How technology helped bring one nonprofit out of the dark ages…
…and the individuals who helped make it happen #thenewCSR — Salesforce
Last week, Rebecca Brosnan, COO of Mother’s Choice, published an article in “The Innovation” on “5 Reasons Why NGO’s Should Invest in IT…and the Role that the Corporate Sector Can Play to Make it Happen.”
Specifically, she talked about lack of funding for nonprofits to take on major IT projects, but also the extreme difficulty in “keeping the lights” on including the cost of on-going licensing costs as well as the ability to afford or recruit the talent necessarily to implement and maintain those systems. However, she calls on donors, volunteers and nonprofits themselves, to begin to think differently about investing in IT.
In a recent “Bonus” episode of her podcast “Nonprofits are Messy” Joan Garry talks about the often underestimated scale of the nonprofit sector which accounts for 1 in 10 jobs in the U.S. private sector work force, with a total workforce of over 12 million in 2016. Many of these 12 million people will be working inefficiently due to lack of investment in technology. Improving this alone could have a massive impact on those we are all working to help.
In her article, Rebecca highlights choosing Salesforce as a key strategic platform as critical in her organization’s journey to leverage technology to improve efficiency, effectiveness and ultimately allow them to serve their clients better, innovate and improve outcomes. In particular, Salesforce.com’s “Non-Profit Starter Pack” is geared toward getting nonprofits up and running as soon as possible.
As part of our series on building capacity and #thenewCSR, on corporates and individuals using professional expertise to give back to the nonprofit sector, Sujith Abraham, SVP of ASEAN Sales at Salesforce talks with Rebecca about why he and Salesforce feel it is part of their mission to invest in the nonprofit industry and also the personal rewards of using your professional skills towards the common good.
1. Rebecca: Why does investing in technology matter for nonprofit organisations?
Sujith: The world around us is changing rapidly and the global challenges that nonprofits are facing require technology to empower organisations to meet the scale of the problems. Technology helps nonprofits better connect to and provide for the people and causes they focus on. Technology can help make funding seamless and building a community more engaging. In fact, in our recent 2020 Nonprofit Trends Report, we found that 69% of nonprofits see increased demand for transparency of their impact & funding, and 86% of nonprofits identify technology as key to success.
2. Rebecca: How have you seen employees of nonprofit organisations benefit from systems infrastructure?
Sujith: The key benefit that employees have from technology comes in two parts. First, it helps them better connect to their community and causes; and secondly, it helps them better connect to each other. By leveraging technology, employee-teams can have a single source of information, helping them work as one to get to know each stakeholder, from supporters to beneficiaries, engaging on their terms to deliver lasting change that scales. Technology also gives employees the flexibility to ‘think big’ when creating ways to connect with their donors. Because they know that ideas not only can be brought to life, but also scale, it increases employee creativity and productivity, all while better serving the community.
3. Rebecca: What is your personal motivation to offer your time and expertise to nonprofit organizations?
Sujith: At Salesforce, “Equality” is a core tenet of how we run our business and we believe that equality and diversity make us a better company and community. We believe that business is the greatest platform for change, and all businesses have the opportunity to be a platform for change. We are committed to making an impact on our community. Personally, I love combining two things that I’m passionate about — technology and giving back. By helping nonprofits of all shapes and sizes see how technology can bring constituents and organisations together, it empowers nonprofit teams to manage their entire mission with one integrated platform that puts people first.
4. Rebecca: How has being involved with Mother’s Choice helped you see your corporate work differently?
Sujith: I feel incredibly lucky to work for a company, like Salesforce, that has giving back and has philanthropy built into its DNA. I think I get the best of both worlds really — not only am I helping amazing nonprofits like Mother’s Choice empower their teams to work better together through technology, we’re also driving real outcomes and impacting people’s lives. Our CEO Marc Benioff has said, “the business of business is to make the world a better place” — and I believe we are doing that by helping nonprofits like Mother’s Choice digitally transform their businesses.
5. Rebecca: What has been your experience working with Mother’s Choice?
Sujith: I love the fact that Mother’s Choice is led by incredibly capable leaders with tremendous vision and operational discipline. It’s this combination of vision and discipline that has led to the tremendous impact they’ve had on the Hong Kong community and also what motivates me to contribute whatever I can to the cause.
6. Rebecca: Describe your experience working with Mother’s Choice in one word?
Sujith: Eye-Opening
About Mother’s Choice. Mother’s Choice is a local charity serving the many children without families and pregnant teenagers in Hong Kong. Follow Mother’s Choice on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook or at www.motherschoice.org
About Salesforce. Salesforce is the #1 CRM, bringing companies closer to their customers in the digital age. For information, please visit www.salesforce.com
