NGO Digital Guide

Welcome to our NGO Digital Guide, your go-to resource for all the tools and techniques to enable successful digital transformation in the nonprofit sector.

🗺 Are you in the right place?

You are in the right place if you are:

• Working or volunteering in an NGO.
• (Not) Afraid of the changes brought by technology.
• Determined to pursue your organization’s mission and vision, regardless of the obstacles technology sometimes can cause.

You are in the right place if you want to:

• Boost your organization’s online presence.
• Create more impact.
• Utilize digital tools properly.

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1. Embracing digital transition

💻 How NGOs can thrive in the digital age.

The digital transition is one of the most critical topics all around the globe. With the exponential development of technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning, it is getting involved in our daily lives.

💡 The reality is that the change is happening with or without you and your NGO.

Here are some numbers to give you perspective:

Source: Statista

As you can see, these platforms are entirely different and serve different purposes. What connects them is timing, not innovation. There were many social media, file sharing, and chatbot platforms, yet somehow these companies managed to pull it off!

Another relevant thing to note is that OpenAI (ChatGPT creators) started as a non-profit organization and now operates as a for-profit/non-profit hybrid.

What does all this mean for NGO digital transformation?

Simply put, the non-profit sector was never more involved in technology development than today. This is also why digital capacity building for NGOs is part of the EU’s long-term digital education action plan.

👉 It is essential to draw a line between digital transition and transformation. In Adapto, we believe the transition is inevitable, while transformation is optional.

If you, for example, want to develop/find a mobile app for NGO, it is crucial to integrate it into the existing structure and processes within the organization.

Let’s again take the example of ChatGPT – it is not fully transforming our daily work (yet) but creating space for the coming transition.

Digital capacity building for NGOs

This was the necessary (and maybe boring) reality check. Now let’s talk about why you are here – Digital capacity building for NGOs.

Here a magic word comes as the answer ✨education✨. Formal, informal, non-formal, online, offline, hybrid, in-group, solo… The shape and form don’t matter.

What matters is ✨motivation✨, another magic word. Luckily for you, you have the vision of your NGO to follow and a mission to achieve. This should be solid motivation for your quest to build digital capacity.

So the magic equation looks like this:
✨Education✨ + ✨Motivation✨ = 🚀 Digital Capacity

🎉 Are you still reading? After 500+ words of nothing concrete that you can take and apply in your NGO? Amazing! It can mean two things, you either understand the topic or want to learn about it.

2. Free tools and discounts to help your NGO succeed online

🤝 Use the opportunity. IT Companies love to support NGOs!

It is time to award you determination with a complete list of tools, platforms, and services that your NGO can get for free or with a substantial discount.

⚡ Free and discounted digital tools for NGOs:

• ChatGPT – Content creation, project writing, and more.
  🥇 Adapto’s #1 choice for the best AI chatbot.
  Free version: ✅
  Regular pricing: $25 monthly per user.
  Price for NGOs: $20 monthly or yearly per user.
  📝 Note: Additional discounts apply for the Enterprise plan.
  🔗 ChatGPT for Nonprofits
• Google Workspace – Email, calendar, document creation, storage, collaboration, and more.
  🥇 Adapto’s #1 choice for the best office tool bundle.
  Free version: ❌
  Regular pricing: $6 monthly per user.
  Price for NGOs: Free
  📝 Note: up to 79% discount for other plans.
  🔗 Google Workspace for Nonprofits
• Slack – Team collaboration tool for messaging and file sharing.
  🥇 Adapto’s #1 choice for the best team communication platform.
  Free version: ✅
  Regular pricing: $7.25 monthly per user.
  Price for NGOs: Free
  📝 Note: up to 85% discount for other plans.
  🔗 Slack for Nonprofits
• MailChimp – Email marketing service for newsletters, promotional emails, and automated campaigns.
  🥇 Adapto’s #1 choice for the best email marketing tool.
  Free version: ✅
  Regular pricing: $13 monthly.
  Price for NGOs: $11.05 monthly.
  📝 Note: 15% discount for all of the plans.
  🔗 MailChimp Nonprofit Discount
• Grammarly – Grammar, spelling, and punctuation suggestions.
  🥇 Adapto’s #1 choice for the best grammar tool.
  Free version: ✅
  Regular pricing: €15 monthly per user.
  Price for NGOs: Currently, no discount for NGOs.
  🔗 Grammarly for Nonprofits
  
  ⚠ May 2024 Update: Grammarly is no longer offering free Business plans for NGOs. All active NGO subscriptions have been canceled. You can still use the free account.
• Canva – Graphic design tool suitable for presentations, social media posts, and flyers.
  Free version: ✅
  Regular pricing: $12.99 monthly per user.
  Price for NGOs: Free
  📝 Note: Teachers and schools are also eligible.
  🔗 Canva for Nonprofits
• Trello – Project management tool for visualizing, organizing, and prioritizing.
  Free version: ✅
  Regular pricing: Free
  Price for NGOs: Free
  📝 Note: up to 75% discount for other plans.
  🔗 Trello Non-profit community discount
• Monday – Project management and team collaboration platform for tracking projects, and workflows.
  Free version: ❌
  Regular pricing: €10 monthly per user.
  Price for NGOs: Free
  📝 Note: 70% discount for all of the plans.
  🔗 Monday for Nonprofits
• Hootsuite – Social media management platform for managing, scheduling, and analyzing.
  Free version: ❌
  Regular pricing: $99 monthly.
  Price for NGOs: $24.75 monthly.
  📝 Note: up to 75% discount.
  🔗 Hootsuite’s HootGiving Program for Nonprofits

⚡ Other digital perks for NGOs:

• 🔗 YouTube Nonprofit Program – External URLs and fundraising features.
• 🔗 Google Ad Grants – Up to $10,000 monthly advertising for text ads.
• 🔗 Google Earth and Maps – Virtual tours and other premium features.
• 🔗 Adobe nonprofit program – VIP and TLP global programs.
• 🔗 Microsoft’s nonprofit offers – Discounts for tools and Microsoft training.
• 🔗 Udemy Business Nonprofit Plan – Online learning platform.

⚡ Additional Recommendations for NGOs:

• WordPress
• Google Analytics
• Google Search Console

More ≠ Better.

Although all of the above-mentioned tools are amazing and deserve equal love and appreciation, especially for the perks NGOs can have, not all of them are necessary.

Remember, you want to pursue your organization’s vision, and the digital capacity should support you in this process, not make it more challenging.

This is why the advice is to make progress with small steps.

✅ Don’t leave anybody behind: If inclusion is one of your core values, you must know that digital transition can’t happen simultaneously for all the members of the NGO.

✅ Learn, train, and improve: Education is one of the two crucial variables for a successful digital transition. Create an atmosphere that encourages exploration and sharing of findings within the team.

✅ Embrace agility and adaptability: The digital landscape is dynamic, and new technologies and trends emerge rapidly. Embrace agility and be open to adapting your digital strategies and tools as needed.

3. Leading remote teams

🌍 How to work together if the team is all around the world?

Hello? Do you hear me? Where is the screen-share button? In which shared folder is that project? The connection is interrupting…

Besides these initial technical challenges, which are inevitable during the team’s digitalization process, there is another aspect to consider. We are all people, and we need to interact with each other.

How can the cooperation be friendly, professional, and effective if the team doesn’t share a common workspace and interacts mainly through digital channels?

#1 Establish seamless communication channels that bridge the physical divide

🎯 To overcome geographical barriers, enhance productivity, and foster a sense of connection and teamwork within the remote team.

✅ Do:

• Implement video conferencing tools for regular virtual meetings and face-to-face interactions.
• Utilize instant messaging platforms for quick and real-time communication.
• Establish and communicate expectations regarding response times and availability to ensure prompt and effective communication.

❌ Don’t:

• Rely solely on email for essential or time-sensitive communication.
• Overload team members with excessive virtual meetings that could impede productivity.
• Neglect to establish a central platform or tool for document sharing and collaboration.

#2 Set clear expectations and guidelines to ensure smooth workflows and accountability

🎯 To establish a structured framework that clarifies roles, responsibilities, and expectations, promoting efficient workflows and fostering a culture of accountability within the remote team.

✅ Do:

• Define clear roles and responsibilities for each team member, ensuring clarity and avoiding duplication of efforts.
• Establish transparent communication channels to provide regular updates, share progress, and address challenges or concerns.
• Set clear deadlines and expectations for deliverables, ensuring accountability and promoting timely completion of tasks.

❌ Don’t:

• Forget to communicate expectations and guidelines.
• Micromanage team members, impeding autonomy and hindering productivity.
• Fail to provide regular feedback and recognition, overlooking opportunities for improvement and motivation.

#3 Schedule check-ins to maintain alignment and a sense of unity

🎯 To prioritize the well-being of team members and ensure their alignment with the organization’s vision through scheduled check-ins.

✅ Do:

• Set up regular check-ins that allow team members to share their thoughts, concerns, and ideas about their well-being and understanding of the organization’s vision.
• Encourage open and honest conversations during check-ins to foster a supportive environment and address any challenges or issues affecting team members’ well-being or alignment.
• Allocate time during check-ins to discuss the organization’s vision, goals, and progress, and encourage team members to connect their contributions to the broader picture.

❌ Don’t:

• Neglect to schedule regular check-ins since it can lead to misalignment among team members.
• Dismiss or downplay the importance of addressing team members’ well-being.
• Fail to emphasize the organization’s vision during check-ins.

#4 Spark team spirit through virtual team-building activities

🎯 To cultivate a strong sense of unity, boost team morale, and enhance collaboration within the remote team.

✅ Do:

• Organize virtual icebreaker sessions or get-to-know-you activities to help team members bond and build relationships.
• Plan virtual team-building games, such as online quizzes, scavenger hunts, or virtual escape rooms, to promote teamwork and cooperation.
• Host virtual social events, such as virtual coffee breaks, happy hours, or themed parties, to create a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere for team members to connect.
• Encourage team members to share personal interests, hobbies, or achievements during team-building activities to deepen understanding and build connections.
• Provide the space for everyone to organize and lead such an activity.

❌ Don’t:

• Overlook the importance of team-building activities in remote environments.
• Rely solely on work-related discussions without incorporating opportunities for social interaction and team bonding.
• Repeat the activities to make organizing easier (Pizza Friday, Movie Night, etc.)

#5 Invest in continuous professional development

🎯 To enhance team members’ skills, knowledge, and growth opportunities by empowering them.

✅ Do:

• Provide access to online courses, webinars, or workshops relevant to team members’ roles and professional interests.
• Encourage team members to participate in industry conferences, seminars, or virtual events to stay updated on the latest trends and developments in their field.
• Support team members in acquiring certifications or advanced qualifications to enhance their expertise and professional credibility.
• Foster a culture of learning and knowledge-sharing within the team, where team members are encouraged to share their learnings and insights.

❌ Don’t:

• Ignore professional development opportunities and solely focus on day-to-day tasks and responsibilities.
• Fail to recognize and acknowledge the achievements and progress made by team members in their professional development journey.
• Limit professional development activities to only a few team members, excluding others from valuable learning experiences.

4. Digital identity and marketing for NGOs

📱 Adapt or stagnate. The calculation is simple.

Every organization in the 21st century must maintain a certain digital identity. However, before something is maintained, it must be created first.

Take a look at this table describing three different levels of brand identity and digital marketing for NGOs:

Level	Description
#1 Bare minimum	Essential website and social presence with minimal engagement and content variety.
#2 Intermediate	Decent SEO, user engagement, and regular, targeted social media and email efforts.
#3 Highly advanced	NGO community platform, optimized content, and segmented campaigns for impact.

Here is one helpful list to start with:

• Brand standards 🎨
  (NGO is a brand. Every brand has a logo and standards it follows in the digital realm.)
• Website 🌐
  (With all the necessary information to easily recognize and identify it is the website of your NGO)
• Social media 📱
  (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter / X, YouTube, etc.)
• Search Engine Optimization, aka SEO 🔍
  (Optimized content, technical optimization, user experience, etc.)
• Content strategy 📅
  (Publishing with a plan and purpose.)
• Email marketing ✉️
  (Email is still the most powerful way to reach your community. If done correctly.)
• Community platforms 💻
  (Where do your volunteers, staff, external members, donors, etc., interact with your NGO?)
• PR and interviews 📰
  (Is your NGO present on other portals? Do you put efforts into reaching out to journalists?)
• Adaptiveness is the key 🔑
  (How adaptive is your organization towards hyperdynamic changes happening online?)
  

Surely, there are thousands of other relevant factors to consider. However, 95% of them can fit into the 9 listed above.

That’s why the advice is to focus on them and combine technical expertise with a willingness to utilize the digital identity of your NGO in pursuing the vision.

5. Measuring what matters

📈 What is the result that your NGO creates?

There are unlimited methods one can use to measure the KPI (Key Performance Indicators) of an NGO.

“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.”
Mark Twain

In Adapto, we believe that the only KPI that matters is IMPACT. Putting IMPACT in numbers is fairly difficult. Or at least it was!

We cooperated with New Wellness Education within the Wheel of Impact project (Co-funded by the European Union) to implement an ultimate impact-measuring tool.

The purpose isn’t to quantify the impact of every single action. It’s to make one ask themselves questions, leading to coordinated actions and greater impact.

6. Balancing technology and well-being

🤖 The benefits of technology are great, and the potential downsides are even greater.

There isn’t a universal formula that determines how much technology is good for an individual and their organization. However, there are some factors that you should consider.

Younger generations use technology more. Although this is a stereotypical claim that generalizes the profile of technology consumers, there is a lot of truth in it.

Source: Statista.com

This means you must consider the generalized profile of people in your NGO. At the end of the day, they are the ones dealing with technology that supports or limits your organization.

Use this profile to understand how to get the most out of the people while helping them maintain the balance.

Outside the generalized approach, there is also a personal level. Just because someone is born as a Boomer doesn’t necessarily mean they have fewer skills than someone from Generation Z.

💼 Takeaway: Observe your organization’s age profile to create a general picture. Approach each person individually, regardless of age.

Considering all this, the recommendation is to start with a self-evaluation. This can give a clear picture of the general and individual profiles of people involved in your organization.

Regardless of the form you’ll conduct it in, ask questions like:

1. How comfortable are you with your role’s current technology tools and platforms?
2. How often do you take breaks from digital screens during the workday?
3. Have you participated in any training sessions related to digital literacy or well-being provided by the organization?
4. What communication channels (email, messaging apps, etc.) do you find most effective for work-related communication?
5. Do you feel comfortable expressing concerns or preferences regarding communication tools within the organization?
6. Do you feel that technology enhances or hinders effective collaboration within the organization?
7. Do you believe that technology positively or negatively impacts your overall well-being in the workplace?

This is just a starting point. Adjust the questions and add new ones based on your organization. Once done, use the data and brainstorm ideas to help you overcome any potential causes of losing balance between technology and well-being.

7. Cybersecurity and privacy for NGOs

🔐 Be careful out there!

Once again, the primary focus isn’t on the technology but on the people. Numerous research studies show that most security breaches happen due to human errors.

Common errors include phishing attacks, weak password usage, unauthorized access, and accidental data exposure.

🔗 Tessian and Stanford University conducted research exploring this topic in detail.

Here are a few tips that can drastically improve the cybersecurity of the majority of NGOs:

📧 Watch out for sneaky emails: Be wary of unexpected emails or ones asking for personal info. If it seems odd, steer clear. Don’t click on strange links or download anything fishy.

🔒 Lock down your passwords: Use strong, unique passwords. Switch them up, and don’t recycle them—it’s like having one key for all your locks. Change things a bit, and add that extra layer of security (multi-factor authentication) if you can.

🌐 Access for only what you need: Not everyone needs access to everything. Keep it simple. Only give people access to what they need for their jobs. Less access means less risk.

🚨 Speak up about anything strange: If you spot something weird or off, speak up. Don’t hesitate to report it. It’s like seeing a mysterious package – reporting it and being safe is better.

Now that you have the basics for keeping your organization safe, let’s see what you can do for the people outside it (members, partners, wider circle of support, etc.):

🛡️ Respect relevant data privacy laws: In navigating the digital landscape, it’s crucial for NGOs not just to meet but exceed the expectations set by data privacy laws such as GDPR or CCPA. This isn’t just about legal checkboxes! It’s a chance to build trust. By being transparent about how data is handled and processed, NGOs signal to their external stakeholders that their privacy is taken seriously, fostering a relationship built on transparency and respect.

📚 Data collection transparency: Be an open book regarding data. External stakeholders appreciate honesty about what information is being collected, why it’s needed, and how it will be used. Keep it clear and simple, and let them know their information is in good hands.

🚀 Educational initiatives: Thinking about your wider community? Empower them. Host workshops, share tips, and make sure your partners and supporters are savvy about online security. It’s not just about protecting them; it’s about creating a collective force for a safer digital world. Your advice can turn individuals into guardians of their digital space, fostering a community that’s not just informed but actively engaged in online safety.

Taking care of cybersecurity and privacy concerns requires a lot of synchronized small-scale actions. Start with always double-checking if you added recipients as BCC in the mass emails, and then expand on more complex points.

8. The future is now!

👀 Take a look at these examples.

Many people worldwide are already using technology as fuel for their ventures. Here are some impressive examples:

Zipline

Life-saving deliveries with drones.

Watch the video

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Operation Red Alert

Data-driven human trafficking prevention.

Watch the video

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The Ocean Cleanup

Cleaning the oceans by cleaning the rivers.

Watch the video

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Plenty

Using the technology to make farms vertical.

Watch the video

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🙌 Want us to add a good example of using technology for social impact? Let us know!

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Thank you for reading this guide! Hopefully, you got something useful for your organization.

Need additional support?

We embrace everyone to propose improvements and updates for this guide. Get in touch with us to propose the ways in which we can improve it and support NGOs around the world.

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All rights reserved.