager? Other roles? An IT Director? A CIO? 

When does it make sense to outsource some or all of these positions, and when is it crucial to keep this role in-house? 

Do you need a full-time IT strategist in a leadership role, or can a consultant help you out once a year at budget time? Can outsourced IT really help you develop your strategic roadmap?

How does the size or growth stage of your nonprofit make a difference in the types of IT staff or providers you need?

In part 1 of this webinar, Johan and Nura answer your questions on staffing IT positions at nonprofits and shared their expertise and insights from decades of experience in this field.

The nonprofit IT sector has changed a lot in the 20+ years Community IT has been serving nonprofits. While many smaller and start-up nonprofits may still have a place for an “accidental techie” on staff, on the whole the sector has professionalized IT support over time, whether through staffing up or outsourcing. 

If you are having trouble hiring for tech positions, or wondering about the value of outsourcing IT or hiring a part-time CIO, this webinar discussion could help you sort out your priorities and learn how to think about qualifications and interviewing, providing professional development, or working with an MSP to co-manage your nonprofit tech, or outsource completely. If your MSP just takes a break-fix approach, please tune in to explore alternatives and learn how to build valuable long-term technology partnerships with your providers.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11720924 Fri, 18 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0500 1953 3 50 full false Selecting Nonprofit Software: Technology Comes Last pt 2 Selecting Nonprofit Software: Technology Comes Last pt 2 In this webinar, Build Consulting experts, including the former CEO of Community IT, David Deal, lead a discussion of why, to be successful with new software at your organization, technology must come last.

Nonprofit transformation or change management or any successful organizational change process involving technology begins with software selection, if not prior to selection.  

And when people ask what does successful transformation involve?  Well, it goes all the way back to leadership and governance and your operational capacity, the processes that you execute as an organization, the data that you manage and then finally technology.  And that’s why the subtitle for this webinar is technology comes last.  It really is the last thing that needs to be taken into consideration for successful technology selection and implementation projects.  A lot of things upstream of the technology selection actually need to be well ordered or done as part of the selection process in order to make sure that that resulting implementation is successful.

Part two answers these reader-submitted questions:

  1. How do we define the requirements for the software that we need?
  2. When is an RFP (Request for Proposal) or RFI (Request for Information) appropriate in a software selection?
  3. When should we let the vendors demo? And how do we ensure vendors show us what we need to see and not what they want to show us?
  4. How can we make sure a vendor is giving us a realistic project estimate?
  5. Any change involves a cost to the institution.  So how do you weigh the benefits versus costs when selecting nonprofit software?

Presenters:

Peter Mirus, former Partner at Build Consulting, is an expert at helping organizations and people to learn, communicate, and grow through the use of information technology. He has more than 15 years of experience as an executive, strategist, analyst, and solution developer, serving more than 30 non-profits and 40 professional services firms ranging from start-ups to large international organizations. 

Over 20 years ago while doing a year of volunteer service at a nonprofit, David Deal found his passion by helping a nonprofit and its staff use technology effectively. His career has built on that theme ever since and in its newest expression is Build Consulting. As a Partner at Build, David gets to guide and support nonprofits in developing their information management capacity. 

Kyle Haines is passionate about all things design. An architect at heart, he finds joy in creating evocative and engaging “things”. This passion spans his personal and professional life and is most notable in the visually engaging way that Build Consulting communicates. While a Partner at Build Consulting, Kyle also volunteers with organizations to improve the sustainability of his community. His experience in design allows him to delve into the software selection process with an eye to successfully fitting the eventual implementation to the organization’s style, culture, and needs.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In this webinar, Build Consulting experts, including the former CEO of Community IT, David Deal, lead a discussion of why, to be successful with new software at your organization, technology must come last.

Nonprofit transformation or change management or any successful organizational change process involving technology begins with software selection, if not prior to selection.  

And when people ask what does successful transformation involve?  Well, it goes all the way back to leadership and governance and your operational capacity, the processes that you execute as an organization, the data that you manage and then finally technology.  And that’s why the subtitle for this webinar is technology comes last.  It really is the last thing that needs to be taken into consideration for successful technology selection and implementation projects.  A lot of things upstream of the technology selection actually need to be well ordered or done as part of the selection process in order to make sure that that resulting implementation is successful.

Part two answers these reader-submitted questions:

  1. How do we define the requirements for the software that we need?
  2. When is an RFP (Request for Proposal) or RFI (Request for Information) appropriate in a software selection?
  3. When should we let the vendors demo? And how do we ensure vendors show us what we need to see and not what they want to show us?
  4. How can we make sure a vendor is giving us a realistic project estimate?
  5. Any change involves a cost to the institution.  So how do you weigh the benefits versus costs when selecting nonprofit software?

Presenters:

Peter Mirus, former Partner at Build Consulting, is an expert at helping organizations and people to learn, communicate, and grow through the use of information technology. He has more than 15 years of experience as an executive, strategist, analyst, and solution developer, serving more than 30 non-profits and 40 professional services firms ranging from start-ups to large international organizations. 

Over 20 years ago while doing a year of volunteer service at a nonprofit, David Deal found his passion by helping a nonprofit and its staff use technology effectively. His career has built on that theme ever since and in its newest expression is Build Consulting. As a Partner at Build, David gets to guide and support nonprofits in developing their information management capacity. 

Kyle Haines is passionate about all things design. An architect at heart, he finds joy in creating evocative and engaging “things”. This passion spans his personal and professional life and is most notable in the visually engaging way that Build Consulting communicates. While a Partner at Build Consulting, Kyle also volunteers with organizations to improve the sustainability of his community. His experience in design allows him to delve into the software selection process with an eye to successfully fitting the eventual implementation to the organization’s style, culture, and needs.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11670443 Fri, 11 Nov 2022 16:00:00 -0500 1894 3 49 full false Selecting Nonprofit Software: Technology Comes Last pt 1 Selecting Nonprofit Software: Technology Comes Last pt 1 In this webinar, Build Consulting experts, including the former CEO of Community IT, David Deal, lead a discussion of why, to be successful with new software at your organization, technology must come last.

Nonprofit transformation or change management or any successful organizational change process involving technology begins with software selection, if not prior to selection.  

And when people ask what does successful transformation involve?  Well, it goes all the way back to leadership and governance and your operational capacity, the processes that you execute as an organization, the data that you manage and then finally technology.  And that’s why the subtitle for this webinar is technology comes last.  It really is the last thing that needs to be taken into consideration for successful technology selection and implementation projects.  A lot of things upstream of the technology selection actually need to be well ordered or done as part of the selection process in order to make sure that that resulting implementation is successful.

Part one answers these reader-submitted questions:

  1. We are about to select a new CRM (Constituent Relationship Management software).  What are the top two or three things we can do to make the selection successful?
  2. My executive director wants to go with solution redacted [Shiny Solution X], but I’m not sure it is right for us.  How can I pump the brakes on that?  
  3. The last time we implemented a CRM it failed miserably.  How can we prevent that from happening in the future?
  4. Who needs to be involved in the selection process? 
  5. We want to select a new software for a particular challenge, but I feel like our managers don’t know what business processes they want to follow. How important is it that the managers pick the business process before they go into selection?

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In this webinar, Build Consulting experts, including the former CEO of Community IT, David Deal, lead a discussion of why, to be successful with new software at your organization, technology must come last.

Nonprofit transformation or change management or any successful organizational change process involving technology begins with software selection, if not prior to selection.  

And when people ask what does successful transformation involve?  Well, it goes all the way back to leadership and governance and your operational capacity, the processes that you execute as an organization, the data that you manage and then finally technology.  And that’s why the subtitle for this webinar is technology comes last.  It really is the last thing that needs to be taken into consideration for successful technology selection and implementation projects.  A lot of things upstream of the technology selection actually need to be well ordered or done as part of the selection process in order to make sure that that resulting implementation is successful.

Part one answers these reader-submitted questions:

  1. We are about to select a new CRM (Constituent Relationship Management software).  What are the top two or three things we can do to make the selection successful?
  2. My executive director wants to go with solution redacted [Shiny Solution X], but I’m not sure it is right for us.  How can I pump the brakes on that?  
  3. The last time we implemented a CRM it failed miserably.  How can we prevent that from happening in the future?
  4. Who needs to be involved in the selection process? 
  5. We want to select a new software for a particular challenge, but I feel like our managers don’t know what business processes they want to follow. How important is it that the managers pick the business process before they go into selection?

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11640013 Sun, 06 Nov 2022 11:00:00 -0500 1710 3 48 full false Security Training for Nonprofit Grantees pt 2 Security Training for Nonprofit Grantees pt 2 In this podcast pt 2, Matt Eshleman and guest Jada Breegle from Legal Services Corporation dig a little deeper into how to get buy-in from executives and answer some audience questions on international training, zero trust, and other issues.

This wide-ranging discussion focuses on cybersecurity at nonprofits and how funders can work collaboratively with grantees to instill a staff culture of healthy skepticism as part of a strong cyber defense. Research shows that short, frequent and realistic trainings are more valuable than a once-a-year security video at creating an email safety culture at nonprofits. You can have all the correct security tools in place but the number one way a hack will happen is when someone on your staff clicks on the wrong link in a compromised email that looks real.

In this webinar, Matt and Jada answer attendee questions about working with funders to improve cybersecurity at nonprofits, including important security training for nonprofit grantees.

If you are a funder, you’ll learn how to work with your grantees to help them protect your financial investments in them and better ensure they are able to deliver their important nonprofit missions without the delays and financial burdens of being hacked.

If you are a grantee, we explore ways to approach your funders about cybersecurity training and support to help strengthen your staff and qualify for necessary cyber insurance.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In this podcast pt 2, Matt Eshleman and guest Jada Breegle from Legal Services Corporation dig a little deeper into how to get buy-in from executives and answer some audience questions on international training, zero trust, and other issues.

This wide-ranging discussion focuses on cybersecurity at nonprofits and how funders can work collaboratively with grantees to instill a staff culture of healthy skepticism as part of a strong cyber defense. Research shows that short, frequent and realistic trainings are more valuable than a once-a-year security video at creating an email safety culture at nonprofits. You can have all the correct security tools in place but the number one way a hack will happen is when someone on your staff clicks on the wrong link in a compromised email that looks real.

In this webinar, Matt and Jada answer attendee questions about working with funders to improve cybersecurity at nonprofits, including important security training for nonprofit grantees.

If you are a funder, you’ll learn how to work with your grantees to help them protect your financial investments in them and better ensure they are able to deliver their important nonprofit missions without the delays and financial burdens of being hacked.

If you are a grantee, we explore ways to approach your funders about cybersecurity training and support to help strengthen your staff and qualify for necessary cyber insurance.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11537281 Fri, 28 Oct 2022 15:00:00 -0400 1282 3 47 full false Security Training for Nonprofit Grantees pt 1 Security Training for Nonprofit Grantees pt 1 Matt Eshleman and guest Jada Breegle from Legal Services Corporation hold a wide-ranging discussion of cybersecurity at nonprofits and how funders can work collaboratively with grantees to instill a staff culture of healthy skepticism as part of a strong cyber defense. Research shows that short, frequent and realistic trainings are more valuable than a once-a-year security video at creating an email safety culture at nonprofits. You can have all the correct security tools in place but the number one way a hack will happen is when someone on your staff clicks on the wrong link in a compromised email that looks real.

In this webinar, Matt and Jada answer attendee questions about working with funders to improve cybersecurity at nonprofits, including important security training for nonprofit grantees.

If you are a funder, you’ll learn how to work with your grantees to help them protect your financial investments in them and better ensure they are able to deliver their important nonprofit missions without the delays and financial burdens of being hacked.

If you are a grantee, we explore ways to approach your funders about cybersecurity training and support to help strengthen your staff and qualify for necessary cyber insurance.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Matt Eshleman and guest Jada Breegle from Legal Services Corporation hold a wide-ranging discussion of cybersecurity at nonprofits and how funders can work collaboratively with grantees to instill a staff culture of healthy skepticism as part of a strong cyber defense. Research shows that short, frequent and realistic trainings are more valuable than a once-a-year security video at creating an email safety culture at nonprofits. You can have all the correct security tools in place but the number one way a hack will happen is when someone on your staff clicks on the wrong link in a compromised email that looks real.

In this webinar, Matt and Jada answer attendee questions about working with funders to improve cybersecurity at nonprofits, including important security training for nonprofit grantees.

If you are a funder, you’ll learn how to work with your grantees to help them protect your financial investments in them and better ensure they are able to deliver their important nonprofit missions without the delays and financial burdens of being hacked.

If you are a grantee, we explore ways to approach your funders about cybersecurity training and support to help strengthen your staff and qualify for necessary cyber insurance.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11537271 Fri, 21 Oct 2022 16:00:00 -0400 2082 3 46 full false 10 Free IT Security Tools for Nonprofits Pt 2 10 Free IT Security Tools for Nonprofits Pt 2 In Part 2, Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman delves into additional tools and strategies that your nonprofit organization can consider for your cyber defense, and answers questions from the attendees. This webinar on 10 Free IT Security Tools for Nonprofits was hosted by the Nonprofit Learning Lab

What should you do to protect your nonprofit from hacks if you don’t know much about IT? 

Where can you find expert, current information on practical steps you can take as a nonprofit leader to make sure your staff take cybersecurity seriously, without breaking the budget, or paying for security you don’t understand how to use? Nonprofits are seeing cybersecurity risks and costs go up. 

Come learn how to manage cybersecurity basics at every level of your organization, to better protect yourself from scams and frauds.

Matt gives an overview of the threat landscape for nonprofits and shares 10 free IT security tools your organization should be using – and probably already have access to. He also shares a few bonus low-cost tools you can consider, and discusses ways to make cyber security an integrated part of your nonprofit culture. 

All staff will find this information relevant, whether or not you have IT responsibilities.

Community IT Innovators is pleased to partner with Nonprofit Learning Lab to present this webinar on free IT security tools for nonprofits. Learn to put safeguards in place to prevent falling victim to scammers and cons.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT and Nonprofit Learning Lab are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

You can find all the links to all the tools mentioned (and how to get in touch with Matt for follow up questions or geeking out) on our website: https://communityit.com/webinar-10-free-it-security-tools-for-nonprofits/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In Part 2, Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman delves into additional tools and strategies that your nonprofit organization can consider for your cyber defense, and answers questions from the attendees. This webinar on 10 Free IT Security Tools for Nonprofits was hosted by the Nonprofit Learning Lab

What should you do to protect your nonprofit from hacks if you don’t know much about IT? 

Where can you find expert, current information on practical steps you can take as a nonprofit leader to make sure your staff take cybersecurity seriously, without breaking the budget, or paying for security you don’t understand how to use? Nonprofits are seeing cybersecurity risks and costs go up. 

Come learn how to manage cybersecurity basics at every level of your organization, to better protect yourself from scams and frauds.

Matt gives an overview of the threat landscape for nonprofits and shares 10 free IT security tools your organization should be using – and probably already have access to. He also shares a few bonus low-cost tools you can consider, and discusses ways to make cyber security an integrated part of your nonprofit culture. 

All staff will find this information relevant, whether or not you have IT responsibilities.

Community IT Innovators is pleased to partner with Nonprofit Learning Lab to present this webinar on free IT security tools for nonprofits. Learn to put safeguards in place to prevent falling victim to scammers and cons.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT and Nonprofit Learning Lab are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

You can find all the links to all the tools mentioned (and how to get in touch with Matt for follow up questions or geeking out) on our website: https://communityit.com/webinar-10-free-it-security-tools-for-nonprofits/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11462275 Fri, 14 Oct 2022 13:00:00 -0400 1796 3 45 full false 10 Free IT Security Tools for Nonprofits pt 1 10 Free IT Security Tools for Nonprofits pt 1 Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman presented a new free webinar on 10 Free IT Security Tools for Nonprofits, hosted by the Nonprofit Learning Lab

What should you do to protect your nonprofit from hacks if you don’t know much about IT? 

Where can you find expert, current information on practical steps you can take as a nonprofit leader to make sure your staff take cybersecurity seriously, without breaking the budget, or paying for security you don’t understand how to use? Nonprofits are seeing cybersecurity risks and costs go up. 

Come learn how to manage cybersecurity basics at every level of your organization, to better protect yourself from scams and frauds.

Matt gives an overview of the threat landscape for nonprofits and shares 10 free IT security tools your organization should be using – and probably already have access to. He also shares a few bonus low-cost tools you can consider, and discusses ways to make cyber security an integrated part of your nonprofit culture. 

All staff will find this information relevant, whether or not you have IT responsibilities.

Community IT Innovators is pleased to partner with Nonprofit Learning Lab to present this webinar on free IT security tools for nonprofits. Learn to put safeguards in place to prevent falling victim to scammers and cons.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT and Nonprofit Learning Lab are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

You can find all the links to all the tools mentioned (and how to get in touch with Matt for the free NIST Assessment) on our website: https://communityit.com/webinar-10-free-it-security-tools-for-nonprofits/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman presented a new free webinar on 10 Free IT Security Tools for Nonprofits, hosted by the Nonprofit Learning Lab

What should you do to protect your nonprofit from hacks if you don’t know much about IT? 

Where can you find expert, current information on practical steps you can take as a nonprofit leader to make sure your staff take cybersecurity seriously, without breaking the budget, or paying for security you don’t understand how to use? Nonprofits are seeing cybersecurity risks and costs go up. 

Come learn how to manage cybersecurity basics at every level of your organization, to better protect yourself from scams and frauds.

Matt gives an overview of the threat landscape for nonprofits and shares 10 free IT security tools your organization should be using – and probably already have access to. He also shares a few bonus low-cost tools you can consider, and discusses ways to make cyber security an integrated part of your nonprofit culture. 

All staff will find this information relevant, whether or not you have IT responsibilities.

Community IT Innovators is pleased to partner with Nonprofit Learning Lab to present this webinar on free IT security tools for nonprofits. Learn to put safeguards in place to prevent falling victim to scammers and cons.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT and Nonprofit Learning Lab are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

You can find all the links to all the tools mentioned (and how to get in touch with Matt for the free NIST Assessment) on our website: https://communityit.com/webinar-10-free-it-security-tools-for-nonprofits/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11462232 Sat, 08 Oct 2022 11:00:00 -0400 1702 3 44 full false SharePoint for Nonprofits pt 2 SharePoint for Nonprofits pt 2 In part 2, Steve and Kyle answer questions from the audience and dig a little more into migrations consideration and whether you truly need to migrate hundreds of photos from the 2011 gala. Can SharePoint function as a digital asset manager? 

Do you have questions about file sharing and collaboration at your nonprofit? 

Do you use Microsoft 365? If you use Teams to share files with colleagues, you use SharePoint.

Have you been confused about SharePoint in the past? Sometimes SharePoint training can be overwhelming. SharePoint can also be over-built and overly complicated for the basic user. Here is a basic article on how file sharing works in SharePoint if you want to read ahead, but don’t worry, we’re going to cover it all in the webinar.

In this webinar, we answered the most common questions and walked through the ways SharePoint makes sharing files easier. And people absolutely had lots of good questions.

Catch up on this expert webinar with Kyle Haines of Build Consulting and Steve Longenecker from Community IT. Between them they have a breadth of knowledge on nonprofit use of SharePoint. They cover the advantages and challenges of this tool; migrations, training, and change management; and how to set up file architecture to match your organization’s style. SharePoint is a powerful tool for many applications; in this webinar we focus on using it for file sharing.

SharePoint is the tool within the Microsoft Office 365 online suite that provides a platform for storing, sharing and collaborating on documents. If you have Microsoft 365, you have SharePoint. If you are not using it to collaborate with your colleagues, or if you are finding it frustrating or hard to use, join this webinar for some tips and answers to your questions! If you are used to using OneDrive, you are using SharePoint. If you are sharing document files in Teams, you are using SharePoint. For more on SharePoint and what we cover in this podcast, see our Frequently Asked Questions post.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In part 2, Steve and Kyle answer questions from the audience and dig a little more into migrations consideration and whether you truly need to migrate hundreds of photos from the 2011 gala. Can SharePoint function as a digital asset manager? 

Do you have questions about file sharing and collaboration at your nonprofit? 

Do you use Microsoft 365? If you use Teams to share files with colleagues, you use SharePoint.

Have you been confused about SharePoint in the past? Sometimes SharePoint training can be overwhelming. SharePoint can also be over-built and overly complicated for the basic user. Here is a basic article on how file sharing works in SharePoint if you want to read ahead, but don’t worry, we’re going to cover it all in the webinar.

In this webinar, we answered the most common questions and walked through the ways SharePoint makes sharing files easier. And people absolutely had lots of good questions.

Catch up on this expert webinar with Kyle Haines of Build Consulting and Steve Longenecker from Community IT. Between them they have a breadth of knowledge on nonprofit use of SharePoint. They cover the advantages and challenges of this tool; migrations, training, and change management; and how to set up file architecture to match your organization’s style. SharePoint is a powerful tool for many applications; in this webinar we focus on using it for file sharing.

SharePoint is the tool within the Microsoft Office 365 online suite that provides a platform for storing, sharing and collaborating on documents. If you have Microsoft 365, you have SharePoint. If you are not using it to collaborate with your colleagues, or if you are finding it frustrating or hard to use, join this webinar for some tips and answers to your questions! If you are used to using OneDrive, you are using SharePoint. If you are sharing document files in Teams, you are using SharePoint. For more on SharePoint and what we cover in this podcast, see our Frequently Asked Questions post.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11368172 Fri, 30 Sep 2022 15:00:00 -0400 2121 3 43 full false SharePoint for Nonprofits pt 1 SharePoint for Nonprofits pt 1 Do you have questions about file sharing and collaboration at your nonprofit? 

Do you use Microsoft 365? If you use Teams to share files with colleagues, you use SharePoint.

Have you been confused about SharePoint in the past? Sometimes SharePoint training can be overwhelming. SharePoint can also be over-built and overly complicated for the basic user. Here is a basic article on how file sharing works in SharePoint if you want to read ahead, but don’t worry, we’re going to cover it all in the webinar.

In this webinar, we answered the most common questions and walked through the ways SharePoint makes sharing files easier. And people absolutely had lots of good questions.

Catch up on this expert webinar with Kyle Haines of Build Consulting and Steve Longenecker from Community IT. Between them they have a breadth of knowledge on nonprofit use of SharePoint. They cover the advantages and challenges of this tool; migrations, training, and change management; and how to set up file architecture to match your organization’s style. SharePoint is a powerful tool for many applications; in this webinar we focus on using it for file sharing.

SharePoint is the tool within the Microsoft Office 365 online suite that provides a platform for storing, sharing and collaborating on documents. If you have Microsoft 365, you have SharePoint. If you are not using it to collaborate with your colleagues, or if you are finding it frustrating or hard to use, join this webinar for some tips and answers to your questions! If you are used to using OneDrive, you are using SharePoint. If you are sharing document files in Teams, you are using SharePoint. For more on SharePoint and what we cover in this podcast, see our Frequently Asked Questions post.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Do you have questions about file sharing and collaboration at your nonprofit? 

Do you use Microsoft 365? If you use Teams to share files with colleagues, you use SharePoint.

Have you been confused about SharePoint in the past? Sometimes SharePoint training can be overwhelming. SharePoint can also be over-built and overly complicated for the basic user. Here is a basic article on how file sharing works in SharePoint if you want to read ahead, but don’t worry, we’re going to cover it all in the webinar.

In this webinar, we answered the most common questions and walked through the ways SharePoint makes sharing files easier. And people absolutely had lots of good questions.

Catch up on this expert webinar with Kyle Haines of Build Consulting and Steve Longenecker from Community IT. Between them they have a breadth of knowledge on nonprofit use of SharePoint. They cover the advantages and challenges of this tool; migrations, training, and change management; and how to set up file architecture to match your organization’s style. SharePoint is a powerful tool for many applications; in this webinar we focus on using it for file sharing.

SharePoint is the tool within the Microsoft Office 365 online suite that provides a platform for storing, sharing and collaborating on documents. If you have Microsoft 365, you have SharePoint. If you are not using it to collaborate with your colleagues, or if you are finding it frustrating or hard to use, join this webinar for some tips and answers to your questions! If you are used to using OneDrive, you are using SharePoint. If you are sharing document files in Teams, you are using SharePoint. For more on SharePoint and what we cover in this podcast, see our Frequently Asked Questions post.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11367716 Fri, 23 Sep 2022 15:00:00 -0400 1783 3 42 full false Nonprofit Tech Trends Leaders Need to Know Pt 2 Nonprofit Tech Trends Leaders Need to Know Pt 2 Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and CTO Matt Eshleman presented a new webinar hosted by Nonprofit Hub on these tips and trends.

The nonprofit community has been going full speed and above and beyond over the past 2 years. In the midst of enormous changes and upheaval, we hope this webinar on using technology to deliver for your constituents will put your organization in a good place to grow and thrive. Join two Community IT Innovator executives for one of their most popular webinars as they take a deep dive into nonprofit tech trends.

You’ll hear about:

  1. Nonprofit technology trends expected to deliver new impact in coming years
  2. Change management tools and principles needed to assist in successful tech transitions
  3. How outsourced computing is transforming offices, from supporting productivity and remote work, to providing stability and lowering costs.
  4. Emerging threats, prevention, and how to do staff cybersecurity training

Cybersecurity concerns, change management, and moving to cloud platforms are all long term and persistent trends. Remote work specifically has put new pressure on cloud solutions to deliver – is your team utilizing all the tools that you have? Do you have all the tools that you need?

In part 2, learn more about cybersecurity and protecting your organization from scams and fraud, and office support trends such as going server-less, operating in the cloud, and supply chain disruption and how to account for that while ordering IT hardware.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and CTO Matt Eshleman presented a new webinar hosted by Nonprofit Hub on these tips and trends.

The nonprofit community has been going full speed and above and beyond over the past 2 years. In the midst of enormous changes and upheaval, we hope this webinar on using technology to deliver for your constituents will put your organization in a good place to grow and thrive. Join two Community IT Innovator executives for one of their most popular webinars as they take a deep dive into nonprofit tech trends.

You’ll hear about:

  1. Nonprofit technology trends expected to deliver new impact in coming years
  2. Change management tools and principles needed to assist in successful tech transitions
  3. How outsourced computing is transforming offices, from supporting productivity and remote work, to providing stability and lowering costs.
  4. Emerging threats, prevention, and how to do staff cybersecurity training

Cybersecurity concerns, change management, and moving to cloud platforms are all long term and persistent trends. Remote work specifically has put new pressure on cloud solutions to deliver – is your team utilizing all the tools that you have? Do you have all the tools that you need?

In part 2, learn more about cybersecurity and protecting your organization from scams and fraud, and office support trends such as going server-less, operating in the cloud, and supply chain disruption and how to account for that while ordering IT hardware.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11306013 Fri, 16 Sep 2022 15:00:00 -0400 1676 3 41 full false Nonprofit Tech Trends Leaders Need to Know Pt 1 Nonprofit Tech Trends Leaders Need to Know Pt 1 Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and CTO Matt Eshleman presented a new webinar hosted by Nonprofit Hub on these tips and trends.

The nonprofit community has been going full speed and above and beyond over the past 2 years. In the midst of enormous changes and upheaval, we hope this webinar on using technology to deliver for your constituents will put your organization in a good place to grow and thrive. Join two Community IT Innovator executives for one of their most popular webinars as they take a deep dive into nonprofit tech trends.

You’ll hear about:

  1. Nonprofit technology trends expected to deliver new impact in coming years
  2. Change management tools and principles needed to assist in successful tech transitions
  3. How outsourced computing is transforming offices, from supporting productivity and remote work, to providing stability and lowering costs.
  4. Emerging threats, prevention, and how to do staff cybersecurity training

Cybersecurity concerns, change management, and moving to cloud platforms are all long term and persistent trends. Remote work specifically has put new pressure on cloud solutions to deliver – is your team utilizing all the tools that you have? Do you have all the tools that you need?

In part 1, you'll learn about budgeting for nonprofit IT and some long term trends we expect to keep influencing nonprofit strategies, such as supporting remote workers, sophisticated information management systems, and creating written governance documents.

In part 2, learn more about cybersecurity and protecting your organization from scams and fraud, and office support trends such as going server-less, operating in the cloud, and supply chain disruption and how to account for that while ordering IT hardware.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and CTO Matt Eshleman presented a new webinar hosted by Nonprofit Hub on these tips and trends.

The nonprofit community has been going full speed and above and beyond over the past 2 years. In the midst of enormous changes and upheaval, we hope this webinar on using technology to deliver for your constituents will put your organization in a good place to grow and thrive. Join two Community IT Innovator executives for one of their most popular webinars as they take a deep dive into nonprofit tech trends.

You’ll hear about:

  1. Nonprofit technology trends expected to deliver new impact in coming years
  2. Change management tools and principles needed to assist in successful tech transitions
  3. How outsourced computing is transforming offices, from supporting productivity and remote work, to providing stability and lowering costs.
  4. Emerging threats, prevention, and how to do staff cybersecurity training

Cybersecurity concerns, change management, and moving to cloud platforms are all long term and persistent trends. Remote work specifically has put new pressure on cloud solutions to deliver – is your team utilizing all the tools that you have? Do you have all the tools that you need?

In part 1, you'll learn about budgeting for nonprofit IT and some long term trends we expect to keep influencing nonprofit strategies, such as supporting remote workers, sophisticated information management systems, and creating written governance documents.

In part 2, learn more about cybersecurity and protecting your organization from scams and fraud, and office support trends such as going server-less, operating in the cloud, and supply chain disruption and how to account for that while ordering IT hardware.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11290985 Fri, 09 Sep 2022 14:00:00 -0400 2114 3 40 full false Cyber Insurance for Nonprofits pt 2 Cyber Insurance for Nonprofits pt 2 Part 2 of this webinar.  Jenna Kirkpatrick Howard from Lockton Companies, addresses the question of knowing how much insurance to purchase, benchmarks and methods that insurance companies use to evaluate coverage options, and finishes up with a discussion of next steps for your nonprofit.

Do you have questions about cyber insurance for your nonprofit? 

Have you been asked to demonstrate IT controls like MFA or Single Sign On when applying for insurance coverage? 

Do you know if your organization is in compliance?

Do you know if your policy includes exemptions that would prevent your claim from being paid, in the event you had an incident?

Do you know who to call first when you suspect a hacking attack or wire fraud? Do you know how to preserve the evidence, and what is needed by your insurance provider?

Learn in this Q&A webinar with an industry expert.

Jenna provides an overview of the insurance industry and will touch on the way cyber insurance works, what’s changing as IT hacks and scams grow in frequency and costs, and how to expect coverage to change in the next year or so. When claims go up, premiums will go up. What does that mean for your nonprofit?

This webinar is important for:

  • the CFO who regularly deals with the insurance but doesn’t know the lingo about the IT controls you need
  • the IT director who doesn’t usually have anything to do with insurance
  • the Executive Director or Board member who wants to ensure everything is in place given how much premiums are rising and the growing risk of being hacked or scammed
  • the accounting staffer who discovered a mysterious missed payment, suspects an email scam, and now doesn’t know who to tell first

Many people submitted real life questions in the webinar and at registration, and we did our best to answer these. Any questions we didn’t get to we will include at the end of the transcript, with answers.

In the second half of the webinar, Jenna and Matt Eshleman, CTO and cybersecurity expert at Community IT, build on the insurance overview and lay out practical steps for nonprofits of any size to connect the right CFO-insurance-IT people-leadership-budget departments to understand your coverage and ask for the coverage you need. 

We walk through some basic application requirements and what the lingo means. You can find more information in the Guide to Basic Controls Demonstrating Cyber Preparedness available as a free download here.

We finish up with what to do when you have an incident, and learn what to expect from your insurance when you need it.

Community IT has done many webinars advising nonprofits to have a procedure in place to prevent an cybersecurity incident, and to know what to do if and when you have an incident. The first step we usually recommend is to contact your IT provider, your board, and maybe the FBI depending on the event. 

As the insurance landscape changes to adapt to emerging cybersecurity threats and risks, your nonprofit has never needed to understand your coverage more.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Part 2 of this webinar.  Jenna Kirkpatrick Howard from Lockton Companies, addresses the question of knowing how much insurance to purchase, benchmarks and methods that insurance companies use to evaluate coverage options, and finishes up with a discussion of next steps for your nonprofit.

Do you have questions about cyber insurance for your nonprofit? 

Have you been asked to demonstrate IT controls like MFA or Single Sign On when applying for insurance coverage? 

Do you know if your organization is in compliance?

Do you know if your policy includes exemptions that would prevent your claim from being paid, in the event you had an incident?

Do you know who to call first when you suspect a hacking attack or wire fraud? Do you know how to preserve the evidence, and what is needed by your insurance provider?

Learn in this Q&A webinar with an industry expert.

Jenna provides an overview of the insurance industry and will touch on the way cyber insurance works, what’s changing as IT hacks and scams grow in frequency and costs, and how to expect coverage to change in the next year or so. When claims go up, premiums will go up. What does that mean for your nonprofit?

This webinar is important for:

  • the CFO who regularly deals with the insurance but doesn’t know the lingo about the IT controls you need
  • the IT director who doesn’t usually have anything to do with insurance
  • the Executive Director or Board member who wants to ensure everything is in place given how much premiums are rising and the growing risk of being hacked or scammed
  • the accounting staffer who discovered a mysterious missed payment, suspects an email scam, and now doesn’t know who to tell first

Many people submitted real life questions in the webinar and at registration, and we did our best to answer these. Any questions we didn’t get to we will include at the end of the transcript, with answers.

In the second half of the webinar, Jenna and Matt Eshleman, CTO and cybersecurity expert at Community IT, build on the insurance overview and lay out practical steps for nonprofits of any size to connect the right CFO-insurance-IT people-leadership-budget departments to understand your coverage and ask for the coverage you need. 

We walk through some basic application requirements and what the lingo means. You can find more information in the Guide to Basic Controls Demonstrating Cyber Preparedness available as a free download here.

We finish up with what to do when you have an incident, and learn what to expect from your insurance when you need it.

Community IT has done many webinars advising nonprofits to have a procedure in place to prevent an cybersecurity incident, and to know what to do if and when you have an incident. The first step we usually recommend is to contact your IT provider, your board, and maybe the FBI depending on the event. 

As the insurance landscape changes to adapt to emerging cybersecurity threats and risks, your nonprofit has never needed to understand your coverage more.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11204458 Fri, 02 Sep 2022 15:00:00 -0400 2013 3 38 full false Cyber Insurance for Nonprofits pt 1 Cyber Insurance for Nonprofits pt 1 Join Jenna Kirkpatrick Howard from Lockton Companies, Matt Eshleman, CTO, and Carolyn Woodard from Community IT for a free expert Q&A on Cyber Insurance for Nonprofits, how the market is changing, and how to understand your application and controls and ensure you have the appropriate coverage.

Do you have questions about cyber insurance for your nonprofit? 

Have you been asked to demonstrate IT controls like MFA or Single Sign On when applying for insurance coverage? 

Do you know if your organization is in compliance?

Do you know if your policy includes exemptions that would prevent your claim from being paid, in the event you had an incident?

Do you know who to call first when you suspect a hacking attack or wire fraud? Do you know how to preserve the evidence, and what is needed by your insurance provider?

Learn in this Q&A webinar with an industry expert.

Jenna provides an overview of the insurance industry and will touch on the way cyber insurance works, what’s changing as IT hacks and scams grow in frequency and costs, and how to expect coverage to change in the next year or so. When claims go up, premiums will go up. What does that mean for your nonprofit?

This webinar is important for:

  • the CFO who regularly deals with the insurance but doesn’t know the lingo about the IT controls you need
  • the IT director who doesn’t usually have anything to do with insurance
  • the Executive Director or Board member who wants to ensure everything is in place given how much premiums are rising and the growing risk of being hacked or scammed
  • the accounting staffer who discovered a mysterious missed payment, suspects an email scam, and now doesn’t know who to tell first

Many people submitted real life questions in the webinar and at registration, and we did our best to answer these. Any questions we didn’t get to we will include at the end of the transcript, with answers.

In the second half of the webinar, Jenna and Matt build on the insurance overview and lay out practical steps for nonprofits of any size to connect the right CFO-insurance-IT people-leadership-budget departments to understand your coverage and ask for the coverage you need. 

We walk through some basic application requirements and what the lingo means. You can find more information in the Guide to Basic Controls Demonstrating Cyber Preparedness available as a free download here.

We finish up with what to do when you have an incident, and learn what to expect from your insurance when you need it.

Community IT has done many webinars advising nonprofits to have a procedure in place to prevent an cybersecurity incident, and to know what to do if and when you have an incident. The first step we usually recommend is to contact your IT provider, your board, and maybe the FBI depending on the event. 

As the insurance landscape changes to adapt to emerging cybersecurity threats and risks, your nonprofit has never needed to understand your coverage more.

With her years of insurance industry experienc

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join Jenna Kirkpatrick Howard from Lockton Companies, Matt Eshleman, CTO, and Carolyn Woodard from Community IT for a free expert Q&A on Cyber Insurance for Nonprofits, how the market is changing, and how to understand your application and controls and ensure you have the appropriate coverage.

Do you have questions about cyber insurance for your nonprofit? 

Have you been asked to demonstrate IT controls like MFA or Single Sign On when applying for insurance coverage? 

Do you know if your organization is in compliance?

Do you know if your policy includes exemptions that would prevent your claim from being paid, in the event you had an incident?

Do you know who to call first when you suspect a hacking attack or wire fraud? Do you know how to preserve the evidence, and what is needed by your insurance provider?

Learn in this Q&A webinar with an industry expert.

Jenna provides an overview of the insurance industry and will touch on the way cyber insurance works, what’s changing as IT hacks and scams grow in frequency and costs, and how to expect coverage to change in the next year or so. When claims go up, premiums will go up. What does that mean for your nonprofit?

This webinar is important for:

  • the CFO who regularly deals with the insurance but doesn’t know the lingo about the IT controls you need
  • the IT director who doesn’t usually have anything to do with insurance
  • the Executive Director or Board member who wants to ensure everything is in place given how much premiums are rising and the growing risk of being hacked or scammed
  • the accounting staffer who discovered a mysterious missed payment, suspects an email scam, and now doesn’t know who to tell first

Many people submitted real life questions in the webinar and at registration, and we did our best to answer these. Any questions we didn’t get to we will include at the end of the transcript, with answers.

In the second half of the webinar, Jenna and Matt build on the insurance overview and lay out practical steps for nonprofits of any size to connect the right CFO-insurance-IT people-leadership-budget departments to understand your coverage and ask for the coverage you need. 

We walk through some basic application requirements and what the lingo means. You can find more information in the Guide to Basic Controls Demonstrating Cyber Preparedness available as a free download here.

We finish up with what to do when you have an incident, and learn what to expect from your insurance when you need it.

Community IT has done many webinars advising nonprofits to have a procedure in place to prevent an cybersecurity incident, and to know what to do if and when you have an incident. The first step we usually recommend is to contact your IT provider, your board, and maybe the FBI depending on the event. 

As the insurance landscape changes to adapt to emerging cybersecurity threats and risks, your nonprofit has never needed to understand your coverage more.

With her years of insurance industry experienc

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11204287 Fri, 26 Aug 2022 09:00:00 -0400 1662 3 37 full false Community IT Voices: David Dawson, Senior Engineer Community IT Voices: David Dawson, Senior Engineer Today Carolyn talks with David Dawson, Senior Engineer, who has been with Community IT for 21 years. 

David is a Senior Engineer working with the help desk escalation support team. In this interview, he takes us back to the beginnings of Community IT in a time when "everyone did everything" and how the culture and character of Community IT as a B-corp business has grown over time. 

David loves solving puzzles, and as he puts it, running into a (figuratively) burning building and putting out the fires. And listening. David believes his superpower is deep listening, to get to the heart of the IT problem. We hope you enjoy listening to his stories and experience! Thank you, David!

Community IT is the right place for you if you find fulfillment in helping others succeed and love mastering new technologies.

Our employees stay and grow with us, and over half of our staff have been with us for over a decade. Community IT is an employee-owned company with a positive, sustainable workplace that promotes professional development and a healthy work/life balance. We have been 100% employee-owned since 2012. Check out careers with us here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Today Carolyn talks with David Dawson, Senior Engineer, who has been with Community IT for 21 years. 

David is a Senior Engineer working with the help desk escalation support team. In this interview, he takes us back to the beginnings of Community IT in a time when "everyone did everything" and how the culture and character of Community IT as a B-corp business has grown over time. 

David loves solving puzzles, and as he puts it, running into a (figuratively) burning building and putting out the fires. And listening. David believes his superpower is deep listening, to get to the heart of the IT problem. We hope you enjoy listening to his stories and experience! Thank you, David!

Community IT is the right place for you if you find fulfillment in helping others succeed and love mastering new technologies.

Our employees stay and grow with us, and over half of our staff have been with us for over a decade. Community IT is an employee-owned company with a positive, sustainable workplace that promotes professional development and a healthy work/life balance. We have been 100% employee-owned since 2012. Check out careers with us here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11151760 Sat, 20 Aug 2022 12:00:00 -0400 1708 3 36 full false Improving Nonprofit CRM Data Management pt 2 Improving Nonprofit CRM Data Management pt 2 In part 2 of this panel discussion, join Build Consulting’s development, fundraising, operations, and CRM experts, who offer ideas and answer audience questions on how to take your donor data management to the next level in this “Ask the Experts” webinar.

We’re going to tackle some questions about wealth screening, what qualities make a good database administrator and when you might want to outsource that management to experts, cleaning your data, and improving your fundraising with data. You can find more answers about CRM databases in part 1.

Kyle Haines, Jo Butler, and Sarah Lewis have years of experience with nonprofit CRM databases between them, from consulting on database projects and migrations to doing the actual data management. You can learn more about Build at their website, BuildConsulting.com Their Q&A today is moderated by Peter Mirus, a former partner at Build.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In part 2 of this panel discussion, join Build Consulting’s development, fundraising, operations, and CRM experts, who offer ideas and answer audience questions on how to take your donor data management to the next level in this “Ask the Experts” webinar.

We’re going to tackle some questions about wealth screening, what qualities make a good database administrator and when you might want to outsource that management to experts, cleaning your data, and improving your fundraising with data. You can find more answers about CRM databases in part 1.

Kyle Haines, Jo Butler, and Sarah Lewis have years of experience with nonprofit CRM databases between them, from consulting on database projects and migrations to doing the actual data management. You can learn more about Build at their website, BuildConsulting.com Their Q&A today is moderated by Peter Mirus, a former partner at Build.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11077455 Fri, 19 Aug 2022 15:00:00 -0400 1794 3 35 full false Improving Nonprofit CRM Data Management pt 1 Improving Nonprofit CRM Data Management pt 1 Join Build Consulting’s development, fundraising, operations, and CRM experts, who offer ideas and answer audience questions on how to take your donor data management to the next level in this “Ask the Experts” webinar. This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

After this podcast part 1 you will have learned a little lingo and also be able to talk about why these contact databases are so important to nonprofit organizations, what to do if your nonprofit has multiple databases where you store contact information, and when to change CRM platforms to better meet business needs of your organization.

Kyle Haines, Jo Butler, and Sarah Lewis have years of experience with nonprofit CRM databases between them, from consulting on database projects and migrations to doing the actual data management. You can learn more about Build at their website, BuildConsulting.com Their Q&A today is moderated by Peter Mirus, a former partner at Build.


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join Build Consulting’s development, fundraising, operations, and CRM experts, who offer ideas and answer audience questions on how to take your donor data management to the next level in this “Ask the Experts” webinar. This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

After this podcast part 1 you will have learned a little lingo and also be able to talk about why these contact databases are so important to nonprofit organizations, what to do if your nonprofit has multiple databases where you store contact information, and when to change CRM platforms to better meet business needs of your organization.

Kyle Haines, Jo Butler, and Sarah Lewis have years of experience with nonprofit CRM databases between them, from consulting on database projects and migrations to doing the actual data management. You can learn more about Build at their website, BuildConsulting.com Their Q&A today is moderated by Peter Mirus, a former partner at Build.


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11077262 Fri, 12 Aug 2022 16:00:00 -0400 1637 3 34 full false Managing Google Workspace and Office 365 Together pt 2 Managing Google Workspace and Office 365 Together pt 2 In Part 2, Norwin Herrera and Carolyn Woodard from Community IT dig deeper into the case study and discussion of managing Google Workspace and Office 365 together at the Social Justice School, a start up public charter school in Washington DC. You don’t need to work with an education nonprofit to benefit from this discussion, if you are considering a cloud-based hybrid set up!

Google Workspace is becoming a very common IT platform for nonprofits and a viable alternative to Microsoft Office 365.

But what if you want to use both together?

Whether you are with a nonprofit school managing your own hybrid of Google Workspace and Office 365 together, or your nonprofit works in another sector entirely but is contemplating hybrid IT cloud-based management, this case study and discussion will help you learn the ins and outs of deciding to combine these two powerful online platforms. 

This discussion will touch on many aspects of hybrid management, and is appropriate for all nonprofits in addition to nonprofit schools.

Case Study – Social Justice School

The Social Justice School in Washington DC knew they wanted to use Google for students. As a start up, they asked Community IT to evaluate their options for continuing to use Office 365 for staff. Could the two platforms be successful managed without breaking the bank or over-complicating things?

In his role as IT Business Manager at Community IT, Norwin Herrera knew that Social Justice School would need to be innovative to make this hybrid management work. He will share this case study of how they did it, and take your questions.

What happens when a single platform can’t meet all of an organization’s technology needs? What situations warrant creating a deliberate hybrid solution between platforms like Microsoft and Google? Using this case study of The Social Justice school’s hybrid environment setup, we’ll discuss what working in that environment looks like and ways to combat logistical challenges.

Carolyn Woodard will moderate. The conversation will include tips on 

  • intentionally making the decision to integrate these two platforms 
  • special considerations and implications for managing inventory remotely
  • cybersecurity concerns and protection tips
  • challenges
  • staff training, which is essential to avoiding chaotic file sharing and calendars

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In Part 2, Norwin Herrera and Carolyn Woodard from Community IT dig deeper into the case study and discussion of managing Google Workspace and Office 365 together at the Social Justice School, a start up public charter school in Washington DC. You don’t need to work with an education nonprofit to benefit from this discussion, if you are considering a cloud-based hybrid set up!

Google Workspace is becoming a very common IT platform for nonprofits and a viable alternative to Microsoft Office 365.

But what if you want to use both together?

Whether you are with a nonprofit school managing your own hybrid of Google Workspace and Office 365 together, or your nonprofit works in another sector entirely but is contemplating hybrid IT cloud-based management, this case study and discussion will help you learn the ins and outs of deciding to combine these two powerful online platforms. 

This discussion will touch on many aspects of hybrid management, and is appropriate for all nonprofits in addition to nonprofit schools.

Case Study – Social Justice School

The Social Justice School in Washington DC knew they wanted to use Google for students. As a start up, they asked Community IT to evaluate their options for continuing to use Office 365 for staff. Could the two platforms be successful managed without breaking the bank or over-complicating things?

In his role as IT Business Manager at Community IT, Norwin Herrera knew that Social Justice School would need to be innovative to make this hybrid management work. He will share this case study of how they did it, and take your questions.

What happens when a single platform can’t meet all of an organization’s technology needs? What situations warrant creating a deliberate hybrid solution between platforms like Microsoft and Google? Using this case study of The Social Justice school’s hybrid environment setup, we’ll discuss what working in that environment looks like and ways to combat logistical challenges.

Carolyn Woodard will moderate. The conversation will include tips on 

  • intentionally making the decision to integrate these two platforms 
  • special considerations and implications for managing inventory remotely
  • cybersecurity concerns and protection tips
  • challenges
  • staff training, which is essential to avoiding chaotic file sharing and calendars

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11043371 Fri, 05 Aug 2022 16:00:00 -0400 1812 3 33 full false Managing Google Workspace and Office 365 Together pt 1 Managing Google Workspace and Office 365 Together pt 1 In part 1, Norwin Herrera and Carolyn Woodard from Community IT discuss these two powerful platforms and how they compare. They present a case study on managing Google Workspace and Office 365 together at the Social Justice School, a start up public charter school in Washington DC. You don’t need to work with an education nonprofit to benefit from this discussion, if you are considering a cloud-based hybrid set up!

Google Workspace is becoming a very common IT platform for nonprofits and a viable alternative to Microsoft Office 365.

But what if you want to use both together?

Whether you are with a nonprofit school managing your own hybrid of Google Workspace and Office 365 together, or your nonprofit works in another sector entirely but is contemplating hybrid IT cloud-based management, this case study and discussion will help you learn the ins and outs of deciding to combine these two powerful online platforms. 

This discussion will touch on many aspects of hybrid management, and is appropriate for all nonprofits in addition to nonprofit schools.

Case Study – Social Justice School

The Social Justice School in Washington DC knew they wanted to use Google for students. As a start up, they asked Community IT to evaluate their options for continuing to use Office 365 for staff. Could the two platforms be successful managed without breaking the bank or over-complicating things?

In his role as IT Business Manager at Community IT, Norwin Herrera knew that Social Justice School would need to be innovative to make this hybrid management work. He will share this case study of how they did it, and take your questions.

What happens when a single platform can’t meet all of an organization’s technology needs? What situations warrant creating a deliberate hybrid solution between platforms like Microsoft and Google? Using this case study of The Social Justice school’s hybrid environment setup, we’ll discuss what working in that environment looks like and ways to combat logistical challenges.

Carolyn Woodard will moderate. The conversation will include tips on 

  • intentionally making the decision to integrate these two platforms 
  • special considerations and implications for managing inventory remotely
  • cybersecurity concerns and protection tips
  • challenges
  • staff training, which is essential to avoiding chaotic file sharing and calendars

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In part 1, Norwin Herrera and Carolyn Woodard from Community IT discuss these two powerful platforms and how they compare. They present a case study on managing Google Workspace and Office 365 together at the Social Justice School, a start up public charter school in Washington DC. You don’t need to work with an education nonprofit to benefit from this discussion, if you are considering a cloud-based hybrid set up!

Google Workspace is becoming a very common IT platform for nonprofits and a viable alternative to Microsoft Office 365.

But what if you want to use both together?

Whether you are with a nonprofit school managing your own hybrid of Google Workspace and Office 365 together, or your nonprofit works in another sector entirely but is contemplating hybrid IT cloud-based management, this case study and discussion will help you learn the ins and outs of deciding to combine these two powerful online platforms. 

This discussion will touch on many aspects of hybrid management, and is appropriate for all nonprofits in addition to nonprofit schools.

Case Study – Social Justice School

The Social Justice School in Washington DC knew they wanted to use Google for students. As a start up, they asked Community IT to evaluate their options for continuing to use Office 365 for staff. Could the two platforms be successful managed without breaking the bank or over-complicating things?

In his role as IT Business Manager at Community IT, Norwin Herrera knew that Social Justice School would need to be innovative to make this hybrid management work. He will share this case study of how they did it, and take your questions.

What happens when a single platform can’t meet all of an organization’s technology needs? What situations warrant creating a deliberate hybrid solution between platforms like Microsoft and Google? Using this case study of The Social Justice school’s hybrid environment setup, we’ll discuss what working in that environment looks like and ways to combat logistical challenges.

Carolyn Woodard will moderate. The conversation will include tips on 

  • intentionally making the decision to integrate these two platforms 
  • special considerations and implications for managing inventory remotely
  • cybersecurity concerns and protection tips
  • challenges
  • staff training, which is essential to avoiding chaotic file sharing and calendars

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-11043358 Fri, 29 Jul 2022 11:00:00 -0400 1851 3 32 full false Preventing Financial Fraud at Your Nonprofit pt 2 Preventing Financial Fraud at Your Nonprofit pt 2 In Part 2, Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman and Carole Melvin, Senior Manager at Your Part Time Controller (YPTC) go deeper into spoofs and scams your staff may encounter, and answer questions on security on different platforms, in a new free webinar on preventing financial fraud at your nonprofit hosted by the Nonprofit Learning Lab

Their presentation covers the financial threats that face nonprofit organizations and the steps you can take to protect your nonprofit from financial fraud. Matt and Carole give an overview on wire fraud, share examples that they have encountered, and talk about the steps you can take to protect your organization. 

Staff who are involved in processing financial transactions will find it relevant, whether or not you have IT responsibilities. IT staff should also familiarize themselves with common IT scams so they can help financial staffers practice good IT security, on top of basic financial controls. The number one risk to nonprofits is a staffer who clicks on the wrong link. Learn to take steps to empower your staff to practice good security!

Community IT Innovators is pleased to partner with Nonprofit Learning Lab to present this webinar on how to prevent financial fraud at your nonprofit. Cultivate a culture of healthy skepticism and put financial safeguards in place to prevent falling victim to ever growing scammers and cons.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT and Nonprofit Learning Lab are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In Part 2, Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman and Carole Melvin, Senior Manager at Your Part Time Controller (YPTC) go deeper into spoofs and scams your staff may encounter, and answer questions on security on different platforms, in a new free webinar on preventing financial fraud at your nonprofit hosted by the Nonprofit Learning Lab

Their presentation covers the financial threats that face nonprofit organizations and the steps you can take to protect your nonprofit from financial fraud. Matt and Carole give an overview on wire fraud, share examples that they have encountered, and talk about the steps you can take to protect your organization. 

Staff who are involved in processing financial transactions will find it relevant, whether or not you have IT responsibilities. IT staff should also familiarize themselves with common IT scams so they can help financial staffers practice good IT security, on top of basic financial controls. The number one risk to nonprofits is a staffer who clicks on the wrong link. Learn to take steps to empower your staff to practice good security!

Community IT Innovators is pleased to partner with Nonprofit Learning Lab to present this webinar on how to prevent financial fraud at your nonprofit. Cultivate a culture of healthy skepticism and put financial safeguards in place to prevent falling victim to ever growing scammers and cons.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT and Nonprofit Learning Lab are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10967857 Fri, 22 Jul 2022 15:00:00 -0400 1883 3 31 full false Preventing Financial Fraud at Your Nonprofit pt 1 Preventing Financial Fraud at Your Nonprofit pt 1 Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman and Carole Melvin, Senior Manager at Your Part Time Controller (YPTC) presented a new free webinar on preventing financial fraud at your nonprofit hosted by the Nonprofit Learning Lab

Their presentation covers the financial threats that face nonprofit organizations and the steps you can take to protect your nonprofit from financial fraud. Matt and Carole give an overview on wire fraud, share examples that they have encountered, and talk about the steps you can take to protect your organization. 

Staff who are involved in processing financial transactions will find it relevant, whether or not you have IT responsibilities. IT staff should also familiarize themselves with common IT scams so they can help financial staffers practice good IT security, on top of basic financial controls. The number one risk to nonprofits is a staffer who clicks on the wrong link. Learn to take steps to empower your staff to practice good security!

Community IT Innovators is pleased to partner with Nonprofit Learning Lab to present this webinar on how to prevent financial fraud at your nonprofit. Cultivate a culture of healthy skepticism and put financial safeguards in place to prevent falling victim to ever growing scammers and cons.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT and Nonprofit Learning Lab are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman and Carole Melvin, Senior Manager at Your Part Time Controller (YPTC) presented a new free webinar on preventing financial fraud at your nonprofit hosted by the Nonprofit Learning Lab

Their presentation covers the financial threats that face nonprofit organizations and the steps you can take to protect your nonprofit from financial fraud. Matt and Carole give an overview on wire fraud, share examples that they have encountered, and talk about the steps you can take to protect your organization. 

Staff who are involved in processing financial transactions will find it relevant, whether or not you have IT responsibilities. IT staff should also familiarize themselves with common IT scams so they can help financial staffers practice good IT security, on top of basic financial controls. The number one risk to nonprofits is a staffer who clicks on the wrong link. Learn to take steps to empower your staff to practice good security!

Community IT Innovators is pleased to partner with Nonprofit Learning Lab to present this webinar on how to prevent financial fraud at your nonprofit. Cultivate a culture of healthy skepticism and put financial safeguards in place to prevent falling victim to ever growing scammers and cons.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT and Nonprofit Learning Lab are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10967768 Fri, 15 Jul 2022 11:00:00 -0400 1903 3 30 full false Community IT Voices: Saba Gebru, Director of Services Operations Community IT Voices: Saba Gebru, Director of Services Operations Carolyn talks with Saba Gebru about her role as Director of Service Operations. Like many Community IT employees, Saba learned about Community IT as a client, while she was working at the Ethiopian Community Development Council and assisting refugee resettlement. As she had an aptitude for working with technology and with people, she was able to turn her passion for nonprofits into a career in nonprofit IT support. 

Saba loves the problem solving her job demands, working with senior engineers and getting the clients back able to work as quickly as possible. She puts the care into working with clients and sees these client partnerships as long term relationships; she has worked with some clients for her whole tenure at Community IT, or almost 15 years. She also is motivated by helping people succeed, so she is very involved in the mentoring programs at Community IT, both formal and informal. 

..I find it rewarding to work with a variety of nonprofit organizations to help them meet their needs in terms of technology, so they can go out in the communities they serve to make this world a better place. 

– Saba Gebru, Director of Service Operations

Community IT is the right place for you if you find fulfillment in helping others succeed and love mastering new technologies.

Our employees stay and grow with us, and over half of our staff have been with us for over a decade. Community IT is an employee-owned company with a positive, sustainable workplace that promotes professional development and a healthy work/life balance. We have been 100% employee-owned since 2012. Check out careers with us here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Carolyn talks with Saba Gebru about her role as Director of Service Operations. Like many Community IT employees, Saba learned about Community IT as a client, while she was working at the Ethiopian Community Development Council and assisting refugee resettlement. As she had an aptitude for working with technology and with people, she was able to turn her passion for nonprofits into a career in nonprofit IT support. 

Saba loves the problem solving her job demands, working with senior engineers and getting the clients back able to work as quickly as possible. She puts the care into working with clients and sees these client partnerships as long term relationships; she has worked with some clients for her whole tenure at Community IT, or almost 15 years. She also is motivated by helping people succeed, so she is very involved in the mentoring programs at Community IT, both formal and informal. 

..I find it rewarding to work with a variety of nonprofit organizations to help them meet their needs in terms of technology, so they can go out in the communities they serve to make this world a better place. 

– Saba Gebru, Director of Service Operations

Community IT is the right place for you if you find fulfillment in helping others succeed and love mastering new technologies.

Our employees stay and grow with us, and over half of our staff have been with us for over a decade. Community IT is an employee-owned company with a positive, sustainable workplace that promotes professional development and a healthy work/life balance. We have been 100% employee-owned since 2012. Check out careers with us here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10928197 Fri, 08 Jul 2022 14:00:00 -0400 1646 3 29 full false Google Workspace for Nonprofits pt 2 Google Workspace for Nonprofits pt 2 In Part 2 of this webinar, Steve Longenecker, Director of IT Consulting, and Carolyn Woodard
do a deeper dive into one aspect of working in Google Workspace; the way Google handles shared files and in particular the new Shared Drive option. Steve walks through an example with some technical detail on migrating to Shared Drives and what the options for the super admin and the regular level user are. And the challenges and advantages of transferring "ownership" of files to a Shared Drive.

  • Do you use Google Workspace? It is rapidly becoming a very common IT platform for nonprofits and a viable alternative to Microsoft Office365. 
  • Maybe you are considering switching to Google Workspace? 
  • Or perhaps you have some staff, clients, or volunteers who prefer Google Workspace, and you are trying to figure out how to manage and fully support a hybrid IT environment at the enterprise level?

Steve Longenecker has been supporting Google Workspace at nonprofits for years and answers your questions in this “Ask the Expert” webinar. Steve discusses Google Workspace and how it compares to Microsoft 365 in the big picture in part 1 and how differing Google and Microsoft design principles impacts their service offerings. We have lots of tips for you on Google Workspace for nonprofits that you can put in place immediately and improve your productivity. Join us and learn the latest!

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In Part 2 of this webinar, Steve Longenecker, Director of IT Consulting, and Carolyn Woodard
do a deeper dive into one aspect of working in Google Workspace; the way Google handles shared files and in particular the new Shared Drive option. Steve walks through an example with some technical detail on migrating to Shared Drives and what the options for the super admin and the regular level user are. And the challenges and advantages of transferring "ownership" of files to a Shared Drive.

  • Do you use Google Workspace? It is rapidly becoming a very common IT platform for nonprofits and a viable alternative to Microsoft Office365. 
  • Maybe you are considering switching to Google Workspace? 
  • Or perhaps you have some staff, clients, or volunteers who prefer Google Workspace, and you are trying to figure out how to manage and fully support a hybrid IT environment at the enterprise level?

Steve Longenecker has been supporting Google Workspace at nonprofits for years and answers your questions in this “Ask the Expert” webinar. Steve discusses Google Workspace and how it compares to Microsoft 365 in the big picture in part 1 and how differing Google and Microsoft design principles impacts their service offerings. We have lots of tips for you on Google Workspace for nonprofits that you can put in place immediately and improve your productivity. Join us and learn the latest!

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10804003 Thu, 30 Jun 2022 15:00:00 -0400 1794 3 28 full false Google Workspace for Nonprofits pt 1 Google Workspace for Nonprofits pt 1 Join Steve Longenecker, Director of IT Consulting, and Carolyn Woodard for a discussion of all things Google Workspace for nonprofits.

  • Do you use Google Workspace? It is rapidly becoming a very common IT platform for nonprofits and a viable alternative to Microsoft Office365. 
  • Maybe you are considering switching to Google Workspace? 
  • Or perhaps you have some staff, clients, or volunteers who prefer Google Workspace, and you are trying to figure out how to manage and fully support a hybrid IT environment at the enterprise level?
Steve Longenecker has been supporting Google Workspace at nonprofits for years and answers your questions in this “Ask the Expert” webinar. Steve discusses Google Workspace and how it compares to Microsoft 365 in the big picture. He also discusses managing Shared Drives with Google Drive as a specific example of how differing Google and Microsoft design principles impacts their service offerings. We have lots of tips for you on Google Workspace for nonprofits that you can put in place immediately and improve your productivity. Join us and learn the latest!

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join Steve Longenecker, Director of IT Consulting, and Carolyn Woodard for a discussion of all things Google Workspace for nonprofits.

  • Do you use Google Workspace? It is rapidly becoming a very common IT platform for nonprofits and a viable alternative to Microsoft Office365. 
  • Maybe you are considering switching to Google Workspace? 
  • Or perhaps you have some staff, clients, or volunteers who prefer Google Workspace, and you are trying to figure out how to manage and fully support a hybrid IT environment at the enterprise level?
Steve Longenecker has been supporting Google Workspace at nonprofits for years and answers your questions in this “Ask the Expert” webinar. Steve discusses Google Workspace and how it compares to Microsoft 365 in the big picture. He also discusses managing Shared Drives with Google Drive as a specific example of how differing Google and Microsoft design principles impacts their service offerings. We have lots of tips for you on Google Workspace for nonprofits that you can put in place immediately and improve your productivity. Join us and learn the latest!

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10803983 Fri, 24 Jun 2022 16:00:00 -0400 1987 3 27 full false Moving Office IT Considerations – Update Pt 2 Moving Office IT Considerations – Update Pt 2 In Part 2,  Carolyn, Will, and Rick discuss in more depth the changes that hybrid offices and flexible space bring to office moves and specifically to the IT support in the new office.

William Maxwell and Rick Alloway are senior engineers at Community IT with decades of experience planning and overseeing office moves. Learn what IT considerations you need to take and how offices have changed since the pandemic started. 

One of the biggest projects you may ever have to manage working in a nonprofit is an office move. The people, the computers, and all the moving parts have to land in the right place and be ready to go in your new location. Office moves can be disruptive, but they don’t have to be frustrating or involve too much downtime. 

This webinar updates Rick and Will’s previous advice on planning for an office move. While the checklist and tips in that webinar are still valid and very useful, we wanted to understand how things have changed and what that means for your IT during a move. 

For example, many organizations have gone server-less and operate entirely in the cloud now. Many nonprofits are powered by an entirely remote workforce. We’ve seen many organizations downsizing or moving into shared or sublet office space to support a hybrid work environment. All of these changes have implications for your IT support when you move.

Are you downsizing, or moving into shared space? Are you closing your physical office altogether? Do you have servers that need to be moved or do you operate mostly in the cloud? Can your staff work from home during the move? How should you hard wire the new space? What about security, including cybersecurity? What are the most crucial issues 6 months out, 3 months out, or the day of the move? 

Be ready for your next move! Join us to learn these tips and tricks, updated for our world after two years of pandemic.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In Part 2,  Carolyn, Will, and Rick discuss in more depth the changes that hybrid offices and flexible space bring to office moves and specifically to the IT support in the new office.

William Maxwell and Rick Alloway are senior engineers at Community IT with decades of experience planning and overseeing office moves. Learn what IT considerations you need to take and how offices have changed since the pandemic started. 

One of the biggest projects you may ever have to manage working in a nonprofit is an office move. The people, the computers, and all the moving parts have to land in the right place and be ready to go in your new location. Office moves can be disruptive, but they don’t have to be frustrating or involve too much downtime. 

This webinar updates Rick and Will’s previous advice on planning for an office move. While the checklist and tips in that webinar are still valid and very useful, we wanted to understand how things have changed and what that means for your IT during a move. 

For example, many organizations have gone server-less and operate entirely in the cloud now. Many nonprofits are powered by an entirely remote workforce. We’ve seen many organizations downsizing or moving into shared or sublet office space to support a hybrid work environment. All of these changes have implications for your IT support when you move.

Are you downsizing, or moving into shared space? Are you closing your physical office altogether? Do you have servers that need to be moved or do you operate mostly in the cloud? Can your staff work from home during the move? How should you hard wire the new space? What about security, including cybersecurity? What are the most crucial issues 6 months out, 3 months out, or the day of the move? 

Be ready for your next move! Join us to learn these tips and tricks, updated for our world after two years of pandemic.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10766765 Fri, 17 Jun 2022 16:00:00 -0400 1594 3 26 full false Moving Office IT Considerations – Update Pt 1 Moving Office IT Considerations – Update Pt 1 In Part 1, Join Carolyn Woodard as she interviews William Maxwell and Rick Alloway, senior engineers at Community IT with decades of experience planning and overseeing office moves. Learn what IT considerations you need to take and how offices have changed since the pandemic started. 

One of the biggest projects you may ever have to manage working in a nonprofit is an office move. The people, the computers, and all the moving parts have to land in the right place and be ready to go in your new location. Office moves can be disruptive, but they don’t have to be frustrating or involve too much downtime. 

This webinar updates Rick and Will’s previous advice on planning for an office move. While the checklist and tips in that webinar are still valid and very useful, we wanted to understand how things have changed and what that means for your IT during a move. 

For example, many organizations have gone server-less and operate entirely in the cloud now. Many nonprofits are powered by an entirely remote workforce. We’ve seen many organizations downsizing or moving into shared or sublet office space to support a hybrid work environment. All of these changes have implications for your IT support when you move.

Are you downsizing, or moving into shared space? Are you closing your physical office altogether? Do you have servers that need to be moved or do you operate mostly in the cloud? Can your staff work from home during the move? How should you hard wire the new space? What about security, including cybersecurity? What are the most crucial issues 6 months out, 3 months out, or the day of the move? 

Be ready for your next move! Join us to learn these tips and tricks, updated for our world after two years of pandemic.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In Part 1, Join Carolyn Woodard as she interviews William Maxwell and Rick Alloway, senior engineers at Community IT with decades of experience planning and overseeing office moves. Learn what IT considerations you need to take and how offices have changed since the pandemic started. 

One of the biggest projects you may ever have to manage working in a nonprofit is an office move. The people, the computers, and all the moving parts have to land in the right place and be ready to go in your new location. Office moves can be disruptive, but they don’t have to be frustrating or involve too much downtime. 

This webinar updates Rick and Will’s previous advice on planning for an office move. While the checklist and tips in that webinar are still valid and very useful, we wanted to understand how things have changed and what that means for your IT during a move. 

For example, many organizations have gone server-less and operate entirely in the cloud now. Many nonprofits are powered by an entirely remote workforce. We’ve seen many organizations downsizing or moving into shared or sublet office space to support a hybrid work environment. All of these changes have implications for your IT support when you move.

Are you downsizing, or moving into shared space? Are you closing your physical office altogether? Do you have servers that need to be moved or do you operate mostly in the cloud? Can your staff work from home during the move? How should you hard wire the new space? What about security, including cybersecurity? What are the most crucial issues 6 months out, 3 months out, or the day of the move? 

Be ready for your next move! Join us to learn these tips and tricks, updated for our world after two years of pandemic.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10766749 Fri, 10 Jun 2022 16:00:00 -0400 1792 3 25 full false Building a Foundation for IT Innovation at Your Nonprofit Pt 2 Building a Foundation for IT Innovation at Your Nonprofit Pt 2 In Part 2, Join Pat Sprehe, Carolyn Woodard, and Sarah Wolfe for a review and discussion of basic IT management and the foundations of nonprofit IT support that all nonprofit organizations must invest in before moving on to implementing new or innovative IT.

They share insights from over 20 years supporting nonprofits into when to take a chance and innovate, and when to invest in the IT basics first.

For every success story you hear about an innovative new app or technique that a nonprofit used to change their sector, you probably know dozens of nonprofits with “big idea” tech projects that didn’t deliver.  

How can your leadership team tell the difference between an IT idea that your organization can support and one that will cause wide-reaching headaches? Is your nonprofit ready to innovate? Are you trying to cut corners where you shouldn’t? 

When should you invest your resources first in getting your existing IT house in order and when should you go big? 

This webinar presents a framework to help identify when to take an IT chance, based on your nonprofit size, lifecycle stage, leadership, culture, cybersecurity needs, and existing IT status. 

Having served nonprofits exclusively for 20+ years, we also provide a checklist of basic IT must-haves that every nonprofit executive needs to know about, whether or not you plan on an innovative project.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In Part 2, Join Pat Sprehe, Carolyn Woodard, and Sarah Wolfe for a review and discussion of basic IT management and the foundations of nonprofit IT support that all nonprofit organizations must invest in before moving on to implementing new or innovative IT.

They share insights from over 20 years supporting nonprofits into when to take a chance and innovate, and when to invest in the IT basics first.

For every success story you hear about an innovative new app or technique that a nonprofit used to change their sector, you probably know dozens of nonprofits with “big idea” tech projects that didn’t deliver.  

How can your leadership team tell the difference between an IT idea that your organization can support and one that will cause wide-reaching headaches? Is your nonprofit ready to innovate? Are you trying to cut corners where you shouldn’t? 

When should you invest your resources first in getting your existing IT house in order and when should you go big? 

This webinar presents a framework to help identify when to take an IT chance, based on your nonprofit size, lifecycle stage, leadership, culture, cybersecurity needs, and existing IT status. 

Having served nonprofits exclusively for 20+ years, we also provide a checklist of basic IT must-haves that every nonprofit executive needs to know about, whether or not you plan on an innovative project.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10647385 Fri, 27 May 2022 15:00:00 -0400 1423 3 24 full false Building a Foundation for IT Innovation at Your Nonprofit Pt 1 Building a Foundation for IT Innovation at Your Nonprofit Pt 1 Part 1: Join Pat Sprehe, Carolyn Woodard, and Sarah Wolfe for insights from over 20 years supporting nonprofits into when to take a chance and innovate, and when to invest in the IT basics first.

For every success story you hear about an innovative new app or technique that a nonprofit used to change their sector, you probably know dozens of nonprofits with “big idea” tech projects that didn’t deliver.  

How can your leadership team tell the difference between an IT idea that your organization can support and one that will cause wide-reaching headaches? Is your nonprofit ready to innovate? Are you trying to cut corners where you shouldn’t? 

When should you invest your resources first in getting your existing IT house in order and when should you go big? 

This webinar presents a framework to help identify when to take an IT chance, based on your nonprofit size, lifecycle stage, leadership, culture, cybersecurity needs, and existing IT status. 

Having served nonprofits exclusively for 20+ years, we also provide a checklist of basic IT must-haves that every nonprofit executive needs to know about, whether or not you plan on an innovative project.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Part 1: Join Pat Sprehe, Carolyn Woodard, and Sarah Wolfe for insights from over 20 years supporting nonprofits into when to take a chance and innovate, and when to invest in the IT basics first.

For every success story you hear about an innovative new app or technique that a nonprofit used to change their sector, you probably know dozens of nonprofits with “big idea” tech projects that didn’t deliver.  

How can your leadership team tell the difference between an IT idea that your organization can support and one that will cause wide-reaching headaches? Is your nonprofit ready to innovate? Are you trying to cut corners where you shouldn’t? 

When should you invest your resources first in getting your existing IT house in order and when should you go big? 

This webinar presents a framework to help identify when to take an IT chance, based on your nonprofit size, lifecycle stage, leadership, culture, cybersecurity needs, and existing IT status. 

Having served nonprofits exclusively for 20+ years, we also provide a checklist of basic IT must-haves that every nonprofit executive needs to know about, whether or not you plan on an innovative project.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10647368 Fri, 20 May 2022 15:00:00 -0400 2084 3 23 full false Pt 2 Kaleidoscope NTC Panel Discussion on Supporting Diversity in Nonprofit Tech Pt 2 Kaleidoscope NTC Panel Discussion on Supporting Diversity in Nonprofit Tech Part 2 of a conversation from Sarah Wolfe and panelists presented at the NTEN NTC conference in March 2022. Centered around their diverse journeys to success, this session with four leaders celebrated bright spots of successful inclusion and cultivation of diversity in nonprofit technology, as well as sharing advice for the individual and the organization for thriving on the road ahead. Whether you come from an under-represented background, or want to do more at your nonprofit organization or tech company to support and include staff, this panel session was a vibrant discussion among women with a lot to say and share.

What support has helped you get where you are today in nonprofit tech? What experiences have shaped your career? What have you had to overcome?

Learn to listen! How can you be an ally? How can your workplace provide an environment where everyone thrives?

This panel is an expansion on the previous conversation "Diverse Perspectives" with the same panelists, different anecdotes, and different audience questions. If you are interested in DEI and Justice in Nonprofit Tech, please join the conversation.

Resources mentioned by the panelists:

Online

https://www.mentoring.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Why-Workplace-Mentoring-Matters-4.20.21.pdf ..We must create workplaces that are supportive of … growth as the next generation of leaders and innovators.
More resources from MENTOR on race and cultural inclusion in the workplace here.
https://nonprofitaf.com Questioning assumptions on traditional nonprofit practices.
https://www.nonprofitlearninglab.org/dei Resources round-up, good place to start. 

Books: 

Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
Innovating Leadership Co-creating Our Future by Maureen Metcalf
Start Here – Master the Lifelong Habits of Wellbeing by Eric Langshur, Nate Klemp Ph.D
Barking up the wrong tree, The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Success Is (Mostly) Wrong  by Eric Barker

Podcasts

HBR Women at Work – especially episode called Leading with Authenticity
Brené Brown: Unlocking Us Podcast

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Part 2 of a conversation from Sarah Wolfe and panelists presented at the NTEN NTC conference in March 2022. Centered around their diverse journeys to success, this session with four leaders celebrated bright spots of successful inclusion and cultivation of diversity in nonprofit technology, as well as sharing advice for the individual and the organization for thriving on the road ahead. Whether you come from an under-represented background, or want to do more at your nonprofit organization or tech company to support and include staff, this panel session was a vibrant discussion among women with a lot to say and share.

What support has helped you get where you are today in nonprofit tech? What experiences have shaped your career? What have you had to overcome?

Learn to listen! How can you be an ally? How can your workplace provide an environment where everyone thrives?

This panel is an expansion on the previous conversation "Diverse Perspectives" with the same panelists, different anecdotes, and different audience questions. If you are interested in DEI and Justice in Nonprofit Tech, please join the conversation.

Resources mentioned by the panelists:

Online

https://www.mentoring.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Why-Workplace-Mentoring-Matters-4.20.21.pdf ..We must create workplaces that are supportive of … growth as the next generation of leaders and innovators.
More resources from MENTOR on race and cultural inclusion in the workplace here.
https://nonprofitaf.com Questioning assumptions on traditional nonprofit practices.
https://www.nonprofitlearninglab.org/dei Resources round-up, good place to start. 

Books: 

Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
Innovating Leadership Co-creating Our Future by Maureen Metcalf
Start Here – Master the Lifelong Habits of Wellbeing by Eric Langshur, Nate Klemp Ph.D
Barking up the wrong tree, The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Success Is (Mostly) Wrong  by Eric Barker

Podcasts

HBR Women at Work – especially episode called Leading with Authenticity
Brené Brown: Unlocking Us Podcast

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10612739 Fri, 13 May 2022 12:00:00 -0400 1953 3 22 full false Pt 1 Kaleidoscope NTC Panel Discussion on Supporting Diversity in Nonprofit Tech Pt 1 Kaleidoscope NTC Panel Discussion on Supporting Diversity in Nonprofit Tech Sarah Wolfe and panelists presented a conversation at the NTEN NTC conference in March 2022. Centered around their diverse journeys to success, this session with four leaders celebrated bright spots of successful inclusion and cultivation of diversity in nonprofit technology, as well as sharing advice for the individual and the organization for thriving on the road ahead. Whether you come from an under-represented background, or want to do more at your nonprofit organization or tech company to support and include staff, this panel session was a vibrant discussion among women with a lot to say and share.

What support has helped you get where you are today in nonprofit tech? What experiences have shaped your career? What have you had to overcome?

Learn to listen! How can you be an ally? How can your workplace provide an environment where everyone thrives?

This panel is an expansion on the previous conversation "Diverse Perspectives" with the same panelists, different anecdotes, and different audience questions. If you are interested in DEI and Justice in Nonprofit Tech, please join the conversation.

Resources mentioned by the panelists:

Online

https://www.mentoring.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Why-Workplace-Mentoring-Matters-4.20.21.pdf ..We must create workplaces that are supportive of … growth as the next generation of leaders and innovators.
More resources from MENTOR on race and cultural inclusion in the workplace here.
https://nonprofitaf.com Questioning assumptions on traditional nonprofit practices.
https://www.nonprofitlearninglab.org/dei Resources round-up, good place to start. 

Books: 

Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
Innovating Leadership Co-creating Our Future by Maureen Metcalf
Start Here – Master the Lifelong Habits of Wellbeing by Eric Langshur, Nate Klemp Ph.D
Barking up the wrong tree, The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Success Is (Mostly) Wrong  by Eric Barker

Podcasts

HBR Women at Work – especially episode called Leading with Authenticity
Brené Brown: Unlocking Us Podcast

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Sarah Wolfe and panelists presented a conversation at the NTEN NTC conference in March 2022. Centered around their diverse journeys to success, this session with four leaders celebrated bright spots of successful inclusion and cultivation of diversity in nonprofit technology, as well as sharing advice for the individual and the organization for thriving on the road ahead. Whether you come from an under-represented background, or want to do more at your nonprofit organization or tech company to support and include staff, this panel session was a vibrant discussion among women with a lot to say and share.

What support has helped you get where you are today in nonprofit tech? What experiences have shaped your career? What have you had to overcome?

Learn to listen! How can you be an ally? How can your workplace provide an environment where everyone thrives?

This panel is an expansion on the previous conversation "Diverse Perspectives" with the same panelists, different anecdotes, and different audience questions. If you are interested in DEI and Justice in Nonprofit Tech, please join the conversation.

Resources mentioned by the panelists:

Online

https://www.mentoring.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Why-Workplace-Mentoring-Matters-4.20.21.pdf ..We must create workplaces that are supportive of … growth as the next generation of leaders and innovators.
More resources from MENTOR on race and cultural inclusion in the workplace here.
https://nonprofitaf.com Questioning assumptions on traditional nonprofit practices.
https://www.nonprofitlearninglab.org/dei Resources round-up, good place to start. 

Books: 

Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
Innovating Leadership Co-creating Our Future by Maureen Metcalf
Start Here – Master the Lifelong Habits of Wellbeing by Eric Langshur, Nate Klemp Ph.D
Barking up the wrong tree, The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Success Is (Mostly) Wrong  by Eric Barker

Podcasts

HBR Women at Work – especially episode called Leading with Authenticity
Brené Brown: Unlocking Us Podcast

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10574007 Fri, 06 May 2022 19:00:00 -0400 1709 3 21 full false Cybersecurity Basics for Nonprofits: Defending Against Boggarts and Boogiemen Cybersecurity Basics for Nonprofits: Defending Against Boggarts and Boogiemen
Are you afraid to think about cybersecurity basics for your nonprofits needs? 

Are you an “accidental techie” – tasked with keeping the IT running at your nonprofit even though you don’t *really have an IT background? *at all

Wondering where to start building a case for cybersecurity basics to your nonprofit executives and board?

Join Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman and Sales Manager Sarah Wolfe in a new webinar presented at the 2022NTC Conference.

Cybersecurity: “the measures taken to ensure an organization is protected against the criminal or unauthorized use of electronic data.” AKA “An accidental techie’s biggest nightmare.”

With all the million dollar attacks on nonprofits in the news – whether ransomware, internal data leaks, or wire fraud scams – cybersecurity can really give you bad dreams. And if you are unsure of the lingo or where to turn for help it can be daunting to even make a start.

You know you need to put together a case to convince your executives and your board – but are there low-cost tools and preventative measures you can put in place quickly? What are the best practices when your organization is reluctant to invest in a strong cybersecurity stance?

After this presentation on cybersecurity basics for nonprofits, “accidental techies” will feel confident in their knowledge of current cybersecurity trends and best practices, as well as language to use when seeking buy-in from leadership and/or staff.

The presentation

  • Summarizes the current and forecasted “threat landscape”
  • Shares three key policies & procedures to roll out for basic peace of mind
  • Reviews persuasion points to make while requesting time and funding

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT and NTEN, the membership organization and sponsor of the NTC conference, are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

NTC is the signature conference in Nonprofit Tech every year, hosted by NTEN. In 2022 it featured over 180 live, interactive, and thought-provoking sessions including this one; daily inspiring keynote speakers; and ways to connect, including opportunities for one-on-one connections, small group meetings, and sponsor conversations. In 2023 NTC plans to be in-person in Denver, in March.

Presenters:

A DC Area native, Sarah Wolfe joined Community IT Innovators in March 2018 as Account Associate before being promoted to Sales Manager. She is responsible for ensuring our partner organizations are receiving the right combination of IT support services to meet their organizational needs and goals. She is a founder of the internal BLM working group at Community IT. Prior to joining Community IT, Sarah was a science teacher at various schools in Maryland. She attended Oberlin College in Ohio, graduating in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology, and took classes at UMCP for her teaching certification. 

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]>
Are you afraid to think about cybersecurity basics for your nonprofits needs? 

Are you an “accidental techie” – tasked with keeping the IT running at your nonprofit even though you don’t *really have an IT background? *at all

Wondering where to start building a case for cybersecurity basics to your nonprofit executives and board?

Join Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman and Sales Manager Sarah Wolfe in a new webinar presented at the 2022NTC Conference.

Cybersecurity: “the measures taken to ensure an organization is protected against the criminal or unauthorized use of electronic data.” AKA “An accidental techie’s biggest nightmare.”

With all the million dollar attacks on nonprofits in the news – whether ransomware, internal data leaks, or wire fraud scams – cybersecurity can really give you bad dreams. And if you are unsure of the lingo or where to turn for help it can be daunting to even make a start.

You know you need to put together a case to convince your executives and your board – but are there low-cost tools and preventative measures you can put in place quickly? What are the best practices when your organization is reluctant to invest in a strong cybersecurity stance?

After this presentation on cybersecurity basics for nonprofits, “accidental techies” will feel confident in their knowledge of current cybersecurity trends and best practices, as well as language to use when seeking buy-in from leadership and/or staff.

The presentation

  • Summarizes the current and forecasted “threat landscape”
  • Shares three key policies & procedures to roll out for basic peace of mind
  • Reviews persuasion points to make while requesting time and funding

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT and NTEN, the membership organization and sponsor of the NTC conference, are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

NTC is the signature conference in Nonprofit Tech every year, hosted by NTEN. In 2022 it featured over 180 live, interactive, and thought-provoking sessions including this one; daily inspiring keynote speakers; and ways to connect, including opportunities for one-on-one connections, small group meetings, and sponsor conversations. In 2023 NTC plans to be in-person in Denver, in March.

Presenters:

A DC Area native, Sarah Wolfe joined Community IT Innovators in March 2018 as Account Associate before being promoted to Sales Manager. She is responsible for ensuring our partner organizations are receiving the right combination of IT support services to meet their organizational needs and goals. She is a founder of the internal BLM working group at Community IT. Prior to joining Community IT, Sarah was a science teacher at various schools in Maryland. She attended Oberlin College in Ohio, graduating in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology, and took classes at UMCP for her teaching certification. 

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10544262 Mon, 02 May 2022 14:00:00 -0400 1913 3 20 full false 2022 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report Pt 2 2022 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report Pt 2 Part 2 - Join CTO and Nonprofit Cybersecurity expert Matthew Eshleman as he presents data from the fourth annual Community IT Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report.

This report looks at the different types of attacks that occurred in 2021 at small and mid-sized nonprofit organizations in our network. Using real data, Matt tracks trends in cybersecurity attacks and gives your organization tips on how to respond – and on prevention. 

Is your nonprofit prepared?

In part 2, Matt will discuss the trends found in the data from 2021, and answers audience questions on MFA, SSO, training and preparedness, and more. 

Matt updates us on the most recent international scams and hacks, and discusses steps your nonprofit should take to understand your risk level.

Matt gives you the tools you need to protect your organization and staff from cybercrimes. Many of these tips you can put in place quickly and train your staff on immediately.

You may also be interested in downloading our completely revised 2021 Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook, or taking the 10-minute Cybersecurity Self Quiz.

Click here to contact Matt with more questions or to book time for a consultation.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Part 2 - Join CTO and Nonprofit Cybersecurity expert Matthew Eshleman as he presents data from the fourth annual Community IT Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report.

This report looks at the different types of attacks that occurred in 2021 at small and mid-sized nonprofit organizations in our network. Using real data, Matt tracks trends in cybersecurity attacks and gives your organization tips on how to respond – and on prevention. 

Is your nonprofit prepared?

In part 2, Matt will discuss the trends found in the data from 2021, and answers audience questions on MFA, SSO, training and preparedness, and more. 

Matt updates us on the most recent international scams and hacks, and discusses steps your nonprofit should take to understand your risk level.

Matt gives you the tools you need to protect your organization and staff from cybercrimes. Many of these tips you can put in place quickly and train your staff on immediately.

You may also be interested in downloading our completely revised 2021 Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook, or taking the 10-minute Cybersecurity Self Quiz.

Click here to contact Matt with more questions or to book time for a consultation.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10480202 Thu, 28 Apr 2022 16:00:00 -0400 1840 3 19 full false 2022 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report Pt 1 2022 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report Pt 1 Join CTO and Nonprofit Cybersecurity expert Matthew Eshleman as he presents data from the fourth annual Community IT Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report.

This report looks at the different types of attacks that occurred in 2021 at small and mid-sized nonprofit organizations in our network. Using real data, Matt tracks trends in cybersecurity attacks and gives your organization tips on how to respond – and on prevention. 

Is your nonprofit prepared?

Matt walks through our Community IT advice on security improvements that provide protection against the most common attacks. Learn the lingo around cybersecurity, the types of attacks nonprofits face, and the role of leadership in placing a value on cybersecurity preparedness for your nonprofit.

Matt updates us on the most recent international scams and hacks, and discusses steps your nonprofit should take to understand your risk level.

Matt gives you the tools you need to protect your organization and staff from cybercrimes. Many of these tips you can put in place quickly and train your staff on immediately.

You may also be interested in downloading our completely revised 2021 Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook, or taking the 10-minute Cybersecurity Self Quiz.

Click here to contact Matt with more questions or to book time for a consultation.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join CTO and Nonprofit Cybersecurity expert Matthew Eshleman as he presents data from the fourth annual Community IT Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report.

This report looks at the different types of attacks that occurred in 2021 at small and mid-sized nonprofit organizations in our network. Using real data, Matt tracks trends in cybersecurity attacks and gives your organization tips on how to respond – and on prevention. 

Is your nonprofit prepared?

Matt walks through our Community IT advice on security improvements that provide protection against the most common attacks. Learn the lingo around cybersecurity, the types of attacks nonprofits face, and the role of leadership in placing a value on cybersecurity preparedness for your nonprofit.

Matt updates us on the most recent international scams and hacks, and discusses steps your nonprofit should take to understand your risk level.

Matt gives you the tools you need to protect your organization and staff from cybercrimes. Many of these tips you can put in place quickly and train your staff on immediately.

You may also be interested in downloading our completely revised 2021 Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook, or taking the 10-minute Cybersecurity Self Quiz.

Click here to contact Matt with more questions or to book time for a consultation.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10479880 Thu, 21 Apr 2022 13:00:00 -0400 1884 3 18 full false Community IT Voices: Johanny Torrico, Chief Operating Officer Community IT Voices: Johanny Torrico, Chief Operating Officer Today Carolyn talks with Johanny Torrico about what it is like to be the Chief Operating Officer at an MSP for nonprofits, her career path to reach executive level, and her personal journey, which took her on many twists and turns but which she regards as preparing her to be at Community IT in this role at this time.

Johanny has a lot to say on staff development and encouraging staff to be happy and capable, and the focus at Community IT on customer service – the face to face interactions with people. Learning technology will come, especially if you have a passion for it – but there is nothing that can replace a drive to help people. She also delves into her insights into cloud migrations and the ways the pandemic and remote work have changed the nature of IT support.

..Life is molding all the people who need to be at Community IT so we can help Community IT be a better company, because we are helping our clients be better nonprofit organizations and it has a domino effect.

– Johanny Torrico, COO

What does a COO at a nonprofit-oriented MSP do? Can you see yourself taking on this role? What qualifications do you need, and what kind of life experience prepares you for an executive role in a tech company? Or, as Johanny says, a customer services company where the services happen to be nonprofit IT! 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Today Carolyn talks with Johanny Torrico about what it is like to be the Chief Operating Officer at an MSP for nonprofits, her career path to reach executive level, and her personal journey, which took her on many twists and turns but which she regards as preparing her to be at Community IT in this role at this time.

Johanny has a lot to say on staff development and encouraging staff to be happy and capable, and the focus at Community IT on customer service – the face to face interactions with people. Learning technology will come, especially if you have a passion for it – but there is nothing that can replace a drive to help people. She also delves into her insights into cloud migrations and the ways the pandemic and remote work have changed the nature of IT support.

..Life is molding all the people who need to be at Community IT so we can help Community IT be a better company, because we are helping our clients be better nonprofit organizations and it has a domino effect.

– Johanny Torrico, COO

What does a COO at a nonprofit-oriented MSP do? Can you see yourself taking on this role? What qualifications do you need, and what kind of life experience prepares you for an executive role in a tech company? Or, as Johanny says, a customer services company where the services happen to be nonprofit IT! 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10444777 Fri, 15 Apr 2022 10:00:00 -0400 2001 3 17 full false What Makes Nonprofit Tech Projects Succeed Pt 2 What Makes Nonprofit Tech Projects Succeed Pt 2 In Part 2, Peter Mirus, a Build Consulting expert on technology project implementations at nonprofits, offers  insights from his years of experience as a consultant, and answer participant questions on driving successful technology projects.

What you’ll learn:

  • One of the key things that contributes to technology project failures is inadequate requirements definition. Requirements definition that’s not thorough enough, or lacks the appropriate depth, or skirted around important business decisions that needed to be made. 
  • How to select software that meets the business need of the organization.
  • Finding expertise and advocates to see your tech project through every challenge, and when leadership needs to fully engage to have any chance of success.

There is a 15-minute live Q&A at the end of the webinar.
This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

Presenter:

Peter Mirus is an expert at helping organizations and people to learn, communicate, and grow through the use of technology at Build Consulting. He has over 20 years of experience helping nonprofits of all sizes create and implement successful business improvement and technology projects. He presented two sessions on nonprofit technology at the Good Tech Fest in Chicago in May 2019.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In Part 2, Peter Mirus, a Build Consulting expert on technology project implementations at nonprofits, offers  insights from his years of experience as a consultant, and answer participant questions on driving successful technology projects.

What you’ll learn:

  • One of the key things that contributes to technology project failures is inadequate requirements definition. Requirements definition that’s not thorough enough, or lacks the appropriate depth, or skirted around important business decisions that needed to be made. 
  • How to select software that meets the business need of the organization.
  • Finding expertise and advocates to see your tech project through every challenge, and when leadership needs to fully engage to have any chance of success.

There is a 15-minute live Q&A at the end of the webinar.
This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

Presenter:

Peter Mirus is an expert at helping organizations and people to learn, communicate, and grow through the use of technology at Build Consulting. He has over 20 years of experience helping nonprofits of all sizes create and implement successful business improvement and technology projects. He presented two sessions on nonprofit technology at the Good Tech Fest in Chicago in May 2019.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10391354 Fri, 08 Apr 2022 12:00:00 -0400 1654 3 16 full false What Makes Nonprofit Tech Projects Succeed? Pt 1 What Makes Nonprofit Tech Projects Succeed? Pt 1 Peter Mirus, a Build Consulting expert on technology project implementations at nonprofits, offers  insights from his years of experience as a consultant, and answer participant questions on driving successful technology projects.

What you’ll learn:

  • What does it mean for a tech project to be a “success?”
  • What are the key leadership elements your organization needs to have in place?
  • What are the secrets of success that fail to get enough attention?
  • How can you help your nonprofit be in the 50% of tech projects that succeed?

There is a 15-minute live Q&A at the end of the webinar.
This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

Presenter:

Peter Mirus is an expert at helping organizations and people to learn, communicate, and grow through the use of technology at Build Consulting. He has over 20 years of experience helping nonprofits of all sizes create and implement successful business improvement and technology projects. He presented two sessions on nonprofit technology at the Good Tech Fest in Chicago in May 2019.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Peter Mirus, a Build Consulting expert on technology project implementations at nonprofits, offers  insights from his years of experience as a consultant, and answer participant questions on driving successful technology projects.

What you’ll learn:

  • What does it mean for a tech project to be a “success?”
  • What are the key leadership elements your organization needs to have in place?
  • What are the secrets of success that fail to get enough attention?
  • How can you help your nonprofit be in the 50% of tech projects that succeed?

There is a 15-minute live Q&A at the end of the webinar.
This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

Presenter:

Peter Mirus is an expert at helping organizations and people to learn, communicate, and grow through the use of technology at Build Consulting. He has over 20 years of experience helping nonprofits of all sizes create and implement successful business improvement and technology projects. He presented two sessions on nonprofit technology at the Good Tech Fest in Chicago in May 2019.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10391229 Wed, 06 Apr 2022 14:00:00 -0400 1747 3 15 full false Diverse Perspectives on Thriving in Nonprofit Tech Careers Pt 2 Diverse Perspectives on Thriving in Nonprofit Tech Careers Pt 2 Part 2 - Join Sarah Wolfe, Stef Cruz, Angela Kim, and Sandy Martins for an honest discussion on creating inclusive workplaces and work practices in the nonprofit tech sector.

We were really excited to present this group of amazing women working in various roles in nonprofit tech for a panel discussion of what it takes to thrive in nonprofit tech careers, and how you can create inclusion-focused workplaces in your organizations.

What support has helped you get where you are today in nonprofit tech? What experiences have shaped your career? What have you had to overcome?

Learn and listen! How can you be an ally? How can your workplace provide an environment where everyone thrives that helps your nonprofit mission take off and fly?

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied experience.

Presenters:

Sarah Wolfe, Moderator A DC Area native, Sarah Wolfe joined Community IT Innovators in March 2018 as Account Associate before being promoted to Sales Manager. She is responsible for ensuring our partner organizations are receiving the right combination of IT support services to meet their organizational needs and goals. She is a founder of the internal BLM working group at Community IT.

Stef Cruz Stef is a strategic communications professional with over 15 years’ experience mobilizing millions of individuals to action across national social movements including the Women’s March, Families Belong Together and the March for Our Lives.

She was one of the first digital strategist on Capitol Hill as the Director of Digital Media for Congressman Sander Levin and the Ways and Means Committee. Worked in partnership with the Democratic task force to support and encourage Members of Congress and Committees to embrace digital and social media tools to share legislative updates and create online communities. Most recently, Stef served as the Vice President of Marketing and Digital at America’s Promise Alliance. 

Angela Kim With 13+ years of experience in the private and nonprofit sectors, Angela Kim brings significant operations, project management, and business intelligence expertise to the philanthropic sector. She is driven by mission, impact, and helping nonprofits to do more social good across our communities. She has been Director of Finance and Operations at Academy of Hope Public Adult Charter School in DC for two years, arriving just as the pandemic was changing their campus-based learning model for good. She is a graduate of the Columbia University Nonprofit Management Masters program and has served on multiple nonprofit boards. 

Sandy Martins Sandy Martins serves as the Director of Information Technology at MENTOR. Raised in Boston by strong women, she’s a proud first-generation Cape Verdean American. She’s spent the last 16 years helping companies and organizations implement and improve business processes by managing complex, technology-driven projects while supporting their mission and strategic vision. Sandy has diverse expertise in the technology sector, including network technology, health IT, and software and application development. 

As the Director of IT, Sandy guides the internal tech

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Part 2 - Join Sarah Wolfe, Stef Cruz, Angela Kim, and Sandy Martins for an honest discussion on creating inclusive workplaces and work practices in the nonprofit tech sector.

We were really excited to present this group of amazing women working in various roles in nonprofit tech for a panel discussion of what it takes to thrive in nonprofit tech careers, and how you can create inclusion-focused workplaces in your organizations.

What support has helped you get where you are today in nonprofit tech? What experiences have shaped your career? What have you had to overcome?

Learn and listen! How can you be an ally? How can your workplace provide an environment where everyone thrives that helps your nonprofit mission take off and fly?

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied experience.

Presenters:

Sarah Wolfe, Moderator A DC Area native, Sarah Wolfe joined Community IT Innovators in March 2018 as Account Associate before being promoted to Sales Manager. She is responsible for ensuring our partner organizations are receiving the right combination of IT support services to meet their organizational needs and goals. She is a founder of the internal BLM working group at Community IT.

Stef Cruz Stef is a strategic communications professional with over 15 years’ experience mobilizing millions of individuals to action across national social movements including the Women’s March, Families Belong Together and the March for Our Lives.

She was one of the first digital strategist on Capitol Hill as the Director of Digital Media for Congressman Sander Levin and the Ways and Means Committee. Worked in partnership with the Democratic task force to support and encourage Members of Congress and Committees to embrace digital and social media tools to share legislative updates and create online communities. Most recently, Stef served as the Vice President of Marketing and Digital at America’s Promise Alliance. 

Angela Kim With 13+ years of experience in the private and nonprofit sectors, Angela Kim brings significant operations, project management, and business intelligence expertise to the philanthropic sector. She is driven by mission, impact, and helping nonprofits to do more social good across our communities. She has been Director of Finance and Operations at Academy of Hope Public Adult Charter School in DC for two years, arriving just as the pandemic was changing their campus-based learning model for good. She is a graduate of the Columbia University Nonprofit Management Masters program and has served on multiple nonprofit boards. 

Sandy Martins Sandy Martins serves as the Director of Information Technology at MENTOR. Raised in Boston by strong women, she’s a proud first-generation Cape Verdean American. She’s spent the last 16 years helping companies and organizations implement and improve business processes by managing complex, technology-driven projects while supporting their mission and strategic vision. Sandy has diverse expertise in the technology sector, including network technology, health IT, and software and application development. 

As the Director of IT, Sandy guides the internal tech

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10320182 Sat, 26 Mar 2022 07:00:00 -0400 1932 3 14 full false Diverse Perspectives on Thriving in Nonprofit Tech Careers Pt 1 Diverse Perspectives on Thriving in Nonprofit Tech Careers Pt 1 Join Sarah Wolfe, Stef Cruz, Angela Kim, and Sandy Martins for an honest discussion on creating inclusive workplaces and work practices in the nonprofit tech sector.

We were really excited to present this group of amazing women working in various roles in nonprofit tech for a panel discussion of what it takes to thrive in nonprofit tech careers, and how you can create inclusion-focused workplaces in your organizations.

What support has helped you get where you are today in nonprofit tech? What experiences have shaped your career? What have you had to overcome?

Learn and listen! How can you be an ally? How can your workplace provide an environment where everyone thrives that helps your nonprofit mission take off and fly?

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied experience.

Presenters:

Sarah Wolfe, Moderator A DC Area native, Sarah Wolfe joined Community IT Innovators in March 2018 as Account Associate before being promoted to Sales Manager. She is responsible for ensuring our partner organizations are receiving the right combination of IT support services to meet their organizational needs and goals. She is a founder of the internal BLM working group at Community IT.

Stef Cruz Stef is a strategic communications professional with over 15 years’ experience mobilizing millions of individuals to action across national social movements including the Women’s March, Families Belong Together and the March for Our Lives.

She was one of the first digital strategist on Capitol Hill as the Director of Digital Media for Congressman Sander Levin and the Ways and Means Committee. Worked in partnership with the Democratic task force to support and encourage Members of Congress and Committees to embrace digital and social media tools to share legislative updates and create online communities. Most recently, Stef served as the Vice President of Marketing and Digital at America’s Promise Alliance. 

Angela Kim With 13+ years of experience in the private and nonprofit sectors, Angela Kim brings significant operations, project management, and business intelligence expertise to the philanthropic sector. She is driven by mission, impact, and helping nonprofits to do more social good across our communities. She has been Director of Finance and Operations at Academy of Hope Public Adult Charter School in DC for two years, arriving just as the pandemic was changing their campus-based learning model for good. She is a graduate of the Columbia University Nonprofit Management Masters program and has served on multiple nonprofit boards. 

Sandy Martins Sandy Martins serves as the Director of Information Technology at MENTOR. Raised in Boston by strong women, she’s a proud first-generation Cape Verdean American. She’s spent the last 16 years helping companies and organizations implement and improve business processes by managing complex, technology-driven projects while supporting their mission and strategic vision. Sandy has diverse expertise in the technology sector, including network technology, health IT, and software and application development. 

As the Director of IT, Sandy guides the internal technology co

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join Sarah Wolfe, Stef Cruz, Angela Kim, and Sandy Martins for an honest discussion on creating inclusive workplaces and work practices in the nonprofit tech sector.

We were really excited to present this group of amazing women working in various roles in nonprofit tech for a panel discussion of what it takes to thrive in nonprofit tech careers, and how you can create inclusion-focused workplaces in your organizations.

What support has helped you get where you are today in nonprofit tech? What experiences have shaped your career? What have you had to overcome?

Learn and listen! How can you be an ally? How can your workplace provide an environment where everyone thrives that helps your nonprofit mission take off and fly?

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied experience.

Presenters:

Sarah Wolfe, Moderator A DC Area native, Sarah Wolfe joined Community IT Innovators in March 2018 as Account Associate before being promoted to Sales Manager. She is responsible for ensuring our partner organizations are receiving the right combination of IT support services to meet their organizational needs and goals. She is a founder of the internal BLM working group at Community IT.

Stef Cruz Stef is a strategic communications professional with over 15 years’ experience mobilizing millions of individuals to action across national social movements including the Women’s March, Families Belong Together and the March for Our Lives.

She was one of the first digital strategist on Capitol Hill as the Director of Digital Media for Congressman Sander Levin and the Ways and Means Committee. Worked in partnership with the Democratic task force to support and encourage Members of Congress and Committees to embrace digital and social media tools to share legislative updates and create online communities. Most recently, Stef served as the Vice President of Marketing and Digital at America’s Promise Alliance. 

Angela Kim With 13+ years of experience in the private and nonprofit sectors, Angela Kim brings significant operations, project management, and business intelligence expertise to the philanthropic sector. She is driven by mission, impact, and helping nonprofits to do more social good across our communities. She has been Director of Finance and Operations at Academy of Hope Public Adult Charter School in DC for two years, arriving just as the pandemic was changing their campus-based learning model for good. She is a graduate of the Columbia University Nonprofit Management Masters program and has served on multiple nonprofit boards. 

Sandy Martins Sandy Martins serves as the Director of Information Technology at MENTOR. Raised in Boston by strong women, she’s a proud first-generation Cape Verdean American. She’s spent the last 16 years helping companies and organizations implement and improve business processes by managing complex, technology-driven projects while supporting their mission and strategic vision. Sandy has diverse expertise in the technology sector, including network technology, health IT, and software and application development. 

As the Director of IT, Sandy guides the internal technology co

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10273340 Fri, 18 Mar 2022 08:00:00 -0400 1868 3 13 full false IT Incident Response for Nonprofits Pt 2 IT Incident Response for Nonprofits Pt 2 You get a frantic call from a staff member – your nonprofit organization has been hacked. Now what? What do you do first? What should your IT security incident response be?

Join Community IT Innovators CTO Matt Eshleman and President and CEO Johan Hammerstrom for a worst-case scenario walk through part 2. They discuss several possible breaches – email, Office 365, servers, etc. Matt shares his experience responding to credential hacks and other situations, and presents a checklist you should include in your security policies.

Forewarned is forearmed, and if you haven’t been hacked yet, it never hurts to know what you would do. Participants who had experienced a hack were invited to share experience with us, and what they wish they’d done differently in their response to more quickly get their organization back on their feet.

We have several webinars and resources on creating your security policy and training your staff available here. This webinar is specific to planning your response in the event you experience a breach.

Presenters:  President and CEO Johan Hammerstrom has always been interested in using technology as a force for good that can improve our world.  He started at Community IT in 1999 as a Network Administrator.  Since that time, Johan has been a Network Engineer, a Team Lead, the Director of Services, Vice President of Services, Chief Operating Officer, and beginning July 2015 President and CEO. Working directly with over 200 nonprofit organizations, to help them plan around and use technology to accomplish their missions, has been one of the most positive and rewarding experiences of his life.

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for  shaping Community IT’s strategy in assessing and recommending technology solutions to clients. With a deep background in network infrastructure technology he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.
Matt joined Community IT as an intern in the summer of 2000 and after finishing his dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University he rejoined Community IT as a network administrator in January of 2001. Matt has steadily progressed up at Community IT and while working full time received his MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University. Matt is a frequent speaker on Cybersecurity for Nonprofits.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> You get a frantic call from a staff member – your nonprofit organization has been hacked. Now what? What do you do first? What should your IT security incident response be?

Join Community IT Innovators CTO Matt Eshleman and President and CEO Johan Hammerstrom for a worst-case scenario walk through part 2. They discuss several possible breaches – email, Office 365, servers, etc. Matt shares his experience responding to credential hacks and other situations, and presents a checklist you should include in your security policies.

Forewarned is forearmed, and if you haven’t been hacked yet, it never hurts to know what you would do. Participants who had experienced a hack were invited to share experience with us, and what they wish they’d done differently in their response to more quickly get their organization back on their feet.

We have several webinars and resources on creating your security policy and training your staff available here. This webinar is specific to planning your response in the event you experience a breach.

Presenters:  President and CEO Johan Hammerstrom has always been interested in using technology as a force for good that can improve our world.  He started at Community IT in 1999 as a Network Administrator.  Since that time, Johan has been a Network Engineer, a Team Lead, the Director of Services, Vice President of Services, Chief Operating Officer, and beginning July 2015 President and CEO. Working directly with over 200 nonprofit organizations, to help them plan around and use technology to accomplish their missions, has been one of the most positive and rewarding experiences of his life.

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for  shaping Community IT’s strategy in assessing and recommending technology solutions to clients. With a deep background in network infrastructure technology he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.
Matt joined Community IT as an intern in the summer of 2000 and after finishing his dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University he rejoined Community IT as a network administrator in January of 2001. Matt has steadily progressed up at Community IT and while working full time received his MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University. Matt is a frequent speaker on Cybersecurity for Nonprofits.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10198625 Fri, 11 Mar 2022 16:00:00 -0500 1783 3 12 full false IT Security Incident Response for Nonprofits Pt 1 IT Security Incident Response for Nonprofits Pt 1 You get a frantic call from a staff member – your nonprofit organization has been hacked. Now what? What do you do first? What should your IT security incident response be?

Join Community IT Innovators CTO Matt Eshleman and President and CEO Johan Hammerstrom for a worst-case scenario walk through. They discuss several possible breaches – email, Office 365, servers, etc. Matt shares his experience responding to credential hacks and other situations, and presents a checklist you should include in your security policies.

Forewarned is forearmed, and if you haven’t been hacked yet, it never hurts to know what you would do. Participants who had experienced a hack were invited to share experience with us, and what they wish they’d done differently in their response to more quickly get their organization back on their feet.

We have several webinars and resources on creating your security policy and training your staff available here. This webinar is specific to planning your response in the event you experience a breach.


Presenters:  President and CEO Johan Hammerstrom has always been interested in using technology as a force for good that can improve our world.  He started at Community IT in 1999 as a Network Administrator.  Since that time, Johan has been a Network Engineer, a Team Lead, the Director of Services, Vice President of Services, Chief Operating Officer, and beginning July 2015 President and CEO. Working directly with over 200 nonprofit organizations, to help them plan around and use technology to accomplish their missions, has been one of the most positive and rewarding experiences of his life.

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for  shaping Community IT’s strategy in assessing and recommending technology solutions to clients. With a deep background in network infrastructure technology he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.
Matt joined Community IT as an intern in the summer of 2000 and after finishing his dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University he rejoined Community IT as a network administrator in January of 2001. Matt has steadily progressed up at Community IT and while working full time received his MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University. Matt is a frequent speaker on Cybersecurity for Nonprofits.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> You get a frantic call from a staff member – your nonprofit organization has been hacked. Now what? What do you do first? What should your IT security incident response be?

Join Community IT Innovators CTO Matt Eshleman and President and CEO Johan Hammerstrom for a worst-case scenario walk through. They discuss several possible breaches – email, Office 365, servers, etc. Matt shares his experience responding to credential hacks and other situations, and presents a checklist you should include in your security policies.

Forewarned is forearmed, and if you haven’t been hacked yet, it never hurts to know what you would do. Participants who had experienced a hack were invited to share experience with us, and what they wish they’d done differently in their response to more quickly get their organization back on their feet.

We have several webinars and resources on creating your security policy and training your staff available here. This webinar is specific to planning your response in the event you experience a breach.


Presenters:  President and CEO Johan Hammerstrom has always been interested in using technology as a force for good that can improve our world.  He started at Community IT in 1999 as a Network Administrator.  Since that time, Johan has been a Network Engineer, a Team Lead, the Director of Services, Vice President of Services, Chief Operating Officer, and beginning July 2015 President and CEO. Working directly with over 200 nonprofit organizations, to help them plan around and use technology to accomplish their missions, has been one of the most positive and rewarding experiences of his life.

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for  shaping Community IT’s strategy in assessing and recommending technology solutions to clients. With a deep background in network infrastructure technology he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.
Matt joined Community IT as an intern in the summer of 2000 and after finishing his dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University he rejoined Community IT as a network administrator in January of 2001. Matt has steadily progressed up at Community IT and while working full time received his MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University. Matt is a frequent speaker on Cybersecurity for Nonprofits.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10198481 Sun, 06 Mar 2022 16:00:00 -0500 1935 3 11 full false Community IT Voices: Norwin Herrera, IT Business Manager Community IT Voices: Norwin Herrera, IT Business Manager Today Carolyn talks with Norwin Herrera, IT Business Manager (ITBM), who fills a relatively recent role at Community IT and in the outsourced IT sector.

The Community IT ITBM service provides an outsourced IT manager to clients at a reduced cost to hiring and having an IT manager on staff. This manager is a resource dedicated to matching technology solutions to clients’ business needs. To do this well requires an ongoing conversation with the client to continually understand their business needs, and then effective communication with client staff and leadership about the ways specific technology solutions can meet those business needs. 

The ITBM makes recommendations on IT investments, training programs, maintenance, and licenses. They help the client be forward-looking, and act as a vendor-agnostic, trusted advisor with deep knowledge of the nonprofit IT software and platforms available. Because Community IT works in partnership with clients to manage IT needs longterm, sometimes the advice does not involve investing in more, or more expensive, IT tools at all – and when the ITBM develops a long relationship with the client they can be a true asset to the nonprofit. 

In this interview, Norwin talks about life advice he would give students to be in a career where they can work from the heart, his background as an immigrant from El Salvador, and the best aspects of this ITBM role for him.

“We do a little bit of everything. We do budget, project management, and analysis. We analyze how your organization is at this moment and what is the best way to go. It’s a pretty interesting position, never boring. It’s always a new challenge, every single day. Because every single organization where we provide support is different.”

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Today Carolyn talks with Norwin Herrera, IT Business Manager (ITBM), who fills a relatively recent role at Community IT and in the outsourced IT sector.

The Community IT ITBM service provides an outsourced IT manager to clients at a reduced cost to hiring and having an IT manager on staff. This manager is a resource dedicated to matching technology solutions to clients’ business needs. To do this well requires an ongoing conversation with the client to continually understand their business needs, and then effective communication with client staff and leadership about the ways specific technology solutions can meet those business needs. 

The ITBM makes recommendations on IT investments, training programs, maintenance, and licenses. They help the client be forward-looking, and act as a vendor-agnostic, trusted advisor with deep knowledge of the nonprofit IT software and platforms available. Because Community IT works in partnership with clients to manage IT needs longterm, sometimes the advice does not involve investing in more, or more expensive, IT tools at all – and when the ITBM develops a long relationship with the client they can be a true asset to the nonprofit. 

In this interview, Norwin talks about life advice he would give students to be in a career where they can work from the heart, his background as an immigrant from El Salvador, and the best aspects of this ITBM role for him.

“We do a little bit of everything. We do budget, project management, and analysis. We analyze how your organization is at this moment and what is the best way to go. It’s a pretty interesting position, never boring. It’s always a new challenge, every single day. Because every single organization where we provide support is different.”

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10167141 Tue, 01 Mar 2022 11:00:00 -0500 1429 3 10 full false Protect Your Nonprofit from Financial Fraud Pt 2 Protect Your Nonprofit from Financial Fraud Pt 2 In part 2,  Join cybersecurity expert Community IT Innovators CTO Matt Eshleman and Carole Melvin, financial expert from Your Part-Time Controller, for a webinar discussion of the financial threats that face nonprofit organizations and the steps you can take to protect your nonprofit from financial fraud.

Matt discusses two real life examples of a phishing email con and a typo-squatting email scam, and Carole discusses the policies and documentation that every nonprofit must have regarding data protection and incidence response. Finally, Matt and Carole provide best practices on the IT and financial tools and procedures that your nonprofit should use as a minimum to prevent wire fraud.

Community IT has developed many cybersecurity best practices resources and webinars that cover technology threats and risk assessment. We have seen a spike in the number of incidents involving financial fraud over the past year. In this webinar we provide nonprofits with tips to combat these evolving threats. 

Carole and Matt provide an overview on wirefraud, share some specific examples that they have encountered, and then talk about the steps you can take to protect your organization. 

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT and security experience. Staff who are involved in processing financial transactions will find it particularly relevant, whether or not you have IT responsibilities. We also encourage IT staff charged with security to attend to learn more about additional protections in training and monitoring financial transactions that can add another line of defense against these sophisticated attacks.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenters:

Carole Melvin is a Senior Manager/Market Leader for the Washington, DC office of Your Part‐Time Controller, LLC (YPTC).  After earning her bachelor’s degree at University of Massachusetts at Amherst and her master’s degree at Boston University, she began her career as an auditor with Deloitte serving both for profit and nonprofit clients.  She went on to pursue a career in Accounting and Finance at various nonprofit organizations.   

Her combined experience includes more than 20 years of, accounting, auditing and audit management, budgeting, and best practices in nonprofit board administration.  

At YPTC, Carole is responsible for generating and managing client relationships, hiring staff, and ensuring they have a rewarding and positive work environment, as well as providing accounting, reporting and management services to nonprofit clients herself. She covered financial topics in previous webinars at YPTC.

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy in assessing and recommending technology solutions to clients. With a deep background in network infrastructure technology he fundamentally underst

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In part 2,  Join cybersecurity expert Community IT Innovators CTO Matt Eshleman and Carole Melvin, financial expert from Your Part-Time Controller, for a webinar discussion of the financial threats that face nonprofit organizations and the steps you can take to protect your nonprofit from financial fraud.

Matt discusses two real life examples of a phishing email con and a typo-squatting email scam, and Carole discusses the policies and documentation that every nonprofit must have regarding data protection and incidence response. Finally, Matt and Carole provide best practices on the IT and financial tools and procedures that your nonprofit should use as a minimum to prevent wire fraud.

Community IT has developed many cybersecurity best practices resources and webinars that cover technology threats and risk assessment. We have seen a spike in the number of incidents involving financial fraud over the past year. In this webinar we provide nonprofits with tips to combat these evolving threats. 

Carole and Matt provide an overview on wirefraud, share some specific examples that they have encountered, and then talk about the steps you can take to protect your organization. 

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT and security experience. Staff who are involved in processing financial transactions will find it particularly relevant, whether or not you have IT responsibilities. We also encourage IT staff charged with security to attend to learn more about additional protections in training and monitoring financial transactions that can add another line of defense against these sophisticated attacks.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenters:

Carole Melvin is a Senior Manager/Market Leader for the Washington, DC office of Your Part‐Time Controller, LLC (YPTC).  After earning her bachelor’s degree at University of Massachusetts at Amherst and her master’s degree at Boston University, she began her career as an auditor with Deloitte serving both for profit and nonprofit clients.  She went on to pursue a career in Accounting and Finance at various nonprofit organizations.   

Her combined experience includes more than 20 years of, accounting, auditing and audit management, budgeting, and best practices in nonprofit board administration.  

At YPTC, Carole is responsible for generating and managing client relationships, hiring staff, and ensuring they have a rewarding and positive work environment, as well as providing accounting, reporting and management services to nonprofit clients herself. She covered financial topics in previous webinars at YPTC.

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy in assessing and recommending technology solutions to clients. With a deep background in network infrastructure technology he fundamentally underst

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10131104 Thu, 24 Feb 2022 16:00:00 -0500 2263 3 9 full false Protect Your Nonprofit from Financial Fraud Pt 1 Protect Your Nonprofit from Financial Fraud Pt 1 Part 1 Join cybersecurity expert Community IT Innovators CTO Matt Eshleman and Carole Melvin, financial expert from Your Part-Time Controller, for a webinar discussion of the financial threats that face nonprofit organizations and the steps you can take to protect your nonprofit from financial fraud.

Community IT has developed many cybersecurity best practices resources and webinars that cover technology threats and risk assessment. We have seen a spike in the number of incidents involving financial fraud over the past year. In this webinar we provide nonprofits with tips to combat these evolving threats. 

Carole and Matt provide an overview on wirefraud, share some specific examples that they have encountered, and then talk about the steps you can take to protect your organization. 

They discuss the cybersecurity landscape of threats and risks, and minimum technology protections you must have in place to prevent spoofing, malware, and wire fraud. But an IT tool can’t protect your organization if your leadership doesn’t instill an attitude of healthy skepticism and ensure proper training to prevent fraud, and also put in place official policies and procedures for reporting suspicious activities or emails.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT and security experience. Staff who are involved in processing financial transactions will find it particularly relevant, whether or not you have IT responsibilities. We also encourage IT staff charged with security to attend to learn more about additional protections in training and monitoring financial transactions that can add another line of defense against these sophisticated attacks.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenters:

Carole Melvin is a Senior Manager/Market Leader for the Washington, DC office of Your Part‐Time Controller, LLC (YPTC).  After earning her bachelor’s degree at University of Massachusetts at Amherst and her master’s degree at Boston University, she began her career as an auditor with Deloitte serving both for profit and nonprofit clients.  She went on to pursue a career in Accounting and Finance at various nonprofit organizations.   

Her combined experience includes more than 20 years of, accounting, auditing and audit management, budgeting, and best practices in nonprofit board administration.  

At YPTC, Carole is responsible for generating and managing client relationships, hiring staff, and ensuring they have a rewarding and positive work environment, as well as providing accounting, reporting and management services to nonprofit clients herself. She covered financial topics in previous webinars at YPTC.

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy in assessing and recommending technology solutions to clients. With a deep background in network infrastructure t

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Part 1 Join cybersecurity expert Community IT Innovators CTO Matt Eshleman and Carole Melvin, financial expert from Your Part-Time Controller, for a webinar discussion of the financial threats that face nonprofit organizations and the steps you can take to protect your nonprofit from financial fraud.

Community IT has developed many cybersecurity best practices resources and webinars that cover technology threats and risk assessment. We have seen a spike in the number of incidents involving financial fraud over the past year. In this webinar we provide nonprofits with tips to combat these evolving threats. 

Carole and Matt provide an overview on wirefraud, share some specific examples that they have encountered, and then talk about the steps you can take to protect your organization. 

They discuss the cybersecurity landscape of threats and risks, and minimum technology protections you must have in place to prevent spoofing, malware, and wire fraud. But an IT tool can’t protect your organization if your leadership doesn’t instill an attitude of healthy skepticism and ensure proper training to prevent fraud, and also put in place official policies and procedures for reporting suspicious activities or emails.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT and security experience. Staff who are involved in processing financial transactions will find it particularly relevant, whether or not you have IT responsibilities. We also encourage IT staff charged with security to attend to learn more about additional protections in training and monitoring financial transactions that can add another line of defense against these sophisticated attacks.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenters:

Carole Melvin is a Senior Manager/Market Leader for the Washington, DC office of Your Part‐Time Controller, LLC (YPTC).  After earning her bachelor’s degree at University of Massachusetts at Amherst and her master’s degree at Boston University, she began her career as an auditor with Deloitte serving both for profit and nonprofit clients.  She went on to pursue a career in Accounting and Finance at various nonprofit organizations.   

Her combined experience includes more than 20 years of, accounting, auditing and audit management, budgeting, and best practices in nonprofit board administration.  

At YPTC, Carole is responsible for generating and managing client relationships, hiring staff, and ensuring they have a rewarding and positive work environment, as well as providing accounting, reporting and management services to nonprofit clients herself. She covered financial topics in previous webinars at YPTC.

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy in assessing and recommending technology solutions to clients. With a deep background in network infrastructure t

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10092675 Thu, 17 Feb 2022 09:00:00 -0500 1644 3 8 full false How to Hire a Nonprofit IT Provider Pt 2 How to Hire a Nonprofit IT Provider Pt 2 Are you afraid to think about what IT your nonprofit needs? 
Do you know what to look for in an Outsourced IT provider? 
Do you have any idea where to start?

Join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Director of IT Steve Longenecker in part 2 of a new webinar hosted by the Nonprofit Learning Lab.

“Managed services” can mean different things to different people, especially when you are just embarking on a quest to find an IT provider. To understand what you need, what a provider is offering – and whether they’ll be able to deliver – Community IT Innovators developed a list of basic questions to ask. 

These questions will help any nonprofit director, no matter what your IT experience and background, have confidence finding an IT Managed Services Provider (MSP). 

In our 25 years in serving the nonprofit IT community nationally, we’ve heard lots of stories of IT support that didn’t work out. We used our experience to develop this list of 12 questions you can use to vet any managed service provider as you evaluate your needs and their services.

Community IT Innovators is pleased to partner with Nonprofit Learning Lab to present this webinar. As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT and Nonprofit Learning Lab are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenters:

CEO Johan Hammerstrom has always been interested in using technology as a force for good that can improve our world.  In college, he pursued this interest through science, first studying Chemistry, Physics and Biology at Stanford University, graduating with Honors with a BS in Chemistry.  He then studied Biophysics at Johns Hopkins University and received a Masters Degree.

The time spent in Baltimore convinced Johan that there were more pressing and immediate problems that technology could and should be used to address. He pursued a career in Information Technology, with the express goal of improving our communities and our world.  He started at Community IT in 1999 as a Network Administrator.  Since that time, Johan has been a Network Engineer, a Team Lead, the Director of Services, Vice President of Services, Chief Operating Officer, and beginning July 2015 President and CEO. Working directly with over 200 nonprofit organizations, to help them plan around and use technology to accomplish their missions, has been one of the most positive and rewarding experiences of his life.

As Director of IT Consulting, Steve Longenecker divides his time at Community IT primarily between managing the company’s Projects Team and consulting with clients on IT planning. Steve’s appreciation for working at Community IT Innovators is rooted in respect for the company’s dream and vision, and for the excellent colleagues that that dream and vision attract.

Before coming to Community

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Are you afraid to think about what IT your nonprofit needs? 
Do you know what to look for in an Outsourced IT provider? 
Do you have any idea where to start?

Join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Director of IT Steve Longenecker in part 2 of a new webinar hosted by the Nonprofit Learning Lab.

“Managed services” can mean different things to different people, especially when you are just embarking on a quest to find an IT provider. To understand what you need, what a provider is offering – and whether they’ll be able to deliver – Community IT Innovators developed a list of basic questions to ask. 

These questions will help any nonprofit director, no matter what your IT experience and background, have confidence finding an IT Managed Services Provider (MSP). 

In our 25 years in serving the nonprofit IT community nationally, we’ve heard lots of stories of IT support that didn’t work out. We used our experience to develop this list of 12 questions you can use to vet any managed service provider as you evaluate your needs and their services.

Community IT Innovators is pleased to partner with Nonprofit Learning Lab to present this webinar. As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT and Nonprofit Learning Lab are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenters:

CEO Johan Hammerstrom has always been interested in using technology as a force for good that can improve our world.  In college, he pursued this interest through science, first studying Chemistry, Physics and Biology at Stanford University, graduating with Honors with a BS in Chemistry.  He then studied Biophysics at Johns Hopkins University and received a Masters Degree.

The time spent in Baltimore convinced Johan that there were more pressing and immediate problems that technology could and should be used to address. He pursued a career in Information Technology, with the express goal of improving our communities and our world.  He started at Community IT in 1999 as a Network Administrator.  Since that time, Johan has been a Network Engineer, a Team Lead, the Director of Services, Vice President of Services, Chief Operating Officer, and beginning July 2015 President and CEO. Working directly with over 200 nonprofit organizations, to help them plan around and use technology to accomplish their missions, has been one of the most positive and rewarding experiences of his life.

As Director of IT Consulting, Steve Longenecker divides his time at Community IT primarily between managing the company’s Projects Team and consulting with clients on IT planning. Steve’s appreciation for working at Community IT Innovators is rooted in respect for the company’s dream and vision, and for the excellent colleagues that that dream and vision attract.

Before coming to Community

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10020464 Thu, 10 Feb 2022 10:00:00 -0500 1912 3 7 full false How to Hire a Nonprofit IT Provider Pt 1 How to Hire a Nonprofit IT Provider Pt 1 Are you afraid to think about what IT your nonprofit needs? 
Do you know what to look for in an Outsourced IT provider? 
Do you have any idea where to start?

Join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Director of IT Steve Longenecker in part 1 of a new webinar hosted by the Nonprofit Learning Lab.

“Managed services” can mean different things to different people, especially when you are just embarking on a quest to find an IT provider. To understand what you need, what a provider is offering – and whether they’ll be able to deliver – Community IT Innovators developed a list of basic questions to ask. 

These questions will help any nonprofit director, no matter what your IT experience and background, have confidence finding an IT Managed Services Provider (MSP). 

In our 25 years in serving the nonprofit IT community nationally, we’ve heard lots of stories of IT support that didn’t work out. We used our experience to develop this list of 12 questions you can use to vet any managed service provider as you evaluate your needs and their services.

Community IT Innovators is pleased to partner with Nonprofit Learning Lab to present this webinar. As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT and Nonprofit Learning Lab are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenters:

CEO Johan Hammerstrom has always been interested in using technology as a force for good that can improve our world.  In college, he pursued this interest through science, first studying Chemistry, Physics and Biology at Stanford University, graduating with Honors with a BS in Chemistry.  He then studied Biophysics at Johns Hopkins University and received a Masters Degree.

The time spent in Baltimore convinced Johan that there were more pressing and immediate problems that technology could and should be used to address. He pursued a career in Information Technology, with the express goal of improving our communities and our world.  He started at Community IT in 1999 as a Network Administrator.  Since that time, Johan has been a Network Engineer, a Team Lead, the Director of Services, Vice President of Services, Chief Operating Officer, and beginning July 2015 President and CEO. Working directly with over 200 nonprofit organizations, to help them plan around and use technology to accomplish their missions, has been one of the most positive and rewarding experiences of his life.

As Director of IT Consulting, Steve Longenecker divides his time at Community IT primarily between managing the company’s Projects Team and consulting with clients on IT planning. Steve’s appreciation for working at Community IT Innovators is rooted in respect for the company’s dream and vision, and for the excellent colleagues that that dream and vision attract.

Before coming to Community

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Are you afraid to think about what IT your nonprofit needs? 
Do you know what to look for in an Outsourced IT provider? 
Do you have any idea where to start?

Join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and Director of IT Steve Longenecker in part 1 of a new webinar hosted by the Nonprofit Learning Lab.

“Managed services” can mean different things to different people, especially when you are just embarking on a quest to find an IT provider. To understand what you need, what a provider is offering – and whether they’ll be able to deliver – Community IT Innovators developed a list of basic questions to ask. 

These questions will help any nonprofit director, no matter what your IT experience and background, have confidence finding an IT Managed Services Provider (MSP). 

In our 25 years in serving the nonprofit IT community nationally, we’ve heard lots of stories of IT support that didn’t work out. We used our experience to develop this list of 12 questions you can use to vet any managed service provider as you evaluate your needs and their services.

Community IT Innovators is pleased to partner with Nonprofit Learning Lab to present this webinar. As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT and Nonprofit Learning Lab are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenters:

CEO Johan Hammerstrom has always been interested in using technology as a force for good that can improve our world.  In college, he pursued this interest through science, first studying Chemistry, Physics and Biology at Stanford University, graduating with Honors with a BS in Chemistry.  He then studied Biophysics at Johns Hopkins University and received a Masters Degree.

The time spent in Baltimore convinced Johan that there were more pressing and immediate problems that technology could and should be used to address. He pursued a career in Information Technology, with the express goal of improving our communities and our world.  He started at Community IT in 1999 as a Network Administrator.  Since that time, Johan has been a Network Engineer, a Team Lead, the Director of Services, Vice President of Services, Chief Operating Officer, and beginning July 2015 President and CEO. Working directly with over 200 nonprofit organizations, to help them plan around and use technology to accomplish their missions, has been one of the most positive and rewarding experiences of his life.

As Director of IT Consulting, Steve Longenecker divides his time at Community IT primarily between managing the company’s Projects Team and consulting with clients on IT planning. Steve’s appreciation for working at Community IT Innovators is rooted in respect for the company’s dream and vision, and for the excellent colleagues that that dream and vision attract.

Before coming to Community

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-10020394 Sun, 06 Feb 2022 09:00:00 -0500 1835 3 6 full false Nonprofit Technology Trends Roundtable 2022 Pt 2 Nonprofit Technology Trends Roundtable 2022 Pt 2 In part 2 of this webinar, three Community IT Innovators executives discuss going server-less,  cybersecurity insurance requirements, and answer Q&A including topics on bleeding edge tech like AI and Web3. Hear about nonprofit technology trends we expect to deliver new impact this year. This is always one of our most popular webinars as we take a deep dive into nonprofit tech.

We know our nonprofit community has been going full speed, above and beyond, over the past 2 years. In the midst of enormous changes and upheaval, we hope this webinar on using technology to deliver for your constituents will put your organization in a good place to grow and thrive.

CEO Johan Hammerstrom moderates the discussion, drawing on his decades of experience in nonprofit technology work. As our offices have moved to all-remote, all-in-person, or a hybrid, Community IT has seen nonprofits implement nonprofit tech projects that impacted their entire organization. The experts discuss our work with implementation of large multi-stakeholder tech projects, and the change management tools and principles needed to assist in successful tech transitions. Do you have a major tech project coming up? Are you in the middle of one now?

Our clients are moving to cloud-based tech, following the market as their on-premises solutions age. Cloud computing is transforming offices, from supporting productivity and remote work, to providing stability and lowering costs. Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker discusses his experience with cloud computing platforms. Remote work specifically has put new pressure on cloud solutions to deliver – is your team utilizing all the tools that you have? Do you have all the tools that you need?

Cybersecurity has only grown in importance for nonprofits as hacks and ransomware have made the news. Community IT Innovators’ CTO and cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman answers questions on emerging threats, prevention, and staff cybersecurity training. Does your organization need a cybersecurity assessment or cybersecurity insurance? Have you taken our free self-quiz to see where you stand in cybersecurity readiness?

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT and security experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenters:

Community IT Innovators CEO Johan Hammerstrom has always been interested in using technology as a force for good that can improve our world.  

As Director of IT Consulting, Steve Longenecker divides his time at Community IT between project managing client projects and consulting with clients on IT plannin

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In part 2 of this webinar, three Community IT Innovators executives discuss going server-less,  cybersecurity insurance requirements, and answer Q&A including topics on bleeding edge tech like AI and Web3. Hear about nonprofit technology trends we expect to deliver new impact this year. This is always one of our most popular webinars as we take a deep dive into nonprofit tech.

We know our nonprofit community has been going full speed, above and beyond, over the past 2 years. In the midst of enormous changes and upheaval, we hope this webinar on using technology to deliver for your constituents will put your organization in a good place to grow and thrive.

CEO Johan Hammerstrom moderates the discussion, drawing on his decades of experience in nonprofit technology work. As our offices have moved to all-remote, all-in-person, or a hybrid, Community IT has seen nonprofits implement nonprofit tech projects that impacted their entire organization. The experts discuss our work with implementation of large multi-stakeholder tech projects, and the change management tools and principles needed to assist in successful tech transitions. Do you have a major tech project coming up? Are you in the middle of one now?

Our clients are moving to cloud-based tech, following the market as their on-premises solutions age. Cloud computing is transforming offices, from supporting productivity and remote work, to providing stability and lowering costs. Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker discusses his experience with cloud computing platforms. Remote work specifically has put new pressure on cloud solutions to deliver – is your team utilizing all the tools that you have? Do you have all the tools that you need?

Cybersecurity has only grown in importance for nonprofits as hacks and ransomware have made the news. Community IT Innovators’ CTO and cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman answers questions on emerging threats, prevention, and staff cybersecurity training. Does your organization need a cybersecurity assessment or cybersecurity insurance? Have you taken our free self-quiz to see where you stand in cybersecurity readiness?

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT and security experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenters:

Community IT Innovators CEO Johan Hammerstrom has always been interested in using technology as a force for good that can improve our world.  

As Director of IT Consulting, Steve Longenecker divides his time at Community IT between project managing client projects and consulting with clients on IT plannin

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9920823 Wed, 26 Jan 2022 14:00:00 -0500 2252 3 4 full false Community IT Voices: William Maxwell, Senior Engineer Community IT Voices: William Maxwell, Senior Engineer Today Carolyn talks with William Maxwell, who was hired at Community IT 22 years ago with the sentence “Have you SEEN how he uses a computer?” 

William is a Senior Engineer at Community IT and the go-to guy for the trickiest problems at our largest clients, usually what we call co-managed IT where he backstops an in-house IT department with additional expertise. William loves solving those problems by finding what will work, knowing that nonprofits come to IT needing to manage scarce resources and funding, which means they always need creative solutions, patience, and good counsel. William’s calm manner and extraordinary abilities are just what our large clients need.

His advice to folks looking to combine a love of nonprofit service with an interest in IT? Don’t focus on degrees and pricy qualifications over on-the-job learning “… As long as you have the heart into it, then everything else will work out.”

Speakers:

Community IT Innovators William Maxwell has been providing organizations with network infrastructure, planning and helpdesk support since 2000, and is now a Senior Engineer. He has a range of technical experience, and works in both Macintosh and Microsoft Windows environments. William enjoys having the opportunity to help non-profit organizations use technology towards achieving their missions. In addition to being an engineer, he researches cutting-edge technology and refines and coordinates Best Practices documentation.

Prior to Community IT Innovators William worked for a local cable company where he was initiated into the world of cable, Internet, and telephones. He is a Microsoft Certified System Engineer and Apple OS X certified. William is a Mac enthusiast, and in his spare time William studies and practices speaking Spanish.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Today Carolyn talks with William Maxwell, who was hired at Community IT 22 years ago with the sentence “Have you SEEN how he uses a computer?” 

William is a Senior Engineer at Community IT and the go-to guy for the trickiest problems at our largest clients, usually what we call co-managed IT where he backstops an in-house IT department with additional expertise. William loves solving those problems by finding what will work, knowing that nonprofits come to IT needing to manage scarce resources and funding, which means they always need creative solutions, patience, and good counsel. William’s calm manner and extraordinary abilities are just what our large clients need.

His advice to folks looking to combine a love of nonprofit service with an interest in IT? Don’t focus on degrees and pricy qualifications over on-the-job learning “… As long as you have the heart into it, then everything else will work out.”

Speakers:

Community IT Innovators William Maxwell has been providing organizations with network infrastructure, planning and helpdesk support since 2000, and is now a Senior Engineer. He has a range of technical experience, and works in both Macintosh and Microsoft Windows environments. William enjoys having the opportunity to help non-profit organizations use technology towards achieving their missions. In addition to being an engineer, he researches cutting-edge technology and refines and coordinates Best Practices documentation.

Prior to Community IT Innovators William worked for a local cable company where he was initiated into the world of cable, Internet, and telephones. He is a Microsoft Certified System Engineer and Apple OS X certified. William is a Mac enthusiast, and in his spare time William studies and practices speaking Spanish.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9920840 Fri, 21 Jan 2022 10:00:00 -0500 1168 3 5 full false Nonprofit Technology Trends Roundtable 2022 Pt 1 Nonprofit Technology Trends Roundtable 2022 Pt 1 In part 1 of this webinar, join three Community IT Innovators executives for an “ask the experts” discussion and Q&A. Hear about nonprofit technology trends we expect to deliver new impact this year. This is always one of our most popular webinars as we take a deep dive into nonprofit tech.

We know our nonprofit community has been going full speed, above and beyond, over the past 2 years. In the midst of enormous changes and upheaval, we hope this webinar on using technology to deliver for your constituents will put your organization in a good place to grow and thrive.

CEO Johan Hammerstrom moderates the discussion, drawing on his decades of experience in nonprofit technology work. As our offices have moved to all-remote, all-in-person, or a hybrid, Community IT has seen nonprofits implement nonprofit tech projects that impacted their entire organization. The experts discuss our work with implementation of large multi-stakeholder tech projects, and the change management tools and principles needed to assist in successful tech transitions. Do you have a major tech project coming up? Are you in the middle of one now?

Our clients are moving to cloud-based tech, following the market as their on-premises solutions age. Cloud computing is transforming offices, from supporting productivity and remote work, to providing stability and lowering costs. Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker discusses his experience with cloud computing platforms. Remote work specifically has put new pressure on cloud solutions to deliver – is your team utilizing all the tools that you have? Do you have all the tools that you need?

Cybersecurity has only grown in importance for nonprofits as hacks and ransomware have made the news. Community IT Innovators’ CTO and cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman answers questions on emerging threats, prevention, and staff cybersecurity training. Does your organization need a cybersecurity assessment or cybersecurity insurance? Have you taken our free self-quiz to see where you stand in cybersecurity readiness?

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT and security experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenters:

Community IT Innovators CEO Johan Hammerstrom has always been interested in using technology as a force for good that can improve our world.  

As Director of IT Consulting, Steve Longenecker divides his time at Community IT between project managing client projects and consulting with clients on IT planning.

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT,

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In part 1 of this webinar, join three Community IT Innovators executives for an “ask the experts” discussion and Q&A. Hear about nonprofit technology trends we expect to deliver new impact this year. This is always one of our most popular webinars as we take a deep dive into nonprofit tech.

We know our nonprofit community has been going full speed, above and beyond, over the past 2 years. In the midst of enormous changes and upheaval, we hope this webinar on using technology to deliver for your constituents will put your organization in a good place to grow and thrive.

CEO Johan Hammerstrom moderates the discussion, drawing on his decades of experience in nonprofit technology work. As our offices have moved to all-remote, all-in-person, or a hybrid, Community IT has seen nonprofits implement nonprofit tech projects that impacted their entire organization. The experts discuss our work with implementation of large multi-stakeholder tech projects, and the change management tools and principles needed to assist in successful tech transitions. Do you have a major tech project coming up? Are you in the middle of one now?

Our clients are moving to cloud-based tech, following the market as their on-premises solutions age. Cloud computing is transforming offices, from supporting productivity and remote work, to providing stability and lowering costs. Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker discusses his experience with cloud computing platforms. Remote work specifically has put new pressure on cloud solutions to deliver – is your team utilizing all the tools that you have? Do you have all the tools that you need?

Cybersecurity has only grown in importance for nonprofits as hacks and ransomware have made the news. Community IT Innovators’ CTO and cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman answers questions on emerging threats, prevention, and staff cybersecurity training. Does your organization need a cybersecurity assessment or cybersecurity insurance? Have you taken our free self-quiz to see where you stand in cybersecurity readiness?

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT and security experience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenters:

Community IT Innovators CEO Johan Hammerstrom has always been interested in using technology as a force for good that can improve our world.  

As Director of IT Consulting, Steve Longenecker divides his time at Community IT between project managing client projects and consulting with clients on IT planning.

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT,

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9920695 Thu, 20 Jan 2022 10:00:00 -0500 1882 3 3 full false How Data Quality Defines Your Organization pt 2 How Data Quality Defines Your Organization pt 2 Part 2 presented in partnership with Build Consulting.  The new year is a great time to resolve to tackle data problems at your nonprofit and take control of your databases! Learn how to get started!

Many nonprofit staff members feel frustrated with data quality problems within their organizations. Are you challenged with data accuracy, incomplete information, lack of integration between systems? Data quality defines your organization and can make or break your fundraising. The start of a new year is a great time to resolve to address your data quality as an organization and take control of your databases.

We often feel powerless to address these data quality challenges, in part because simply having the conversation is difficult.

  • What makes good data good?
  • What can we do about it?

In part 2 of this webinar, Build Consulting expert Peter Mirus follows up on his presentation of real-life examples in part 1 and explores the role of good data at your organization, provides tips on how to get everyone at your organization on the same page, and gives ideas on how to prioritize data for quality improvement.

Don’t miss this chance to learn more on how your organization can create and leverage better data to improve your fundraising and program results!

There was a 15 minute Q&A following the webinar, and as with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Part 2 presented in partnership with Build Consulting.  The new year is a great time to resolve to tackle data problems at your nonprofit and take control of your databases! Learn how to get started!

Many nonprofit staff members feel frustrated with data quality problems within their organizations. Are you challenged with data accuracy, incomplete information, lack of integration between systems? Data quality defines your organization and can make or break your fundraising. The start of a new year is a great time to resolve to address your data quality as an organization and take control of your databases.

We often feel powerless to address these data quality challenges, in part because simply having the conversation is difficult.

  • What makes good data good?
  • What can we do about it?

In part 2 of this webinar, Build Consulting expert Peter Mirus follows up on his presentation of real-life examples in part 1 and explores the role of good data at your organization, provides tips on how to get everyone at your organization on the same page, and gives ideas on how to prioritize data for quality improvement.

Don’t miss this chance to learn more on how your organization can create and leverage better data to improve your fundraising and program results!

There was a 15 minute Q&A following the webinar, and as with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9861511 Tue, 18 Jan 2022 10:00:00 -0500 1678 3 2 full false How Data Quality Defines Your Organization pt 1 How Data Quality Defines Your Organization pt 1 Part 1 presented in partnership with Build Consulting.

Many nonprofit staff members feel frustrated with data quality problems within their organizations. Are you challenged with data accuracy, incomplete information, lack of integration between systems? Data quality defines your organization and can make or break your fundraising. The start of a new year is a great time to resolve to address your data quality as an organization and take control of your databases.

We often feel powerless to address these data quality challenges, in part because simply having the conversation is difficult.

  • What makes good data good?
  • What can we do about it?

In this webinar, Build Consulting expert Peter Mirus explores the crucial aspects of data quality at your nonprofit: completeness, validity and accuracy, consistency, timeliness, and integrity.

Peter uses real-life examples from the nonprofit and public sectors to show how good data quality can have big fundraising and program impacts. He explores the role of good data at your organization, provides tips on how to get everyone at your organization on the same page, and gives ideas on how to prioritize data for quality improvement.

Don’t miss this chance to learn more on how your organization can create and leverage better data to improve your fundraising and program results!

There was a 15 minute Q&A following the webinar, and as with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Part 1 presented in partnership with Build Consulting.

Many nonprofit staff members feel frustrated with data quality problems within their organizations. Are you challenged with data accuracy, incomplete information, lack of integration between systems? Data quality defines your organization and can make or break your fundraising. The start of a new year is a great time to resolve to address your data quality as an organization and take control of your databases.

We often feel powerless to address these data quality challenges, in part because simply having the conversation is difficult.

  • What makes good data good?
  • What can we do about it?

In this webinar, Build Consulting expert Peter Mirus explores the crucial aspects of data quality at your nonprofit: completeness, validity and accuracy, consistency, timeliness, and integrity.

Peter uses real-life examples from the nonprofit and public sectors to show how good data quality can have big fundraising and program impacts. He explores the role of good data at your organization, provides tips on how to get everyone at your organization on the same page, and gives ideas on how to prioritize data for quality improvement.

Don’t miss this chance to learn more on how your organization can create and leverage better data to improve your fundraising and program results!

There was a 15 minute Q&A following the webinar, and as with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9861452 Mon, 10 Jan 2022 13:00:00 -0500 1897 3 1 full false IT Planning and Budgeting Pt 2 IT Planning and Budgeting Pt 2 Part 2 on this popular topic. Join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and CTO Matt Eshleman for a webinar on planning and budgeting IT for your nonprofit.

This podcast episode has some audio issues, but we are bringing it to you because it is a very popular offering covering four main objectives in the IT budgeting process:

Governance
Strategy
Assessment
Budget Guidelines

Part 1 covers the first three, while Part 2 delves into Budget Guidelines specifically.

For an updated episode on Budgeting please see https://communityit.com/webinar-discovering-the-value-of-your-nonprofit-it-budget/ 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Part 2 on this popular topic. Join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and CTO Matt Eshleman for a webinar on planning and budgeting IT for your nonprofit.

This podcast episode has some audio issues, but we are bringing it to you because it is a very popular offering covering four main objectives in the IT budgeting process:

Governance
Strategy
Assessment
Budget Guidelines

Part 1 covers the first three, while Part 2 delves into Budget Guidelines specifically.

For an updated episode on Budgeting please see https://communityit.com/webinar-discovering-the-value-of-your-nonprofit-it-budget/ 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9741546 Tue, 21 Dec 2021 10:00:00 -0500 1684 2 32 full false IT Planning and Budgeting Pt 1 IT Planning and Budgeting Pt 1 Join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and CTO Matt Eshleman for a webinar on planning and budgeting IT for your nonprofit.

This podcast episode has some audio issues, but we are bringing it to you because it is a very popular offering covering four main objectives in the IT budgeting process:

Governance
Strategy
Assessment
Budget Guidelines

Part 1 covers the first three, while Part 2 delves into Budget Guidelines specifically.

For an updated episode on Budgeting please see https://communityit.com/webinar-discovering-the-value-of-your-nonprofit-it-budget/ 


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and CTO Matt Eshleman for a webinar on planning and budgeting IT for your nonprofit.

This podcast episode has some audio issues, but we are bringing it to you because it is a very popular offering covering four main objectives in the IT budgeting process:

Governance
Strategy
Assessment
Budget Guidelines

Part 1 covers the first three, while Part 2 delves into Budget Guidelines specifically.

For an updated episode on Budgeting please see https://communityit.com/webinar-discovering-the-value-of-your-nonprofit-it-budget/ 


_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9741517 Fri, 17 Dec 2021 14:00:00 -0500 1964 2 31 full false Community IT Voices: Phil Oswald Christano, Senior Engineer Community IT Voices: Phil Oswald Christano, Senior Engineer Today Carolyn talks with Phil Oswald Christano, who has been with Community IT for almost 22 years. 

Phil is a Senior Engineer and mentor at Community IT. He prepares and executes projects, and he ensures the documentation is complete and the project is completed successfully. In his role as Engineer, he often supervises newer employees, where he will ask, “Hey, have you ever thought about becoming an engineer?” and then start a conversation about what that looks like as well as helping them see what paths are available in the company and how to get there. 

"... a thing that I really enjoy at Community IT is the teamwork. People are really willing to help each other and often go the extra mile to help. To me, that's important not just with clients, but also internally, within the company."

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Today Carolyn talks with Phil Oswald Christano, who has been with Community IT for almost 22 years. 

Phil is a Senior Engineer and mentor at Community IT. He prepares and executes projects, and he ensures the documentation is complete and the project is completed successfully. In his role as Engineer, he often supervises newer employees, where he will ask, “Hey, have you ever thought about becoming an engineer?” and then start a conversation about what that looks like as well as helping them see what paths are available in the company and how to get there. 

"... a thing that I really enjoy at Community IT is the teamwork. People are really willing to help each other and often go the extra mile to help. To me, that's important not just with clients, but also internally, within the company."

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9698401 Fri, 10 Dec 2021 11:00:00 -0500 1680 2 30 full false Planning for an Office Move pt 2 Planning for an Office Move pt 2 Part 2 of this webinar: Q&A

As a nonprofit manager or executive you know project management tips and tricks – it’s your job.  One of the biggest projects you may ever have to manage is an office move. The people, the computers, and all the moving parts that have to land in the right place and be ready to go from your new location on day one.

As an IT manager, you keep the emails flowing, the data backing up, and the website live – it’s your job. One of the biggest challenges you may have to face is to manage an office move.  Moment of panic when you “flip the switch” the first day? We’ve all been there.

Join Community IT Innovators office move experts William Maxwell and Rick Alloway for an informative and lively discussion of best practices to pursue, and pitfalls to avoid.  We’ve learned a thing or two about moving in our 20+ years of working with nonprofits, and we want to help you get through it without tears.

Office moves can be disruptive, but they don’t have to be frustrating or involve unmitigated downtime.  This webinar gives some good laughs at the worst that can happen, and some good insights into preventing disaster from happening to you.

Presenters:

Rick Alloway provides on-site Information Technology support for a number of charter schools and nonprofit organizations. Prior to Community IT, Rick did legislative work for a safety advocacy group on Capitol Hill for four years. This experience gives him an deeper understanding of the organizational and technical challenges nonprofits face.

He enjoys working with organizations in the Washington, DC area and seeing first-hand how they are all working together to improve the community. Rick is a A+ certified, and holds Bachelors degrees in Political Science and Psychology from the University of Delaware. He is also an Eagle Scout and an avid reader of fiction.

William Maxwell has been providing organizations with network infrastructure, planning and helpdesk support since 2000, and is now a Senior Engineer. He has a range of technical experience and has worked in a variety of environments. William enjoys having the opportunity to help non-profit organizations use technology towards achieving their missions. In addition to being an engineer, he researches cutting-edge technology and refines and coordinates Best Practices documentation.

Prior to Community IT Innovators, William worked for a local cable company where he was initiated into the world of cable, Internet, and telephones. He is a Microsoft Certified System Engineer and Apple OS X certified. William is a Mac enthusiast, and in his spare time William studies and practices speaking Spanish.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Part 2 of this webinar: Q&A

As a nonprofit manager or executive you know project management tips and tricks – it’s your job.  One of the biggest projects you may ever have to manage is an office move. The people, the computers, and all the moving parts that have to land in the right place and be ready to go from your new location on day one.

As an IT manager, you keep the emails flowing, the data backing up, and the website live – it’s your job. One of the biggest challenges you may have to face is to manage an office move.  Moment of panic when you “flip the switch” the first day? We’ve all been there.

Join Community IT Innovators office move experts William Maxwell and Rick Alloway for an informative and lively discussion of best practices to pursue, and pitfalls to avoid.  We’ve learned a thing or two about moving in our 20+ years of working with nonprofits, and we want to help you get through it without tears.

Office moves can be disruptive, but they don’t have to be frustrating or involve unmitigated downtime.  This webinar gives some good laughs at the worst that can happen, and some good insights into preventing disaster from happening to you.

Presenters:

Rick Alloway provides on-site Information Technology support for a number of charter schools and nonprofit organizations. Prior to Community IT, Rick did legislative work for a safety advocacy group on Capitol Hill for four years. This experience gives him an deeper understanding of the organizational and technical challenges nonprofits face.

He enjoys working with organizations in the Washington, DC area and seeing first-hand how they are all working together to improve the community. Rick is a A+ certified, and holds Bachelors degrees in Political Science and Psychology from the University of Delaware. He is also an Eagle Scout and an avid reader of fiction.

William Maxwell has been providing organizations with network infrastructure, planning and helpdesk support since 2000, and is now a Senior Engineer. He has a range of technical experience and has worked in a variety of environments. William enjoys having the opportunity to help non-profit organizations use technology towards achieving their missions. In addition to being an engineer, he researches cutting-edge technology and refines and coordinates Best Practices documentation.

Prior to Community IT Innovators, William worked for a local cable company where he was initiated into the world of cable, Internet, and telephones. He is a Microsoft Certified System Engineer and Apple OS X certified. William is a Mac enthusiast, and in his spare time William studies and practices speaking Spanish.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9652052 Tue, 07 Dec 2021 10:00:00 -0500 964 2 29 full false Planning for an Office Move pt 1 Planning for an Office Move pt 1 Part 1: General Logistics. Look for Part 2: Q&A

As a nonprofit manager or executive you know project management tips and tricks – it’s your job.  One of the biggest projects you may ever have to manage is an office move. The people, the computers, and all the moving parts that have to land in the right place and be ready to go from your new location on day one.

As an IT manager, you keep the emails flowing, the data backing up, and the website live – it’s your job. One of the biggest challenges you may have to face is to manage an office move.  Moment of panic when you “flip the switch” the first day? We’ve all been there.

Join Community IT Innovators office move experts William Maxwell and Rick Alloway for an informative and lively discussion of best practices to pursue, and pitfalls to avoid.  We’ve learned a thing or two about moving in our 20+ years of working with nonprofits, and we want to help you get through it without tears.

Office moves can be disruptive, but they don’t have to be frustrating or involve unmitigated downtime.  This webinar gives some good laughs at the worst that can happen, and some good insights into preventing disaster from happening to you.

Presenters:

Rick Alloway provides on-site Information Technology support for a number of charter schools and nonprofit organizations. Prior to Community IT, Rick did legislative work for a safety advocacy group on Capitol Hill for four years. This experience gives him an deeper understanding of the organizational and technical challenges nonprofits face.

He enjoys working with organizations in the Washington, DC area and seeing first-hand how they are all working together to improve the community. Rick is a A+ certified, and holds Bachelors degrees in Political Science and Psychology from the University of Delaware. He is also an Eagle Scout and an avid reader of fiction.

William Maxwell has been providing organizations with network infrastructure, planning and helpdesk support since 2000, and is now a Senior Engineer. He has a range of technical experience and has worked in a variety of environments. William enjoys having the opportunity to help non-profit organizations use technology towards achieving their missions. In addition to being an engineer, he researches cutting-edge technology and refines and coordinates Best Practices documentation.

Prior to Community IT Innovators, William worked for a local cable company where he was initiated into the world of cable, Internet, and telephones. He is a Microsoft Certified System Engineer and Apple OS X certified. William is a Mac enthusiast, and in his spare time William studies and practices speaking Spanish.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Part 1: General Logistics. Look for Part 2: Q&A

As a nonprofit manager or executive you know project management tips and tricks – it’s your job.  One of the biggest projects you may ever have to manage is an office move. The people, the computers, and all the moving parts that have to land in the right place and be ready to go from your new location on day one.

As an IT manager, you keep the emails flowing, the data backing up, and the website live – it’s your job. One of the biggest challenges you may have to face is to manage an office move.  Moment of panic when you “flip the switch” the first day? We’ve all been there.

Join Community IT Innovators office move experts William Maxwell and Rick Alloway for an informative and lively discussion of best practices to pursue, and pitfalls to avoid.  We’ve learned a thing or two about moving in our 20+ years of working with nonprofits, and we want to help you get through it without tears.

Office moves can be disruptive, but they don’t have to be frustrating or involve unmitigated downtime.  This webinar gives some good laughs at the worst that can happen, and some good insights into preventing disaster from happening to you.

Presenters:

Rick Alloway provides on-site Information Technology support for a number of charter schools and nonprofit organizations. Prior to Community IT, Rick did legislative work for a safety advocacy group on Capitol Hill for four years. This experience gives him an deeper understanding of the organizational and technical challenges nonprofits face.

He enjoys working with organizations in the Washington, DC area and seeing first-hand how they are all working together to improve the community. Rick is a A+ certified, and holds Bachelors degrees in Political Science and Psychology from the University of Delaware. He is also an Eagle Scout and an avid reader of fiction.

William Maxwell has been providing organizations with network infrastructure, planning and helpdesk support since 2000, and is now a Senior Engineer. He has a range of technical experience and has worked in a variety of environments. William enjoys having the opportunity to help non-profit organizations use technology towards achieving their missions. In addition to being an engineer, he researches cutting-edge technology and refines and coordinates Best Practices documentation.

Prior to Community IT Innovators, William worked for a local cable company where he was initiated into the world of cable, Internet, and telephones. He is a Microsoft Certified System Engineer and Apple OS X certified. William is a Mac enthusiast, and in his spare time William studies and practices speaking Spanish.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9651748 Thu, 02 Dec 2021 12:00:00 -0500 1848 2 28 full false Mac Support for Nonprofits pt 2 Mac Support for Nonprofits pt 2 Need enterprise-level support for an Apple environment? 
Need to support some Apple devices in a Windows environment? 
Learn answers to your questions on Mac support for nonprofits!

In part 2 of this webinar podcast, Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman and Galen Wenger, Director of Technology Solutions, address your options when supporting Apple products at your nonprofit. Community IT has a lot of experience supporting Macs, both all-Mac managed support and supporting those staff members who can’t do without their Mac for work, even in an office full of Windows users.

But supporting these scenarios can be complicated! And it can be hard to find an MSP who can manage your Macs. Learn from your peers as part 2 of this recorded webinar takes a trip out of Microsoft and Windows and into the world of Apples.

Community IT supports over 600 Macs among our clients; about 10% of our clients have some Mac support or all-Mac support. We’ve gained a lot of experience over the years in the slightly different approach necessary with Mac environments at the enterprise or individual level.

As with all our presentations, this webinar on Mac support for nonprofits is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Find pt 1 in your podcast feed if you subscribe!

Presenters:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT and our resident cybersecurity expert, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy around the technology platforms used by organizations to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.

Matt holds dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University, and an MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University.

Matt is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and has presented at the Inside NGO conference, Non-Profit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course. He had fun interviewing Galen in this webinar about Mac support for nonprofits and discussing the many options and scenarios with you.

Galen Wenger is the Director of Technology Solutions at Community IT specializing in Windows Server administration, workstation lifecycle management, and Google Apps. He joined Community IT in April 2009 after two years of providing technical support in a university setting. Galen has a B.A. in Philosophy and Theology from Eastern Mennonite University. He is a Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Enterprise Administrator and Google Apps Certified Deployment Specialist. Galen lives in Lancaster, PA, where he co-leads an organization encouraging communi

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Need enterprise-level support for an Apple environment? 
Need to support some Apple devices in a Windows environment? 
Learn answers to your questions on Mac support for nonprofits!

In part 2 of this webinar podcast, Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman and Galen Wenger, Director of Technology Solutions, address your options when supporting Apple products at your nonprofit. Community IT has a lot of experience supporting Macs, both all-Mac managed support and supporting those staff members who can’t do without their Mac for work, even in an office full of Windows users.

But supporting these scenarios can be complicated! And it can be hard to find an MSP who can manage your Macs. Learn from your peers as part 2 of this recorded webinar takes a trip out of Microsoft and Windows and into the world of Apples.

Community IT supports over 600 Macs among our clients; about 10% of our clients have some Mac support or all-Mac support. We’ve gained a lot of experience over the years in the slightly different approach necessary with Mac environments at the enterprise or individual level.

As with all our presentations, this webinar on Mac support for nonprofits is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Find pt 1 in your podcast feed if you subscribe!

Presenters:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT and our resident cybersecurity expert, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy around the technology platforms used by organizations to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.

Matt holds dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University, and an MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University.

Matt is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and has presented at the Inside NGO conference, Non-Profit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course. He had fun interviewing Galen in this webinar about Mac support for nonprofits and discussing the many options and scenarios with you.

Galen Wenger is the Director of Technology Solutions at Community IT specializing in Windows Server administration, workstation lifecycle management, and Google Apps. He joined Community IT in April 2009 after two years of providing technical support in a university setting. Galen has a B.A. in Philosophy and Theology from Eastern Mennonite University. He is a Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Enterprise Administrator and Google Apps Certified Deployment Specialist. Galen lives in Lancaster, PA, where he co-leads an organization encouraging communi

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9592716 Mon, 22 Nov 2021 10:00:00 -0500 2224 2 27 full false Mac Support for Nonprofits pt 1 Mac Support for Nonprofits pt 1 Need enterprise-level support for an Apple environment? 
Need to support some Apple devices in a Windows environment? 
Learn answers to your questions on Mac support for nonprofits!

Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman and Galen Wenger, Director of Technology Solutions, address your options when supporting Apple products at your nonprofit. Community IT has a lot of experience supporting Macs, both all-Mac managed support and supporting those staff members who can’t do without their Mac for work, even in an office full of Windows users.

But supporting these scenarios can be complicated! And it can be hard to find an MSP who can manage your Macs. Learn from your peers as this recorded webinar takes a trip out of Microsoft and Windows and into the world of Apples.

Community IT supports over 600 Macs among our clients; about 10% of our clients have some Mac support or all-Mac support. We’ve gained a lot of experience over the years in the slightly different approach necessary with Mac environments at the enterprise or individual level.

As with all our presentations, this webinar on Mac support for nonprofits is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenters:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT and our resident cybersecurity expert, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy around the technology platforms used by organizations to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.

Matt holds dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University, and an MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University.

Matt is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and has presented at the Inside NGO conference, Non-Profit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course. He had fun interviewing Galen in this webinar about Mac support for nonprofits and discussing the many options and scenarios with you.

Galen Wenger is the Director of Technology Solutions at Community IT specializing in Windows Server administration, workstation lifecycle management, and Google Apps. He joined Community IT in April 2009 after two years of providing technical support in a university setting. Galen has a B.A. in Philosophy and Theology from Eastern Mennonite University. He is a Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Enterprise Administrator and Google Apps Certified Deployment Specialist. Galen lives in Lancaster, PA, where he co-leads an organization encouraging community engagement and spends his free time writing.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Need enterprise-level support for an Apple environment? 
Need to support some Apple devices in a Windows environment? 
Learn answers to your questions on Mac support for nonprofits!

Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman and Galen Wenger, Director of Technology Solutions, address your options when supporting Apple products at your nonprofit. Community IT has a lot of experience supporting Macs, both all-Mac managed support and supporting those staff members who can’t do without their Mac for work, even in an office full of Windows users.

But supporting these scenarios can be complicated! And it can be hard to find an MSP who can manage your Macs. Learn from your peers as this recorded webinar takes a trip out of Microsoft and Windows and into the world of Apples.

Community IT supports over 600 Macs among our clients; about 10% of our clients have some Mac support or all-Mac support. We’ve gained a lot of experience over the years in the slightly different approach necessary with Mac environments at the enterprise or individual level.

As with all our presentations, this webinar on Mac support for nonprofits is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenters:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT and our resident cybersecurity expert, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy around the technology platforms used by organizations to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.

Matt holds dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University, and an MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University.

Matt is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and has presented at the Inside NGO conference, Non-Profit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course. He had fun interviewing Galen in this webinar about Mac support for nonprofits and discussing the many options and scenarios with you.

Galen Wenger is the Director of Technology Solutions at Community IT specializing in Windows Server administration, workstation lifecycle management, and Google Apps. He joined Community IT in April 2009 after two years of providing technical support in a university setting. Galen has a B.A. in Philosophy and Theology from Eastern Mennonite University. He is a Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Enterprise Administrator and Google Apps Certified Deployment Specialist. Galen lives in Lancaster, PA, where he co-leads an organization encouraging community engagement and spends his free time writing.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9570868 Thu, 18 Nov 2021 09:00:00 -0500 1739 2 26 full false Cybersecurity for your Charity pt 2 Cybersecurity for your Charity pt 2 Community IT Innovators’ CTO and Cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman discussed cybersecurity in a new webinar conversation hosted by Art Taylor with Give.org, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance.

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month and we want you and your charity to be on top of the latest cautions when it comes to the security of your data and websites. Only 20 percent of nonprofits report that they have a cyberattack policy in place. In this discussion with Matt Eshleman, Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, multiple nonprofit staff and executives had their questions answered about the current state of cybersecurity and practical steps their charitable organizations should be taking to protect themselves.

In part 2, Matt discusses cultural constraints and the nonprofit environment that creates assumptions about risk and return on investment for cybersecurity protections. But much of the action you can take should be focused on your staff training, and those investments can be a financial minimum with a huge financial savings when your organization avoids ransomware or other hacks. Matt closes by answering audience questions from practitioners at charities and nonprofits like yours.

As with all our presentations, this webinar on cybersecurity for your nonprofit charity is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators’ CTO and Cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman discussed cybersecurity in a new webinar conversation hosted by Art Taylor with Give.org, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance.

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month and we want you and your charity to be on top of the latest cautions when it comes to the security of your data and websites. Only 20 percent of nonprofits report that they have a cyberattack policy in place. In this discussion with Matt Eshleman, Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, multiple nonprofit staff and executives had their questions answered about the current state of cybersecurity and practical steps their charitable organizations should be taking to protect themselves.

In part 2, Matt discusses cultural constraints and the nonprofit environment that creates assumptions about risk and return on investment for cybersecurity protections. But much of the action you can take should be focused on your staff training, and those investments can be a financial minimum with a huge financial savings when your organization avoids ransomware or other hacks. Matt closes by answering audience questions from practitioners at charities and nonprofits like yours.

As with all our presentations, this webinar on cybersecurity for your nonprofit charity is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9524845 Wed, 17 Nov 2021 11:00:00 -0500 1697 2 25 full false Cybersecurity for Your Charity pt 1 Cybersecurity for Your Charity pt 1 Community IT Innovators’ CTO and Cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman discussed cybersecurity in a new webinar conversation hosted by Art Taylor with Give.org, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance.

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month and we want you and your charity to be on top of the latest cautions when it comes to the security of your data and websites. Only 20 percent of nonprofits report that they have a cyberattack policy in place. In this discussion with Matt Eshleman, Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, multiple nonprofit staff and executives had their questions answered about the current state of cybersecurity and practical steps their charitable organizations should be taking to protect themselves.

In part 1, Matt discusses a framework for cybersecurity policies and ways to focus on your people first - training and policies - before investing in any new technology products or platforms that promise cybersecurity. There are lots of fancy technologies out there, but if you don't invest in training and maintaining staff skills, no technology will save you from scams.

As with all our presentations, this webinar on cybersecurity for your nonprofit charity is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators’ CTO and Cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman discussed cybersecurity in a new webinar conversation hosted by Art Taylor with Give.org, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance.

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month and we want you and your charity to be on top of the latest cautions when it comes to the security of your data and websites. Only 20 percent of nonprofits report that they have a cyberattack policy in place. In this discussion with Matt Eshleman, Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, multiple nonprofit staff and executives had their questions answered about the current state of cybersecurity and practical steps their charitable organizations should be taking to protect themselves.

In part 1, Matt discusses a framework for cybersecurity policies and ways to focus on your people first - training and policies - before investing in any new technology products or platforms that promise cybersecurity. There are lots of fancy technologies out there, but if you don't invest in training and maintaining staff skills, no technology will save you from scams.

As with all our presentations, this webinar on cybersecurity for your nonprofit charity is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9524769 Wed, 10 Nov 2021 08:00:00 -0500 1997 2 24 full false Cybersecurity Self-Assessment for Nonprofits Pt 2 Cybersecurity Self-Assessment for Nonprofits Pt 2 How secure is your organization? 

Join Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman for part 2 of a new webinar that explores risk assessment and cybersecurity preparedness options. Community IT released a self-assessment quiz that will give you documentation of your cybersecurity readiness. 

Many nonprofits are building cybersecurity policies from the ground up. 

Your nonprofit may not have a good idea of where your weaknesses lie, or where to invest your cybersecurity budget wisely. You may not have an executive level role responsible for cybersecurity, or adequate and frequent staff training. 

For more details, you can download our free Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook that will help you build the foundation on which you can begin to optimize and then be proactive about your security approach. 

The Playbook is complementary to this self-quiz, and both are free.

As with all our presentations, this webinar on cybersecurity self assessment is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenter:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT and our resident cybersecurity expert, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy around the technology platforms used by organizations to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.

Matt holds dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University, and an MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University.

Matt is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and has presented at the Inside NGO conference, Non-Profit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course. He enjoyed presenting this new webinar on cybersecurity self-assessment as an additional resource to our nonprofit IT community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> How secure is your organization? 

Join Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman for part 2 of a new webinar that explores risk assessment and cybersecurity preparedness options. Community IT released a self-assessment quiz that will give you documentation of your cybersecurity readiness. 

Many nonprofits are building cybersecurity policies from the ground up. 

Your nonprofit may not have a good idea of where your weaknesses lie, or where to invest your cybersecurity budget wisely. You may not have an executive level role responsible for cybersecurity, or adequate and frequent staff training. 

For more details, you can download our free Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook that will help you build the foundation on which you can begin to optimize and then be proactive about your security approach. 

The Playbook is complementary to this self-quiz, and both are free.

As with all our presentations, this webinar on cybersecurity self assessment is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenter:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT and our resident cybersecurity expert, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy around the technology platforms used by organizations to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.

Matt holds dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University, and an MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University.

Matt is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and has presented at the Inside NGO conference, Non-Profit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course. He enjoyed presenting this new webinar on cybersecurity self-assessment as an additional resource to our nonprofit IT community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9409773 Tue, 26 Oct 2021 12:00:00 -0400 1875 2 23 full false Cybersecurity Self-Assessment for Nonprofits Pt 1 Cybersecurity Self-Assessment for Nonprofits Pt 1
How secure is your organization? 

Join Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman in a new webinar that will explore risk assessment and cybersecurity preparedness options. Community IT released a self-assessment quiz that will give you documentation of your cybersecurity readiness. 

Many nonprofits are building cybersecurity policies from the ground up. 

Your nonprofit may not have a good idea of where your weaknesses lie, or where to invest your cybersecurity budget wisely. You may not have an executive level role responsible for cybersecurity, or adequate and frequent staff training. 

For more details, you can download our free Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook that will help you build the foundation on which you can begin to optimize and then be proactive about your security approach. 

The Playbook is complementary to this self-quiz, and both are free.

As with all our presentations, this webinar on cybersecurity self assessment is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenter:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT and our resident cybersecurity expert, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy around the technology platforms used by organizations to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.

Matt holds dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University, and an MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University.

Matt is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and has presented at the Inside NGO conference, Non-Profit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course. He enjoyed presenting this new webinar on cybersecurity self-assessment as an additional resource to our nonprofit IT community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]>
How secure is your organization? 

Join Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman in a new webinar that will explore risk assessment and cybersecurity preparedness options. Community IT released a self-assessment quiz that will give you documentation of your cybersecurity readiness. 

Many nonprofits are building cybersecurity policies from the ground up. 

Your nonprofit may not have a good idea of where your weaknesses lie, or where to invest your cybersecurity budget wisely. You may not have an executive level role responsible for cybersecurity, or adequate and frequent staff training. 

For more details, you can download our free Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook that will help you build the foundation on which you can begin to optimize and then be proactive about your security approach. 

The Playbook is complementary to this self-quiz, and both are free.

As with all our presentations, this webinar on cybersecurity self assessment is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenter:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT and our resident cybersecurity expert, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy around the technology platforms used by organizations to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.

Matt holds dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University, and an MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University.

Matt is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and has presented at the Inside NGO conference, Non-Profit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course. He enjoyed presenting this new webinar on cybersecurity self-assessment as an additional resource to our nonprofit IT community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9409677 Thu, 21 Oct 2021 14:00:00 -0400 1996 2 22 full false Discovering the Value of Your Nonprofit IT Budget Pt 2 Discovering the Value of Your Nonprofit IT Budget Pt 2 Part 2: In this free webinar, learn to get everyone in your organization on the same page about the importance of strategic IT budgeting. Watch your nonprofit thrive after learning how to properly budget for IT, integrate these budgeting decisions at all levels of management, and take to heart how important these strategic decisions are. Better connect with the communities you hope to serve as you learn to tackle data in-take, risk analysis, and user experience. 

Community IT Innovators was pleased to partner with Nonprofit Learning Lab to present this webinar on IT budgeting strategies.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT and Nonprofit Learning Lab are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenter:

CEO Johan Hammerstrom has always been interested in using technology as a force for good that can improve our world.  In college, he pursued this interest through science, first studying Chemistry, Physics and Biology at Stanford University, graduating with Honors with a BS in Chemistry.  He then studied Biophysics at Johns Hopkins University and received a Masters Degree.

The time spent in Baltimore convinced Johan that there were more pressing and immediate problems that technology could and should be used to address. He pursued a career in Information Technology, with the express goal of improving our communities and our world.  He started at Community IT in 1999 as a Network Administrator.  Since that time, Johan has been a Network Engineer, a Team Lead, the Director of Services, Vice President of Services, Chief Operating Officer, and beginning July 2015 President and CEO. Working directly with over 200 nonprofit organizations, to help them plan around and use technology to accomplish their missions, has been one of the most positive and rewarding experiences of his life.

Johan enjoys talking with webinar attendees about all aspects of nonprofit technology. He really enjoyed answering questions and sharing strategic nonprofit IT budget tips during this presentation.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Part 2: In this free webinar, learn to get everyone in your organization on the same page about the importance of strategic IT budgeting. Watch your nonprofit thrive after learning how to properly budget for IT, integrate these budgeting decisions at all levels of management, and take to heart how important these strategic decisions are. Better connect with the communities you hope to serve as you learn to tackle data in-take, risk analysis, and user experience. 

Community IT Innovators was pleased to partner with Nonprofit Learning Lab to present this webinar on IT budgeting strategies.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT and Nonprofit Learning Lab are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenter:

CEO Johan Hammerstrom has always been interested in using technology as a force for good that can improve our world.  In college, he pursued this interest through science, first studying Chemistry, Physics and Biology at Stanford University, graduating with Honors with a BS in Chemistry.  He then studied Biophysics at Johns Hopkins University and received a Masters Degree.

The time spent in Baltimore convinced Johan that there were more pressing and immediate problems that technology could and should be used to address. He pursued a career in Information Technology, with the express goal of improving our communities and our world.  He started at Community IT in 1999 as a Network Administrator.  Since that time, Johan has been a Network Engineer, a Team Lead, the Director of Services, Vice President of Services, Chief Operating Officer, and beginning July 2015 President and CEO. Working directly with over 200 nonprofit organizations, to help them plan around and use technology to accomplish their missions, has been one of the most positive and rewarding experiences of his life.

Johan enjoys talking with webinar attendees about all aspects of nonprofit technology. He really enjoyed answering questions and sharing strategic nonprofit IT budget tips during this presentation.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9322509 Wed, 06 Oct 2021 12:00:00 -0400 2004 2 21 full false Discovering the Value of Your Nonprofit IT Budget Pt 1 Discovering the Value of Your Nonprofit IT Budget Pt 1 In this free webinar, learn to get everyone in your organization on the same page about the importance of strategic IT budgeting. Watch your nonprofit thrive after learning how to properly budget for IT, integrate these budgeting decisions at all levels of management, and take to heart how important these strategic decisions are. Better connect with the communities you hope to serve as you learn to tackle data in-take, risk analysis, and user experience. 

Community IT Innovators was pleased to partner with Nonprofit Learning Lab to present this webinar on IT budgeting strategies.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT and Nonprofit Learning Lab are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In this free webinar, learn to get everyone in your organization on the same page about the importance of strategic IT budgeting. Watch your nonprofit thrive after learning how to properly budget for IT, integrate these budgeting decisions at all levels of management, and take to heart how important these strategic decisions are. Better connect with the communities you hope to serve as you learn to tackle data in-take, risk analysis, and user experience. 

Community IT Innovators was pleased to partner with Nonprofit Learning Lab to present this webinar on IT budgeting strategies.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT and Nonprofit Learning Lab are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9281674 Wed, 29 Sep 2021 13:00:00 -0400 2001 full false Nonprofit Staff IT Training How-to and Why Pt 2 Nonprofit Staff IT Training How-to and Why Pt 2 Part 2: Join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and expert guest David Deal, co-founder and Partner at Build Consulting, for a webinar on nonprofit IT staff training – how to do it, why to do it, and how to make time to prioritize it. 

Training is a security, cost-saving, and productivity measure. Learn real-life examples of technology training that saved clients money – or helped them realize they were already paying for the software solution they were looking for. 

In part 2, Johan and David delve into resources available for training and answer webinar registrants' questions. Learn to get the most out of your IT investments through IT training. 

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT and Build Consulting are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenters:

CEO Johan Hammerstrom has always been interested in using technology as a force for good that can improve our world.  In college, he pursued this interest through science, first studying Chemistry, Physics and Biology at Stanford University, graduating with Honors with a BS in Chemistry.  He then studied Biophysics at Johns Hopkins University and received a Masters Degree.

The time spent in Baltimore convinced Johan that there were more pressing and immediate problems that technology could and should be used to address. He pursued a career in Information Technology, with the express goal of improving our communities and our world.  He started at Community IT in 1999 as a Network Administrator.  Since that time, Johan has been a Network Engineer, a Team Lead, the Director of Services, Vice President of Services, Chief Operating Officer, and beginning July 2015 President and CEO. Working directly with over 200 nonprofit organizations, to help them plan around and use technology to accomplish their missions, has been one of the most positive and rewarding experiences of his life.

Johan enjoys talking with webinar attendees about all aspects of nonprofit technology. He’s looking forward to answering questions and sharing staff training tips. 

David Deal co-founded Build Consulting in 2015, building on over 20 years of deep experience in the nonprofit technology sector. His work for Build’s clients has a broad focus spanning many operational areas including fundraising, program and case management, human resources, accounting, and many others. 

David’s consulting engagements have focused on technology strategy and change management. Throughout his career he has assisted clients with consulting in support of organizational strategy, operations management, constituent relationship management, fundraising/development, program management, knowledge management, IT services management, outcomes measurement, human resources and performance management, financial management, human services case management, email marketing, website, and geographic information systems.

David regularly does presen

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Part 2: Join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and expert guest David Deal, co-founder and Partner at Build Consulting, for a webinar on nonprofit IT staff training – how to do it, why to do it, and how to make time to prioritize it. 

Training is a security, cost-saving, and productivity measure. Learn real-life examples of technology training that saved clients money – or helped them realize they were already paying for the software solution they were looking for. 

In part 2, Johan and David delve into resources available for training and answer webinar registrants' questions. Learn to get the most out of your IT investments through IT training. 

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT and Build Consulting are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenters:

CEO Johan Hammerstrom has always been interested in using technology as a force for good that can improve our world.  In college, he pursued this interest through science, first studying Chemistry, Physics and Biology at Stanford University, graduating with Honors with a BS in Chemistry.  He then studied Biophysics at Johns Hopkins University and received a Masters Degree.

The time spent in Baltimore convinced Johan that there were more pressing and immediate problems that technology could and should be used to address. He pursued a career in Information Technology, with the express goal of improving our communities and our world.  He started at Community IT in 1999 as a Network Administrator.  Since that time, Johan has been a Network Engineer, a Team Lead, the Director of Services, Vice President of Services, Chief Operating Officer, and beginning July 2015 President and CEO. Working directly with over 200 nonprofit organizations, to help them plan around and use technology to accomplish their missions, has been one of the most positive and rewarding experiences of his life.

Johan enjoys talking with webinar attendees about all aspects of nonprofit technology. He’s looking forward to answering questions and sharing staff training tips. 

David Deal co-founded Build Consulting in 2015, building on over 20 years of deep experience in the nonprofit technology sector. His work for Build’s clients has a broad focus spanning many operational areas including fundraising, program and case management, human resources, accounting, and many others. 

David’s consulting engagements have focused on technology strategy and change management. Throughout his career he has assisted clients with consulting in support of organizational strategy, operations management, constituent relationship management, fundraising/development, program management, knowledge management, IT services management, outcomes measurement, human resources and performance management, financial management, human services case management, email marketing, website, and geographic information systems.

David regularly does presen

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9266729 Mon, 27 Sep 2021 09:00:00 -0400 2134 2 19 full false Nonprofit IT Staff Training How-to and Why Pt 1 Nonprofit IT Staff Training How-to and Why Pt 1 Join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and expert guest David Deal, co-founder and Partner at Build Consulting, for a webinar on nonprofit IT staff training – how to do it, why to do it, and how to make time to prioritize it. 

Training is a security, cost-saving, and productivity measure. Learn real-life examples of technology training that saved clients money – or helped them realize they were already paying for the software solution they were looking for. Learn tips for integrating continuous training and ideas on making it fun and productive for staff. Learn how to reward staff for learning and save your organization time and money in the long run.

In this webinar on nonprofit IT staff training, the co-panelists took questions and shared tips on how to get the most out of your IT investments through IT training. 

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT and Build Consulting are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenters:

CEO Johan Hammerstrom has always been interested in using technology as a force for good that can improve our world.  In college, he pursued this interest through science, first studying Chemistry, Physics and Biology at Stanford University, graduating with Honors with a BS in Chemistry.  He then studied Biophysics at Johns Hopkins University and received a Masters Degree.

The time spent in Baltimore convinced Johan that there were more pressing and immediate problems that technology could and should be used to address. He pursued a career in Information Technology, with the express goal of improving our communities and our world.  He started at Community IT in 1999 as a Network Administrator.  Since that time, Johan has been a Network Engineer, a Team Lead, the Director of Services, Vice President of Services, Chief Operating Officer, and beginning July 2015 President and CEO. Working directly with over 200 nonprofit organizations, to help them plan around and use technology to accomplish their missions, has been one of the most positive and rewarding experiences of his life.

Johan enjoys talking with webinar attendees about all aspects of nonprofit technology. He’s looking forward to answering questions and sharing staff training tips. 

David Deal co-founded Build Consulting in 2015, building on over 20 years of deep experience in the nonprofit technology sector. His work for Build’s clients has a broad focus spanning many operational areas including fundraising, program and case management, human resources, accounting, and many others. 

David’s consulting engagements have focused on technology strategy and change management. Throughout his career he has assisted clients with consulting in support of organizational strategy, operations management, constituent relationship management, fundraising/development, program management, knowledge management, IT services management, outcomes measurement, human resources and perf

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom and expert guest David Deal, co-founder and Partner at Build Consulting, for a webinar on nonprofit IT staff training – how to do it, why to do it, and how to make time to prioritize it. 

Training is a security, cost-saving, and productivity measure. Learn real-life examples of technology training that saved clients money – or helped them realize they were already paying for the software solution they were looking for. Learn tips for integrating continuous training and ideas on making it fun and productive for staff. Learn how to reward staff for learning and save your organization time and money in the long run.

In this webinar on nonprofit IT staff training, the co-panelists took questions and shared tips on how to get the most out of your IT investments through IT training. 

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT and Build Consulting are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenters:

CEO Johan Hammerstrom has always been interested in using technology as a force for good that can improve our world.  In college, he pursued this interest through science, first studying Chemistry, Physics and Biology at Stanford University, graduating with Honors with a BS in Chemistry.  He then studied Biophysics at Johns Hopkins University and received a Masters Degree.

The time spent in Baltimore convinced Johan that there were more pressing and immediate problems that technology could and should be used to address. He pursued a career in Information Technology, with the express goal of improving our communities and our world.  He started at Community IT in 1999 as a Network Administrator.  Since that time, Johan has been a Network Engineer, a Team Lead, the Director of Services, Vice President of Services, Chief Operating Officer, and beginning July 2015 President and CEO. Working directly with over 200 nonprofit organizations, to help them plan around and use technology to accomplish their missions, has been one of the most positive and rewarding experiences of his life.

Johan enjoys talking with webinar attendees about all aspects of nonprofit technology. He’s looking forward to answering questions and sharing staff training tips. 

David Deal co-founded Build Consulting in 2015, building on over 20 years of deep experience in the nonprofit technology sector. His work for Build’s clients has a broad focus spanning many operational areas including fundraising, program and case management, human resources, accounting, and many others. 

David’s consulting engagements have focused on technology strategy and change management. Throughout his career he has assisted clients with consulting in support of organizational strategy, operations management, constituent relationship management, fundraising/development, program management, knowledge management, IT services management, outcomes measurement, human resources and perf

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9248804 Thu, 23 Sep 2021 14:00:00 -0400 1966 2 18 full false PowerBI for Nonprofits PowerBI for Nonprofits
Learn how your nonprofit can harness big data and business intelligence with Microsoft Power BI.

Do you ever feel that processing and massaging your data is taking over your work life like kudzu? Conversely, have you been ignoring data that you know you could use, because it would take forever to set up to start tracking it correctly?

Microsoft has made its Power BI suite available at an affordable price for nonprofit organizations.  With minimal ramp-up, your organization can start to visualize and analyze your key data from all systems - including website and social media analytics, CRM, constituent communications platforms like Mailchimp and Constant Contact, and other data sources - in an easy-to-digest format.  

In this webinar we review the capabilities (and limitations) of Microsoft Power BI and how it can be used by nonprofits to better understand all types of data. Community IT Innovators is product agnostic - in this presentation we review without promoting adoption of Power BI, which many nonprofits already can access if they are using Office365, and share our experience to help you make an informed decision.

What is Power BI? From Microsoft "Power BI is a suite of business analytics tools that deliver insights throughout your organization. Connect to hundreds of data sources, simplify data prep, and drive ad hoc analysis. Produce beautiful reports, then publish them for your organization to consume on the web and across mobile devices. Everyone can create personalized dashboards with a unique, 360-degree view of their business. And scale across the enterprise, with governance and security built-in."

The presenter of this webinar, President and CEO Johan Hammerstrom, has always been interested in using technology as a force for good that can improve our world. He started at Community IT in 1999 as a Network Administrator.  Since that time, Johan has been a Network Engineer, a Team Lead, the Director of Services, Vice President of Services, Chief Operating Officer, and beginning July 2015 President and CEO. Working directly with over 200 nonprofit organizations, to help them plan around and use technology to accomplish their missions, has been one of the most positive and rewarding experiences of his life.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]>
Learn how your nonprofit can harness big data and business intelligence with Microsoft Power BI.

Do you ever feel that processing and massaging your data is taking over your work life like kudzu? Conversely, have you been ignoring data that you know you could use, because it would take forever to set up to start tracking it correctly?

Microsoft has made its Power BI suite available at an affordable price for nonprofit organizations.  With minimal ramp-up, your organization can start to visualize and analyze your key data from all systems - including website and social media analytics, CRM, constituent communications platforms like Mailchimp and Constant Contact, and other data sources - in an easy-to-digest format.  

In this webinar we review the capabilities (and limitations) of Microsoft Power BI and how it can be used by nonprofits to better understand all types of data. Community IT Innovators is product agnostic - in this presentation we review without promoting adoption of Power BI, which many nonprofits already can access if they are using Office365, and share our experience to help you make an informed decision.

What is Power BI? From Microsoft "Power BI is a suite of business analytics tools that deliver insights throughout your organization. Connect to hundreds of data sources, simplify data prep, and drive ad hoc analysis. Produce beautiful reports, then publish them for your organization to consume on the web and across mobile devices. Everyone can create personalized dashboards with a unique, 360-degree view of their business. And scale across the enterprise, with governance and security built-in."

The presenter of this webinar, President and CEO Johan Hammerstrom, has always been interested in using technology as a force for good that can improve our world. He started at Community IT in 1999 as a Network Administrator.  Since that time, Johan has been a Network Engineer, a Team Lead, the Director of Services, Vice President of Services, Chief Operating Officer, and beginning July 2015 President and CEO. Working directly with over 200 nonprofit organizations, to help them plan around and use technology to accomplish their missions, has been one of the most positive and rewarding experiences of his life.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9160769 Wed, 08 Sep 2021 13:00:00 -0400 3742 2 17 full false Community IT Voices: Jose Antonio Peña-Rosales, Service Desk Manager Community IT Voices: Jose Antonio Peña-Rosales, Service Desk Manager Today Carolyn talks with Jose Antonio Peña-Rosales, Service Desk Manager, who has been with Community IT for six years.

Jose Antonio manages a close-knit and dynamic team where no day is typical. Jose Antonio is from Venezuela and speaks English and Spanish. He loves making sure that clients have a good, positive experience. He wants you to know that the Help Desk team reads ALL the comments and feedback they get. And that working at Community IT has shown him that “No matter how much I knew about technology, I needed to know about people too. I’m still learning, every day.”

Jose Antonio discusses his career path, what Community IT does to support clients on days when they are under technology stress, and what it was like joining the help desk as an immigrant to the DC area.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Today Carolyn talks with Jose Antonio Peña-Rosales, Service Desk Manager, who has been with Community IT for six years.

Jose Antonio manages a close-knit and dynamic team where no day is typical. Jose Antonio is from Venezuela and speaks English and Spanish. He loves making sure that clients have a good, positive experience. He wants you to know that the Help Desk team reads ALL the comments and feedback they get. And that working at Community IT has shown him that “No matter how much I knew about technology, I needed to know about people too. I’m still learning, every day.”

Jose Antonio discusses his career path, what Community IT does to support clients on days when they are under technology stress, and what it was like joining the help desk as an immigrant to the DC area.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9079618 Tue, 24 Aug 2021 11:00:00 -0400 1337 2 16 full false Beyond the Office: Nonprofit IT Support Trends Beyond the Office: Nonprofit IT Support Trends Listen in on our CEO Johan Hammerstrom during a Q&A discussion on the best IT support for moving beyond the office. What are current in-office, remote, or hybrid nonprofit IT office work models? 

He discusses a range of innovations and trends that can keep your team being productive, and how to save and encourage the best of remote work even as you return to hybrid or in-office formats. Had some IT support that fell through last year, or could be better? So did your peers! Johan will touch on these and other topics:

  • Device management
    • How do you keep your organization secure? How do you manage and replace devices? What are your policies for using personal devices? As an IT department, how are you handling device deployment, or setting up field offices remotely?
  • Do you even need an office? 
    • Are you mostly or completely in the cloud? Learn about the advantages of removing your on-premises server, and when and how you can reduce your entire office IT footprint. Are you ready to move completely to the cloud, even if you are still in-person office-based?
  • New telephony options
    • What telephony solutions make sense for your organization moving forward? What costs are reasonable? Does your organization use Office 365 or Google Suite? Did you know both these systems, used by most nonprofits, also provide Business Voice solutions that can free you from your expensive office phone system? 
  • Cybersecurity check-up
  • New tools and new uses for old tools
    • We know about Slack, Teams, and Zoom. What else are you using to keep your team connected, in or out of the office? Thinking about a big new platform and wondering about the change management involved in implementation? Realizing your departments can’t work together in the office any better than remotely, because your systems can’t talk to each other no matter where you are? 

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Listen in on our CEO Johan Hammerstrom during a Q&A discussion on the best IT support for moving beyond the office. What are current in-office, remote, or hybrid nonprofit IT office work models? 

He discusses a range of innovations and trends that can keep your team being productive, and how to save and encourage the best of remote work even as you return to hybrid or in-office formats. Had some IT support that fell through last year, or could be better? So did your peers! Johan will touch on these and other topics:

  • Device management
    • How do you keep your organization secure? How do you manage and replace devices? What are your policies for using personal devices? As an IT department, how are you handling device deployment, or setting up field offices remotely?
  • Do you even need an office? 
    • Are you mostly or completely in the cloud? Learn about the advantages of removing your on-premises server, and when and how you can reduce your entire office IT footprint. Are you ready to move completely to the cloud, even if you are still in-person office-based?
  • New telephony options
    • What telephony solutions make sense for your organization moving forward? What costs are reasonable? Does your organization use Office 365 or Google Suite? Did you know both these systems, used by most nonprofits, also provide Business Voice solutions that can free you from your expensive office phone system? 
  • Cybersecurity check-up
  • New tools and new uses for old tools
    • We know about Slack, Teams, and Zoom. What else are you using to keep your team connected, in or out of the office? Thinking about a big new platform and wondering about the change management involved in implementation? Realizing your departments can’t work together in the office any better than remotely, because your systems can’t talk to each other no matter where you are? 

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-9054960 Thu, 19 Aug 2021 09:00:00 -0400 3740 2 15 full false How to Enroll in Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Using Microsoft Authenticator How to Enroll in Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Using Microsoft Authenticator Learn how to enroll in Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) - use something you know (your password) (but someone else might find it out) AND something you have (like an app on your smart phone that the hackers don't have). This second step to verify the user of the password is legit is a powerful and free tool that many organizations are requiring for staff. If you are confused on how to set it up, here is a simple walk through for the Microsoft Authenticator required at Community IT nonprofit clients.

You can avoid paying for a breach later by initiating every cybersecurity option you have now. MFA is a very powerful tool and free. It just takes a minute to set it up. And now that you know multi-factor authentication MFA is important for your nonprofits, you also know how to enroll in multi-factor authentication MFA!

This video walks through the Microsoft Authenticator, but there are many options out there. 

At Community IT Innovators, we’ve found that many nonprofit organizations deal with more cybersecurity risks than they should have to. As a result, cyber damages are all too common. Whether at a third party vendor or a phishing or ransomware attack on your own organization, you need to be prepared for cybersecurity risks and understand your work and personal security options.

Our process is different. Our techs are nonprofit cybersecurity experts. We constantly research and evaluate new technology solutions to ensure that you get cutting-edge solutions that are tailored to keep your organization secure. We published our Nonprofit Cybersecurity: a Guide for 2020 to help our community understand the issues. And we ensure you get the highest value possible by bringing 20 years of expertise in exclusively serving nonprofits to bear in your environment.

We regularly present webinars at Community IT about cybersecurity issues. And you can contact Matt Eshleman, our CTO and nonprofit cybersecurity expert, for an assessment.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Learn how to enroll in Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) - use something you know (your password) (but someone else might find it out) AND something you have (like an app on your smart phone that the hackers don't have). This second step to verify the user of the password is legit is a powerful and free tool that many organizations are requiring for staff. If you are confused on how to set it up, here is a simple walk through for the Microsoft Authenticator required at Community IT nonprofit clients.

You can avoid paying for a breach later by initiating every cybersecurity option you have now. MFA is a very powerful tool and free. It just takes a minute to set it up. And now that you know multi-factor authentication MFA is important for your nonprofits, you also know how to enroll in multi-factor authentication MFA!

This video walks through the Microsoft Authenticator, but there are many options out there. 

At Community IT Innovators, we’ve found that many nonprofit organizations deal with more cybersecurity risks than they should have to. As a result, cyber damages are all too common. Whether at a third party vendor or a phishing or ransomware attack on your own organization, you need to be prepared for cybersecurity risks and understand your work and personal security options.

Our process is different. Our techs are nonprofit cybersecurity experts. We constantly research and evaluate new technology solutions to ensure that you get cutting-edge solutions that are tailored to keep your organization secure. We published our Nonprofit Cybersecurity: a Guide for 2020 to help our community understand the issues. And we ensure you get the highest value possible by bringing 20 years of expertise in exclusively serving nonprofits to bear in your environment.

We regularly present webinars at Community IT about cybersecurity issues. And you can contact Matt Eshleman, our CTO and nonprofit cybersecurity expert, for an assessment.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-8943991 Thu, 29 Jul 2021 13:00:00 -0400 571 2 14 full false Preparing Your Laptops for Takeoff Preparing Your Laptops for Takeoff
Using Microsoft AutoPilot to easily deploy and re-deploy laptops saves money and time.

Did you know you can prepare your laptops for takeoff with AutoPilot? Imagine opening up your new laptop and it already knows what you do and how you do it.

If your nonprofit uses Microsoft Office 365, this can happen. 

Using Microsoft AutoPilot, you can turn hours of configuring into minutes. You can even deploy the process to old laptops and reset laptops for new users. If you are responsible for new IT acquisitions, you’ll want to do this for your organization. If you are responsible for using your org’s funds wisely, you’ll want this done. Join us to learn how it works and how to ask for it.

As the nonprofit workforce becomes increasingly remote and dispersed, laptop management–purchasing and configuring new laptops for staff, transitioning laptops from departing staff, and providing computers to new hires–is becoming a logistical nightmare for IT and Operations teams.

For nonprofits using Microsoft 365 there is a better way! Microsoft Autopilot allows organizations to create customized, automated installation profiles linked to the hardware itself. These profiles can be selected when purchasing the laptop directly from the manufacturer. Equipment can be shipped directly to staff, ready to use. And if the computer is reset or reinstalled for new staff, it will always revert back to the organization’s installation profile.

Community IT has been using AutoPilot to configure laptops since summer 2020 and we estimate in this case study that AutoPilot saves 80% of the installation and configuration time up front, in addition to saving time when laptops are re-deployed. That’s time your IT tech can be spending addressing your other IT needs. You can learn more about the cost savings of AutoPilot in this case study of a 100% remote work implementation at a large faith-based client.

In this free video, Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom talks with Steve Longenecker, Director of IT, and Phil Oswald Christano, Senior Engineer, about how to save money and time with Microsoft AutoPilot. 

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. This conversation features a realistic look at the benefits of AutoPilot – but also discusses the options for your nonprofit if you don’t have the Microsoft Office 365 package. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]>
Using Microsoft AutoPilot to easily deploy and re-deploy laptops saves money and time.

Did you know you can prepare your laptops for takeoff with AutoPilot? Imagine opening up your new laptop and it already knows what you do and how you do it.

If your nonprofit uses Microsoft Office 365, this can happen. 

Using Microsoft AutoPilot, you can turn hours of configuring into minutes. You can even deploy the process to old laptops and reset laptops for new users. If you are responsible for new IT acquisitions, you’ll want to do this for your organization. If you are responsible for using your org’s funds wisely, you’ll want this done. Join us to learn how it works and how to ask for it.

As the nonprofit workforce becomes increasingly remote and dispersed, laptop management–purchasing and configuring new laptops for staff, transitioning laptops from departing staff, and providing computers to new hires–is becoming a logistical nightmare for IT and Operations teams.

For nonprofits using Microsoft 365 there is a better way! Microsoft Autopilot allows organizations to create customized, automated installation profiles linked to the hardware itself. These profiles can be selected when purchasing the laptop directly from the manufacturer. Equipment can be shipped directly to staff, ready to use. And if the computer is reset or reinstalled for new staff, it will always revert back to the organization’s installation profile.

Community IT has been using AutoPilot to configure laptops since summer 2020 and we estimate in this case study that AutoPilot saves 80% of the installation and configuration time up front, in addition to saving time when laptops are re-deployed. That’s time your IT tech can be spending addressing your other IT needs. You can learn more about the cost savings of AutoPilot in this case study of a 100% remote work implementation at a large faith-based client.

In this free video, Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom talks with Steve Longenecker, Director of IT, and Phil Oswald Christano, Senior Engineer, about how to save money and time with Microsoft AutoPilot. 

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. This conversation features a realistic look at the benefits of AutoPilot – but also discusses the options for your nonprofit if you don’t have the Microsoft Office 365 package. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-8926301 Mon, 26 Jul 2021 17:00:00 -0400 3997 2 13 full false IT Management Fundamentals IT Management Fundamentals IT Management is critical to IT success. Join the Community IT President and CEO as he reviews the fundamental functions needed to successfully manage IT.

Because of the pace of innovation in technology and in nonprofit technology specifically, and the “new shiny object” syndrome that can occur, there’s a tendency to focus on the technology itself and what it can do for your organization. Don’t forget about the importance of managing that technology effectively! 

Without proper IT management at your nonprofit, IT can NOT be successful.

Without management you will find:

  • Unsolved problems
  • Unused solutions
  • Frustrated staff
  • Failed projects
  • Missing information
  • Costly mistakes

While there are bad technology solutions and, especially in the nonprofit sphere, inappropriate technology solutions, in the view of Community IT almost all technology failures can be traced to management mis-steps – whether in assessing the business goals, selection, implementation, or maintenance.

Join CEO Johan Hammerstrom in an engaging and frank presentation on the basics of IT management and how you can create leadership teams and systems that can maximize your IT return on investment.

This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers, accounting, development, and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenter:

President and CEO Johan Hammerstrom has always been interested in using technology as a force for good that can improve our world.  In college, he pursued this interest through science, first studying Chemistry, Physics and Biology at Stanford University, graduating with Honors with a BS in Chemistry.  He then studied Biophysics at Johns Hopkins University and received a Masters Degree.

The time spent in Baltimore convinced Johan that there were more pressing and immediate problems that technology could and should be used to address. He pursued a career in Information Technology, with the express goal of improving our communities and our world.  He started at Community IT in 1999 as a Network Administrator.  Since that time, Johan has been a Network Engineer, a Team Lead, the Director of Services, Vice President of Services, Chief Operating Officer, and beginning July 2015 President and CEO. Working directly with over 200 nonprofit organizations, to help them plan around and use technology to accomplish their missions, has been one of the most positive and rewarding experiences of his life.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> IT Management is critical to IT success. Join the Community IT President and CEO as he reviews the fundamental functions needed to successfully manage IT.

Because of the pace of innovation in technology and in nonprofit technology specifically, and the “new shiny object” syndrome that can occur, there’s a tendency to focus on the technology itself and what it can do for your organization. Don’t forget about the importance of managing that technology effectively! 

Without proper IT management at your nonprofit, IT can NOT be successful.

Without management you will find:

  • Unsolved problems
  • Unused solutions
  • Frustrated staff
  • Failed projects
  • Missing information
  • Costly mistakes

While there are bad technology solutions and, especially in the nonprofit sphere, inappropriate technology solutions, in the view of Community IT almost all technology failures can be traced to management mis-steps – whether in assessing the business goals, selection, implementation, or maintenance.

Join CEO Johan Hammerstrom in an engaging and frank presentation on the basics of IT management and how you can create leadership teams and systems that can maximize your IT return on investment.

This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers, accounting, development, and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenter:

President and CEO Johan Hammerstrom has always been interested in using technology as a force for good that can improve our world.  In college, he pursued this interest through science, first studying Chemistry, Physics and Biology at Stanford University, graduating with Honors with a BS in Chemistry.  He then studied Biophysics at Johns Hopkins University and received a Masters Degree.

The time spent in Baltimore convinced Johan that there were more pressing and immediate problems that technology could and should be used to address. He pursued a career in Information Technology, with the express goal of improving our communities and our world.  He started at Community IT in 1999 as a Network Administrator.  Since that time, Johan has been a Network Engineer, a Team Lead, the Director of Services, Vice President of Services, Chief Operating Officer, and beginning July 2015 President and CEO. Working directly with over 200 nonprofit organizations, to help them plan around and use technology to accomplish their missions, has been one of the most positive and rewarding experiences of his life.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-8796004 Thu, 01 Jul 2021 13:00:00 -0400 3979 2 12 full false Community IT Voices: Robin Harris, Senior Helpdesk Analyst Community IT Voices: Robin Harris, Senior Helpdesk Analyst In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Robin Harris, Senior Helpdesk Analyst, who has been with Community IT over a decade. Robin answers the help desk phones, emails, and live chat. Her mission is to help clients become more comfortable using technology. When problems arise, her approach is calm and caring and she aims to eliminate anxiety. Prior to joining Community IT Innovators, Robin worked at a local charter school for 10 years. She says there is no such thing as a “typical day” on the Helpdesk team, and that they are united in loving puzzles and getting to solve the causes of the problems clients encounter. 

Robin discusses her career path, what makes the Helpdesk team such a great place to work, and what making a career switch from education to tech support involved.

Join us for a new series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we will talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Robin Harris, Senior Helpdesk Analyst, who has been with Community IT over a decade. Robin answers the help desk phones, emails, and live chat. Her mission is to help clients become more comfortable using technology. When problems arise, her approach is calm and caring and she aims to eliminate anxiety. Prior to joining Community IT Innovators, Robin worked at a local charter school for 10 years. She says there is no such thing as a “typical day” on the Helpdesk team, and that they are united in loving puzzles and getting to solve the causes of the problems clients encounter. 

Robin discusses her career path, what makes the Helpdesk team such a great place to work, and what making a career switch from education to tech support involved.

Join us for a new series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we will talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-8751385 Wed, 23 Jun 2021 11:00:00 -0400 1200 2 11 full false Microsoft Teams Telephony for Nonprofits Microsoft Teams Telephony for Nonprofits Switching the Office Phone System to Microsoft Teams Telephony for Nonprofits

Would you like ONE communication and collaboration system for calling, chat and video conferencing? If you use Office 365, you already have it.

  • Easily route calls to the right person
  • Switch between video and audio calls
  • Add new members to an on-going call
  • Access voicemail from any device

Community IT has assisted several clients switch to Microsoft Teams for all their telephone needs. In this free webinar, Sarah Wolfe talks with Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman on 

  • Benefits
  • Best practices for changing over
  • Avoiding downtime
  • Training staff on this useful tool you probably already have

Learn how Microsoft Teams features work for nonprofit office phones and how to switch securely and easily.

Should your nonprofit consider a switch to Microsoft Teams telephony?

Join Community IT’s CTO Matt Eshleman and Sarah Wolfe for an in-depth discussion of the pros and cons of ditching your physical office phones system to use Microsoft Teams for staff phones, and how to handle the change over if you decide to switch.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

There is (slightly) more to the change management than just asking everyone to use Teams now to make all phone calls. Learn how Microsoft Teams features work for nonprofit office phones and how to switch securely and easily.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. This conversation will feature a realistic look at the main virtual telephony tool available – but will also discuss the options for your nonprofit if you are not using Microsoft Teams or don’t have the Microsoft Office 365 package. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenters:

A DC Area native, Sarah Wolfe joined Community IT Innovators in March 2018. As the Associate Account Manager she is responsible for ensuring our partner organizations are receiving the right combination of IT support services to meet their organizational needs and goals.

Prior to joining Community IT, Sarah was a science teacher at various schools in Maryland. She attended Oberlin College in Ohio, graduating in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology.

Sarah is excited to interview Matt on the topic of Microsoft Teams telephony for nonprofits, having dealt with a number of office phone set ups as a staff person in prior organizations, and also in her role as a Community IT account manager for clients with questions about best practices and saving budget on expensive office telephony they no longer need.

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT and our resident cybersecurity expert, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy around the technology platforms used by organizations to be secure and productive. With a de

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]]> Switching the Office Phone System to Microsoft Teams Telephony for Nonprofits

Would you like ONE communication and collaboration system for calling, chat and video conferencing? If you use Office 365, you already have it.

  • Easily route calls to the right person
  • Switch between video and audio calls
  • Add new members to an on-going call
  • Access voicemail from any device

Community IT has assisted several clients switch to Microsoft Teams for all their telephone needs. In this free webinar, Sarah Wolfe talks with Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman on 

  • Benefits
  • Best practices for changing over
  • Avoiding downtime
  • Training staff on this useful tool you probably already have

Learn how Microsoft Teams features work for nonprofit office phones and how to switch securely and easily.

Should your nonprofit consider a switch to Microsoft Teams telephony?

Join Community IT’s CTO Matt Eshleman and Sarah Wolfe for an in-depth discussion of the pros and cons of ditching your physical office phones system to use Microsoft Teams for staff phones, and how to handle the change over if you decide to switch.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

There is (slightly) more to the change management than just asking everyone to use Teams now to make all phone calls. Learn how Microsoft Teams features work for nonprofit office phones and how to switch securely and easily.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. This conversation will feature a realistic look at the main virtual telephony tool available – but will also discuss the options for your nonprofit if you are not using Microsoft Teams or don’t have the Microsoft Office 365 package. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenters:

A DC Area native, Sarah Wolfe joined Community IT Innovators in March 2018. As the Associate Account Manager she is responsible for ensuring our partner organizations are receiving the right combination of IT support services to meet their organizational needs and goals.

Prior to joining Community IT, Sarah was a science teacher at various schools in Maryland. She attended Oberlin College in Ohio, graduating in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology.

Sarah is excited to interview Matt on the topic of Microsoft Teams telephony for nonprofits, having dealt with a number of office phone set ups as a staff person in prior organizations, and also in her role as a Community IT account manager for clients with questions about best practices and saving budget on expensive office telephony they no longer need.

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT and our resident cybersecurity expert, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy around the technology platforms used by organizations to be secure and productive. With a de

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-8718750 Thu, 17 Jun 2021 08:00:00 -0400 3001 2 10 full false 5 Steps to Create an Information Strategy for Your Organization 5 Steps to Create an Information Strategy for Your Organization Are you leaving your information strategy up to chance?

To move your nonprofit organization to the next level, you need to create and promote an information strategy that defines how information supports your mission.

A good information strategy includes 5 important steps:

  • Leadership must be engaged in data governance—if leadership doesn’t support the proper use of the right systems, your information can’t reliably support your nonprofit mission.
  • Your organization’s operations must be prepared to implement and use your information systems—if you aren’t ready, then you can’t successfully implement an information strategy.
  • The processes used by your nonprofit must be clearly defined and mutually understood by all stakeholders—if you aren’t speaking the same language, your information will continue to fall into the cracks.
  • Data must be structured and managed in a high-quality and easily accessible manner—if you build it, maintain it.
  • The right technology must be selected to support your nonprofit’s needs—but no technology can overcome problems in the previous four steps.


Community IT Innovators is proud to present this webinar with Peter Mirus at Build Consulting, who expands on these five essential aspects of a good information strategy.

He provides real-life examples of organizations that overcame challenges in these areas and were able to change their strategy and improve their fundraising and mission effectiveness.

Using the practical information presented in this webinar, viewers will be able to identify areas to strengthen their organizations’ current approaches to information strategy.

Presenter:

Peter Mirus, Partner at Build Consulting, is an expert at helping organizations and people to learn, communicate, and grow through the use of technology. He has over 20 years of experience helping nonprofits of all sizes create and implement successful business improvement and technology projects. He is a frequent speaker on technology and nonprofit topics, and presented two sessions on data and information strategy at the Good Tech Fest in Chicago in May 2019.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Are you leaving your information strategy up to chance?

To move your nonprofit organization to the next level, you need to create and promote an information strategy that defines how information supports your mission.

A good information strategy includes 5 important steps:

  • Leadership must be engaged in data governance—if leadership doesn’t support the proper use of the right systems, your information can’t reliably support your nonprofit mission.
  • Your organization’s operations must be prepared to implement and use your information systems—if you aren’t ready, then you can’t successfully implement an information strategy.
  • The processes used by your nonprofit must be clearly defined and mutually understood by all stakeholders—if you aren’t speaking the same language, your information will continue to fall into the cracks.
  • Data must be structured and managed in a high-quality and easily accessible manner—if you build it, maintain it.
  • The right technology must be selected to support your nonprofit’s needs—but no technology can overcome problems in the previous four steps.


Community IT Innovators is proud to present this webinar with Peter Mirus at Build Consulting, who expands on these five essential aspects of a good information strategy.

He provides real-life examples of organizations that overcame challenges in these areas and were able to change their strategy and improve their fundraising and mission effectiveness.

Using the practical information presented in this webinar, viewers will be able to identify areas to strengthen their organizations’ current approaches to information strategy.

Presenter:

Peter Mirus, Partner at Build Consulting, is an expert at helping organizations and people to learn, communicate, and grow through the use of technology. He has over 20 years of experience helping nonprofits of all sizes create and implement successful business improvement and technology projects. He is a frequent speaker on technology and nonprofit topics, and presented two sessions on data and information strategy at the Good Tech Fest in Chicago in May 2019.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-8684578 Fri, 11 Jun 2021 08:00:00 -0400 3052 2 9 full false Nonprofit Cybersecurity: Balancing Best Practices, Budget, and Team Productivity Nonprofit Cybersecurity: Balancing Best Practices, Budget, and Team Productivity In this webinar co-presented with Build Consulting we answer your questions on nonprofit cybersecurity balancing best practices, including ways to build a cybersecurity budget into your technology roadmap, and create a sound process for managing risks and managing staff training, before you consider the specific cybersecurity technologies available to meet your organizational needs. 

Join Build Consulting’s change management expert Peter Mirus and Community IT’s CEO Johan Hammerstrom and cybersecurity guru Matt Eshleman for an in-depth discussion of the competing demands on nonprofit cybersecurity practices – quantifying risks, setting a budget, and guarding productivity.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. And Build and Community IT are scrupulously vendor-agnostic, so this conversation will feature a realistic look at the cybersecurity tools available – many of them surprisingly affordable, or focused on training and onboarding changes you can make immediately.

You know you need to keep your nonprofit organization safe from cyber criminals. But how safe is safe enough? How much should you budget for the latest defensive technology, and how much should you focus on staff training? How does a nonprofit leader balance cybersecurity and convenience for users? If you make it too difficult to be secure at work, won’t everyone just develop unsafe work-arounds to get their job done?

This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers, accounting, development, and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In this webinar co-presented with Build Consulting we answer your questions on nonprofit cybersecurity balancing best practices, including ways to build a cybersecurity budget into your technology roadmap, and create a sound process for managing risks and managing staff training, before you consider the specific cybersecurity technologies available to meet your organizational needs. 

Join Build Consulting’s change management expert Peter Mirus and Community IT’s CEO Johan Hammerstrom and cybersecurity guru Matt Eshleman for an in-depth discussion of the competing demands on nonprofit cybersecurity practices – quantifying risks, setting a budget, and guarding productivity.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. And Build and Community IT are scrupulously vendor-agnostic, so this conversation will feature a realistic look at the cybersecurity tools available – many of them surprisingly affordable, or focused on training and onboarding changes you can make immediately.

You know you need to keep your nonprofit organization safe from cyber criminals. But how safe is safe enough? How much should you budget for the latest defensive technology, and how much should you focus on staff training? How does a nonprofit leader balance cybersecurity and convenience for users? If you make it too difficult to be secure at work, won’t everyone just develop unsafe work-arounds to get their job done?

This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers, accounting, development, and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-8598256 Thu, 27 May 2021 08:00:00 -0400 3695 2 8 full false Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook Join CTO Matthew Eshleman for the walk-through release of our newly updated 2021 Cybersecurity for Nonprofits Playbook.

Is your nonprofit prepared? Learn the Community IT approach to cybersecurity and how to implement the changes you need to protect your organization.

Matt shares advice on security improvements that provide protection against the most common attacks. You will also learn about staff training, cyber insurance, and why you need written IT documentation and governance policies.

This Playbook gives you a structure to understand cybersecurity risks. Matt’s presentation gives you tips you can put in place quickly and train your staff on immediately. You can download the new Playbook for free here.

This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers, accounting, development, and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Completely Revised in 2021

Community IT Innovators is pleased to announce the release of the completely revised 2021 Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits: Community IT Innovators Playbook. This valuable nonprofit guideline is now available online for viewing and sharing.

Whether hiring a Managed Service Provider (MSP) or using an in-house IT Department, organizations need to establish a good foundation of updated systems, regular backups, good user training including passwords and crisis management, and effective security policies that can evolve with the organization.

Included in this Playbook is the eight-step Community IT Innovators framework—a multi-layered approach to cybersecurity.

New in this addition:

·       Updated framework to include nonprofits implementing a foundational level of cybersecurity (the “must haves,”) proactive (including “nice to haves,”) or optimized levels.

·       Inclusion of general cost estimate comparisons—cybersecurity practices can be low-cost and be effective, and we show you how to save budget and where to judiciously spend your budget.

·       Updated links to evolving cybersecurity concerns regarding remote work and remote learning.

·       Updated information on the evolving sector of cybersecurity liability insurance and how to educate yourself on what your policy covers.

Our goal is to give nonprofits a playbook to organize their response to increasing cybersecurity risks, in language accessible to any nonprofit executive, decision maker, or IT staff who implement security.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join CTO Matthew Eshleman for the walk-through release of our newly updated 2021 Cybersecurity for Nonprofits Playbook.

Is your nonprofit prepared? Learn the Community IT approach to cybersecurity and how to implement the changes you need to protect your organization.

Matt shares advice on security improvements that provide protection against the most common attacks. You will also learn about staff training, cyber insurance, and why you need written IT documentation and governance policies.

This Playbook gives you a structure to understand cybersecurity risks. Matt’s presentation gives you tips you can put in place quickly and train your staff on immediately. You can download the new Playbook for free here.

This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers, accounting, development, and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Completely Revised in 2021

Community IT Innovators is pleased to announce the release of the completely revised 2021 Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits: Community IT Innovators Playbook. This valuable nonprofit guideline is now available online for viewing and sharing.

Whether hiring a Managed Service Provider (MSP) or using an in-house IT Department, organizations need to establish a good foundation of updated systems, regular backups, good user training including passwords and crisis management, and effective security policies that can evolve with the organization.

Included in this Playbook is the eight-step Community IT Innovators framework—a multi-layered approach to cybersecurity.

New in this addition:

·       Updated framework to include nonprofits implementing a foundational level of cybersecurity (the “must haves,”) proactive (including “nice to haves,”) or optimized levels.

·       Inclusion of general cost estimate comparisons—cybersecurity practices can be low-cost and be effective, and we show you how to save budget and where to judiciously spend your budget.

·       Updated links to evolving cybersecurity concerns regarding remote work and remote learning.

·       Updated information on the evolving sector of cybersecurity liability insurance and how to educate yourself on what your policy covers.

Our goal is to give nonprofits a playbook to organize their response to increasing cybersecurity risks, in language accessible to any nonprofit executive, decision maker, or IT staff who implement security.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-8383360 Thu, 22 Apr 2021 08:00:00 -0400 3600 2 7 full false Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom: What Works Best for Nonprofits? Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom: What Works Best for Nonprofits? Join Community IT experts and special guests Maya Grigorovich-Barsky and Liz Glaser from America’s Promise Alliance for an informative and practical discussion of collaboration tools nonprofits are using such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom. 

What is your nonprofit using? Are you using these tools effectively? Listen in on peer-to-peer Q&A and learn practical tips to make your remote meetings even better!

Community IT is proudly vendor agnostic. We have experience integrating these and other platforms into nonprofit IT strategy, and trouble-shooting collaboration tools.

Tune in as nonprofit innovators share their tips and tricks. Now that we’ve been working remotely for almost a year or more, what works? What could work better? Most nonprofits are using a combination of these tools. Which work best in which circumstance?

Liz and Maya also share ideas for integrating and implementing file and data sharing across these platforms. Is your staff struggling to find the document they shared with colleagues? Are you worried about security issues with Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom? Learn how to make it easier and more secure, no matter what platform you’re using for meetings and collaboration.

Presenters:

Maya Grigorovich-Barsky joined America’s Promise Alliance in 2008 and has served in a number of different positions since. Currently, she serves as the Senior Director of Executive Operations & Events, serving as the focal point for cross-cutting organizational management functions as well as liaising with the organization’s Board of Directors. Additionally, she spearheads the planning and execution of all major events of the organization.

Prior to joining America’s Promise Alliance, Maya worked in a variety of sectors, including education, hospitality, and veterinarian medicine, and prior to her time in Washington, DC, she resided in Austria, Germany, Italy, and most recently, Japan where much of her family still lives.

Maya has a background in education, organizational management, administration, events and hospitality, and she has earned a master’s degree in Special Education from American University, and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts.

Liz Glaser is a Director on the Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships team at America’s Promise Alliance, where she supports the GradNation Campaign, which leads efforts to increase the nationwide graduation rate to 90 percent and ensure that young people can thrive beyond graduation. She collaborates with the communications and research teams to develop reports, youth-centered storytelling, and grant projects that uplift community successes and increased graduation rates.

Before coming to America’s Promise, Liz’s career began with policy and practice advocacy that would improve college access and attainment for first-generation college students or students from families with low income. She started as a volunteer with Am

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join Community IT experts and special guests Maya Grigorovich-Barsky and Liz Glaser from America’s Promise Alliance for an informative and practical discussion of collaboration tools nonprofits are using such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom. 

What is your nonprofit using? Are you using these tools effectively? Listen in on peer-to-peer Q&A and learn practical tips to make your remote meetings even better!

Community IT is proudly vendor agnostic. We have experience integrating these and other platforms into nonprofit IT strategy, and trouble-shooting collaboration tools.

Tune in as nonprofit innovators share their tips and tricks. Now that we’ve been working remotely for almost a year or more, what works? What could work better? Most nonprofits are using a combination of these tools. Which work best in which circumstance?

Liz and Maya also share ideas for integrating and implementing file and data sharing across these platforms. Is your staff struggling to find the document they shared with colleagues? Are you worried about security issues with Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom? Learn how to make it easier and more secure, no matter what platform you’re using for meetings and collaboration.

Presenters:

Maya Grigorovich-Barsky joined America’s Promise Alliance in 2008 and has served in a number of different positions since. Currently, she serves as the Senior Director of Executive Operations & Events, serving as the focal point for cross-cutting organizational management functions as well as liaising with the organization’s Board of Directors. Additionally, she spearheads the planning and execution of all major events of the organization.

Prior to joining America’s Promise Alliance, Maya worked in a variety of sectors, including education, hospitality, and veterinarian medicine, and prior to her time in Washington, DC, she resided in Austria, Germany, Italy, and most recently, Japan where much of her family still lives.

Maya has a background in education, organizational management, administration, events and hospitality, and she has earned a master’s degree in Special Education from American University, and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts.

Liz Glaser is a Director on the Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships team at America’s Promise Alliance, where she supports the GradNation Campaign, which leads efforts to increase the nationwide graduation rate to 90 percent and ensure that young people can thrive beyond graduation. She collaborates with the communications and research teams to develop reports, youth-centered storytelling, and grant projects that uplift community successes and increased graduation rates.

Before coming to America’s Promise, Liz’s career began with policy and practice advocacy that would improve college access and attainment for first-generation college students or students from families with low income. She started as a volunteer with Am

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-8166958 Thu, 18 Mar 2021 13:00:00 -0400 4176 2 6 full false Community IT Voices: Sarah Wolfe, Account Associate Community IT Voices: Sarah Wolfe, Account Associate Join us for a new series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we will talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. 

In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Sarah Wolfe, our Account Associate, who just celebrated her third year anniversary with Community IT. Sarah is a client wrangler for Community IT. She does non-technical account management and customer service work and handles sales inquiries. She makes sure that people understand the agreements that they have with Community IT, makes sure that the processes are working right, and connects people with the solutions that they need if they’re having trouble.

Sarah discusses the challenges of being a woman in IT, where to go for mentoring, and what experiences she would advise a high school student interested in IT sales or account management to pursue. 


Speaker:

A DC Area native, Sarah Wolfe joined Community IT Innovators in March 2018. As the Associate Account Manager she is responsible for ensuring our partner organizations are receiving the right combination of IT support services to meet their organizational needs and goals.

Prior to joining Community IT, Sarah was a science teacher at various schools in Maryland. She attended Oberlin College in Ohio, graduating in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology, and took classes at UMCP as part of the MSMaRT program from 2010 to 2011 for her teaching certification. In her free time, Sarah enjoys gardening, rock climbing, and curling up with her menagerie to read a good book or science blog.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join us for a new series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we will talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. 

In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Sarah Wolfe, our Account Associate, who just celebrated her third year anniversary with Community IT. Sarah is a client wrangler for Community IT. She does non-technical account management and customer service work and handles sales inquiries. She makes sure that people understand the agreements that they have with Community IT, makes sure that the processes are working right, and connects people with the solutions that they need if they’re having trouble.

Sarah discusses the challenges of being a woman in IT, where to go for mentoring, and what experiences she would advise a high school student interested in IT sales or account management to pursue. 


Speaker:

A DC Area native, Sarah Wolfe joined Community IT Innovators in March 2018. As the Associate Account Manager she is responsible for ensuring our partner organizations are receiving the right combination of IT support services to meet their organizational needs and goals.

Prior to joining Community IT, Sarah was a science teacher at various schools in Maryland. She attended Oberlin College in Ohio, graduating in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology, and took classes at UMCP as part of the MSMaRT program from 2010 to 2011 for her teaching certification. In her free time, Sarah enjoys gardening, rock climbing, and curling up with her menagerie to read a good book or science blog.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-8122847 Thu, 11 Mar 2021 13:00:00 -0500 1213 2 5 full false 2021 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report 2021 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report Join CTO and Nonprofit Cybersecurity expert Matthew Eshleman as he walks through the third annual Community IT Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report.

This report looks at the different types of attacks that occur at small and mid-sized nonprofit organizations. Is your nonprofit prepared?

Matt also shares advice on security improvements that provide protection against the most common attacks. Learn the role of leadership in placing a value on cybersecurity preparedness for your nonprofit and the long term planning that should accompany your immediate assessment of your security risk.

Matt touches on vendor hacks from 2020 including Blackbaud and SolarWinds and discusses steps your nonprofit should take to understand your risk level.

Learn about real cyberattacks on nonprofit organizations and how they responded to these attempted hacks. Matt gives you the tools you need to protect your organization and staff from cybercrimes. 

Many of these tips you can put in place quickly and train your staff on immediately.


Download the free 2021 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join CTO and Nonprofit Cybersecurity expert Matthew Eshleman as he walks through the third annual Community IT Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report.

This report looks at the different types of attacks that occur at small and mid-sized nonprofit organizations. Is your nonprofit prepared?

Matt also shares advice on security improvements that provide protection against the most common attacks. Learn the role of leadership in placing a value on cybersecurity preparedness for your nonprofit and the long term planning that should accompany your immediate assessment of your security risk.

Matt touches on vendor hacks from 2020 including Blackbaud and SolarWinds and discusses steps your nonprofit should take to understand your risk level.

Learn about real cyberattacks on nonprofit organizations and how they responded to these attempted hacks. Matt gives you the tools you need to protect your organization and staff from cybercrimes. 

Many of these tips you can put in place quickly and train your staff on immediately.


Download the free 2021 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-7961857 Fri, 19 Feb 2021 08:00:00 -0500 4047 2 4 full false Encryption 101 for Nonprofits Encryption 101 for Nonprofits Encryption is rapidly becoming the preferred method for securing information.  In this webinar, Community IT Innovators’ CTO Matt Eshleman will cover the basics of encryption, how it is currently used in popular systems such as the web and email, and simple tools for using encryption to secure your devices and information.

Encryption isn’t something only “techies” need to worry about. As data vulnerabilities are exploited and the cost of hacking your password and credit card becomes more and more affordable to criminals, your email and devices are already becoming the next targets. Join us to learn the basics of how encryption works, how you can use it, and how to manage IT for security at all levels of your organization.

And if you’ve ever forgotten your password, this webinar will help you learn how to guard your communications while securely maintaining safeguards to allow access in the event of a human brain fail.

This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

Presenter:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for  shaping Community IT’s strategy in assessing and recommending technology solutions to clients. With a deep background in network infrastructure technology he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.

Matt joined Community IT as an intern in the summer of 2000 and after finishing his dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University he rejoined Community IT as a network administrator in January of 2001. Matt has steadily progressed up at Community IT and while working full time received his MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University.

Matt is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and has presented at the Inside NGO conference and Non-Profit Risk Management Summit. He lives in Baltimore MD with his wife, daughter and son.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Encryption is rapidly becoming the preferred method for securing information.  In this webinar, Community IT Innovators’ CTO Matt Eshleman will cover the basics of encryption, how it is currently used in popular systems such as the web and email, and simple tools for using encryption to secure your devices and information.

Encryption isn’t something only “techies” need to worry about. As data vulnerabilities are exploited and the cost of hacking your password and credit card becomes more and more affordable to criminals, your email and devices are already becoming the next targets. Join us to learn the basics of how encryption works, how you can use it, and how to manage IT for security at all levels of your organization.

And if you’ve ever forgotten your password, this webinar will help you learn how to guard your communications while securely maintaining safeguards to allow access in the event of a human brain fail.

This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

Presenter:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for  shaping Community IT’s strategy in assessing and recommending technology solutions to clients. With a deep background in network infrastructure technology he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.

Matt joined Community IT as an intern in the summer of 2000 and after finishing his dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University he rejoined Community IT as a network administrator in January of 2001. Matt has steadily progressed up at Community IT and while working full time received his MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University.

Matt is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and has presented at the Inside NGO conference and Non-Profit Risk Management Summit. He lives in Baltimore MD with his wife, daughter and son.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-7631458 Tue, 02 Feb 2021 11:00:00 -0500 3290 2 3 full false Nonprofit Technology Trends Roundtable 2021 Nonprofit Technology Trends Roundtable 2021 Join four Community IT Innovators executive experts for an “ask the experts” discussion. Hear about nonprofit technology trends we expect to deliver new impact this year.

Community IT Innovators’ CTO and cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman covers emerging threats and the security measures to counter them, and discusses how to determine the real risks to your organization and the return on your nonprofit’s investment in security. He also touches on cybersecurity training for your staff, and emerging security concerns for online collaboration and remote workers. Does your organization need a cybersecurity assessment or cybersecurity insurance? Find out!

Community IT has worked with several clients this past year on implementation of nonprofit tech projects that impacted the entire organization, and required engaged change management from leadership. Our Chief Operating Officer, Johanny Torrico, discusses our work with implementation of large multi-stakeholder tech projects, and the tools available to assist in successful tech transitions. Do you have a major tech project coming up?

Cloud computing trends and platforms such as Office365 for nonprofits, Microsoft Teams, and SharePoint will continue to be important in 2021. Our clients are using cloud-based tech to transform their productivity, remote work, and file sharing while lowering costs. Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker presents insights from his experience with cloud computing implementations and trouble-shooting. Remote work specifically has put new pressure on cloud solutions to deliver for productivity – is your team utilizing the tools that you have? Do you need to learn about new tools?

We also address seven up and coming technologies to watch, innovations to embrace, and technology management basics for any nonprofit operating in 2021.

CEO Johan Hammerstrom moderates the discussion, drawing on his decades of experience in nonprofit technology work.

We know our nonprofit colleagues are going to be asked to go above and beyond for the foreseeable future, as we grapple with enormous changes and upheaval. We hope this webinar on using technology will put your organization in a good place to deliver on your mission in 2021 and beyond.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT and security experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join four Community IT Innovators executive experts for an “ask the experts” discussion. Hear about nonprofit technology trends we expect to deliver new impact this year.

Community IT Innovators’ CTO and cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman covers emerging threats and the security measures to counter them, and discusses how to determine the real risks to your organization and the return on your nonprofit’s investment in security. He also touches on cybersecurity training for your staff, and emerging security concerns for online collaboration and remote workers. Does your organization need a cybersecurity assessment or cybersecurity insurance? Find out!

Community IT has worked with several clients this past year on implementation of nonprofit tech projects that impacted the entire organization, and required engaged change management from leadership. Our Chief Operating Officer, Johanny Torrico, discusses our work with implementation of large multi-stakeholder tech projects, and the tools available to assist in successful tech transitions. Do you have a major tech project coming up?

Cloud computing trends and platforms such as Office365 for nonprofits, Microsoft Teams, and SharePoint will continue to be important in 2021. Our clients are using cloud-based tech to transform their productivity, remote work, and file sharing while lowering costs. Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker presents insights from his experience with cloud computing implementations and trouble-shooting. Remote work specifically has put new pressure on cloud solutions to deliver for productivity – is your team utilizing the tools that you have? Do you need to learn about new tools?

We also address seven up and coming technologies to watch, innovations to embrace, and technology management basics for any nonprofit operating in 2021.

CEO Johan Hammerstrom moderates the discussion, drawing on his decades of experience in nonprofit technology work.

We know our nonprofit colleagues are going to be asked to go above and beyond for the foreseeable future, as we grapple with enormous changes and upheaval. We hope this webinar on using technology will put your organization in a good place to deliver on your mission in 2021 and beyond.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT and security experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-7534366 Thu, 28 Jan 2021 08:00:00 -0500 3811 2 2 full false Working with an Outsourced IT Manager Working with an Outsourced IT Manager
Working with an Outsourced IT Manager

Join Pat Sprehe and Steve Longenecker for insights into working with any outsourced IT management function, including database or security management as stand alone services, as well as managed services generally.

Your organization can benefit as we reflect on our 20+ years of providing IT services and shed light on how you can get the best out of your IT provider.

This webinar will cover how to learn the IT lingo, and cover the general timeline anywhere from the first inquiry to fully outsourced coverage, including how to decide which functions can be outsourced.

  • How to engage with vendors and service providers
  • Best practices and checklists for your daily and monthly interactions
  • Annual planning with your outsourced IT manager
  • How to plan and practice for emergency communications with your provider if your accounts are hacked or you suspect an attack
  • What do you need to keep in house? What do you have the option to outsource?

Learn how to get the most out of a modern hybrid approach to IT management. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing – this webinar will give you some practical steps to make the decisions and improve your existing relationships with outsourced IT management.

Presenters:

Patrick Sprehe joined Community IT in 2010 and has provided technical support to a variety of clients on a variety of issues.  As Network Management Team Manager he is responsible for the Community IT team that maintains client networks and helps people overcome their nonprofit technology challenges.  Prior to coming to Community IT, Patrick spent several years working as a System Support Associate at Search for Common Ground.

Since joining Community IT, Patrick has graduated from University of Maryland, University College with a B.S. in Information Technology.  Patrick is also A+ and Network+ certified and has an additional certification with Windows 7.  In his spare time Patrick teaches and learns Karate at Polander Academy of Martial Arts in Bethesda, MD.

As Director of IT Consulting, Steve Longenecker divides his time at Community IT primarily between managing the company’s Projects Team and consulting with clients on IT planning. Steve’s appreciation for working at Community IT Innovators is rooted in respect for the company’s dream and vision, and for the excellent colleagues that that dream and vision attract.

Before coming to Community IT in September 2004, Steve was an 8th grade science teacher at Takoma Park Middle School, and – though that was a long time ago now – he still draws on lessons learned in that first career. Steve is MCSE certified. He has a B.A. in Biology from Earlham College in Richmond, IN and a Masters in the Art of Teaching from Tufts University in Massachusetts. Steve is married and has two children. One of his favorite activities is playing Ultimate Frisbee.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]>
Working with an Outsourced IT Manager

Join Pat Sprehe and Steve Longenecker for insights into working with any outsourced IT management function, including database or security management as stand alone services, as well as managed services generally.

Your organization can benefit as we reflect on our 20+ years of providing IT services and shed light on how you can get the best out of your IT provider.

This webinar will cover how to learn the IT lingo, and cover the general timeline anywhere from the first inquiry to fully outsourced coverage, including how to decide which functions can be outsourced.

  • How to engage with vendors and service providers
  • Best practices and checklists for your daily and monthly interactions
  • Annual planning with your outsourced IT manager
  • How to plan and practice for emergency communications with your provider if your accounts are hacked or you suspect an attack
  • What do you need to keep in house? What do you have the option to outsource?

Learn how to get the most out of a modern hybrid approach to IT management. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing – this webinar will give you some practical steps to make the decisions and improve your existing relationships with outsourced IT management.

Presenters:

Patrick Sprehe joined Community IT in 2010 and has provided technical support to a variety of clients on a variety of issues.  As Network Management Team Manager he is responsible for the Community IT team that maintains client networks and helps people overcome their nonprofit technology challenges.  Prior to coming to Community IT, Patrick spent several years working as a System Support Associate at Search for Common Ground.

Since joining Community IT, Patrick has graduated from University of Maryland, University College with a B.S. in Information Technology.  Patrick is also A+ and Network+ certified and has an additional certification with Windows 7.  In his spare time Patrick teaches and learns Karate at Polander Academy of Martial Arts in Bethesda, MD.

As Director of IT Consulting, Steve Longenecker divides his time at Community IT primarily between managing the company’s Projects Team and consulting with clients on IT planning. Steve’s appreciation for working at Community IT Innovators is rooted in respect for the company’s dream and vision, and for the excellent colleagues that that dream and vision attract.

Before coming to Community IT in September 2004, Steve was an 8th grade science teacher at Takoma Park Middle School, and – though that was a long time ago now – he still draws on lessons learned in that first career. Steve is MCSE certified. He has a B.A. in Biology from Earlham College in Richmond, IN and a Masters in the Art of Teaching from Tufts University in Massachusetts. Steve is married and has two children. One of his favorite activities is playing Ultimate Frisbee.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-7258117 Tue, 12 Jan 2021 12:00:00 -0500 3475 2 1 full false Nonprofit Cybersecurity Readiness Nonprofit Cybersecurity Readiness In this webinar, Community IT Innovators’ CTO and resident security expert Matt Eshleman covers the basics a security plan should include for nonprofit cybersecurity readiness, giving updates and a synthesis of our recent security webinars.

He touches on:

  • Understanding and measuring cybersecurity risks to your mission and reputation
  • Talking about ROI for cybersecurity measures, and how to consider costs and potential costs in your budget process, based on industry benchmarks
  • Considering cyber insurance and which nonprofits particularly need such insurance; in safeguarding databases for healthcare and children/volunteers, guarding against billing and budgeting scams, and nonprofits who may be targeted for their advocacy work
  • Updated security incidence response best practices
  • Creating a multi-layered security plan that actively includes your staff and executives

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT and security experience.


Presenter

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy around the technology platforms used by organizations to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.

Matt joined Community IT as an intern in the summer of 2000 and after finishing his dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University, he rejoined Community IT as a network administrator in January of 2001. Matt has steadily progressed up at Community IT and while working full time received his MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University.

Matt is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and has presented at the Inside NGO conference, Non-Profit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In this webinar, Community IT Innovators’ CTO and resident security expert Matt Eshleman covers the basics a security plan should include for nonprofit cybersecurity readiness, giving updates and a synthesis of our recent security webinars.

He touches on:

  • Understanding and measuring cybersecurity risks to your mission and reputation
  • Talking about ROI for cybersecurity measures, and how to consider costs and potential costs in your budget process, based on industry benchmarks
  • Considering cyber insurance and which nonprofits particularly need such insurance; in safeguarding databases for healthcare and children/volunteers, guarding against billing and budgeting scams, and nonprofits who may be targeted for their advocacy work
  • Updated security incidence response best practices
  • Creating a multi-layered security plan that actively includes your staff and executives

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT and security experience.


Presenter

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy around the technology platforms used by organizations to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.

Matt joined Community IT as an intern in the summer of 2000 and after finishing his dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University, he rejoined Community IT as a network administrator in January of 2001. Matt has steadily progressed up at Community IT and while working full time received his MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University.

Matt is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and has presented at the Inside NGO conference, Non-Profit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-6771376 Wed, 09 Dec 2020 12:00:00 -0500 3684 1 16 full false 10 Free Cybersecurity Tools and 3 Worth Paying For 10 Free Cybersecurity Tools and 3 Worth Paying For Join Community IT Innovators’ CTO cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman for a video discussion of the 10 free cybersecurity risk-management tools available to nonprofits that want to increase security.

Matt covers free tools that your organization should be using, how they operate, how to set them up, and how to train your staff to USE them.
 
He also spends time discussing three security tools to pay for, what they do, and why they offer a return on your investment.

Community IT Innovators is vendor-agnostic and does not resell vendor services or tools. Join us for this webinar for our un-biased recommendations and overview of the growing market for free and paid security tools for nonprofits.

With the “price to hack” continuing to decrease, businesses, nonprofits, and individuals are seeing risks go up. Don’t assume your organization won’t be targeted – everyone is a target of multiplying hacks and scams.

There is a 15 minute Q&A following the webinar, with participant questions. As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT and security experience.

Presenter:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT and our resident cybersecurity expert, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy around the technology platforms used by organizations to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.

Matt joined Community IT as an intern in the summer of 2000 and after finishing his dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University, he rejoined Community IT as a network administrator in January of 2001. Matt has steadily progressed up at Community IT and while working full time received his MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University.

Matt is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and has presented at the Inside NGO conference, Non-Profit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Join Community IT Innovators’ CTO cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman for a video discussion of the 10 free cybersecurity risk-management tools available to nonprofits that want to increase security.

Matt covers free tools that your organization should be using, how they operate, how to set them up, and how to train your staff to USE them.
 
He also spends time discussing three security tools to pay for, what they do, and why they offer a return on your investment.

Community IT Innovators is vendor-agnostic and does not resell vendor services or tools. Join us for this webinar for our un-biased recommendations and overview of the growing market for free and paid security tools for nonprofits.

With the “price to hack” continuing to decrease, businesses, nonprofits, and individuals are seeing risks go up. Don’t assume your organization won’t be targeted – everyone is a target of multiplying hacks and scams.

There is a 15 minute Q&A following the webinar, with participant questions. As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT and security experience.

Presenter:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT and our resident cybersecurity expert, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy around the technology platforms used by organizations to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.

Matt joined Community IT as an intern in the summer of 2000 and after finishing his dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University, he rejoined Community IT as a network administrator in January of 2001. Matt has steadily progressed up at Community IT and while working full time received his MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University.

Matt is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and has presented at the Inside NGO conference, Non-Profit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-6654805 Wed, 02 Dec 2020 10:00:00 -0500 3083 1 15 full false Building a Better Nonprofit Software Selection Process Building a Better Nonprofit Software Selection Process In this “Ask the Experts” webinar co-presented with Build Consulting, we answer your questions on ways to create a sound process for software selection, before you consider the specific technologies available to meet your organizational needs.

Join Build Consulting co-founders Kyle Haines and David Deal  as they leverage their combined 70+ years in nonprofit technology projects to answer your questions about what makes a software selection successful.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. And Build is scrupulously vendor-agnostic.

To be successful with selecting new software at your organization, you need to start by identifying and planning for the organizational change that will occur within the future implementation. This is true no matter what type of software you want to choose: CRM, ERP, HRIS, digital engagement, program management…you name it. 

We know our nonprofit colleagues will be called on over the next few years to provide more support to our communities than ever before. Put your best foot forward now with technology decisions that allow you to focus on your mission.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In this “Ask the Experts” webinar co-presented with Build Consulting, we answer your questions on ways to create a sound process for software selection, before you consider the specific technologies available to meet your organizational needs.

Join Build Consulting co-founders Kyle Haines and David Deal  as they leverage their combined 70+ years in nonprofit technology projects to answer your questions about what makes a software selection successful.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. And Build is scrupulously vendor-agnostic.

To be successful with selecting new software at your organization, you need to start by identifying and planning for the organizational change that will occur within the future implementation. This is true no matter what type of software you want to choose: CRM, ERP, HRIS, digital engagement, program management…you name it. 

We know our nonprofit colleagues will be called on over the next few years to provide more support to our communities than ever before. Put your best foot forward now with technology decisions that allow you to focus on your mission.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-6459223 Thu, 19 Nov 2020 13:00:00 -0500 3573 1 14 full false 5 Security Tips to Protect Your Login Credentials and More 5 Security Tips to Protect Your Login Credentials and More We know that account compromises are one of the top 5 threats facing nonprofit organizations, and are perhaps the most impactful. Digital credentials, such as usernames and passwords, connect you and your employees to critical business applications, as well as online services.

Unfortunately, criminals know this — and that’s why digital credentials are among the most valuable assets found on the Dark Web.

In this video we talk about some tools and techniques that can be used to protect your login credentials and digital identity including good password practices, adding Multi Factor Authentication (MFA), and monitoring to alert when a compromised account is found.

Don’t assume your organization won’t be targeted – everyone is a target. Don’t miss these 5 security tips to protect your login!

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT and security experience.

Presenter:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT and our resident cybersecurity expert, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy around the technology platforms used by organizations to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.

Matt joined Community IT as an intern in the summer of 2000 and after finishing his dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University, he rejoined Community IT as a network administrator in January of 2001. Matt has steadily progressed up at Community IT and while working full time received his MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University.

Matt is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and has presented at the Inside NGO conference, Non-Profit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course. He presents updated tips to protect your login credentials throughout the year.

Matt lives in Baltimore MD with his wife, daughter and son. He is a member of the Baltimore Choral Arts Society and on the support committee of the Reservoir Hill House of Peace.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> We know that account compromises are one of the top 5 threats facing nonprofit organizations, and are perhaps the most impactful. Digital credentials, such as usernames and passwords, connect you and your employees to critical business applications, as well as online services.

Unfortunately, criminals know this — and that’s why digital credentials are among the most valuable assets found on the Dark Web.

In this video we talk about some tools and techniques that can be used to protect your login credentials and digital identity including good password practices, adding Multi Factor Authentication (MFA), and monitoring to alert when a compromised account is found.

Don’t assume your organization won’t be targeted – everyone is a target. Don’t miss these 5 security tips to protect your login!

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT and security experience.

Presenter:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT and our resident cybersecurity expert, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy around the technology platforms used by organizations to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.

Matt joined Community IT as an intern in the summer of 2000 and after finishing his dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University, he rejoined Community IT as a network administrator in January of 2001. Matt has steadily progressed up at Community IT and while working full time received his MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University.

Matt is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and has presented at the Inside NGO conference, Non-Profit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course. He presents updated tips to protect your login credentials throughout the year.

Matt lives in Baltimore MD with his wife, daughter and son. He is a member of the Baltimore Choral Arts Society and on the support committee of the Reservoir Hill House of Peace.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Buzzsprout-6327466 Wed, 11 Nov 2020 12:00:00 -0500 1643 1 13 full false Crafting a Nonprofit IT Security Policy Crafting a Nonprofit IT Security Policy In this webinar we include an outline to create or update a security policy; how to address levels of access, confidentiality, emails, passwords, and 2-step authentication; and policies for securing staff devices whether yours or theirs.

The Community IT Innovators approach to Security includes basic steps you can easily follow. This video covers creating Written & Updated Policies, using Predictive Intelligence, the need for staff Security Training & Awareness, and advice on basic security including strong Passwords, Antivirus, regular Backups, and Patches.

What policies does your organization already have and where to start? 

  • Acceptable use policy
  • Computer equipment
  • Web browsing 
  • Mobile Devices 
  • Data policy
  • Identity and account policy
  • HIPAA and other privacy regulations

Community IT Innovators uses the CIA rubric: Confidentiality Integrity Availability 

  • Sensitive Data with highest restricted access includes Medical Records, Donor Contacts 
  • Moderate access includes Financial System, HR Records
  • Less Sensitive with more access includes Email, Grant Proposals, Program Mgmt

Your Nonprofit Cybersecurity Policy will require executive support. Our advice is to start with the policy goals first, and determine the level of investment to meet policy requirements. We have resources on determining the level of damage a mid-sized nonprofit can expect from a security incident, which can help leadership determine the level of investment needed to secure data and resources.

Remember IT policies are living documents, that do no good at all if staff don’t know them, don’t know who to ask, or don’t understand the reasoning behind security measures that protect your organization. Your Cybersecurity policy should be monitored and staff should have updated training regularly.

You can find more resources on Cybersecurity for Nonprofits here.

Presenter:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for  shaping Community IT’s strategy in assessing and recommending technology solutions to clients. With a deep background in network infrastructure technology he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.
Matt joined Community IT as an intern in the summer of 2000 and after finishing his dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University he rejoined Community IT as a network administrator in January of 2001. Matt has steadily progressed up at Community IT and while working full time received his MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University.

Matt is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and has presented at the Inside NGO conference and Non-Profit Risk Management Summit. He lives in Baltimore MD with his wife, daughter and son.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> In this webinar we include an outline to create or update a security policy; how to address levels of access, confidentiality, emails, passwords, and 2-step authentication; and policies for securing staff devices whether yours or theirs.

The Community IT Innovators approach to Security includes basic steps you can easily follow. This video covers creating Written & Updated Policies, using Predictive Intelligence, the need for staff Security Training & Awareness, and advice on basic security including strong Passwords, Antivirus, regular Backups, and Patches.

What policies does your organization already have and where to start? 

  • Acceptable use policy
  • Computer equipment
  • Web browsing 
  • Mobile Devices 
  • Data policy
  • Identity and account policy
  • HIPAA and other privacy regulations

Community IT Innovators uses the CIA rubric: Confidentiality Integrity Availability 

  • Sensitive Data with highest restricted access includes Medical Records, Donor Contacts 
  • Moderate access includes Financial System, HR Records
  • Less Sensitive with more access includes Email, Grant Proposals, Program Mgmt

Your Nonprofit Cybersecurity Policy will require executive support. Our advice is to start with the policy goals first, and determine the level of investment to meet policy requirements. We have resources on determining the level of damage a mid-sized nonprofit can expect from a security incident, which can help leadership determine the level of investment needed to secure data and resources.

Remember IT policies are living documents, that do no good at all if staff don’t know them, don’t know who to ask, or don’t understand the reasoning behind security measures that protect your organization. Your Cybersecurity policy should be monitored and staff should have updated training regularly.

You can find more resources on Cybersecurity for Nonprofits here.

Presenter:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for  shaping Community IT’s strategy in assessing and recommending technology solutions to clients. With a deep background in network infrastructure technology he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.
Matt joined Community IT as an intern in the summer of 2000 and after finishing his dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University he rejoined Community IT as a network administrator in January of 2001. Matt has steadily progressed up at Community IT and while working full time received his MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University.

Matt is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and has presented at the Inside NGO conference and Non-Profit Risk Management Summit. He lives in Baltimore MD with his wife, daughter and son.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-6307285 Tue, 10 Nov 2020 11:00:00 -0500 3631 1 12 full false Cybersecurity Training for Nonprofits Cybersecurity Training for Nonprofits Community IT presents a discussion of basic IT cybersecurity training for nonprofits’ end users. Learn about common threats and the best techniques for dealing with them. Learn how to balance convenience and security for your staff, so they can follow best practices and be your best defense against hackers and cybercrime.

Lots of organizations are rethinking working from home, secure collaboration on slack and zoom, and security on home devices. And as we have seen an uptick on ransomware and phishing schemes, some organizations have rushed to tighten up your security measures.

Make your security too rigorous, miscommunicate your objectives, or skimp on training, and your staff will soon be working around your measures, opening your organization back up to the cybersecurity risks you were trying to avoid.

Cybersecurity begins with good training. 

In this webinar, Community IT Innovators’ Cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman walks you through a typical staff training, explaining what must be included, how to approach building a team ethos, and how often to update/mandate your training and work with HR. 

  • Do you need specialized security training for certain roles? 
  • Do your executives support and participate in security training? 
  • Where do your greatest cybersecurity risks lie?
  • How do you document your training?
  • What apps can make training easier?

Matt has worked over the years with many of our clients to implement cybersecurity, and always emphasizes the importance of staff training as the first line of defense. This webinar incorporates material and best practice advice from recent cybersecurity trainings.

We know our nonprofits will be called on over the next few years to provide more support to our communities than ever before. Put your best foot forward now with cybersecurity training updates that protect your nonprofit, build your team, and allow you to focus on your mission.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 


Presenter:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT and our resident cybersecurity expert, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy around the technology platforms used by organizations to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.

Matt joined Community IT as an intern in the summer of 2000 and after finishing his dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University, he rejoined Community IT as a network administrator in January of 2001. Matt has steadily progressed up at Community IT and while working full time received his MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University.

Matt is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and has presented at the Inside NGO conference, Non-Profit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course. He presents updated ti

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT presents a discussion of basic IT cybersecurity training for nonprofits’ end users. Learn about common threats and the best techniques for dealing with them. Learn how to balance convenience and security for your staff, so they can follow best practices and be your best defense against hackers and cybercrime.

Lots of organizations are rethinking working from home, secure collaboration on slack and zoom, and security on home devices. And as we have seen an uptick on ransomware and phishing schemes, some organizations have rushed to tighten up your security measures.

Make your security too rigorous, miscommunicate your objectives, or skimp on training, and your staff will soon be working around your measures, opening your organization back up to the cybersecurity risks you were trying to avoid.

Cybersecurity begins with good training. 

In this webinar, Community IT Innovators’ Cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman walks you through a typical staff training, explaining what must be included, how to approach building a team ethos, and how often to update/mandate your training and work with HR. 

  • Do you need specialized security training for certain roles? 
  • Do your executives support and participate in security training? 
  • Where do your greatest cybersecurity risks lie?
  • How do you document your training?
  • What apps can make training easier?

Matt has worked over the years with many of our clients to implement cybersecurity, and always emphasizes the importance of staff training as the first line of defense. This webinar incorporates material and best practice advice from recent cybersecurity trainings.

We know our nonprofits will be called on over the next few years to provide more support to our communities than ever before. Put your best foot forward now with cybersecurity training updates that protect your nonprofit, build your team, and allow you to focus on your mission.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 


Presenter:

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT and our resident cybersecurity expert, Matthew Eshleman is responsible for shaping Community IT’s strategy around the technology platforms used by organizations to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how technology works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud.

Matt joined Community IT as an intern in the summer of 2000 and after finishing his dual degrees in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems at Eastern Mennonite University, he rejoined Community IT as a network administrator in January of 2001. Matt has steadily progressed up at Community IT and while working full time received his MBA from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University.

Matt is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and has presented at the Inside NGO conference, Non-Profit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course. He presents updated ti

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-6031969 Fri, 23 Oct 2020 13:00:00 -0400 3770 1 11 full false Information Management Basics Information Management Basics Community IT Innovators was pleased to collaborate with our partners at Build Consulting for this webinar.

In a special, half-hour format Build shares their expertise in information management, beginning with a fifteen minute definition and overview of the basic challenges. Partner Peter Mirius takes questions from the webinar participants and addresses real world situations throughout the webinar.

  • Has your organization struggled with using data strategically? 
  • Do you wish you had better technology to track your data, but suspect you’ll have the same issues even after an upgrade? 
  • Are you wondering why everyone is talking about “big data”?

Technology-driven information management plays an ever-increasing role in helping nonprofits understand the world around them—and their impact on it.  But for nonprofit organizations to manage and leverage the vast amount of information you create, you need to understand your basics. 

Problems in Governance, Operations, Process, Data, and Technology can derail your drive to make sense of – and utilize – your data.

It’s probably safe to say that no nonprofit manages all five of these aspects at 100% efficiency – this webinar will help you to discover ways to improve your information management mindset.

This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, we will discuss technology in a manner that is accessible to a varied audience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators was pleased to collaborate with our partners at Build Consulting for this webinar.

In a special, half-hour format Build shares their expertise in information management, beginning with a fifteen minute definition and overview of the basic challenges. Partner Peter Mirius takes questions from the webinar participants and addresses real world situations throughout the webinar.

  • Has your organization struggled with using data strategically? 
  • Do you wish you had better technology to track your data, but suspect you’ll have the same issues even after an upgrade? 
  • Are you wondering why everyone is talking about “big data”?

Technology-driven information management plays an ever-increasing role in helping nonprofits understand the world around them—and their impact on it.  But for nonprofit organizations to manage and leverage the vast amount of information you create, you need to understand your basics. 

Problems in Governance, Operations, Process, Data, and Technology can derail your drive to make sense of – and utilize – your data.

It’s probably safe to say that no nonprofit manages all five of these aspects at 100% efficiency – this webinar will help you to discover ways to improve your information management mindset.

This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, we will discuss technology in a manner that is accessible to a varied audience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-5643058 Mon, 28 Sep 2020 14:00:00 -0400 1911 1 10 full false SharePoint Online for Nonprofits: Tips for File Sharing SharePoint Online for Nonprofits: Tips for File Sharing Are you utilizing SharePoint best practices? Are your staff frustrated by your protocols, or are they whizzing along collaborating with ease and speed? Do you have any files shared in SharePoint that need extra security? 

Please join our resident expert Steve Longenecker to walk through what SharePoint can do for your nonprofit.

If your nonprofit is already using Office365 in the cloud for email, then you should be leveraging SharePoint, the platform’s capabilities for document sharing, a component of Office 365 also available to nonprofits through donated licenses from Microsoft.

  • Are you using SharePoint as a file storage library?
  • Is your file sharing set up so that your staff are using it with ease?
  • Do you have some confusion or frustration with sharing files and collaborating using SharePoint?
  • Learn highlights from Community IT Innovators’ user trainings provided in SharePoint implementations.

Steve has directed many SharePoint implementations and trainings with our clients. This new and updated webinar incorporates material from recent trainings.

We know our nonprofits will be called on over the next few years to provide more support to our communities than ever before. Put your best foot forward now with tech projects that position your organization to deliver on your mission at this critical time.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Are you utilizing SharePoint best practices? Are your staff frustrated by your protocols, or are they whizzing along collaborating with ease and speed? Do you have any files shared in SharePoint that need extra security? 

Please join our resident expert Steve Longenecker to walk through what SharePoint can do for your nonprofit.

If your nonprofit is already using Office365 in the cloud for email, then you should be leveraging SharePoint, the platform’s capabilities for document sharing, a component of Office 365 also available to nonprofits through donated licenses from Microsoft.

  • Are you using SharePoint as a file storage library?
  • Is your file sharing set up so that your staff are using it with ease?
  • Do you have some confusion or frustration with sharing files and collaborating using SharePoint?
  • Learn highlights from Community IT Innovators’ user trainings provided in SharePoint implementations.

Steve has directed many SharePoint implementations and trainings with our clients. This new and updated webinar incorporates material from recent trainings.

We know our nonprofits will be called on over the next few years to provide more support to our communities than ever before. Put your best foot forward now with tech projects that position your organization to deliver on your mission at this critical time.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-5483368 Thu, 17 Sep 2020 09:00:00 -0400 4608 1 9 full false How to Secure Office 365 How to Secure Office 365 Do you have more staff working from home? Wondering about the cybersecurity of your Office 365 set up?

In this podcast you will learn how to secure Office 365, troubleshoot the set up, how to communicate with your staff, essential security measures you expect them to take, and how to effectively share common hacking scenarios they can prevent.

In January 2020, Microsoft removed the 50 donated nonprofit licenses of their popular Enterprise Mobility and Security bundle known as EMS. Microsoft removed the 50 seat donation, but reduced the price for nonprofits from $2.50/license to $2.20/license per user per month.

You can read more updates on the changes to Microsoft 365 Security for Nonprofits here.

This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers, accounting, development, and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

You can find more resources on Cybersecurity for Nonprofits here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Do you have more staff working from home? Wondering about the cybersecurity of your Office 365 set up?

In this podcast you will learn how to secure Office 365, troubleshoot the set up, how to communicate with your staff, essential security measures you expect them to take, and how to effectively share common hacking scenarios they can prevent.

In January 2020, Microsoft removed the 50 donated nonprofit licenses of their popular Enterprise Mobility and Security bundle known as EMS. Microsoft removed the 50 seat donation, but reduced the price for nonprofits from $2.50/license to $2.20/license per user per month.

You can read more updates on the changes to Microsoft 365 Security for Nonprofits here.

This webinar is appropriate for nonprofit executives, managers, accounting, development, and nonprofit IT personnel – and as with all our webinars, it is appropriate for a varied audience.

You can find more resources on Cybersecurity for Nonprofits here.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-5145346 Tue, 25 Aug 2020 12:00:00 -0400 3906 1 8 full false Does Your Organization Need a Better Technology Roadmap? Does Your Organization Need a Better Technology Roadmap?
What is a Technology Roadmap?

All nonprofit organizations stand to benefit from an improved technology environment. But does your organization’s technology roadmap provide you with the directions you need to succeed with those new and improved technologies?

You may have gaps in leadership, operations, business process, and data management capacity that have prevented your organization from effectively selecting and implementing technologies to serve your entire organization and its mission.

Without addressing these gaps, your nonprofit is at a higher risk of technology system implementation failure.​

Learn how to address these gaps. Technology implementation can require significant change efforts, for all staff. Don’t let your technology fail by not addressing systemic changes necessary for success!

In this video, Build Consulting expert Peter Mirus explains how to build a technology roadmap that will guide your organization to a successful future.

Peter draws on years of experience consulting with nonprofits on technology projects to give you practical steps to implement quickly.

Don’t miss this chance to learn how your organization can create a technology roadmap that is right for you.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]>
What is a Technology Roadmap?

All nonprofit organizations stand to benefit from an improved technology environment. But does your organization’s technology roadmap provide you with the directions you need to succeed with those new and improved technologies?

You may have gaps in leadership, operations, business process, and data management capacity that have prevented your organization from effectively selecting and implementing technologies to serve your entire organization and its mission.

Without addressing these gaps, your nonprofit is at a higher risk of technology system implementation failure.​

Learn how to address these gaps. Technology implementation can require significant change efforts, for all staff. Don’t let your technology fail by not addressing systemic changes necessary for success!

In this video, Build Consulting expert Peter Mirus explains how to build a technology roadmap that will guide your organization to a successful future.

Peter draws on years of experience consulting with nonprofits on technology projects to give you practical steps to implement quickly.

Don’t miss this chance to learn how your organization can create a technology roadmap that is right for you.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-5048666 Tue, 18 Aug 2020 12:00:00 -0400 3673 1 7 full false Microsoft Dynamics and Salesforce: What You Need To Know Before Choosing a Platform Microsoft Dynamics and Salesforce: What You Need To Know Before Choosing a Platform Making the move to a platform like Microsoft Dynamics or Salesforce can fuel your nonprofit’s digital transformation. These platforms allow you to manage and engage with constituents in new ways, create more unified experiences for them, and transform how your organization works.

But do you know where your organization should start when choosing a technology platform? 

Kyle Haines, Partner at Build Consulting, shares some of the questions your organization should answer before making significant investments in a platform like Microsoft Dynamics or Salesforce. 

In this webinar, he covers

  • What is Microsoft Dynamics? How does it compare to Salesforce?
  • How do you analyze your business needs and stakeholder needs when considering a new platform or upgrade that will have a broad impact on your entire organization?
  • How will a new platform change your organization? Are you ready to capitalize on the potential for change?

Additionally, he shares his experience on what makes platform selections and implementations successful, and how to position your organization to take advantage of the opportunities a new platform brings.

We know our nonprofits will be called on over the next few years to provide more support to our communities than ever before. Put your best foot forward now with tech projects that position your organization to deliver on your mission at this critical time.

Kyle spends over 15 minutes on Q&A after the webinar, discussing real-life questions from your nonprofit colleagues on the advantages to consider when moving forward with either the Microsoft Dynamics or Salesforce platforms.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Making the move to a platform like Microsoft Dynamics or Salesforce can fuel your nonprofit’s digital transformation. These platforms allow you to manage and engage with constituents in new ways, create more unified experiences for them, and transform how your organization works.

But do you know where your organization should start when choosing a technology platform? 

Kyle Haines, Partner at Build Consulting, shares some of the questions your organization should answer before making significant investments in a platform like Microsoft Dynamics or Salesforce. 

In this webinar, he covers

  • What is Microsoft Dynamics? How does it compare to Salesforce?
  • How do you analyze your business needs and stakeholder needs when considering a new platform or upgrade that will have a broad impact on your entire organization?
  • How will a new platform change your organization? Are you ready to capitalize on the potential for change?

Additionally, he shares his experience on what makes platform selections and implementations successful, and how to position your organization to take advantage of the opportunities a new platform brings.

We know our nonprofits will be called on over the next few years to provide more support to our communities than ever before. Put your best foot forward now with tech projects that position your organization to deliver on your mission at this critical time.

Kyle spends over 15 minutes on Q&A after the webinar, discussing real-life questions from your nonprofit colleagues on the advantages to consider when moving forward with either the Microsoft Dynamics or Salesforce platforms.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-4999733 Fri, 14 Aug 2020 13:00:00 -0400 3617 1 6 full false Nonprofit Cybersecurity Risk Assessment Basics Nonprofit Cybersecurity Risk Assessment Basics This webinar presents a best-practices framework on assessing your risks, using the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) privacy risk assessment methodology.

Matt Eshleman, Community IT Innovators’ CTO and resident cybersecurity expert, will teach you how to

  • Understand the cybersecurity threats facing nonprofits
  • perform a basic assessment using our NIST survey tool
  • understand the recommendations
  • budget for risk prevention
  • engage nonprofit executives in supporting proactive cybersecurity
  • create an actionable road map with next steps for your organization

Over the last few months, many organizations began to use personal computers and devices for work, quickly set up cloud file sharing platforms, put the entire remote office on Slack or Teams, or moved to using Zoom for conference calls.

Even if we did our best to implement thoughtful security protocols and train new users on new tools, circumstances have made measured approaches to cybersecurity difficult. Your practices are probably out of sync with your security needs.


Now is the time to better manage risks by reviewing your cybersecurity stance and (re)training your users on security best practices.

If you are ready for IT your nonprofit can depend on, contact us! You can also review all our previous webinars here. https://communityit.com 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> This webinar presents a best-practices framework on assessing your risks, using the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) privacy risk assessment methodology.

Matt Eshleman, Community IT Innovators’ CTO and resident cybersecurity expert, will teach you how to

  • Understand the cybersecurity threats facing nonprofits
  • perform a basic assessment using our NIST survey tool
  • understand the recommendations
  • budget for risk prevention
  • engage nonprofit executives in supporting proactive cybersecurity
  • create an actionable road map with next steps for your organization

Over the last few months, many organizations began to use personal computers and devices for work, quickly set up cloud file sharing platforms, put the entire remote office on Slack or Teams, or moved to using Zoom for conference calls.

Even if we did our best to implement thoughtful security protocols and train new users on new tools, circumstances have made measured approaches to cybersecurity difficult. Your practices are probably out of sync with your security needs.


Now is the time to better manage risks by reviewing your cybersecurity stance and (re)training your users on security best practices.

If you are ready for IT your nonprofit can depend on, contact us! You can also review all our previous webinars here. https://communityit.com 

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-4641242 Mon, 20 Jul 2020 11:00:00 -0400 3312 1 5 full false 12 Questions Nonprofits Should Ask to Evaluate a Managed Service Provider (MSP) 12 Questions Nonprofits Should Ask to Evaluate a Managed Service Provider (MSP) Learn what questions to ask a managed service provider to get the best service for your organization.

“Managed services” can mean different things to different people, especially when you are just embarking on a quest to find a provider. To understand what you need, what a provider is offering – and whether they’ll be able to deliver – Community IT Innovators developed a list of basic questions to ask.

Download the white paper here: 12 Questions Nonprofits Should Ask to Evaluate a Managed Service Provider (MSP)

In our 25 years in serving the nonprofit IT community, we’ve heard lots of stories of IT support that didn’t work out. We used our experience to develop this list of 12 questions you can use to vet any managed service provider as you evaluate your needs and their services.

Join Steve Longenecker, our Director of IT, and Johan Hammerstrom, our President and CEO, for an in depth discussion on avoiding common pitfalls and getting the right level of service for your nonprofit.

Don’t miss this chance to learn how your organization can vet and compare IT providers, whether you have 5 employees or 500.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Learn what questions to ask a managed service provider to get the best service for your organization.

“Managed services” can mean different things to different people, especially when you are just embarking on a quest to find a provider. To understand what you need, what a provider is offering – and whether they’ll be able to deliver – Community IT Innovators developed a list of basic questions to ask.

Download the white paper here: 12 Questions Nonprofits Should Ask to Evaluate a Managed Service Provider (MSP)

In our 25 years in serving the nonprofit IT community, we’ve heard lots of stories of IT support that didn’t work out. We used our experience to develop this list of 12 questions you can use to vet any managed service provider as you evaluate your needs and their services.

Join Steve Longenecker, our Director of IT, and Johan Hammerstrom, our President and CEO, for an in depth discussion on avoiding common pitfalls and getting the right level of service for your nonprofit.

Don’t miss this chance to learn how your organization can vet and compare IT providers, whether you have 5 employees or 500.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-4462658 Mon, 06 Jul 2020 15:00:00 -0400 3676 1 1 full false Remote Staff, Office Staff - Tech Tips for Nonprofits Remote Staff, Office Staff - Tech Tips for Nonprofits CEO Johan Hammerstrom and experts Johanny Torrico (COO) and Steve Longenecker (Director of IT Consulting) discuss tech tips to support nonprofits going back to the office or continuing to work remotely.

Many nonprofits are considering or in the process of reintegrating back into their physical offices. With the sudden shift to working from home, many organizations scrambled to put tools and systems in place quickly over the past few months for their remote staff and office staff. 

Many of us allowed staff to use personal computers and devices, quickly set up file sharing platforms, and moved to using Zoom for conference calls. 

In the rush to be operational it was hard to take the time to compare new tools to existing tools, or consider the security ramifications of any of these sudden changes. In short, even if we did our best to implement thoughtful technology change management, circumstances have made measured approaches quite difficult.

Now, the question is: How to take the benefits from that experience and bring new data, policies, and processes into our official systems of record and cybersecure best practices?

We address two main aspects of remote staff, office staff reintegration.

Is your nonprofit working all remote, all back to a physical office, or a hybrid blend?

  • We touch on technology tips and best practices for several “back to the office” scenarios – we know the nonprofit community is never one-size-fits-all.
  • Community IT knows our sector already has considerable experience in many remote working/hybrid scenarios. This conversation covers existing and new best practices.

Does your nonprofit have in place the policies and security you need to support your new reality?

We know our nonprofits will be called on over the next few years to provide more support to our communities than ever before. Put your best foot forward with the technology tips you need now for your remote staff and office staff.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> CEO Johan Hammerstrom and experts Johanny Torrico (COO) and Steve Longenecker (Director of IT Consulting) discuss tech tips to support nonprofits going back to the office or continuing to work remotely.

Many nonprofits are considering or in the process of reintegrating back into their physical offices. With the sudden shift to working from home, many organizations scrambled to put tools and systems in place quickly over the past few months for their remote staff and office staff. 

Many of us allowed staff to use personal computers and devices, quickly set up file sharing platforms, and moved to using Zoom for conference calls. 

In the rush to be operational it was hard to take the time to compare new tools to existing tools, or consider the security ramifications of any of these sudden changes. In short, even if we did our best to implement thoughtful technology change management, circumstances have made measured approaches quite difficult.

Now, the question is: How to take the benefits from that experience and bring new data, policies, and processes into our official systems of record and cybersecure best practices?

We address two main aspects of remote staff, office staff reintegration.

Is your nonprofit working all remote, all back to a physical office, or a hybrid blend?

  • We touch on technology tips and best practices for several “back to the office” scenarios – we know the nonprofit community is never one-size-fits-all.
  • Community IT knows our sector already has considerable experience in many remote working/hybrid scenarios. This conversation covers existing and new best practices.

Does your nonprofit have in place the policies and security you need to support your new reality?

We know our nonprofits will be called on over the next few years to provide more support to our communities than ever before. Put your best foot forward with the technology tips you need now for your remote staff and office staff.

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-4240445 Fri, 19 Jun 2020 12:00:00 -0400 4527 1 4 full false What Do Nonprofits Need From Their Tech Leaders? What Do Nonprofits Need From Their Tech Leaders? Community IT was pleased to partner with Peter Mirus and David Deal at Build to present a webinar on technology leadership best practices.

Technology leaders at nonprofit organizations come in all sorts and job descriptions, according to the resources and the needs of the organizations they serve. Some organizations have a CIO, others an IT Director, and sometimes a Finance, Operations, Administrative, or Programs executive or manager takes on the technology leadership role. But what do nonprofits need from their tech leaders?

Our colleagues at Build Consulting believe there are a few indispensable qualities or capabilities that all tech leaders should have, regardless of what they otherwise do.

Many of these tips you can put in place quickly and begin to use immediately.

There was a 15 minute Q&A following the webinar, addressing specific questions and challenges of participants. As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Presenters:

Peter Mirus co-founded Build Consulting in 2015, following over 15 years of nonprofit consulting experience in the areas of technology, branding, marketing, and development. His work for Build’s clients has a broad focus spanning many operational areas, including fundraising, program monitoring and evaluation, accounting, and impact reporting/analysis.

He presented our recent webinars on creating a technology roadmap, improving data quality and creating an information strategy for your nonprofit, and has been a speaker on nonprofits and technology at Good Tech Fest and NTC.

David Deal co-founded Build Consulting in 2015, building on over 20 years of deep experience in the nonprofit technology sector. His work with nonprofits includes fundraising, program and case management, human resources, accounting, and much more. 

He writes frequently on software selection, CRM management, and the role of Salesforce in the nonprofit sector. He is a frequent speaker and author on technology issues and nonprofit leadership.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT was pleased to partner with Peter Mirus and David Deal at Build to present a webinar on technology leadership best practices.

Technology leaders at nonprofit organizations come in all sorts and job descriptions, according to the resources and the needs of the organizations they serve. Some organizations have a CIO, others an IT Director, and sometimes a Finance, Operations, Administrative, or Programs executive or manager takes on the technology leadership role. But what do nonprofits need from their tech leaders?

Our colleagues at Build Consulting believe there are a few indispensable qualities or capabilities that all tech leaders should have, regardless of what they otherwise do.

Many of these tips you can put in place quickly and begin to use immediately.

There was a 15 minute Q&A following the webinar, addressing specific questions and challenges of participants. As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Presenters:

Peter Mirus co-founded Build Consulting in 2015, following over 15 years of nonprofit consulting experience in the areas of technology, branding, marketing, and development. His work for Build’s clients has a broad focus spanning many operational areas, including fundraising, program monitoring and evaluation, accounting, and impact reporting/analysis.

He presented our recent webinars on creating a technology roadmap, improving data quality and creating an information strategy for your nonprofit, and has been a speaker on nonprofits and technology at Good Tech Fest and NTC.

David Deal co-founded Build Consulting in 2015, building on over 20 years of deep experience in the nonprofit technology sector. His work with nonprofits includes fundraising, program and case management, human resources, accounting, and much more. 

He writes frequently on software selection, CRM management, and the role of Salesforce in the nonprofit sector. He is a frequent speaker and author on technology issues and nonprofit leadership.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

Thanks for listening. 


]]> Community IT Innovators Buzzsprout-3851372 Wed, 20 May 2020 20:00:00 -0400 3406 1 3 full false