Are you a new board member hoping to help your nonprofit navigate IT management?

Do you know what you need to know about IT, cybersecurity, and change management as a board member?

Where is your nonprofit on the scale of IT management maturity?

In this podcast Marketing Director Carolyn Woodard, who has served as an IT Director at nonprofits in her career, shares best practices and her thoughts on the importance of

• setting priorities
• how to start designing an IT Roadmap from your priorities
• how to allocate budget, staff time, and staff energy
• understanding IT change management best practices and the staff capacity of your nonprofit
• setting project timelines from your IT Roadmap

For more information on creating an IT Roadmap and to view the slides mentioned in this podcast, https://communityit.com/webinar-design-an-it-roadmap-to-create-value/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

• Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/
• email Carolyn at cwoodard@communityit.com
• on LinkedIn

Thanks for listening.

Whether or not your nonprofit faced Crowdstrike impacts, the aftermath of a national or worldwide incident is a great time to gather your cybersecurity team and run the exercise: what will your organization do during the next outage or cyber attack?

Nonprofit Cybersecurity expert Matt Eshleman shares his thoughts in this podcast on the importance of

• reviewing your incident response and business continuity plans regularly,
• practicing your response regularly – what will you do if a critical person is absent?
• involving stakeholders outside the domain of the IT team to weigh the recovery options and order of importance. Payroll first? Email? Securing a backup of your data?

As the Chief Technology Officer at Community IT, Matthew Eshleman leads the team responsible for strategic planning, research, and implementation of the technology platforms used by nonprofit organization clients to be secure and productive. With a deep background in network infrastructure, he fundamentally understands how nonprofit tech works and interoperates both in the office and in the cloud. With extensive experience serving nonprofits, Matt also understands nonprofit culture and constraints, and has a history of implementing cost-effective and secure solutions at the enterprise level.

Matt has over 23 years of expertise in cybersecurity, IT support, team leadership, software selection and research, and client support. Matt is a frequent speaker on cybersecurity topics for nonprofits and has presented at NTEN events, the Inside NGO conference, Nonprofit Risk Management Summit and Credit Builders Alliance Symposium, LGBT MAP Finance Conference, and Tech Forward Conference. He is also the session designer and trainer for TechSoup’s Digital Security course, and our resident Cybersecurity expert.

Learn how to recover better from a cybersecurity incident with some key takeaways from this podcast.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

• Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/
• email Carolyn at cwoodard@communityit.com
• on LinkedIn

Thanks for listening.

In part 2, we discuss Single Sign On (SSO) implementation and roll out, and answer questions from the webinar audience.

In part 1, our guests Steve Longenecker and Phil Oswald Christano define SSO and go over what it does and doesn't do. We discuss the unfortunate fact that each app interacts with SSO differently so you have to enable it for each app. However, if you use Google or Microsoft you already have some basic tools to implement SSO.

If you have heard about Single Sign On (SSO) and wondered what it can do for your nonprofit, this webinar explains the concept and examines the ways that SSO can help your organization be more productive and work more safely online.

Single Sign-On (SSO) is a pivotal security and usability tool for any modern organization. By enabling users to access multiple applications with one set of login credentials, SSO not only simplifies the authentication process but also enhances security.

At the most basic level, when a user is logged in via SSO, they access the websites and tools they use for work through that SSO service. Those individual websites and tools are configured to trust the SSO-providing service. Organizations can set up a stand-alone SSO service like Okta or use an existing service that provides the functionality as an option, like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. We discussed all of these options in the webinar.

SSO allows organizations to focus their identity management efforts. It reduces the risk of password fatigue and decreases the likelihood of phishing attacks. SSO allows for improved governance around which applications users can access. User account provisioning and deprovisioning can be more efficient than when each application is managed separately. And SSO should also help staff work more smoothly without needing to pause to log in to tools and sites throughout the day. More details are available in our blog post SSO for nonprofits.

With the evolution of AI fueling more sophisticated cyber-attacks, Community IT often recommends implementing SSO as another layer of protection. View or listen to this webinar to delve deeper into the benefits of SSO, understand implementation strategies, and learn how it can streamline your workflow, bolster security, and improve user experience.

Is your nonprofit protected?

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. You do not have to have previous experience with SSO or cybersecurity to benefit from this webinar. Community IT believes strongly that your IT vendor should be able to explain everything without jargon or lingo.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

• Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/
• email Carolyn at cwoodard@communityit.com
• on LinkedIn

Thanks for listening.

If you have heard about Single Sign On (SSO) and wondered what it can do for your nonprofit, this webinar explains the concept and examines the ways that SSO can help your organization be more productive and work more safely online.

In part 1, our guests Steve Longenecker and Phil Oswald Christano define SSO and go over what it does and doesn't do. We discuss the unfortunate fact that each app interacts with SSO differently so you have to enable it for each app. However, if you use Google or Microsoft you already have some basic tools to implement SSO.

In part 2, we discuss implementation and roll out, and answer questions from the webinar audience.

Single Sign-On (SSO) is a pivotal security and usability tool for any modern organization. By enabling users to access multiple applications with one set of login credentials, SSO not only simplifies the authentication process but also enhances security.

At the most basic level, when a user is logged in via SSO, they access the websites and tools they use for work through that SSO service. Those individual websites and tools are configured to trust the SSO-providing service. Organizations can set up a stand-alone SSO service like Okta or use an existing service that provides the functionality as an option, like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. We discussed all of these options in the webinar.

SSO allows organizations to focus their identity management efforts. It reduces the risk of password fatigue and decreases the likelihood of phishing attacks. SSO allows for improved governance around which applications users can access. User account provisioning and deprovisioning can be more efficient than when each application is managed separately. And SSO should also help staff work more smoothly without needing to pause to log in to tools and sites throughout the day. More details are available in our blog post SSO for nonprofits.

With the evolution of AI fueling more sophisticated cyber-attacks, Community IT often recommends implementing SSO as another layer of protection. View or listen to this webinar to delve deeper into the benefits of SSO, understand implementation strategies, and learn how it can streamline your workflow, bolster security, and improve user experience.

Is your nonprofit protected?

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. You do not have to have previous experience with SSO or cybersecurity to benefit from this webinar. Community IT believes strongly that your IT vendor should be able to explain everything without jargon or lingo.

Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

• Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/
• email Carolyn at cwoodard@communityit.com
• on LinkedIn

Thanks for listening.

What do the acronyms SFP, DKIM, and DMARC mean, and why do you need to prove your email is legit?

If you have been hearing these terms lately about your email or your cybersecurity liability insurance checklist, and don’t know your DKIM from your DMARC, you aren’t alone! Carolyn sat down with CEO Johan Hammerstrom to demystify the lingo and learn about the latest requirements for ensuring emails from your domain look legit to other inboxes, and how that helps protect your nonprofit now and in the future.

Deliverability requirements are changing, so if you are in nonprofit leadership or nonprofit IT you will need to ensure your organization is in compliance. Listen to this podcast to learn the latest about this lingo, and then ask your IT provider or IT department about email protection and deliverability at your next check in.

Johan Hammerstrom, CEO of Community IT, breaks down why you should care about these acronyms and what they can do for your nonprofit security. Do you want to make sure your major donor can receive that email thank you? Then get on the email protection and deliverability train and listen to learn all about new requirements and best practices.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

• Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/
• email Carolyn at cwoodard@communityit.com
• on LinkedIn

Thanks for listening.

What does it mean to be a learning organization and how can you grow learning practices at your nonprofit?

In pt 1 Karen defined a Learning Organization and explored struggles to embrace learning at your nonprofit. In pt 2 Karen discusses the categories of learning technologies that can help nonprofits organize their learning management, and gave us tips on implementing learning strategies at our organizations.

Karen Graham has more than 20 years in senior nonprofit leadership, and a broad knowledge of trends and best practices in technology, leadership, and organizational development. Formerly head of Idealware, a research institution studying nonprofits’ use of technology, Karen has long observed there are some nonprofits that have a strong internal learning culture, and she sees benefits to those who take knowledge management and sharing very seriously.

She shared ideas on how to grow that learning impulse at your nonprofit and find funding for it and strategic value in it.

If you are struggling with a learning management system or thinking about investing in one, we also talked about tech tools that help with knowledge management – but as we always say, the tech should come last, the clearly articulated business need should come first.

Karen’s presentation helps us think about why learning is so crucial to our organizations and how to invest in the idea of the learning organization.

Is your nonprofit a learning organization?

For more on the concept of learning organizations and the history of the term over the decades, we recommend this article from Harvard Business Review Is Yours a Learning Organization? (1 free article/month or by subscription.)

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT and Karen Graham Consulting are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenter:

Karen Graham is a nonprofit technology strategist who loves helping people solve problems – from making their work easier and more enjoyable, to enabling their organization to more effectively achieve its mission.

Her consulting work focuses on the intersection of technology strategy, leadership, and culture for mission based organizations. She has worked in a variety of roles in sector-strengthening organizations such as Tech Impact (Chief Advancement Officer), Idealware (Executive Director), MAP for Nonprofits (Director of Technology & Innovation), and thedatabank (Director of Business Development). She serves on the grant review board for the Shavlik Family Foundation and the board of directors for the Minneapolis Southwest High School Performing Arts Committee. Karen earned her MBA in Nonprofit Management from the University of St. Thomas.

For an introduction to Karen’s thinking on learning organizations, listen to this podcast Karen Graham on Learning from Build Consulting. You can also follow her on LinkedIn.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

• Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/
• email Carolyn at cwoodard@communityit.com
• on LinkedIn

Thanks for listening.

What does it mean to be a learning organization and how can you grow learning practices at your nonprofit?

In pt 1 Karen defines a Learning Organization and explored struggles to embrace learning at your nonprofit. In pt 2 Karen discusses the categories of learning technologies that can help nonprofits organize their learning management, and gave us tips on implementing learning strategies at our organizations.

Karen Graham has more than 20 years in senior nonprofit leadership, and a broad knowledge of trends and best practices in technology, leadership, and organizational development. Formerly head of Idealware, a research institution studying nonprofits’ use of technology, Karen has long observed there are some nonprofits that have a strong internal learning culture, and she sees benefits to those who take knowledge management and sharing very seriously.

She shared ideas on how to grow that learning impulse at your nonprofit and find funding for it and strategic value in it.

If you are struggling with a learning management system or thinking about investing in one, we also talked about tech tools that help with knowledge management – but as we always say, the tech should come last, the clearly articulated business need should come first.

Karen’s presentation helps us think about why learning is so crucial to our organizations and how to invest in the idea of the learning organization.

Is your nonprofit a learning organization?

For more on the concept of learning organizations and the history of the term over the decades, we recommend this article from Harvard Business Review Is Yours a Learning Organization? (1 free article/month or by subscription.)

As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience.

Community IT and Karen Graham Consulting are proudly vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community.

Presenter:

Karen Graham is a nonprofit technology strategist who loves helping people solve problems – from making their work easier and more enjoyable, to enabling their organization to more effectively achieve its mission. She writes, speaks, and advises organizations on technology leadership, software selection, user adoption, innovation, and strategic IT alignment. She has guided dozens of organizations through their software decisions, from requirements analysis to implementation and ongoing database optimization. Karen earned her MBA in Nonprofit Management from the University of St. Thomas.

For an introduction to Karen’s thinking on learning organizations, listen to this podcast Karen Graham on Learning from Build Consulting. You can also follow her on LinkedIn.

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

• Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/
• email Carolyn at cwoodard@communityit.com
• on LinkedIn

Thanks for listening.

In today’s interview, Carolyn talks with Vince Grady, the new Community IT Chief Financial Officer (CFO) who is 8 months into the job. Vince and Carolyn discuss his roundabout path to the CFO role, and how a diversity of backgrounds is common at Community IT and valued as one of our strengths – not all our employees have followed a typical path and that helps us connect with our nonprofit clients who often also have non-conventional backgrounds, education, and careers.

Vince also comments on the value of mentors in his career, and he and Carolyn discuss steps to finding mentors you connect with and can turn to for advice. The takeaway? Be open to finding mentors that have the skills you want to develop, in addition to the career roles you want to grow into, and invite mentorship wherever you find it. Most people love being invited out for coffee and to discuss their skills and experience.

Vince and Carolyn also discuss the way being an employee-owned company (ESOP) has shaped the internal culture at Community IT in valuable ways.

Join us for our series featuring interviews with Community IT employees. In this series, we talk about nonprofit technology career paths, career resources, skills, and certifications. We will also touch on mentoring opportunities as you start out on your career and ways to give back if you are further along. If you are wondering what it is like to work at a place like Community IT, you can learn about it here. https://communityit.com/careers/

_______________________________
Start a conversation :)

• Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/
• email Carolyn at cwoodard@communityit.com
• on LinkedIn

Thanks for listening.