Does more technology mean more mission? Charlie Brown from Ashoka’s Changemakers says that making the right technology decisions lets organizations expand their mission and make a greater impact on the world.

You can meet Charlie hanging around NTC events for the next few days and hear more from him in his NTC session “What Technology Can Do for Your Mission” tomorrow at 10:30. And read on to learn why he does what he does, and what his thoughts are on the latest trends in his field.

How did you get interested in nonprofit technology?

Technology has been a part of my identity since high school. I grew up in rural West Virginia and with the Internet I was able to connect to new ideas and communities of people that previously were not available. The ability to reach such a wide and diverse set of people, all from my computer, was fascinating. As I moved into college and then a career, I focused on how technology can bring the world to you and create spaces of innovation. By bringing together previously isolated people and ideas you open the door for amazing results. Social problems naturally lend themselves to technology like the Internet because the challenges are so diverse and large. With real time connected communities, we can alert people of health outbreaks, document human rights abuses, and collaboratively spread effective solutions.

Why is mission-driven technology important to nonprofits?

Nonprofits, or citizen sector organizations, as Ashoka refers to them, have no choice but to focus on mission-driven technology. Most organizations are operating on a limited budget and have little technology experience. This creates a situation where you really have to analyze what goals you want technology to help you achieve. Once you figure that out you have to find a technology solution that will help you achieve those goals and ten other things at the same time. That is the brilliance of good technology decisions, they will help you achieve your mission and then help your mission expand.

What do you think is the biggest trend to watch in nonprofit technology?

The biggest trend in technology is the emergence of "Web 2.0". While this may sound like a ridiculous answer, it is important because many citizen sector organizations are trying to adopt Web 2.0 strategies instead of a core technology foundation. The key word in your question is "trend," and trends often come and go. Many organizations are so focused on the power of Web 2.0 that they are not building a solid technology foundation for their organizations to operate on and drifting from the organizational mission. I am constantly advising organizations to take a step back from the Web 2.0 hype and focus on their needs. After you understand your true needs then you can see whether Web 2.0 is a good direction to explore.