Consulting Gives Organizations a Way Forward

The saying "you get what you pay for" implies that in order to get something you want, you will inevitably give up something you want.

Many area nonprofits have figured out a way around this. By using TechBridge for their technology consulting needs, they pay discounted fees and get expert service and know-how.

Since TechBridge started in 2000, it has saved Georgia nonprofits more than $1 million in technology-related consulting fees and facilitated the donation of more than $6 million in free Microsoft Corp. software. In the last year, it has worked with more than 250 nonprofits.

TechBridge offers technology consulting services to nonprofits throughout metro Atlanta, helping them use technology to better serve the community and ensuring that nonprofits have the same ability as their for-profit counterparts to use technology to deliver their mission.

"Part of what we do at TechBridge is really help nonprofits leverage the technology they currently have and help it run more efficiently to serve their need. If they aren't worried about technology, they are able to focus on their mission," said TechBridge Director of Client Development Alissa Cook.

This nonprofit group helps other nonprofits use technology to solve mission-critical initiatives, improve communications with donors and increase operating efficiencies.

A full-time staff of 21 trained IT professionals along with numerous volunteers and contract workers provide nonprofits with quality services at a nonprofit price. Fees are discounted, subsidized by the support of their sponsors.

Cook said they pass on nonprofit pricing on hardware and software to clients and charge about $57 to $85 an hour for labor while the industry standard is well over $100 an hour.

TechBridge technology consulting services include Web site/database design and development; software selection; technology planning; network design and implementation; and project management.

Just a few years ago, MUST Ministries employees reported that technology was one of the things making their job harder. This prompted the organization to work with TechBridge to put together a technology plan.

"Now that issue is not high on the radar screen -- it is not even on the radar screen -- it feels like a tremendous triumph for us," said John Moeller, executive director of MUST Ministries. "We are as cutting-edge with our technology as any small business our size. We have a very technical, complex IT platform and we use technology in every aspect of our business plan."

Last year, the group once again worked with TechBridge to develop a Web site that went live in May 2007.

"It was a pretty long planning process but I think the process served us well because we are so incredibly pleased with the final product," Moeller said, adding the site is instrumental in volunteer recruitment and sign-up.

"We think we were the first organization in Atlanta to provide a site where volunteers can register online," he added. "We have a massive number of volunteers we are coordinating and this makes getting volunteers much easier and saves staff resources. That is really the thing we like to hang our hat on. There are lots of organizations that help individuals in need but we do it through volunteers."

TechBridge also provides tech support and preventive maintenance and has provided free Microsoft software to MUST Ministries.

"With this history of being on-site and developing plans for us, they were much more proactive in the Web site planning phase than another consultant would have been," Moeller said. "We wouldn't have nearly as robust a site if we would have used a for-profit entity. It is a low-cost option, and they delivered more product than we could get from anybody else. TechBridge is a nonprofit so they understand how other nonprofits work in the marketplace. They help us maximize the use of the Web site and how we use it to harness our mission."

At Atlanta Step-Up Society Inc., TechBridge has been working with the organization for about a year to streamline its telemarketing system, which consists of five representatives calling homes and businesses asking for donations of clothing and household items to be sold in the organization's thrift store.

"They came in and took a look at the system and designed software so it can be done by computers. Now we can go in and pull up everyone in a neighborhood, delete people as necessary and track our interactions with people," said Atlanta Step-Up Society President Robert Barber.

They can even print out the directions for the driver to make pickup easier.

"It was amazing. They came out and spent a day with us, walking around and picking my brain. Then they came back with their idea for the system and they were right on. I don't know how they do it, but they did," he added.

TechBridge has also helped the organization upgrade fliers, brochures and other marketing pieces.

"They did a lot of work for us that we didn't even ask for," he said, adding he is eager to start work with TechBridge on their next project of updating their Web site.

"I foresee a long-term relationship between us," Barber added.