The Power of Precious – How Nonprofits Can Invest in What Really Makes a Difference

Nonprofits are often faced with challenges when it comes to technology. You need to deliver your services quickly and efficiently, with limited budgets and not enough people. While off-the-shelf solutions may work for most functions, such as accounting or CRM systems, in the mission and program areas, you probably do not have those same options. This creates a dilemma for nonprofits, as custom solutions can be risky, costly, and time-consuming to implement. At the same time, a thoughtful custom solution can delight your constituents and create an experience for them that they cannot find elsewhere.

So, how can nonprofits decide when it makes sense to invest in a custom solution? The answer lies in identifying what is precious to the organization. At the Multiple Sclerosis Society, a board member shared with us how his organization approached strategic planning by identifying what was the most "precious" to its success. During that meeting, the word “precious” hit home. It is a very powerful word.

To determine what is precious to your organization, start by examining your core mission and the key activities that support it. Identify what sets your organization apart from others in the field and what the most significant challenges are in delivering services to those you serve. Determine what services you are equipped to provide and what only you can provide. Then, take that list and pick out the areas that are the most precious. That list represents the opportunities where an investment can make a major difference to your organization.

If your existing software solutions fall short in areas you consider precious, it may be time to consider a custom solution. With the advancements in low-code and no-code solutions, as well as robotic process automation, developing custom solutions for something critical to your mission is more accessible than ever before. For instance, if you need a workflow specific to manage cases for the people you serve, taking the time to use the tools available inside or outside of your CRM system to build specific functionality that will serve your constituents better than they could hope for may be worth the investment in a custom solution.

It's important to note that custom solutions are not always the answer. Investing in a custom solution should only be considered when the benefit of the solution outweighs the cost of the development and maintenance. Nonprofits should carefully evaluate the potential return on investment, including both the immediate benefits and long-term costs. At the same time, advances in technology have made it so nonprofits do not need to completely shy aware from custom development.