The first computer that I bought was a Tandy 1000, it cost me $1000. The CPU had an 8088 processor with 640K of memory. It had a running speed of 8MHz, with no hard drive, two five-inch 360K floppy disk drives and if you're anything like I was at the time, you don't have a clue about what I just said.

I learned about computers about the same way as most small businesses do--from doing all the wrong things and wasting a lot of money. I don't know about you, but when I waste money, knowing what I'm doing becomes very important to me.

Computers have become the most important tool that an agency has. Imagine if a given philanthropy not only had the right technology, tailored to its specific needs, but that it also used the technology to communicate with business partners and the general public in the most efficient and appealing ways? With the right computer technology in place, and the right disposition towards it, this not-for-profit agency could be just as competitive as any for-profit business.

Large corporations have a CIS department that takes care of most of the technical stuff for the business but not-for-profit agencies don't have that kind of budget. I submit to you that having the right tools technically is even more important to the not-for-profit agencies for many reasons. Let's take a look at some of the variables every successful not-for-profit must consider, whether done internally or through the use of consultants.

Understanding the technology

Most not-for-profit agencies don't have a CIS department so it is difficult for them to stay informed on how new technologies can be utilized by the agency.

The organization must make a conscious, ongoing effort to review its present use of technology and consider many of the possibilities to help an organ-ization's use of technology for the present as well as the future.

If need be, organizations should consider "start-up" or "crash" courses to review all new software and hardware to give them a general overview and get them going as soon as possible. They should pay particular attention to the technology available that will increase the overall marketing of the organization as well as plan for future marketing campaigns.

Picking the right software

There are software packages for virtually anything you can imagine. But picking the right software is not as easy as it may seem. While most software today is very versatile, much of it still does not use a standardized format that will be easily read by other kinds of soft-ware. This makes sharing files with other organizations or businesses difficult. Some software packages, even though they will perform a lot of tasks, are very cumbersome and unreliable. Before choosing a package, an organization should take the following into consideration: Compatibility

• Versatility
• Price
• Upgrade Ability
• Support
• User Friendliness

Overcoming Intimidation

Computers are still intimidating to many, especially in the not-for-profit sector where other, more pressing concerns have taken priority and computer use has historically lagged. So instead of exploring the possibilities and broadening their knowledge, employees tend to get locked into a very minute area in which they use their technology. And while computers do make good word processors, they are also good accountants, photo editors, publishers, recording studios, communication centers, video studios, file cabinets, fax machines, and many other things.

Getting Started

The most successful people I know are those who recognize what they don't know. There is no better time for an organization to review the state of its knowledge than when funding is in crisis, and there is a premium put on efficiency. You owe it to your funders.

Ronald McFadden is a leading not-for-profit computer consultants. He can be reached at 816.924.1143 or by e-mail at RmcFad@aol.com.