Help a Nonprofit Develop a Technology Plan through Plan IT!

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Do you want to help a nonprofit capture the payoff from better use of technology?

If you have planning and facilitation skills or a good understanding of small business technology, volunteer with Plan IT this fall. 100% of last year’s volunteers said they would do it again!

"Plan IT has offered IH an expanded view of the IT issues and risks the organization is facing. The Action Plan provides a list of cohesive, actionable and time-bounded tasks with clear ownership." -Imagine Housing consultant, Andy Cheung (Senior Software Engineer at Microsoft)

How does it work? You and another volunteer consultant will be paired with a nonprofit to guide them through a structured process to: 1) Assess their technology strengths and weaknesses, 2) Identify goals, and 3) create a tangible action plan to achieve these goals. The consulting team is supported by 501 Commons technology staff who review all reports and work to insure that all consultants are successful.

Volunteers serve 10-12 hours per month from October 2017 through February 2018. Meetings with organizations will be held during regular business hours at times that work for you and the planning team members. There are three daytime gatherings for the cohort of organizations and consultants. Required availability includes:

• Consultant Orientation: Sept. 28
• Launch Party: Oct. 5
• Consultant Roundtables: Mornings of Nov. 1 & Jan. 8 (afternoon workshops optional)

On February 27, there will be a celebration luncheon as clients share their progress and thank their consultants and the program sponsors. Last year’s clients were very grateful for the support provided by the consultants:

"Thank you for all your time and talent helping us craft our action plan! You really kept us on task and the work you did was much appreciated."-- Freedom Project about Jerilyn Young and Tim Nickell

Being a Plan IT consultant provides the opportunity for you to...

• Apply your knowledge of business technology in a high-impact volunteer role
• Expand your knowledge about planning and consulting processes
• Improve an organization's understanding of their technology needs
• Make a difference in the nonprofit community's ability to utilize technology to their advantage
• Join 500+ experienced volunteers in the Executive Service Corps

Qualifications

• Experience and knowledge of using a wide range of technology tools and applications
• Project management, facilitation, and/or consulting skills that allow you to build trust with an organization’s staff and board
• Ability to communicate well with representatives from a diverse set of organizations and people without technical skills
• Professional and volunteer experience with nonprofits or the eagerness to immerse yourself into the sector so you can provide appropriate advice and consultation
• Technology planning experience applicable to organizations with small budgets and little to no technology staff is a plus, but not required

To apply to join the Executive Service Corps, visit our Volunteer Application and select "Plan IT." The Executive Service Corps includes 550 professionals across Washington. 501 Commons provides nonprofits with services and resources so that they can achieve their mission, so individuals, families, and our community can flourish.

Questions? Please email techvolunteering@501commons.org.

Can’t volunteer but want to help? Become a Plan IT Contributor. Support for Plan IT is provided by Microsoft, Avanade, Google, REI, Mutual of Enumclaw, Deloitte, Accenture, First Tech Federal Credit Union and many individual contributors. To see if your company would like to be a sponsor, contact Scott Hayman (scott@501 Commons.org).