Increasing Tech Funding for Nonprofits

Based on a Survey of Technology-Related Grantmaking

for Social Benefit

Webinar – April 6, 2011

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Introduction

• From Egypt to East LA: Powerful, participatory…pro-active?

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Objectives of ZeroDivide Research Project

Overall: Increase quality, quantity of funding for nonprofits

Focus: Recommendations for funders, share intel with npo’s

Research objectives:

• Clarify the extent of existing technology grantmaking

• Identify barriers to increased investment

• Identify suggestions for addressing these barriers

• Surface notable grantmaking strategies and best practices

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Emphases: Getting Beyond the Choir

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Other Key Emphases

• Underserved communities and nonprofits serving them

• “Tech integration” – Weaving tech throughout organization, moving from operational/IT to programmatic strategies

• Distinction for report – focus on social outcomes:

- programmatic vs. operational

- transformational vs. transactional

- shift hearts/minds, behavior change, beyond traffic

• Still need for tech capacity building, but other studies on it

• What types of technology: video, texting/mobile, social media, e-advocacy tools, etc.

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Inspiring Examples

• Ushahidi – Resource and crisis mapping

Meaning & Pronunciationu·sha·hi·di

[oo-shah-hee-dee] - A Swahili word which means "testimony".

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Inspiring Examples

• It Gets Better – Online video

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Methodology & Respondents

• 41 Foundations – range of tech savvy, size, type

• 13 Nonprofit Technology Service Providers – nat’l, regional

• Three Convenings: Funders in SF and NYC, TSP’s in SF

• Interviews with 15 more funders and 6 TSP’s

• Online survey by 28 of the funders

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Report Findings – selected list for this session

• High funder interest, limited familiarity or expertise

• Existing investments modest: mostly back end

• Type of investments tactical, not strategic

• The digital (funding) divide – who’s being funded

• Strategies for impactful investment unclear – skeptical

of social media ROI, better measurement

needed

• Good news: Grantees leading the charge, Future $

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Future Funding Trends?

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Recommendations by funders, for funders:

• Increase funder education and advising activities

• Expand the pool of investment

• Strengthen Technology Service Provider ecosystem

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Recommendations for nonprofits

• Don’t be shy about asking - funders curious, skg guidance

• Bring the data: start modest experiment, show #’s, savvy

• Propose TA/trainings across a cohort of their grantees

- suggest they partner with another funder on cohort

• Encourage them to support TSP’s

• Help create demand – builds pressure to complement ZD push from the foundation side

- if enough grantees are asking, even if no funding in the near term, it builds the case

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Closing - Keeping the Conversation Going

• ZD’s ongoing webinars, newsletter, blog posts – propose topics that would be helpful

• Suggest to existing funders that ZD present findings and session on grantmaking strategies

• Twitter users follow http://twitter.com/zerodivideorg

• Use hashtags: #fundertech, #nptech

• Email with comments/suggestions: jeff@zerodivide.org

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