Case Study: IT Managed Services for a Nonprofit Organization

Client Overview

A local Oregon nonprofit organization focused on providing community programs and resources to indigenous communities. SMB designed and installed a new I.T. infrastructure at a new facility. SMB helped in moving their office seamlessly from Vancouver, WA to a new building in Portland, OR. They are a 501 nonprofit organization that supports Native American artists, culture bearers, and Native led arts organizations, providing them with support through fellowships and project funding. They offer workshops, mentorship programs, and grants to help improve education outcomes in the indigenous community. Despite their mission-driven success, their IT systems were struggling to keep up with the growing demands of their operations with the internal staff.

Challenge

The nonprofit organization faced several challenges:

• Limited IT Resources: With an internal person (Executive Director), there was insufficient capacity to handle the growing technology needs of the organization. Technology was more demanding of the I.T. infrastructure as things change so quickly.
• Lack of Modern Infrastructure: Outdated software and hardware made it difficult to collaborate effectively, manage donor data securely, and track program outcomes efficiently.
• Cybersecurity Risks: The organization was using unprotected systems to store sensitive donor and beneficiary information, putting the organization at risk for data breaches. Also, there was no ongoing security training for the staff.
• Operational Inefficiencies: Frequent IT disruptions affected daily activities, such as event coordination, donation processing, and general I.T. management of the daily work tools and systems and security management.

Solution

The nonprofit turned to SMB, a nonprofit focused managed IT services provider, to optimize their technology, improve security, and ensure they could focus on their mission without being distracted by IT challenges.

1. Cloud Migration and Infrastructure Upgrade:

The service provider moved the organization’s internal applications to many cloud-based platforms, replacing legacy servers and increasing collaboration capabilities. They also upgraded the organization’s software, including donor management and communication tools.

2. Cybersecurity & Data Protection:

A comprehensive security plan was put in place, including firewalls, end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and secure backup systems. Regular security audits were conducted to ensure that sensitive data was protected in compliance with data privacy regulations and standards.

3. 24/7 Monitoring and Support:

The SMB managed services team provides around-the-clock monitoring and support, ensuring the nonprofit’s IT systems ran smoothly without interruptions. This included resolving any technical issues related to emails, communication platforms, and other management software. A robust Help Desk solved everyday issues in a fast and timely manner so the staff member can get back to work.

4. Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity:

A recovery plan was implemented, enabling the nonprofit to quickly restore systems and data in case of any failure. Regular data backups ensured that crucial donor and beneficiary information was never lost.

5. IT Strategy and Consulting:

SMB worked closely with the nonprofit to understand their long-term goals and provided IT consultations to improve efficiency and scalability. They recommended low-cost technology solutions that aligned with the nonprofit's budget.

Results

• Improved Staff Engagement and Downtime: With an upgraded management and I.T. system upgrades, the nonprofit was able to send secure personalized communications and information needed by the organization to effectuate a stronger staff engagement and increase the use of their time and productivity.
• Enhanced Security: With upgraded security protocols, the organization’s sensitive data, including financial donations and volunteer information, was protected from potential breaches, ensuring compliance with regulations required by the State of Oregon. Instituting a layered security best practices policy and employee security training has successfully kept the bad actors at bay.
• Operational Efficiency: The nonprofit experienced a 40% reduction in IT-related downtime, allowing staff to focus more on program delivery and volunteer management, rather than dealing with IT issues.
• Scalable Growth: The internal and cloud infrastructure allowed the nonprofit to scale its operations easily, ensuring that as the organization expanded, their technology needs could grow without major new investments in people unless needed as the organization has grown from a handful of staff to 22 to date. SMB has instituted an organized and documented best practices onboarding system so a newbie is up and running very quickly. SMB works with the nonprofit to keep their equipment up-to-date and SMB each month provides several reports that help us predict their I.T. needs including new software products that would make them more cost effective and productive. We make plans with the nonprofit for projects like moving their data from Box to OneDrive just recently.
• Cost Savings: By outsourcing IT services, the nonprofit reduced overhead costs related to maintaining an internal IT team, freeing up more resources to invest in their educational programs. A robust Help Desk solved everyday issues in a fast and timely manner so the staff member can get back to work.

Conclusion

Through its partnership with SMB a managed services provider that focuses nonprofits, the nonprofit organization successfully improved its IT infrastructure, enhanced security, and increased operational efficiency. These improvements allowed the nonprofit to focus more on its mission of providing educational opportunities and resources to underserved indigenous communities, while leaving the complex IT management to the experts.