Given the current coronavirus situation, your nonprofit organization will likely need to make some changes to how you work. We at IT4Causes stand ready to help nonprofits in the greater Richmond, VA area* use technology to lessen the impact of closed offices or self-isolation of individual workers. We’ve been closely following the situation and working with our staff, board, and volunteers to identify effective, low-cost strategies to supplement your current technology footprint and increase productivity of remote work. We’ve identified several tools that we can quickly deploy, and are mobilizing our staff, interns, and skilled IT volunteers to help you continue to meet your mission in these challenging times. Some available options include:
- Implementing remote desktop solutions
- Setting up users with laptops (we have access to a limited supply of used equipment for minimal cost)
- Teleconferencing and videoconferencing tools
- Access to inexpensive hotspot solutions for workers without adequate bandwidth in the homes
- Increasing training on Office 365 collaboration tools
- Remote help desk options
- Transitioning client interaction experiences to virtual
- Transitioning group experiences like meetings, events, and conferences to online
- Procedures for limiting exposure when using shared equipment
- Reviewing, enhancing, and assisting with implementing emergency response plans
- Discussing other situations and brainstorming solutions to keep your team moving
We have also established a “Command Center” that leverages Agile best practices to triage requests for assistance and get them assigned to appropriate volunteers quickly, with appropriate follow-up to ensure your needs are met.
Please contact us at info@it4causes.org to let us know what you need for your organization to continue to do your good work in these challenging times. Please include phone contact as well as email so we can provide the best service to your organization.
You can also look at this resource guide from TechSoup, one of our long-term partners in delivering cost effective technology to RVA nonprofits. There are a lot of options and ideas listed, and we stand ready to help your nonprofit chose and implement the best ones for your specific circumstances.
We will be putting in extra hours over the weekend and coming days, so please reach out anytime and we’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.
Take care,
Tom Anderson
CEO, IT4Causes
*We define “greater Richmond VA” or RVA as any location within a 45-minute drive of downtown Richmond. We are willing to consider requests from nonprofit agencies outside this area on a case-by-case basis if we have sufficient resources.