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Advances in communication and information technology over the past several years have dramatically transformed the way organizations do business. While organizations with ample resources have adapted to this new paradigm, much of the nonprofit sector has been unable to keep up with this rapid transformation.

Mott grantee NetCorps , with offices in the Southeast and Pacific Northwest, works exclusively with nonprofits, offering a variety of services that help build capacity and improve use of technology. A grant of nearly $65,000 will enable the organization to provide technology assessment, planning, and implementation services to 10 southeastern U.S. environmental groups focused on freshwater ecosystem conservation.

"Very few of Mott's grantees have access to top-of-the line technology. Most don't have dedicated information technology staff, so they just do their best to piece together hardware and software to meet their needs,” said Lois DeBacker, Mott Foundation Environment Program Director. "NetCorps has experience working with a wide array of nonprofits.”

NetCorps staff encourages clients to think first about their missions and what they want to accomplish. The organization then explores how information technology can help them be more efficient and effective in their program work.

With Mott funding, NetCorps will help selected groups develop overall technology plans, identify priorities within their plans, and provide assistance in securing and installing the hardware and software associated with their top priorities. Groups will be selected to receive assistance through a request for proposal process and will be required to provide a modest financial match.

Matthew Latterell, executive director at NetCorps, believes it is important for groups to learn how to budget and plan for the technology critical to their operations.

“We are making a long-term investment in the ability of participating groups to improve their efficiency and increase their effectiveness,” Latterell said. “By allocating resources to this effort, organizations will not only demonstrate their commitment to this process but also spend their own money on technology and tools that are critical to communicating their message.”

NetCorps has assisted several current and past Mott grantees with technology issues, including helping the Altamaha Riverkeeper to improve its donor and constituent management process and assisting the Conservation Trust of North Carolina to develop a CD-ROM-based “Land Protection Toolkit” that was shared with all North Carolina land trusts in an effort to help them with conservation easements, land donations and land purchases.