Quiz: What's Your Nonprofit's Biggest Tech Challenge?

Running a nonprofit doesn't have to be overwhelming—yet for many organizations, the technology designed to help often becomes another source of stress. Between complicated software, siloed data, and a lack of support, it can feel like you're spending more time managing your tools than furthering your mission.

That’s why you need tech that directly supports your important initiatives and operations. If your nonprofit needs to gauge its tools, but isn’t sure where to start, look no further. This quiz will help you assess your tech approach and guide you toward your biggest opportunities for growth. But first, let’s explore why we chose these questions.

How We Structured This Quiz's Content

This quiz is built around three core pillars of an effective nonprofit technology strategy. As you answer the questions, you'll see the following themes emerge, helping you pinpoint where your current tech stack is thriving and where it has room for improvement:

• Integrated data: Your tech should provide a single, 360-degree view of your supporters. When your systems are integrated, data flows automatically from your website, email, and other tools into a single central hub, eliminating manual work and providing a comprehensive view of every relationship.
• Actionable impact reporting: Your software should make it easy to track key performance indicators (KPIs) and demonstrate your impact. This means going beyond simple data entry to provide intuitive, powerful reporting tools that allow you to generate clear, compelling reports for your board and funders without spending hours in a spreadsheet.
• High user adoption: A tool is only valuable if your team actually uses it. The most effective tech is user-friendly and intuitive for everyone, from your development director to part-time program staff. Furthermore, your tools should be backed by responsive, expert support to ensure staff feel confident and empowered.

Now that you understand these best practices, let’s dive into our quiz! 

1. Does your primary CRM feel like a central information hub?

If you answered YES, proceed to Question #2.

Congratulations—your nonprofit’s tech strategy is already on the right track! Your systems are all integrated seamlessly, meaning your team can generally trust that the information they see is accurate and up-to-date.

If you answered NO, skip to Question #3.

Your nonprofit’s biggest tech struggle is likely a disconnected tech stack. Your team probably struggles with increased workload and human error from constant manual data management.

2. Is impact reporting intuitive and helpful with the software?

If YES, your profile is: The Integrated, Data-Driven Strategist

Your organization operates with a level of clarity and efficiency that many nonprofits strive for. Your team has mastered its tech, turning it from a simple record-keeping tool into a strategic asset. Using these tools, you can prove your impact and secure support with confidence.

Opportunities

Even the most effective tech strategies aren’t worth much if they can’t evolve over time. With such a strong foundation, your biggest opportunity is to move beyond just reporting on past successes to predict future trends in donor engagement, marketing, and other mission-critical operations.

Next Steps

Your present tech strategy is already solid, so you should strategize for the future! Start by focusing on mission-critical activities, and branch out over time. For instance, you might look for opportunities to automate donor communications. Then, once you have a stewardship strategy, you can apply it to specific activities, like nonprofit marketing campaigns or event planning. No matter what your organization’s priorities are, pay attention to nonprofit tech trends (like the rapid advancement in AI) so you can stay ahead of the curve.

If NO, your profile is: The Manual Reporter

Your team is dedicated and detail-oriented, committed to proving your impact to funders and board members, even when it’s labor-intensive. You understand the value of data, but you're stuck in a cycle of manual reporting. Answering strategic questions means spending hours in spreadsheets. This resourcefulness comes at the cost of valuable time that could be spent on your programs and supporter engagement.

Opportunities

Your current systems have so much potential—all you have to do is tap in! Optimize your current reporting processes to unlock the valuable stories and insights that are trapped in your data. By solving this reporting bottleneck, you can free up dozens of staff hours and more effectively prove your impact to funders.

Next Steps

The key for you is to pivot to tools with powerful, yet intuitive, built-in reporting features. This approach allows for access to critical information without the need for overwhelming training needs. 

Start by identifying the top three reports your team creates each month and look for a solution that can generate them automatically. For instance, if volunteers are an essential supporter segment, look for constituent relationship management (CRM) software that specializes in reporting volunteer data.

3. Is your main pain point related to your software’s complexity?

If YES, your profile is: The Workflow Navigator

Your organization has invested in tech, but the tool itself is the primary roadblock. Over time, your team’s resourceful workarounds build up significant technical debt, a hidden cost that makes it much harder to update the system, migrate to a new one, or effectively analyze data. This daily friction means the software is a source of frustration rather than a tool for empowerment.

Opportunities

You have an opportunity to boost both team morale and your return on investment. By addressing the user experience, you can turn a source of daily frustration into a tool that empowers your staff. This not only increases efficiency but also ensures you get the full value from your tech budget.

Next Steps

While finding a new system is likely the long-term goal, you need solutions to lessen the daily frustration today. Begin by designating a "champion" within your team to lead these initiatives. This individual is likely the most adept at using your current software, but they should also be enthusiastic about making changes. Ask them to create a simple, internal "how-to" guide with screenshots for the 3-5 most common tasks and a frequently asked questions section.

Also, create a ticket system that allows members to quickly record the date, the task they were trying to complete, and the time they lost due to software issues. This system allows your champion or tech team to respond quickly.

If NO, your profile is: The Aspiring Connector

Your team has a clear vision for what great supporter engagement looks like, but you're constantly fighting against disconnected systems and data silos. This forces you to manually bridge the gap between your tools, hindering your ability to see the full picture of a supporter's journey.

Opportunities

Your biggest opportunity is to transform the supporter experience from disjointed to seamless and comprehensive. As Heller Consulting notes, “Modern digital tools allow nonprofits to deliver personalized communications, build interactive online experiences, and maintain continuous connections with supporters.” By integrating your systems, you can deliver personalized experiences that ensure every supporter feels known and valued. 

Next Steps

Make a unified view of your constituents a top priority. Map out your key data flows to identify sources of lost time, inaccurate data transfer, and other integration-related discrepancies. Then, prioritize finding a central platform with strong, native integrations that can automate data transfer and give your team their time back.

Now that you know your profile, you can take the next step in your nonprofit’s tech approach! Keep in mind that these profiles are meant to be flexible, so if you feel like you fall into multiple categories, consider addressing both of those opportunities for improvement. Take this quiz again once you’ve implemented any new software or fixes to gauge your progress!

Lyndal Cairns, Director of Marketing

Lyndal has worked at the intersection of nonprofits and technology for most of her career, building strategic marketing programs and managing data-driven campaigns at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, Nonprofit Technology Network, InfluxData, and others. She leads Heller’s marketing efforts and is excited to position Team Heller as the partner of choice for nonprofit and education advancement leaders. When not at her desk, Lyndal is usually on a hiking trail or listening to a podcast about star stuff.