How I Work with Foundations
Community and family foundations work with me to create technology roadmaps, select software, create technology training to build grantee capacity, and conduct research.
Strategic Technology Consulting for Small Foundations
If you’re a community foundation or a family foundation planning a significant change of direction, leadership transition, or another organizational change, you will need to align technology with your strategies and goals.
I can help you with a technology roadmap that includes a situation assessment and change management plan. I will advise you on things like hiring and outsourcing for IT functions, evaluating and aligning vendors, developing technology policies, and how to get the most out of your technology investments through process improvement and maximizing user adoption.
Software Selection for Grantmakers
I will help you identify solutions that meet your critical needs, minimize disruption during the transition, reduce staff time for research and analysis, and avoid common mistakes in software selection.
I start by understanding and documenting your goals, needs, and current toolset. Next, I investigate products, present a shortlist, and guide you through initial demonstrations. Then I help to facilitate your decision-making and due diligence, ensuring you feel confident in your choice and are set up for a successful implementation.
I can help grantmakers like you select:
Grants Management Software
CRM Software
Other systems for foundations
Capacity Building for Grantees: Training, Resources, and Program Design
Many foundations provide capacity building and technical assistance programs to strengthen their community of nonprofits. In this digital age, technology is an essential component, and I will advise you on incorporating technology into your grantee programs.
Often this takes the shape of providing training for grantees. I have designed and led countless workshops and webinars, applying my skill in learning design and facilitation to make learning experiences engaging and foster knowledge and skill transfer from the classroom to real life.
Sample Training Topics
Technology planning 101
Keys to digital transformation
Becoming a data-informed organization
Software selection and implementation
User adoption
Innovative work cultures
Revisiting technology for remote and hybrid workplaces
Winning support and funding for technology initiatives
I can also design knowledge resources such as how-to guides and workbooks.
Research and Writing
Does your foundation want to understand the technology landscape better? Would you like to be more confident in your grasp of your grantees’ technology needs? Or, would you like to surface and promote best practices in nonprofit technology?
My skills include developing research methodologies, conducting interviews and surveys, conducting desk research, analyzing quantitative and qualitative data (using basic tools - I am not a data scientist), writing, and editing. My experience with Idealware, where impartiality was paramount, taught me measures to fact-check and minimize bias. I explain highly technical concepts in an accessible style.
Sample Projects
Digital Assessment Tool (TechSoup) - TechSoup contracted with Tech Impact to assist with the development of this widely used digital maturity assessment. My role was to provide input to the model and rubric, and rewrite the full question set based on user testing results.
State of Philanthropy Tech 2020 (TAG) - I oversaw the Tech Impact team that partnered with TAG on this survey, providing a strategic perspective on data analysis, interpretation of findings, and framing of results.
ROI in Technology Decisions (Tech Impact/Idealware) - I was a co-author of this research publication which included a broad survey of nonprofits to discover their perceptions of return on investment for different kinds of technology, and interpretation of findings.
Digital Skillsets for Nonprofit Leaders (Tech Impact/Idealware) - I was co-author of this publication which used interview research to discover and codify digital skillsets required for successful nonprofit leaders.
Nikki Barrett, CEO, Grantbook
“Karen and I worked together on two critical, Grantbook-sponsored, tech guides for foundations. Behind her powerful ability to move multiple perspectives to agreement and action, sat her deep philanthropy and technology expertise, not to mention her networks that enriched the work in countless ways.”
Whether you want to explore an engagement with me, or just need me to point you in the right direction, I’m happy to meet. Schedule a free 30 minute consultation.
