I’ve spent the last year working with a national nonprofit, with affiliates in nearly all 50 states, as they navigated a massive digital transformation. It was the kind of work that looked technical on the surface—but at its core, it was human. What I thought would be a software challenge quickly turned into a people challenge. And it taught me a lot.
If you’re stepping into tech for nonprofits — or trying to help an organization evolve digitally—here are the lessons I’d share over coffee, based on what we learned the hard (and good) way.
1. Start with understanding, not just code.
You might think you’re launching software, but what you’re really doing is inviting people to change how they work. Digital transformation doesn’t start with technology—it starts with understanding.
When we stepped in, this nonprofit had already tried (and struggled) to implement tech. The first time around, there wasn’t enough planning or input from the people who would actually use the tool. That led to a solution that didn’t stick.
This time, it was different.
They invested in a research, design, and planning project before building. That work—grounded in real user needs and practical realities—built the confidence to move forward. It wasn’t about guessing what might work. It was about knowing what would.
2. Design for reality.
One of the fastest ways to tank adoption? Forcing everyone through the same onboarding path.
That just doesn’t work in nonprofits, especially when some teams are three people deep, others have 30, and no one has extra time or resources. We learned quickly that real adoption only happens when onboarding is hands-on and feels relevant, collaborative, and human.
Here’s what we saw:
- Large Affiliates needed flexibility, clear alignment across teams, and a plan to protect data quality with many users in the system.
- Smaller Affiliates moved fast with minimal guidance—they thrived on simplicity.
- Edge cases and unique programs require onboarding to turn into a discovery process—blending training with collaborative design.
The key wasn’t ditching structure altogether—it was knowing where to bend it. Standardization helped us scale, but personalization helped us succeed.
3. Smart tech beats perfect tech.
Custom software gets expensive—fast. One of the most thoughtful decisions our client made was choosing a low-code solution paired with a custom back end powerful enough to drive national reporting. It allowed us to build something flexible enough to meet Affiliates’ needs, but light enough to train on, maintain, and afford.
The UI was simple. The data pipeline was powerful. And most importantly, it could scale without breaking the budget.
In tech environments, it’s easy to chase perfection. But progress that people can actually use, within budget, is far more valuable than polished complexity no one can afford to maintain.
4. Build a team of utility players.
The work we did wasn’t linear. We needed people who could move between roles—trainer, researcher, analyst, support, advisor—and do it with agility and humility.
If you’re consulting in this space, look for team members who:
- Aren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves
- Can find patterns across seemingly different problems
- Move easily between strategy and execution
- Stay curious under pressure
While each team member brings their own expertise, look for people who can flex and adapt. Keep sharing knowledge across experts to prevent silos. A small but mighty team of versatile humans can meet both the budget constraints and experience needs of a nonprofit.
5. Define success by what matters most.
What does success look like in a project like this?
It looks like:
- A case manager spending less time fighting spreadsheets
- A team onboarding new staff in half the time
- People feeling empowered, not drained, by the systems they use
- Building funding streams and serving more of the community—now backed by solid statistics that finally validate historical assumptions.
If your tech helps your people do more of what matters, you’re winning.
Final thought: It’s “people work” first
I get it—“digital transformation” can sound like a buzzword. It’s been overused. So if you’re a board member or leader who’s skeptical, you’re not alone. But here’s the truth:
It’s not about chasing the latest tech. It’s about making sure your people have what they need to do the work they care about—better, faster, and without burning out. It’s making sure your tools evolve alongside your mission.
And if you wait until it’s critical, it may already be too late. Working with nonprofits is deeply meaningful, and the tech is changing lives. And that’s why I’m proud to be part of it.