Provided in partnership with the Sustainability Network.
About the cohort
Even before COVID–19, technology was changing the way that every nonprofit pursued its mission. The global pandemic has forced many to accelerate those changes.
NTEN and the Sustainability Network, as part of the Sustainability Network’s Vision2030 tech priority, are offering this NTR cohort to the Canadian ENGO community to help organizations strategically navigate digital challenges and opportunities with strategic technology projects.
Nonprofit Tech Readiness is a six-month cohort program. Participating staff can be from any discipline, professional position, or organizational department who want to gain new skills, build capacity for their agency, and receive dedicated coaching on the most urgent technology needs. Our goal is to elevate technology capacity significantly by strengthening participants’ knowledge of best practices for technology planning, budgeting, decision-making, and more while supporting each participant in advancing a technology project specific to their organization. Previous Nonprofit Tech Readiness participants have had a diversity of technology projects from developing their organization’s IT roadmap to securing internal systems, migrating databases to identifying new client management systems, and more.
Program Director Jeremy Garcia provides an overview of what you can expect as a cohort participant.
Here’s what some recent participants said about their experience:
“The program allowed me to take time to focus on data and more than not, reinforced the work I was starting to do around the collecting, managing and decision making from data. I realized that I was on the right path to success.”
“My participation in Nonprofit Tech Readiness has absolutely resulted in an increased capacity to strategically implement the use of technology for my organization.”
“The program gave me the courage and vision to start a tech project, virtually on my own, to find a solution for electronic record-keeping. That project is now well underway.”
“Nonprofit Tech Readiness particularly expanded my knowledge in tech equity and inclusion and provided tangible tools to put those values into practice. Overall, I feel like I'm approaching our data and tech work with more confidence and an equity lens.”
Schedule
The educational sessions and mentorship activities (including a network of coaches and advisors from the U.S. and Canada) take place from October 2024 through March 2025 with 8–10 hours per month of program work. Online sessions generally start at 11:00 am Pacific to accommodate a wide range of time zones for this national program.
Orientation
October 2024
Ask questions and explore the online learning and community space.
Sessions
October 2024–March 2025
Take part in educational and mentorship activities.
Conference
April 16–18, 2025
Attend the 2025 Nonprofit Technology Conference virtually or in Baltimore, Maryland, for free.
Celebration
April 2025
Celebrate achievements and hear from inspiring guest speakers.
Sessions
You'll be supported as you move your customized technology project from the idea stage to a full-blown action plan and get the guidance you need to implement the project. You do not need to have a project decided or in mind when you start.
Technology projects
Advice and mentorship, including help with successful planning, culture change, and implementation.
Open office hours
Drop-in opportunities to get direct support.
Live educational series
Training sessions that cover the core competencies of technology planning, budgeting, implementation, and evaluation.
Self-paced educational series
Sessions that cover other competencies and best practices.
Leadership development
Facilitated process for discussing feedback and practicing and modeling experiences you can replicate at your organization.
Interactive workshops
Working sessions to build your project planning skills and develop connections with your peers.
Topics
The curriculum is tailored to the cohort's needs, and new courses are added as available. Topics include:
- Technology assessments.
- Technology roadmaps.
- Project management.
- Equitable program design.
- Cybersecurity.
- Racial equity and tech planning.
- Streamlining operations.
- Change management.
- Digital Accessibility.
- Tool Selection.
Additional benefits
You'll get free enrollment in NTEN’s Nonprofit Technology Professional Certificate. After the cohort ends, you'll also continue to have access to the materials and online community space.
You'll also have opportunities to include colleagues in workshops and coaching sessions and receive continued coaching after the cohort concludes.
Tuition
The majority (approximately 90%) of the funding for this offering is generously provided by five of the foundations supporting Sustainability Network’s Vision2030 tech initiative. Sustainability Network will collect a one-time $500 tuition charge per participant as soon as acceptance to the cohort is confirmed.
Apply for the cohort
Who should apply
Nonprofit staff at Sustainability Network member organizations are invited to apply. If you have any questions about your eligibility, email the Sustainability Network.
Applicants should be staff interested in practical, tangible technology training and in any role responsible for advancing and implementing a technology project at their organization. Board members and volunteers are not eligible. Applicants should have the support of and notify their senior management (i.e. CEO or ED) that they are the organization's nominee for the cohort. Only in exceptional circumstances will we consider more than one participant from a single organization.
Application
Applications for the fall 2024 cohort are now closed. We will open applications for the next cohort in June 2025.
