Networked Nonprofit Initiative
Are Your Ready for a 2.0 World?
Management Consulting Services has engaged in a new strategic technology initiative for the Greater Boston nonprofit community.
The Networked Nonprofit Initiative aims to increase the overall awareness and use of emerging new Internet technologies in order to drive strategies that advance mission and improve effectiveness.
Popularly referred to as Web 2.0, these technologies comprise a whole series of new tools, many low cost or free, that open up new ways of communicating effectively, developing community partnerships, connecting up actors and stake holders on critical issues, encouraging collaborative learning styles.
Our services related to this intiative include:
- Networked Nonprofit Seminar Series Our seminar series to get you up to date with the latest technology and its ramifications for your organization's strategy.
- Cloud Computing - Save costs on IT by moving your infrastructure to the cloud including Four Part Training, and IT management services.
- Strategic Technology Assessment and Planning
Does your organization need a comprehensive strategy for technology investment? An assessment will be conducted to determine the technology needs and opportunities for significant improvement in organizational effectiveness. The technology plan considers both improvements to basic infrastructure and operations and more strategic investments in program related technological innovation. - CIO Services
- Web 2.0 Websites
Let us help you with the adoption of and migration to content management system-based web sites for effective nonprofit Web 2.0 communication and engagement. - Online Community Strategy and Management
We can help you build active online communities that take full advantage of new 2.0 capabilities. - Drupal Web Hosting
With our web hosting package we promise to make two upgrades annually to the core content management system and contributed modules.
We provide an outsourced strategic technology management capacity for your organization. Such services include implementing innovations to more effectively address the mission, vendor management, technology implementation project management, and briefings of senior staff on latest technologies and implications for organizations
Please contact Stephen Rockwell, srockwell@mcsorg.org, if you are interested in any of these services.
Cloud Computing Infrastructure
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Are finances tight for your organization? Are your IT costs high?
Management Consulting Services (MCS) has developed a service for our
clients so they can take advantage of software hosted on the internet
at significant reductions in cost. If you feel like your organization is spending too much on upgrading and maintaining servers and are worried about finding the money for your next upgrade, this solution is for your organization.
Why Move to the Cloud?
Our four-part seminar series helps to explain details of distributed computing. Click here for more information.
Nonprofits are rapidly turning to online solutions for their technical needs, which is also known as "moving to the cloud." The benefits are enormous. Staff can access the organization's technology 24 X 7, so they can work from home or another site. IT costs are reduced, as the agency gives up on outdated servers which require high maintenance fees, allow limited software features, and are only accessible in the office.
How Much Can Your Organization Save?
How can your organization transition to "cloud computing" from its current outdated and costly software? MCS offers a low cost solution to help nonprofits move to the cloud, by implementing Google's Enterprise online software package, a comprehensive office application software package which is donated to nonprofits.
Benefits of Google Enterprise
- Branded organizational email through Google's gmail. The email has your organization's domain name, or a domain name of your choosing.
- Group calendaring through Google calendar.
- Office application software (documents, spreadsheets, and presentations) through Google Apps.
- Easy to build and use Intranets or other group websites.
What MCS Provides to Your Organization
The Cloud Computing Infrastructure package offered by MCS includes the following services for low cost:
- IT setup of domain and establish email accounts.
- User and administrator training on email, calendar and groupware, googledocs and administrator training through regular webinars.
Costs are based on the number of employees in your organization. Prices range from $1,000 for small organizations of less than 10 employees to $5,000 for large organizations.
Notes:
- You must be a 501c3 organization and meeting Google's requirements for donation of Google Enterprise to your organization.
- Email migration from old email accounts is offered at an additional cost depending on number of accounts and amount of email to be moved.
- Ongoing administration can generally be handled by non-IT staff. However, if you require additional support beyond initial setup and trainings, hourly support rates of $60/hour apply.
Sign up here
For questions, contact: Stephen Rockwell, srockwell@managementconsultingservices.org
Online Community Strategy and Management
Know you need an online strategy to develop donors and members, but not sure where to turn?
Do you have a website that has disappointed you in terms of traffic and donations?
The Networked Nonprofit initiative can provide your organization assistance with developing strategies that will ensure a more robust presence on the web. We can also help you manage your online presence on an ongoing basis.
Strategy Development for Online Engagement and Community Building
- Develop metrics for success so that you know you are reaching your target constituencies.
- Ensure your organization is using the right community building tools and hooks to get your members engaged.
- Develop staffing and resource planning strategies to enable success.
- Matching existing strategies such as e-newsletters and online donation to online engagement strategies.
Ongoing Online Community Management Support
- Building and sustaining your presence on social networking sites such as facebook.com, myspace.com, and change.org.
- Creating and helping your members to create blog and discussion content.
- Creating online events and discussions that will attract your members to participate on your website.
Contact Stephen Rockwell, srockwell@mcsorg.org if you are interested in any these services.
Website Strategy and Redesign
Are you getting what you want out of you website?Are you having problems being aboutHave you heard about new 2.0 technology and not sure what to use?
MCS can help you build a 2.0-enabled website that is both easy to use and easy to maintain.
MCS can help you connect your organizational strategy to your web presence. We can assist you in the following areas:
- Building an e-communications strategy that delivers results.
- Developing online engagement strategy and website plan.
- Developing an easy to maintain website with robust features including 2.0 (blogs, RSS feeds, etc.).
- Evaluation of web solutions and vendors for online donation and CRM to help you make make informed decisions.
Current Projects
National Arts & Learning Collaborative (NALC)
Massachusetts Community & Banking Council
Massachusetts New Americans Agenda
Contact Stephen Rockwell, srockwell@mcsorg.org, for more information.