Following are highlights from the panel discussion:
Children International Talks Digital Transformation with HSO and Microsoft at the NetHope Global Summit
07 Dec, 2022
Tim Bachta, VP of Global IT with Children International, joined Microsoft and HSO to discuss selecting and implementing technology solutions at the NetHope Global Summit
NetHope brings its more than 60 non-profit member organizations together with its partner companies to leverage technology and share best practices in the joint mission to solve many of today’s global challenges.
In 2022, HSO and Microsoft participated in a panel discussion with Children International at the NetHope Global Summit in a session entitled, Playing to Our Strengths: How the Right Technology Partnership is Helping Children International.
The session’s focus was to provide examples of how NetHope technology partners work in close collaboration with NetHope members like Children International to help them make a positive impact through these partnerships.
Panel participants included Tim Bachta, VP of Global IT with Children International, Kostas Tzigizis, VP of Sales with HSO US, and Reginald Patterson, Account Executive for Children International at Microsoft.
Children International (CI) is a humanitarian organization that helps children break the cycle of generational poverty by providing them with a safe place to become healthy, educated, and productive young adults. CI is located in 10 countries across the globe, including Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the United States. As their core technology systems were approaching end of life, CI looked for an affordable technology solution they could leverage as a platform for their sponsorship and donor initiatives as well as their financial and other needs. They chose Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit as their solution and HSO as their Solution Integrator.
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The cost of a technology solution for non-profits is lower than you think
Technology does not have to be expensive. The size of the organization does not represent the complexity of the technical issues they are trying to solve because most organizations, regardless of size, share the same problems. Instead, the difference is how those problems are addressed. Bachta pointed out, “Going with the Microsoft platform with the Nonprofit Common Data Model has given us the ability to do more for our communities with the same number of resources.”
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Technology solutions are available for non-profits
NetHope’s partner companies work with other technology-focused organizations and funding sources to provide resources for non-profits to design, fund, implement, and scale solutions that meet their goals. For example, the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit was developed to serve the unique challenges of non-profits. Even before that, Microsoft started Technology for Social Impact (TSI) to aid in their digital transformation. Microsoft makes its technology accessible to non-profits using grants, funding programs, and discounts. “That includes infrastructure, as well as going to the cloud and a plethora of other resources,” said Patterson.
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Work with a System Integrator (SI) who understands your mission
There is no “one-size-fits-all” solution for non-profit organizations. CI chose Microsoft Dynamics 365 and the Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit because it provides them with a flexible platform and a modular architecture that integrates with other applications and gives CI the tools to add new functionality easily. Bachta offered this advice to non-profits looking for technology solutions and partners, “Create that unique platform that aligns with your mission. Discover your processes first, then work with your partner to help them understand what your mission is and why you’re there.”
“Create that unique platform that aligns with your mission. Discover your processes first, then work with your partner to help them understand what your mission is and why you’re there.”
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